About Oxnard, California

Rally your tribe and head for the Central Coast.

California cool, panorama-perfect, culturally authentic and vibrant beyond measure.

Oxnard is home to miles of pristine golden-duned beaches, electric nightlife, some of the best taquerias in the state, historic Victorian era architecture and an expansively picturesque harbor that serves as the closest access point to the Channel Islands National Park. Just sixty miles northwest of LAX and in close proximity to Santa Barbara and other major destinations, Oxnard is one of California’s best kept secrets.

See and taste for yourself the agricultural powerhouse that is Oxnard. Having earned the moniker “Strawberry Capital of California” for its abundant export, the city was actually built in the late 1800s around a booming sugar beet business that attracted migrant workers to the rich fields of the Oxnard plain. Today, remnants of Oxnard’s first family ranch homes exist at Heritage Square in Downtown Oxnard; historic farm equipment and buildings can be found at Oxnard Historic Farm Park. Check out these landmarks and historical places. Love farm-fresh finds? Explore citywide farmers markets three days a week.

Car enthusiasts, check your mirrors for an unparalleled automotive culture; Oxnard is known for its cruise nights, meet-ups and year-round festivals paying homage to classic and custom rides.

Love music? We’re noteworthy. With a musical legacy that doesn’t fall flat, electrifying live music venues and signature events that will make you want to sing along, Oxnard turns up the volume as a destination that rocks. Hometown of Grammy Award winner and Superbowl Halftime Performer Anderson .Paak, Oxnard has been made famous by Willie Nelson who recorded his full-length album Teatro at a vintage theater turned recording studio on The Boulevard. Artists like Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and Sonny & Cher have at one time had residences in the city. Oxnard is even home to world-famous drum factory, DW Drums; come for a private tour.

Adventure travelers will be awe-inspired by the dramatic vistas and natural wonder found at Channel Islands National Park. Board an excursion to one of the Channel Islands, just eleven miles off the coast from Oxnard, where you’ll discover a world untouched at “North America’s Galapagos.” Spend the day diving, kayaking, swimming, hiking, camping or exploring deep sea caves; see wildlife found nowhere else on planet Earth.

Return to Oxnard to rejuvenate: shop the incredible boutiques at The Collection at RiverPark, Oxnard’s premier lifestyle venue, where you’ll find top-billing comics (e.g., David Spade, Patton Oswalt, Jo Koy) performing stand-up at The Improv’s Levity Live and rotating genres of live music at Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen. Take the family along and enjoy kid-friendly activities: Bowl a strike at Lucky Strike, with its 28 blacklight bowling lanes and giant arcade; challenge your mind at Red Door Escape Room; let your little ones run wild at Jump N’ Jammin’; catch the latest flick at Century 16 Riverpark.

Sample the diverse flavors of our restaurants’ international dishes … and did we mention tacos? We’re staking our claim: Oxnard has the most tacos per capita north of the California-Mexico border. Check out the Official Oxnard Taco Trail.

Rich in the boxing tradition, Oxnard even has an appropriate nickname – “Boxnard.” Oxnard is a national hub for boxing and is home to many amateur and professional boxers, some of whom have been born and raised (Fernando Vargas, Hugo Centeno Jr., Robert/Mikey Garcia) within the city limits, and others who have moved to Oxnard specifically to train (Victor Ortiz, Vasyl Lomachenko).

Oxnard like a local, and take in one of the breathtaking sunsets along the shore, which are particularly spectacular in the fall and winter months. Chase powerful, expert-level waves at Silver Strand Beach, a world-class surfer’s paradise.

From sand dunes made famous by Hollywood, to a jetty formed over the remnants of a shipwreck, to a portion of the 1,500 mile long Pacific Coast Bike Route, our beaches are as diverse and beautiful as they come. With our year-round perfect weather, it is always beach season here! Check out our Beaches Reel here.

Launch into relaxation at one of California's largest harbors for small-craft recreation, Channel Islands Harbor. Enjoy a ton of fun activities launching from Marine Emporium Landing - from sailing to electric boat rentals to kayak tours and wildlife excursions, you'll find space to stretch out and explore.

Extend your stay. Stay overnight at Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach, the newest addition to Curio Collection by Hilton and the only all-suite beachfront resort in Southern California. Settle in with a relaxing stay at the newly opened TownePlace Suites next to Oxnard's premier shopping and entertainment center. Wake and play at Staybridge Suites Oxnard River Ridge next door to River Ridge Golf Club, or stay dockside at Hampton Inn Channel Islands Harbor. Homewood Suites, Hilton Garden Inn and Holiday Inn Oxnard Ventura offer convenient access to The Collection at RiverPark and Oxnard’s business districts, while Best Western Oxnard Inn is centrally located in the heart of Downtown Oxnard.

We invite you to relax, unwind and enjoy this beach town filled with unique experiences and passionate people. There’s a wealth of opportunities to make lasting memories in our gem of a town, where Pacific Coast Highway meets Highway 101. We hope you’ll make the trip — it’s worth every second.

Want to know how Oxnard got its name? Read about Oxnard History.