Blake Walsh

15 Free Things to Do in Oxnard, CA

  • Published 2022/11/28

Oxnard, California, is a beach destination that is great for weekend and summer fun.

It has several beaches since Oxnard is in Ventura County, California, which lies on the coast of the Pacific Ocean.

Its location brings diverse animal species to the city’s numerous natural parks.

Ordinary activities, including sports and family-friendly bonding activities, are also elevated with the picturesque views of the coastal city.

Do you want to know more?

Here are the free things to do in Oxnard, California.

Play Volleyball at Hollywood Beach

Surfing at Hollywood Beach

Liliya67 / Shutterstock.com

This white-sand Hollywood Beach stretches about a mile near West Channel Islands Boulevard.

The wide shore accommodates several volleyball courts you can use for free.

Test your athletic skill with your family or friends.

Waves crashing on the shores of Hollywood Beach

Liliya67 / Shutterstock.com

After a game, rest and enjoy the view of changing hues of the skies from yellow to orange to purple as the sun sets.

It’s no wonder this beach attracts many people, including filmmakers.

Hollywood Beach is also a favorite location for romantic films; it has gained popularity in movies starring 1920s actor Rudolph Valentino.

Sandy shore of Hollywood Beach

Liliya67 / Shutterstock.com

Try Bodysurfing at Silver Strand Beach

Surfing at Silver Strand Beach

L Paul Mann / Shutterstock.com

Although the sand here is darker than Hollywood Beach, Silver Strand Beach draws people because its strong waves are perfect for bodysurfing.

Bodysurfing involves floating and gliding your body through the force of the waves.

You may go deep into the water for bigger waves and longer glides if skilled and brave enough.

View of Silver Strand Beach on a sunny day

Niceley, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Relax and enjoy watching surfers flock to the beach during summer and winter.

Another feast for the eyes is the Silver Strand Mural showing paintings of geometrical shapes and landscapes in bright colors.

Visit the Silver Strand Beach along Ocean Drive near Naval Construction Battalion Center Port Hueneme.

Take a Dip with Your Kids at Kiddie Beach Park

If you want to refresh your body with calm waters and play with your kids, head to Kiddie Beach Park, with its cool shallow waters.

This beach is separated by ropes and rock structures, protecting swimmers from big waves.

Check with the health authorities whether the beach is safe for swimming, especially after a storm.

If you already own a paddleboard, you can also go for a relaxing cruise in the peaceful waters of Kiddie Beach.

Kiddie Beach is perfect for parents who want to introduce their kids to swimming before they go deep into more lively waters.

You can find this beach on your way to Silver Strand Beach.

Ride a Bike at Oxnard Beach Park

Families enjoying at Oxnard Beach Park

ChaLii / Shutterstock.com

Oxnard Beach Park spans 62 acres along Harbor Boulevard, about an hour from Los Angeles, California.

Save yourself from a parking fee as you ride on the park’s bike paths while enjoying the soothing breeze from the beach.

Likewise, you will enjoy the calming vast landscaped lawns around Oxnard Beach Park.

The bike paths are long and gently bent, making them enjoyable for all ages.

Its palm trees provide visitors shade and enhance the beach park’s scenic views.

The trees also display shadows on the vast grassy areas when the sun is high.

Soak in the natural beauty of this place as you relax your legs on the benches at the back of the beach, which also allows views of the surrounding Channel Islands.

Pull off Stunts at Bedford Pinkard Skateboard Park

The Bedford Pinkard Skateboard Park caters to skating enthusiasts of different skill levels.

Beginners can practice on its flat open spaces, while more experienced skaters can slide and jump off the ramps, half pipes, and pools.

The stunt structures are made of cement, so wear a helmet at the Bedford Pinkard Skateboard Park.

Parents or guardians of skaters aged 17 years and below must also sign a waiver to ensure they understand the sport’s risks to the children.

Skating can be dangerous, especially if you’re not careful.

However, this skatepark could liven up your weekend routine or help you bond with your family.

Skating with others doesn’t have to be competitive.

Start with the goal of having fun.

Falling and succeeding on the stunt structures should teach your kids resilience and perseverance.

Bask in the Sun at Hobie Beach

Hobie Beach is a few steps from Kiddie Beach.

Adults who want to sunbathe and spend some quiet time away from kids will enjoy Hobie.

Hobie Beach offers an intimate ambiance, located in a nook-like section of Channel Islands Harbor, away from the wide-shore beaches.

Lay down your towel and soak up the sun on the brown sand, reflecting the sunlight.

Visitors would pass on their kayaks and paddleboards from time to time, adding color to your view and livening up your environment.

After sunbathing, get up with a new pep in your step, feeling re-energized and with a brighter outlook on life.

Win a Raffle at the Downtown Oxnard Farmers Market

Join the free noontime raffle every Thursday at the Downtown Oxnard Farmers Market!

You might win free produce or other goods from the wide selection of products at this market in Plaza Park.

These products include different berries, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, nuts, flowers, and other ornamental plants.

Other products include Mexican food, pastries, fruit shakes, and other dishes from the food trucks in the area.

Since the food market is where the government and civic groups promote their advocacies, you might also win environment-friendly products or local arts and crafts.

The Downtown Oxnard Farmers Market helps form a strong sense of community among guests through the raffle.

Jog at Channel Islands Harbor

Aerial view of Channel Islands Harbor

Morphius Film / Shutterstock.com

Channel Islands Harbor spans 310 acres and is divided into three areas.

This provides a lot of space for invigorating jogging sessions as scenic views of the deep blue waters and mountain ranges surround you.

It’s impossible not to feel energized in this place.

It brims with smiles, laughter, and cheer from fellow visitors enjoying kayak and boat rides.

Boats docked at Channel Islands Harbor

Wayne Via / Shutterstock.com

People mingle over food and drinks at various restaurants or reel in fish.

If you want a less busy environment, you can visit the harbor section lined with humble houses of great sizes.

At night you can also gaze at the moon over the waters.

The water turns into a giant canvas, with the moonlight reflecting the lights and shapes of the boats and the harbor’s structures.

Built in the 1960s, the Channel Islands Harbor lies between Port Hueneme and Ventura.

Play with Your Dog at Windrow Dog Park

Windrow Dog Park is the largest dog park in the city, where your dog can run around its several ramps and other obstacles.

Your dogs can freely run around the park as the obstacles are widely spaced, and the park administrators allow off-leash pets.

The ample space lets you play fetch or jog around for some exercise.

It’s always energizing when you bond with a well-loved family member.

The park should warm your heart when you discover that it was built in honor of Jax Windrow, an award-winning K-9 that died from a tumor in 2018.

You’ll surely come home with a happy dog when you visit this 32,000-square-foot Windrow Dog Park on North Ventura Road near the Santa Clara River.

Listen to Bands at Plaza Park

The main attraction of Plaza Park is the Pagoda, a three-tier cylindrical structure with Spanish-tiled roofs but Asian architecture.

The only difference is that the ends of the roofs are not curved upward like the Asian versions.

The Pagoda comes alive with bands playing on the second floor with a large balcony.

Sit on the benches lining the path toward the Pagoda and feel calm or energetic depending on the band’s music you chance upon at the park.

Check Oxnard’s bulletin of events, as other events, like the Oxnard Salsa Festival, are held at this park.

Built in 1910, the Pagoda hid the park’s irrigation system but was later repurposed as a bandstand.

The Pagoda also lights up like a giant Christmas tree during the holidays.

It’s one of the only two band pavilions left in California.

Plaza Park on W Third Street became a historic landmark in 1971.

Cheer up with Christmas Tree Displays at Henry T. Oxnard Historic District

Facade of Henry T. Oxnard Historic District

Los Angeles, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Henry T. Oxnard Historic District between Palm and 5th Streets along S Oxnard Boulevard draws crowds with its colorful Christmas trees and lights decorating old-fashioned bungalow houses.

The holiday ornaments add to the home architecture’s charm and coziness, prevalent during the 1860s when many Europeans migrated to the United States.

The houses in this district were included in the National Register of Historic Places in 1999.

Likewise, these houses followed famous architecture during the Spanish Colonial Period, the British Arts and Crafts Movement, and the Revival Period.

They feature brick roofs, arched doors, earth colors, columns, stoned wall accents, and wooden borders on doors and windows.

You can tour the houses in autumn.

You might feel inspired to renovate your home and have an idyllic vibe at the Henry T. Oxnard Historic District.

Discover the Roots of Farming at Oxnard Historic Farm Park

The Oxnard Historic Farm Park features the two oldest buildings in Oxnard.

German immigrant Gottfried Maulhardt built these buildings.

He was also an expert at making and layering bricks.

One of these buildings is the farmhouse he built in 1872.

It’s a humble, white, two-story wooden structure.

The other is a winery he built in 1876.

Five gardens surround them to try fresh white grapes, lemons, and avocados.

Tractors, plows, and other farm implements are also displayed to help teach visitors about farming.

Relax your senses with the simplicity of the structures and the quiet environment in this farm park, reminding people why they’re often lured back to rural life.

Take time to unwind and visit the Oxnard Historic Farm Park in West Village near N. Rose Avenue.

See Your Fave NFL Players at the Dallas Cowboys Training Camp

NFL fans might want to visit Oxnard to see the Dallas Cowboys training camp at River Ridge Playing Fields along Ventura Road.

See the players practicing and executing plays and doing drills, throws, and runs.

After practice, you can ask the players for autographs or to have your photos taken with them.

The Cowboys cheerleaders also practice their routines on the field.

Check the camp website for free admission dates to the Dallas Cowboys training camp, held every summer.

Enjoy a Picnic at Harbor View Park

Lay out your picnic basket and mat and relax at Harbor View Park, one mile from Oxnard Beach.

While munching on your snacks, watch bands play for free every Saturday afternoon in the summer.

If you like boats, see them bearing their owners’ personalities on the horizon.

The park’s cheerful vibe comes from the children playing and families grilling barbecues.

Enjoy a lovely experience at the seaside Harbor View Park with music and food.

Other Free Things to Do Nearby

Go Birdwatching at Channel Islands National Park

Seal at Channel Islands National Park

Katharine Moore / Shutterstock.com

The Channel Islands National Park covers five islands and has over 300 living and visiting bird species.

You can only see the Island Scrub-Jay on the biggest island, Santa Cruz Island.

It mesmerizes visitors with its glowing dark blue feathers.

These blue feathers run from its head to its wings and cover the white-feathered body.

Dolphin at Channel Islands National Park

HTurner / Shutterstock.com

Likewise, Western gulls, Cassin’s auklets, and Brandt’s cormorants dominate the park.

Marvel at the majestic mountains and canyons and its glistening sea over which these bird species soar.

As you stroll around the park for birdwatching, you might also want to take photos of the splendid waters and mountains at the Channel Islands National Park.

You can find this park in Ventura, California, 14 minutes from Oxnard.

Scenic view of Channel Islands National Park

Vincent Gannuscio / Shutterstock.com

Final Thoughts

As a coastal city, Oxnard offers various beach activities, from extreme to family-friendly ones.

Some destinations may look similar. Each has a space where you can do certain activities or join other visitors.

Discover the free things to do in Oxnard, California!

© All rights reserved.