Ventura - Premier Visitors Guide 2007-2008 - (Page 28) Above: Ventura Keys offers outstanding opportunities for sailing and kayaking. Left: Olivas Adobe Historical Park brings to life the California Rancho period of the mid-1800s. Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center Headquarters for the Channel Islands National Park and Marine Sanctuary, the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center (1901 Spinnaker Dr., in the Ventura Harbor, 658-5730, www.nps.gov/chis) is a one-stop resource for information on the five northern Channel Islands. Begin near the entrance, where contour models provide perspective on the relative size, shape and positions of the windswept islands offshore. Step inside to see a full-sized display of an elephant seal, a stuffed island fox and a replica of a pygmy mammoth skeleton found on Santa Rosa Island in 1992. Kids will want to peer inside the living tide pool, home to sea urchins, sea stars, lobsters and an elusive swell shark. Rangers and volunteers are happy to provide information about the natural and cultural resources on the islands or to direct you to boat tours, plane flights and camping sites. You may also want to pick up a souvenir or guidebook in the bookshop. The Visitor Center is open daily from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. available. Saturdays from 8–11 a.m. For more information, call 644-0169. You can also purchase fresh seafood every day at Andria’s Fish Market, 654-8228, next to Andria’s Restaurant. Harbor Cove Beach At the west end of Spinnaker Drive, just across the street from the Channel Islands National Park Visitor Center, Harbor Cove Beach is a safe waterfront site for family outings, protected by the jetty and marina from strong currents and large waves. Facilities include restrooms and a children’s play area. Olivas Adobe If you take Spinnaker Drive when leaving the harbor, the road name changes 28 VENTURA VISITORS GUIDE to Olivas Park Drive—which leads to Olivas Adobe Historical Park, one of Ventura’s most significant historic landmarks (4200 Olivas Park Dr., 6584728, www.olivasadobe.org). The grounds are open daily, with docentguided tours on Saturday and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is free; donations are appreciated. In the summer, locals and visitors alike gather in the courtyard of the Olivas Adobe to stargaze and tap their toes to folk music during Ventura’s Music Under the Stars tradition (658-4726). Bring a blanket and join the fun-loving crowd any Saturday night between the Fourth of July to Labor Day weekend. You’ll hear eclectic ensembles representing music traditions from throughout the world. COURTESY VVCB http://www.nps.gov/chis http://www.olivasadobe.org
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