Rise and Shine in Camarillo

Visit Camarillo for a Mix of Outdoor Bliss and Urban Comforts

Ready to shine on your next getaway? Ventura County’s Camarillo is ready for you! Camarillo shines in more ways than one—including nearly year-round sun. Bathed in a Mediterranean climate and surrounded by agricultural “charmland”—especially wineries and vineyards—Camarillo is the perfect blend of outdoor bliss and urban comforts.

Beach Bliss Top 10

point mugu state beach

Ventura County beach sunset

VW Ventura County Beach

Camarillo is ideally set smack dab between Santa Barbara and Los Angeles, making it the perfect home base for getting to many of SoCal’s most beautiful and uncrowded beaches. Whether you like surfing, sandcastle building, or just strolling by the sea, Camarillo is just 30 minutes from celebrity-studded Malibu, where you can sun yourself on Zuma Beach or watch the golden hour at Point Mugu State Beach; snap some pics with Mugu Rock in the scene (this beach has been featured in many films and TV shows). Relax at Mondo’s Beach, where beginner surfers enjoy gentler waves, and combine a hike or bike ride along the shore at Emma Wood State Beach.

See the Top 10 Beaches close to Camarillo

Hike and Bike

Hike Camarillo

Bike Camarillo

Old Town Camarillo

Cantara Cellars Camarillo

Camarillo’s idyllic location means a best-of-both-worlds hiking haven. From mountains to the sea, take your pick: Point Mugu State Park is easy to access from Camarillo and has sensational coastal hiking with views all the way to the Channel Islands. Mega views (and Mugu views!) are standard in Camarillo. Be sure not to miss Camarillo’s less known and spectacular inland hikes with wild canyons and dramatic mountains. A few to do: Hill Canyon to Hawk Canyon, Conejo Mountain via Powerline Trail, and for a thigh-burning cardio challenge, the Chumash Trail at Point Mugu State Park. Camarillo’s Top 5 biking trails are sure to please pedal pushers of all skill levels.

BONUS WINE TRAIL: Small, down to earth, family-owned … Camarillo’s Wine Trail is a fun way to swirl through an afternoon. Check out the Wine Tasting guide for Camarillo, including Back Patio Cellars, Camarillo Custom Crush Winery, Cantara Cellars, and Pantess Cellars.

National Park at Sea

sea kayak Channel Islands

Sea Kayak Channel Islands

woman hiking Channel Islands

Channel Islands fox

Camarillo is home to the newest Cal State in California—California State University Channel Islands (CSUCI), a four-year university and one of the fastest growing institutions in the state, named after one of the most pristine national parks on the planet. From Camarillo you can easily adventure to Channel Islands National Park. Often called “the Galapagos of North America,” Channel Island National Park comprises five islands (San Miguel, Santa Rosa, Santa Cruz, Anacapa, and Santa Barbara) all with unique and distinct features. Find hiking trails, guided kayak trips (do not miss the cave kayak tour at Santa Cruz), snorkeling, coveted bird watching, remote camping, and more.

Plan Your Visit to Channel Islands National Park

James Bond's Egg Collection

Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology Bird Museum and Research Center

Consider yourself lucky if you’re able to get a reservation to go on a tour at the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology Bird Museum and Research Center (WFVZ), one of Camarillo’s hidden gems. Fun Fact: author Ian Fleming stole the name of a famous ornithologist and explorer named … Bond. James Bond. And the WFVZ possesses the real James Bond’s egg collection. In fact, WFVZ collections include over 225,000 sets of eggs—one of the largest in the world (along with the British Museum of Natural History). Keep the history theme going with a docent-led tour at the Commemorative Air Force Museum’s Southern California Wing (CAFSoCal) and Camarillo Ranch, a historic site once owned by the city’s namesake—Adolfo Camarillo, where docents lead weekly tours of the exquisite Queen Anne Victorian and gardens.

Stay, Shop, Eat

Downtown Camarillo

Shopping Camarillo

Easily accessible off Highway 101 and centrally located between notable attractions with accommodating lodging options, Camarillo offers a marquee California vacation without the heavy price tag. Discover the places to stay in Camarillo. Outdoor dining is everywhere in Camarillo. Eat at cozy sidewalk cafes or relax at a spacious patio decked in twinkling lights. Discover Camarillo’s Food and Drinks. Pro Tip: If adventures in good deals is your vibe, be sure to check out the famous Camarillo Premium Outlets—an open-air shopping experience with 160 premium brand-name outlets. And don’t miss Camarillo Old Town for its emerging art scene, lively bistros, and boutiques.

BOW-WOW BONUS: Camarillo is a dog-friendly destination.

Trending Stories NorCal

View all Stories
  1. Field of Light at Sensorio in Paso Robles

    Light This Way

    Hidden in the bucolic hills of Paso Robles lies one of the greatest light shows on earth. The lighted art exhibition, Sensorio, is as if the rainbow magic of the aurora borealis was plucked from the sky and planted in the fields.

    View
  2. Surfboards and tents for shade are set up on the beach at Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area in the Swim Lagoon Area

    Switchbacks and Swimming Holes

    Hike hard, play hard! This 7-mile out-and-back in Cull Canyon Regional Recreation Area is a great workout with payoff vistas and a relaxing post-hike picnic and dip in the water.

    View
  3. Hike the Rainbow

    Catch all the colors of a rainbow at Calero County Park on this 10-mile hike currently showcasing the season’s best blooms.

    View
  4. Hike Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

    Purisima Charisma

    Hundred-foot redwoods, a shaded canyon, and views overlooking Half Moon Bay. This 10-mile loop hike in Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a roller-coaster of uphill and downhill along with easygoing stretches through some of the Bay Area’s most beautiful landscape.

    View

Trending Stories SoCal

View all Stories
  1. People on a guided horseback tour with Central Coast Trailrides at Santa Margarita Ranch near Paso Robles

    Saddle Up with Central Coast Trailrides

    Untouched and sweeping, the mountainous scenery and deep valleys of Santa Margarita near Paso Robles are just begging to be explored. So saddle up for a scenic adventure with Central Coast Trailrides (CCT) at the 14,000-acre Santa Margarita Ranch.

    View
  2. A woman on a hiking trail with huge open space and yellow flowers around her at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

    Going Wildwood

    Consider this your invitation to get a little untamed. In just one walk through Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks, you can chase the sound of a cascading waterfall, duck into a shadowy cave, and soak in big hillside vistas. The mostly flat 4.25-mile loop makes wild feel wonderfully accessible.

    View
  3. Two people fly fishing on the Truckee River with guides from Reno Fly Shop

    Zen and the Art of Fly Fishing

    Learning to fly fish is one of the most fun and beautiful ways to connect with nature, family, friends, and yourself. It’s also a great way to truly experience the magic of a place. Make that place Reno Tahoe, where a fly fishing adventure with Reno Fly Shop is like being planted in a plein air painting of dreamy outdoors.

    View
  4. A woman on the overlook deck overlooking the Truckee River at Oxbow Nature Study Area in Reno

    This Way to Oxbow and Dickerson Road

    Just west of downtown Reno—tucked right alongside the Truckee River—is a nature haven for wildlife spotting and waterside relaxing. The 22-acre Oxbow Nature Study Area is ideal for those seeking solitude and a short hike. Afterwards, explore the creative hub of Dickerson Road.

    View