The county actually extends to two of the Channel Islands—Anacapa and San Nicolas—which are the most visited destinations in the surrounding Channel Islands National Park. Onshore, the county boasts miles of broad, scenic beaches which adorn the coast from Rincon, south of Santa Barbara, to Point Mugu State Park, north of Malibu.
Wooden fishing piers extend from San Buenaventura State Beach, and to the south, from Port Hueneme. Ventura Marina and Channel Islands Marina are located between Ventura and Oxnard.
For landward recreation, residents enjoy the Arroyo Conejo Open Space and the Wildwood Regional Park, while the Los Padres National Forest and the Santa Monica Mountains recreation areas are nearby.
Agriculture is prominent, including citrus and avocado ranches, while strawberry and row crop farms are on the coastal Oxnard Plain as well as in the Valleys of Conejo, Simi, Ojai, Santa Clara.
Oxnard hosts the annual California Strawberry Festival. Thousand Oaks is home to the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden, and art galleries and spas grace the resort town of Ojai. With so much to do and explore in this ideal environment and climate, Ventura County has become a desirable location for many active adults. Read on to learn about some of the 55+ communities in the area.
1. Leisure Village – Camarillo
High $300s – High $700s
Leisure Village is a long-established, guard-gated 55+ community in the mid-sized town of Camarillo.
There are a variety of organizations and activities for residents to enjoy in Leisure Village. Golf on a private course, swim, bowl, or join Zumba, yoga, and country western dancing in the ballroom. The community even has its own radio and TV station.
2,136 homes were built from 1973 to 1984 in Leisure Village. Most are condo-style du-, tri-, and four-plexes, along with a few single-family homes as well. There are 25 different floor plans to choose from throughout the community.
A host of shopping centers, restaurants, movie theaters, commercial businesses, and medical facilities surround Leisure Village in the Camarillo community and its surrounding area.
Request more information about Leisure Village.
2. Hueneme Bay – Port Hueneme
Low $300s – High $600s
Hueneme Bay is a 55+ community in picturesque Port Hueneme. This development offers residents multiple amenities, including a par-3 9-hole golf course that meanders throughout the community.
Other amenities center around the clubhouse, where residents meet to socialize or get active outdoors. Here, members of the community can take advantage of two meeting rooms, a card room, a computer room, and a catering kitchen. In addition to golf, outdoor amenities include a pool and spa, a patio with a barbecue area, and park spaces for relaxing with friends.
Hueneme Bay was built between 1963 and 1971 and now contains 773 attached homes. Floor plans range from 784 to 2,099 square feet and generally have two to three bedrooms, one-and-a-half to three bedrooms, and an attached two-car garage.
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3. Oaknoll Villas – Thousand Oaks
Low $200s – High $400s
Next on our list, Oaknoll Villas is a 55+ community located in Thousand Oaks. This community provides homeowners with access to an exercise room, aerobics studio, a well-stocked library, and more all housed in the clubhouse.
The amenities continue outdoors with a pool, spa, and patio. A series of walking and biking trails through the community greenbelts invite an evening walk. Residents can also play shuffleboard on two courts or enjoy a meal from the barbecue.
Oaknoll Villas hosts 419 condo-style homes. The residences range from 514 to 1,147 square feet with one or two bedrooms, one or two bathrooms, and an assigned carport nearby.
The community is within walking distance to The Oaks shopping mall, Los Robles Golf Course, and a public park.
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4. The Springs – Camarillo
Mid $400s – Mid $500s
The Springs is another well-known 55+ gated community of single-family homes in Camarillo. This neighborhood offers its residents an exercise room, a card room, and billiards. There is also a ballroom, multipurpose room, and library within the community clubhouse.
Outdoors, residents can splash in the pool or host a social event on the patio. The 18-hole Camarillo Springs Golf Course provides exciting golf with breathtaking views. Residents can also enjoy the picnic area, R.V. parking, and the walking and biking trails that wind throughout the community.
Construction was completed in 1987. The community consists of 259 single-family homes built in many different floor plans that offer approximately 1,211 to 1,690 square feet of living space. Homes typically have two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and an attached two-car garage.
Request more information about The Springs.