San Buenaventura State Beach in Ventura, California has an unusual service, especially for a public beach: a concierge.
Park managers don’t call Anne Dominguez a “caretaker,” but it’s okay for visitors to call her that. She has been a special events coordinator at San Buenaventura State Beach for the past 12 years. She helps church groups, corporations, fundraising committees, and even families orchestrate the details of a beach picnic event.
Space for 3,000 swimmers
And with good reason. The day-use beach is so busy and large that it requires a full-time staff member to help visitors, especially groups, make their visit unforgettable.
The beach is arguably the perfect picnic spot for large groups. It begins south of the 1,700-foot-long Ventura Municipal Pier and runs south for two miles, with a small lagoon. In its central area, the boardwalks frame bathing beaches attended by lifeguards. Behind the sand dunes, the beach offers enough picnics, lawns, barbecues, parking, and the all-important showers for 3,000 people. It’s the largest day-use picnic area on a state beach in Southern California, according to state parks officials.
Anne has helped facilitate events ranging from the annual Bike Aids/Lifecycle fundraiser, which draws thousands of participants, to corporate picnics to build team spirit and families planning a baptism.
She especially enjoys helping church, school, and youth groups, as many of the children involved are making their first visit to the beach. For those children, being at the beach is enough excitement, says Anne. But she can help group organizers find kid-friendly hotels, prepare picnic meals at the barbecue areas, even recommend vendors for merry-go-rounds and other activities.
He also likes to arrange for the lifeguard staff to give a talk so the kids have a water-friendly experience.
“We want everyone to know what to do in the water,” she says.
Hotels Near Ventura
The beach is near the Crowne Plaza, just to the north, near the Ventura Pier, and the Marriot, to the south, a few yards’ walk from the state beach entrance. Families and smaller groups can also find small-scale hotels and bed and breakfasts within walking or driving distance.
San Buenaventura State Beach is also a good “central” beach for vacationers looking for a Southern California beach vacation that includes not only sun and sand, but also day trips. The port of Ventura is two miles to the south, with restaurants, shops, and charter boats for whale watching and trips to the Channel Islands National Monument. The seat of the monument is actually located in the port. Santa Barbara is a half-hour drive north, the Camarillo Premium Outlets is half an hour south, and Ventura itself has plenty to draw tourists, with its charming downtown and fairgrounds. Ventura County right on the ocean.
To get to San Buenaventura State Beach, take US Highway 101 to the Seaward Avenue exit in Ventura. Turn south on Harbor Boulevard, turn left on Harbor, then left again on San Pedro Street. The entrance to the state beach is at the end of the block.
Entry fee is $8 per vehicle. Groups of more than 30 people may require a permit fee. The park recommends that large groups call ahead for reservations. For families and groups of less than 30 people, the park is available on a first-come, first-served basis.
