Voting for Ventura as the Most Pet-Friendly City!
Ventura may have just stolen the title for the most pet-friendly city in the USA—at least among the many cities we’ve visited over the last seven years. If you’re looking for sunshine, friendly locals, delicious food, and truly pet-friendly establishments, then visiting this gem of a city on the Californian coast is a must!
Ventura’s slower pace and overall chill vibes were exactly what I needed to start the year. The city had a relaxed feel that was reflected in the locals who were all easygoing and kind. Many people we passed in the streets were happy to shower Perseus with compliments and I paused more than a few times to enjoy a lengthy conversation with a stranger. The warmth we received from the locals was honestly incredible and truly made our trip so much more enjoyable!
The hardest part about visiting Ventura with your furry friend may very well be trying to narrow down your options when it comes to choosing what to do and which pet-friendly establishments to visit. Here are some of our recommendations that we enjoyed during our visit:
Pet-Friendly Accommodations
If you’re looking for a unique stay, I’d highly recommend checking out Waypoint Ventura. This hotel offers guests the chance to sleep comfortably in a vintage Airstream trailer while providing tons of extra amenities including complimentary coffee and tea in the morning, BBQs, smores kits for the evening fire pits, a wide array of board games, and bikes for exploring town. The location is also hard to beat with the beach and Ventura Pier within walking distance.
Pet-Friendly Locations & Things to Do
Ventura comes with tons of pet-friendly space and dogs were a common sight while exploring the city. Here were some of our favourite spots to take a walk with your furry friend:
Grant’s Park - perfect for watching the sunset
Arroyo Verde Park - a great place to hang out with family with pet-friendly trails, gathering areas, and a playground
Ventura Promenade - take a stroll or go for a cycle and enjoy gorgeous views of the beach
Ventura Pier - sunrise or sunset spot with lovely views over the water
Downtown - get ready to window shop, cafe hop, and just soak up the sun
Harmon Canyon - weather dependent but a great option for gorgeous views
For those looking for more activities to do, consider renting a pedal boat from Ventura Boat Rentals and enjoying views of the harbor from the water. You and your pet can enjoy searching for sealions and soak up the sun while paddling around. For those looking for other water options, there are also paddleboards, kayaks, and private boat tours available.
If being on the water isn’t really your thing, I would also recommend spending some time wandering around the Ventura Botanical Garden which offers pet-friendly days on Wednesdays and Fridays. You can meander around the gorgeous garden grounds to enjoy over 160 plant species alongside a gorgeous view of the city and coast. Just remember that pets need to remain on leash and stay on the trails at all times.
On a rainy day, head downtown and browse the endless collection of antiques at Times Remembered. The shop is home to one-of-a-kind items and collectibles ranging from toys, furniture, jewelry, magazines, and pottery. Pets are allowed inside, but just be careful navigating the space as there are breakables and many of the shelves are literally brimming with items. Afterwards, you can also head down the street to Smitten Bookstore to pick out a your next new novel and while also seeing if your pet approves of your reading choices.
Ventura’s Café Hopping Scene
I am a huge fan of café hopping, and Ventura certainly exceeded my expectations when it came to providing quality coffee shops. The drinks, the food, the vibes, and the service were all top notch at every café we visited this trip, and it was honestly disappointing that we didn’t have time to add more to our list.
If you find yourself in need of some coffee or want a bite to eat in the morning, consider hitting up one of these spots… and yes, they are ALL pet-friendly:
Frontside - aesthetic and delicious breakfasts
Palm & Boy - great coffee and awesome acai bowls
Cafe Nouveau - great selection of sweet breakfast options
Cafe Ficelle - lovely pastries and great house sodas
Palermo - gelato, knick knacks, and so many options for chai!
Simone’s Coffee - open very early which is convenient for anything happening at sunrise
Prospect Coffee - specialty coffee roaster and family-owned
All of these spots are top notch, and I share a bit more about each of them in my blog post on Pet-Friendly Cafes to Visit in Ventura.
Dining Options
Aside from the café scene, Ventura had plenty to offer when it came to sit-down restaurants. We often opted to sit outside since many places had patios with heated seating, but many of the places were also open to having pets be seated inside.
If you’re looking for a great breakfast spot, I’d highly recommend getting a table at Immigrant Son Caffe. They provide a great selection of food options including a phenomenal omelette and breakfast carbonara.
For lunch, consider heading over to the Ventura Harbor Village and stopping at On the Alley for some shrimp tacos or a burger. This is a great spot to stop after visiting Harbor Cove Beach or renting one of the pedal boats in the harbor as there’s tons of seating and the food gets prepared very quickly.
Dinner options include Ten Tigers and Café Fiore. At Ten Tigers, you can expect to find some hearty meals along with a great selection of cocktails that taste just as good as they look. There’s also tons of outdoor seating with heaters if you aren’t able to snag a table inside.
If you opt for Cafe Fiore, then you can expect some great Italian food and the pasta was especially delicious and came in large portions. There were several people celebrating birthdays or enjoying a date when we arrived on the weekend, so it may be a good idea to make a reservation for this dinner spot.
Looking for Pet Supplies?
Ventura Pet Barn is an independently owned shop with an extensive selection of high-quality products for cats and dogs. If you’re looking for healthy brands or feed your pet a raw or grain-free diet, then this is the perfect shop for stocking up on pet food. This local pet shop also offers training for dogs and I was definitely eavesdropping on a session while browsing the shelves. There are several other pet shops in town, but you can also head over to Target for general purpose brands and common pet supplies.
Overall, we had an incredible time while exploring the city of Ventura, and we hope that more people will get to experience this piece of paradise in California. You’re sure to have a great time, and your pet will thank you if you decide to bring them along for the adventure.
As a fun little aside and just to really prove that Ventura is pet-friendly, I have to mention that Percy’s resume also gained a major upgrade during this trip! We were fortunate to meet the current Mayor of Ventura during our trip, and she may or may not have said that Percy could be the new mayor after he decided he didn’t want to leave City Hall. Although I was contemplating staying in Ventura forever, I figured it was safest for the city if we returned home as I was scared to hear what policies Perseus would implement and I have no doubt he’d be easily persuaded by anyone who brought him some chicken
