Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
(
805-525-5541;
www.limoneira.com
;
1131 Cummings Rd, Santa Paula; tours $20-40;
call for hrs)
A 20-minute drive from downtown, this working farm lets you get up close to sniff the
fruit Ventura is most famous for growing: lemons. Drop by the historical ranch store and
play bocce ball outside, or book ahead for a guided tour of the modern packing house and
sea-view orchards.
Museum of Ventura County
MUSEUM
(
805-653-0323;
http://venturamuseum.org
;
100 E Main St; adult/child 6-17yr $5/1;
11am-5pm
Tue-Sun)
This tiny downtown museum has a mishmash of displays including Chumash baskets, vin-
tage wooden surfboards and a massive stuffed California condor with wings outspread.
Temporary exhibits usually spotlight local history and art.
OFF THE BEATEN TRACK
SANTA PAULA
Now calling itself 'the citrus capital of the world,' the small town of Santa Paula once
found its treasure in black gold. If you've seen the movie There Will Be Blood,loosely
based on the Upton Sinclair novel Oil!,then you already know that SoCal's early oil boom
was a bloodthirsty business. Today the
California Oil Museum
( 805-933-0076;
www.oilmuseum.net
; 1001 E Main St; adult/child 6-17yr $4/1; 10am-4pm Wed-Sun) tells the story
of Santa Paula's 'black bonanza' with modest historical exhibits that include an authentic
1890s drilling rig and a collection of vintage gas pumps. Afterward take a walk around
downtown Santa Paula's historic district, painted with interesting outdoor murals. Pick up
a free self-guided walking tour map inside the museum or one block north at the
cham-
ber of commerce
( 805-525-5561;
www.discoversantapaula.com
;
200 N 10th St, Santa Paula;
10am-2pm Mon-Fri, gift shop 10am-noon & 1-4pm Mon-Fri, noon-4pm Sat & Sun). Santa Paula is a
16-mile drive east of Ventura or Ojai, at the intersection of Hwys 126 and 150.
Sleeping & Eating
