Oxnard is one of the coolest beach destinations in California. Considered the "other Hollywood", Oxnard has a beach called Hollywood Beach where celebrities of the Golden Age of Film used to go to be entertained, and escape from the glaring lights of film sets of Hollywood, approx. an hour's drive away.

Oxnard was once the sugar beet capital and continues to contain rich farmland for growing flowers and other crops. But like any popular city with a beach, many of the fields have disappeared, replaced by housing an commercial interests.

With several wineries for wine sampling, two classic car museums, the ocean, and harbor where boats head daily for the Channel Island National Park for day visits or permit camping, Oxnard is somewhat of a gateway as well as final stop for a beach trip.

With the only Embassy Suites hotel on a beach that we are aware of in California, Oxnard is definitely a hidden gem providing beach vacations within reach of the middle income traveler.

A full calendar of events throughout the year includes Salsa Festival, Strawberry Festival, a Harbor Cruise of Lights boat parade, and the big Christmas Parade complete with Santa and his Reindeer in downtown Oxnard.

Many come for the special events by Amtrak train which stops right in the city. Such trips offer one of the best ways to attend the Salsa Festival or Strawberry Festival, two of the top attendance events on the Central Coast.

Oxnard's Historic District is filled with Victorian house charmers that are great to see by car or strolling. At Christmas the houses are lit in festive color and make for delightful viewing, providing an old-fashioned holiday to remember.

Weather: Not much snow if ever you see a flake, the best bet for visiting Oxnard is to take layers of clothing. What does that mean? In the summer have shorts and short sleeves. On a really hot day the weather can reach 100 but that happens maybe one or two days each year. Most the time the weather is around mid-to-low 70s, and in the winter it is in the 60s generally during the day. Though there are fluctuations, by have jackets and sweaters, you just keep adding layers of clothing if you get cold, or take off layers as the day warms up.