I’ve been looking forward to this interview with Michael Anderson of Maranantha Financial. Michael knows all of the tastiest places to eat and the best things to do in Ventura, including where to find the perfect waves.
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View of the city and the pier. Photo courtesy of VisitVentura.
Ventura, California
We share a lot of resources and local suggestions in today’s podcast, but you should also check out Visit Ventura, the local visitor’s bureau. They are a wealth of information and can help you plan an itinerary based on your time, budget, and interests.
If you’d like to learn how to travel for free using airline miles and hotel points, check out my free 7-day email course.
A family on Santa Cruz Island of the Channel Islands. Photo courtesy of VisitVentura.
Best things to Do in Ventura
- Patagonia Headquarters (reviews) – For those unfamiliar with Patagonia, it’s an environmentally friendly outdoor clothing company.
- Promenade Park (reviews) – This is a great place to watch surfers
- Ventura Botanical Gardens Visitor’s Center (reviews) – Michael says that this is a must and that “the views will get tremendous engagement on your social media”. Plus it’s free!
Enjoy a nice walk on the Ventura Pier. Photo courtesy of VisitVentura.
Best places to Eat in Ventura
- Corrales Mexican Food (reviews) – The locals get a burrito from Corrales and take it to the beach with them. Michael’s go-to here is a simple bean and cheese burrito.
- Himalaya Restaurant Ventura (reviews) – This is another favorite restaurant among the locals.
- Lure Fish House (reviews) – This is a locally owned restaurant that is very popular. They cook locally caught seafood.
- Taqueria Ventura Doña Raquel (reviews). – A locally-owned taco shop featuring homemade tortillas and fresh molcajete salsa.
Delicious tacos at Taqueria Ventura Doña Raquel. Photo courtesy of VisitVentura.
Best places to stay in Ventura
Here are the best places to stay in Ventura.
- Best Western Plus Inn of Ventura (reviews)
- Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach (reviews) – This hotel is right on the beach
- Vagabond Inn Ventura (reviews) – This hotel is located right across the street from the beach
- Ventura Beach Marriott (reviews) – This hotel is also located right on the beach
- Wyndham Garden Ventura Pierpont Inn (reviews)
AirBnB is also a great option. Use our referral link to get $40 off your first AirBnB stay.
For other hotel options and prices for the best places to stay in Sydney, use Booking.com, Expedia, Hotels.com, Priceline, Travelocity, or TripAdvisor.
Getting around Ventura
The closest airports are Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), Hollywood Burbank Airport (BUR), or Santa Barbara Airport (SBA). While Santa Barbara is the closest (35 miles north), LAX and Burbank offer more flight options and might be the cheaper option. Many visitors also take the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner route up the coast to Ventura. Use our Expedia tool below to find flight, hotel, and rental car options.
Uber and Lyft are excellent ways to get around.
If you need to rent a car, click here for the best offers from Avis, Budget, or Hertz. When you only need a car for a couple of hours, you can rent by the hour with Zipcar. Join now to get $25 loaded into your account.
Catch a ride on the Amtrak Pacific Surfliner at the local train station.
Places we talked about on the podcast
Here is a map of all of the places we talked about on the podcast episode with Michael Anderson about Ventura, California. You can zoom into the map and click on each dot to explore the city.
- Red dots = best places to eat in Ventura, California
- Green dots = best things to do in Ventura, California
- Yellow dots = best places to stay in Ventura, California
Who is Michael Anderson?
Growing up, Michael’s parents didn’t have a plan for their future or even their next thirty days. It was a hand-to-mouth effort each month – one that he vowed not to repeat. His dad always encouraged Michael to do better than he was able to. When Michael left for college, he took his dad’s encouragement to heart: His goal was to not only do better for himself and his family but to help others do the same.
Michael became a Certified Financial Planner (CFP) in 2010 and has been helping individuals and families manage their finances ever since. Solid financial management has had a huge impact on his life, and he finds it incredibly gratifying to help others in this way. What he likes, even more, is how financial services have become more accessible to the entire population. Technology has positively disrupted the financial services industry and Michael has made it his passion to embrace these changes and pass the savings onto his clients. Traditionally pricey offerings are now much more affordable so that every family can reach their financial goals.
Mike on the set of his radio show
Here is a sample of the topics he covers on his radio show:
- Is Dave Ramsey Out of Touch? How dry is your financial cake?
- 4 Quick Money Lessons
- Why You Shouldn’t Invest the Money You’re Saving to Buy a House
You can connect with Michael Anderson on his website Maranantha Financial and on Facebook.
Click here to download our one-page guide of Michael’s tips for Ventura.
Big thanks to today’s affiliate partner – CLEAR
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A sampling of the tasty food from Himalaya Restaurant Ventura. Photo courtesy of VisitVentura.
Stay tuned for our next episode
Listen to the next episode when Lillian Martin tells us all about the best things to do in Austin, Texas. We hope you’ll join us when We Travel There.
What’s your favorite part of Austin? Let us know in the comment section below or continue the discussion in our Facebook group!
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