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

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  1. Taking the Stage: Tyler Ranch

    Hike the recently opened Tyler Ranch Staging Area in Pleasanton Ridge Regional Park, with 18 miles of new trails. This 6.5-mile loop up Sunol Peak is a challenge and rewards with exceptional views of seasonal iridescent hills.

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  2. A woman stands at Dante's View in Death Valley, looking out to Telescope Peak and Manly Lake, Badwater Basin below.

    Sunset Hike (and Manly Lake Vista!) at Dante's View

    It’s one of the world’s best places to watch a sunset. Dante’s View is a 5,476-foot vantage of the whole southern basin of Death Valley from the top of the Black Mountains. On clear days you get views of both the highest and lowest points in the contiguous U.S. 

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  3. Swing into Spring

    Swing into this 7.1-mile hike in the hills of Half Moon Bay! It’s got gorgeous views, fields of spring wildflowers, and a hidden rustic tree swing.

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  4. The Carson Show

    Carson Falls is ready for primetime. This three-tiered, 100-foot stunner is hidden back in a canyon outside of Fairfax and reached on a 3.25-mile (round-trip) hike.

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Trending Stories SoCal

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  1. Lava Lava

    Once a land of volcanic activity, Mojave National Preserve shares plenty about its past via a quick yet adventurous hike to the Lava Tube in the Cima Dome Volcanic Field.

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  2. Kelso Dunes

    The hike to the top of Kelso Dunes in the Mojave National Preserve is only 3 miles (out and back), but you’ll feel like you’ve hiked much farther by the time you’re done.

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  3. William Kenyon Overlook

    Some of the best vistas of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park are easily accessible via a short and sweet 1.25-mile (round-trip) hike just off the CA-78. Enter your next favorite desert viewpoint: the William Kenyon Overlook.

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  4. Beaudry Bountiful

    There are no cars allowed on Beaudry Loop, but this 6-mile hike takes you on a wild ride. You’ll be climbing 1,500 feet up the southern Verdugos along a chaparral-lined trail with gorgeous mountain and urban vistas every step of the way.

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