National Study Names Ventura as A Top
“Walker-Friendly Urban Area”

“Walkable” City Boasts Easy Access to Amtrak, Antiquing, Beaches, Historic Walking Tours, Ghost Hunts And Miles of Coastal Recreation Trails

Prevention Magazine, in conjunction with the American Podiatric Medical Association, has named Ventura, California as one of the nation’s top 125 cities best suited for fitness and walking. The study, which may be found on newsstands in the April issue of Prevention, ranks Ventura at number 42, one spot above Buffalo, New York and one slot below Riverside, California.

Ventura boasts a 13-mile coastal recreation trail; extensive well-groomed bike paths that head inland to the mountains and along the ocean; and bustling, walkable downtown and harbor areas.  And as the gateway to Channel Islands National Park and home to miles of uncrowded beaches, Ventura is particularly attractive to health and fitness-oriented individuals.

“Pedestrians who stop by our office for maps, visitors guides and directions find our downtown pleasant and easy to navigate,” said Anastasia Hanson, visitor services specialist for the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau (VCB). As Ventura’s dramatic downtown revitalization in the past five years has attracted new restaurants, theaters, galleries and shops, the foot traffic has risen accordingly. The town’s Amtrak platform is also within walking distance of the city center, offering travelers an auto-free option for experiencing Ventura.

Self-guided walking tours of all types are available free at the VCB Visitors Center, including the “Ventura Historic Walking Tour” highlighting Mission San Buenaventura and adobes from the Mexican Rancho era; the “Ventura Antique Guide” detailing more than 30 area antique shops; “Perry Mason’s Ventura,” which leads visitors to sites throughout the city that inspired Perry Mason creator and novelist Erle Stanley Gardner; and “Ventura à la Carte,” itineraries that highlight Ventura’s farmer’s markets, nearby farms, fine dining, road food, cooking classes, breweries and more.

The City of Ventura also gets people on their feet with its popular historic walking tours spanning themes such as ghost hunts and architecture to maritime and Victorian-era tales. Ventura’s biggest event of the year is the tri-annual ArtWalk, where art of every type spills into the streets along with around 10,000 attendees. 

The walking study was based on 20 key criteria including use of mass transit; percentage of people who walk to work; population density; percentage who bike to work; annual rainfall; air quality; pedestrian fatalities; number of museums; number of historic sites and landmarks; number of miles walked; and number of athletic facilities.

The top four cities in descending order were New York, New York; San Diego, California; Jersey City, New Jersey; and Honolulu, Hawaii. California’s other high-ranking winners included San Francisco at number eight and Los Angeles at number 18. While San Diego ranked high for its good places to walk and great things to walk to, San Francisco made the top 10 because it devotes 13 city agencies to walking issues and gets input from walking advocacy groups. New York City earned its top spot for its safety efforts and revitalized fitness paths.

            The APMA study noted that walking is the most popular form of exercise in the U.S.; that a brisk walk can burn up to 100 calories per mile or 300 calories per hour; and that every minute of walking can extend a person’s life by one-and-a-half to two minutes.

For information on Ventura accommodations and attractions, visit www.ventura-usa.com or phone 800-333-2989. A non-profit organization, the Ventura Visitors & Convention Bureau enhances tourism and the economy by positioning the City of Ventura as a visitor and conference destination. The Visitors Center is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. For more information, please call 800-333-2989, or visit our web site at www.ventura-usa.com