The following is a list of some popular destinations and activities close to Thomas Aquinas College, California, based on recommendations from members of the College’s faculty and staff.
Outdoors
- Ventura Pier — Beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean, playground, surf & bike rentals
- Island Packer Cruises — Sightseeing and whale-watching expeditions along the Channel Islands
- Hiking — The Punch Bowls hike, adjacent to campus, is a local favorite
- Santa Barbara Zoo — Wildlife, ocean view, playground
500 Ninos Dr.
Santa Barbara, CA 93103
805-962-5339 - Santa Barbara Botanical Gardens — 1,000+ plant species
1212 Mission Canyon Rd.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-682-4726
California Missions / Area Catholic Churches
- Mission San Buenaventura — the ninth and final California Mission founded by St. Junipero Serra
211 E. Main St.
Ventura, CA 93001
805-643-4318 - Old Mission Santa Barbara — the tenth California Mission, still run by Franciscan Friars
201 Laguna St.
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-682-4713 - Our Lady of Guadalupe Church — diocesan church in Santa Paula; most Masses offered in Spanish
427 N. Oak St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
805-525-3716 - St. Sebastian Parish — diocesan church in Santa Paula, 24-hour adoration on all Fridays
235 N. Ninth St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
805-525-2149 - St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church — diocesan church in Ojai, Adoration Thursday through Saturday morning
185 St. Thomas Dr.
Ojai, CA 93023
805-646-4338
Museums
- California Oil Museum — models and displays about Ventura County's oil industry
1001 E. Main St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
805-933-0076 - Ventura County Agricultural Museum — history, methods of local farming
926 Railroad Ave.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
805-525-3100 - Santa Paula Art Museum — Santa Paula's artistic heritage
117 N. 10th St.
Santa Paula, CA 93060
805-525-5554 - Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation — museum and Air Force One pavilion
40 Presidential Dr.
Simi Valley, CA 93065
805-522-2977 - Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History — permanent and temporary displays, planetarium, and butterfly pavilion
2559 Puesta del Sol
Santa Barbara, CA 93105
805-682-4711 - The Getty Center — paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and photographs
1200 Getty Center Drive
Los Angeles, California 90049
310-440-7300 - The Getty Villa — arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria
17985 Pacific Coast Highway
Pacific Palisades, California 90272
310-440-7300
Wine Tasting
- Casa Barranca Tasting Room — boutique wines handcrafted from organic grapes
208 E. Ojai Ave.
Ojai, CA 93023
805-640-1255 - Topa Mountain Winery — alumni-owned, beautiful outdoor location
805-640-1190
821 W. Ojai Ave Ojai, CA 93023 - The Ojai Vineyard Tasting Room — over 150 Ojai Vineyard wines in stock
109 S. Montgomery St.
Ojai, CA 93023
805-798-3947
Shopping & Pedestrian Areas
- Downtown Ventura — historic homes, museums, boutiques, Mission San Buenaventura
- Ventura Harbor Village — water-sport rentals, arcade, galleries, shops, and restaurants
- Downtown Santa Barbara — fine dining, shops, various cultural and historical venues
Planes & Trains
- Santa Paula Airport — small airport with open houses on the first Sunday of every month
- Fillmore & Western Railway Co. — rides on 1930s and 1940s-era passenger coach and dining cars through citrus and avocado orchards