Ace Ventura

Ace your next trip to Ventura County with some off-the-beaten-path adventures on land and sea.

Week: 06.02.2015

Regions: Southern CA

Seventh Heaven Hiking

Hike Conejo Valley

Dog Friendly, Hikes

A whopping 15,000 acres of open space have been preserved in the Conejo Valley—that’s almost a third of the total size of Thousand Oaks! Wildwood Park comprises the largest contiguous area inside this preserved open space. This 7-mile loop hike takes you on a strenuous but reward

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High Sierra Best

Cabins in the High Sierra at Sorensens

At the eastern edge of Hope Valley, just 20 minutes south of Lake Tahoe, lies an elegantly rustic resort. One for all seasons. Mountains and cabins, outdoors and fun, good food and fine wine. Sorensen's Resort is the perfect pairing of mountains and cabins, plus great food. This

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Hike and Peak

Hike Camarillo Grove Park

Dog Friendly, Hikes

Reaching a stunning peak vista in under a mile? If it sounds too good to be true, you haven't been to Camarillo Grove Park. The 1-mile (round-trip) Upper Loop Trail in this unassuming park is your peek into a world of chaparral growth, wildlife, and a magnificent bucolic view tha

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Drama-free at Sea

Kayak Channel Islands Harbor

kayak channel islands harbor

kayak channel islands harbor

For an adventure at sea without the drama of thrashing ocean waves, go kayaking in Oxnard's serene Channel Islands Harbor. The calm waters (shielded by the breakwater at the harbor's entrance to the ocean) make your kayaking trip a soothing afternoon outing. The protected harbor

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From Beach to Summit
No need to decide between a beach and a mountaintop—this hike includes both! Explore the stunning coastal scenery on this 6-mile out-and-back up Montara Mountain and into Rancho Corral de Tierra.
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Picnic and a Pedal
West Marin has all the right stuff for an afternoon getaway: bike paths, babbling brooks, canopy forests, and secluded picnic spots. Combine a picnic and a pedal at Samuel P. Taylor State Park by biking the easygoing Cross Marin Trail.
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Most Peaceful Hike of All
Is this the most peaceful one-hour hike in the Bay Area? It's got our vote! Lake Lagunitas is the smallest lake in a series of five found on the north side of Mount Tam, so it’s got that tiny but mighty charm. Do a 1.5-mile loop around the lake's shore-hugging trail.
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Sebastopol Food & Wine Roll
One apple farm, three charming towns, multiple wineries, and infinite natural beauty. Savor a perfect autumn day in Sonoma County by biking the West County Regional Trail from Sebastopol to Forestville via Graton. It’s a 17-mile (round-trip) adventure.
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Canal Contemplations
With its incense-scented boardwalk, bohemian shops, skateparks, and abundance of body builders, Venice is happily eccentric, and artistic. Exhibit A: Its network of European-style canals with charming bridges, offering a tranquil tour of the town’s history.
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Wine Down, Dine Out in Lake Chelan
The fertile soil around Washington State's Lake Chelan is ripe for more than just the amazing apples. Vineyards here yield high quality grapes, and some of the country’s best less-discovered wineries. Locals know it, and you will too when you start choosing from the more than 30 wineries in the region.
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What's Up, Winthrop!
It’s not just its location close to Washington State’s spectacular and less visited national park (North Cascades) that makes Winthrop such a winsome mountain town. This lively enclave in the Methow Valley bristles with a whimsical blend of Wild West charms, contemporary culture, and a mosaic of outdoor adventures—from river to lake to waterfalls, and beyond.
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Planet of the Oaks
Let us count the number of oak tree species in the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve near Julian: coast, scrub, canyon, black, and Engelmann. Five! The preserve’s Five Oaks Trail is a 3.2-mile hike that boasts all five.
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