Choose from five public golf courses with spectacular ocean and mountain views in the cities of VenturaCountyWest: Camarillo, Oxnard and Ventura. They’re all about an hour’s drive north of Los Angeles, but feel like a million miles away, especially when combined with local pub and restaurant offerings.
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Arrive in town early for a hearty breakfast at Pete’s Breakfast House, known for its buttermilk pancakes and homemade strawberry jam. Enjoy a morning round of golf at Olivas Links, an 18-hole championship golf facility designed by Forrest Richardson. Chosen as the “Best Municipal Golf Course in the Nation” for the last three years by golf week, this 6,818-yard course features a rolling links-style layout defined by coastal grasses and natural habitat. However, you can choose to play on the next course, Buenaventura. At just over 6,000 yards at a par 70, it emphasizes course management and is a shooter’s delight. With classic shapes and designs from the 1930s, the course is a step back in time. It will be a difficult choice to make.
For lunch, relax at the Aqua Beachfront Bar. Located in the Crowne Plaza Hotel, and as the name suggests, it’s right on the beach. The afternoon is yours to soak up the sun on the sand or perhaps rent a bike for a ride along the beach bike path. At night, go to the Greek in the port to enjoy the best Mediterranean food. Then enjoy a standup routine at the Ventura Harbor Comedy Club.
Oxnard
Another early day begins with breakfast at Mrs. Olson’s Coffee Hut, one block from the beach in Oxnard, then to one of two beautiful fields in River Ridge. The Vineyard offers magnificent panoramic ocean views, while Victoria Lakes boasts beautiful water features, curved grass/poa greens, and Greg Norman hybrid Bermuda tees and fairways.
A perfect post golf outing is the Mullin Automobile Museum. It celebrates the Art Deco movement in car design and is open two Saturdays a month, when you can see award-winning Bugattis, Voisins, Dealges and other French cars from the 1920s to 1940s. In the evenings, the menu at Cabo Seafood & Grill includes Mexican seafood, homemade tortillas and delicious margaritas.
camarillo
Camarillo. Choose one of two fantastic courses to end your golf getaway. Sterling Hills in Camarillo is surrounded by lush avocado and citrus groves. This 18-hole championship golf course includes natural features that take advantage of the natural topography. Camarillo Springs is at the base of Conejo Mountain, just off Highway 101. Designed by Ted Robinson, its views include towering rock formations and gentle natural springs.
Before heading home, top off your weekend with a “Blarney Burger” and one of 14 beers on tap at Brendan’s Irish Pub in Camarillo. A relatively new restaurant, it is owned and operated by two Irishmen who have created an environment comparable to the best pubs in Ireland.
