The Ventura Pier stretches 1,620 feet into the Pacific, making it one of the longer wooden piers on the California coast. The original pier was built in 1872 as a commercial wharf; storms and decay have required repeated rebuilding and extension over the decades, but it has remained in continuous use. Today it is used mostly for fishing — anglers line the railings on weekend mornings, targeting halibut, yellowtail, and bonito depending on the season — and as a vantage point for watching the harbour entrance and the Channel Islands on the horizon.
The view from the end of the pier back toward shore is the classic Ventura postcard: the wide sandy beach, the low skyline of downtown, and the hills rising behind. It is a short walk from the parking areas near the pier approach and is free to access. Sunset from the pier, when the light hits the water and the islands float in silhouette, is genuinely good.