Ventura County family guide
Things to Do in Oxnard with Kids
Curated by Simir Shah
Reviewed & updated August 2026 · we check listings regularly, but hours and prices change — confirm before you go.
Oxnard on the map
📍 Where Oxnard is
Oxnard sits in Ventura County, Southern California. Nearest major airport: Hollywood Burbank (~48 mi / 77 km). It's roughly 55 mi (89 km) from Downtown LA and 155 mi (250 km) from San Diego — SoCal traffic can make a drive take far longer than the distance suggests, so plan around it.
Visiting? See SoCal at a glance, getting around and which airport.
🏡 New to Oxnard? Start hereRec classes, library cards, school lookup, alerts and getting around.OpenClose
- Rec classes & camps: Oxnard Recreation's 2026/2027 Fall/Winter Activity Guide covers classes, youth programs, sports and camps; register through the city's online catalog.
- Library card: Oxnard Public Library is city-run; bring photo ID and proof of address for a free card at Main, South Oxnard or Colonia.
- Storytime in the park: Library staff bring free storytime to city parks on select Wednesdays and Saturdays, 11 a.m. to noon, with no registration.
- Find your school: Oxnard has four K-8 districts plus Oxnard Union High; start with Oxnard School District's locator, then check Rio, Ocean View or Hueneme if needed.
- High school lookup: Oxnard Union High School District serves Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Camarillo; its School Locator map shows your assigned high school.
- City events: The city events calendar lists community celebrations such as Día de los Muertos and the Halloween float tours.
- Tsunami maps: Oxnard posts a citywide tsunami evacuation map plus neighborhood maps for 'olołkoy Beach Park, Mandalay Bay, Harbor View and Harbor Island.
- Getting around: The Oxnard Transit Center links Gold Coast buses, VCTC Intercity, Metrolink and Amtrak; youth 18 and under ride county buses free.
- Navy families: Navy school liaisons help military families with K-12 transitions, deployments and special education; NBVC has one for Point Mugu and Port Hueneme.
Things to do in Oxnard
Parks & Hiking
College Park
At 75 acres, this is Oxnard's biggest city park. It has a skate park, a playground, an off-leash dog park, soccer fields, volleyball, basketball and a concession building. The fenced picnic area needs a reservation; other picnic spots are first come, first served.
FreeCommunity Center Park East (Lions Park)
This 11-acre park has a playground, bocce and horseshoes, a bandstand and lots of picnic tables. It sits next to the Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center. You can reserve the sheltered area through the PACC at (805) 385-8147.
FreeDel Sol Park
This 13.5-acre park in La Colonia has a playground, a jogging path, picnic shelters and soccer fields, and the Colonia Library branch is next door. The city broke ground here in June 2026 on Endless Waves, a planned 40,000 sq ft Olympic-standard skatepark expected to finish in spring 2027. Expect construction areas until then.
FreePeninsula Park (Channel Islands Harbor)
This small county park on the harbor peninsula, near the Hampton Inn, has a playground and waterfront views. It's an easy stop for a picnic between the beaches and the harbor restaurants.
FreePlaza Park (Downtown Oxnard)
Downtown Oxnard's historic square at Fifth and B Streets is where the city holds its Insect Festival and Tamale Festival. It's a good starting point for a downtown stroll, and the Heritage Square houses are a few blocks away.
FreeSouthwest Community Park
A 26-acre west-side park with playgrounds, soccer fields, and a jogging track, basketball and more play equipment in the adjoining extension. It's big and open, which suits weekend soccer families and kids on bikes.
FreeBeaches & Coast
Channel Islands Harbor
A calm harbor with surrey and bike rentals, a Sunday farmers market, a maritime museum, and easy waterfront paths — laid-back coastal fun away from big surf. The Channel Islands Maritime Museum, founded in 1991, houses a world-class collection of ship models and maritime art, including one of the largest bone-model collections outside the U.S. Naval Academy Museum. More than 30 vendors set up at the harbor's Sunday farmers market.
Free; rentals & farmers market extra
Hopper Boat Rentals
This shop rents electric boats, kayaks, paddle boats, motor skiffs and sea cycles for cruising the calm inner harbor. It's at the corner of Channel Islands Blvd and South Victoria Ave, and it's open weather permitting. Paddle boats and electric boats are the easiest picks with young kids.
check siteKiddie Beach Park
Kiddie Beach is the only spot inside Channel Islands Harbor where swimming is allowed, and its sheltered water is calmer than the open-coast beaches. There's a parking lot on South Victoria Avenue, and a paved path runs along the harbor entrance to Silver Strand Beach, which has restrooms. On county beaches, dogs are allowed on leash only before 9am and after 5pm.
Free
Mandalay Beach
A natural, undeveloped state beach good for quiet walks and tide-pooling, with no facilities on site.
Free, no lifeguardSilver Strand Beach
A popular surf and boogie-board beach with restrooms, showers, and a real parking lot, lifeguarded Memorial Day through Labor Day.
Free; seasonal lifeguardsHollywood Beach
A 1-mile harbor-adjacent beach with restrooms and free volleyball courts, lifeguarded in summer.
Free; seasonal lifeguards'olołkoy Beach Park (formerly Oxnard Beach Park)
A 62-acre beach park (formerly Oxnard Beach Park) with a pirate-ship playground, BBQ and picnic areas, and volleyball courts.
FreeChannel Islands Kayak Center
Harbor-based kayak and paddleboard rentals plus a guided family-oriented history-and-wildlife tour of Channel Islands Harbor.
Rentals and guided tours, priced per activityAnimals & Nature
Oxnard Insect Festival
This city-run festival in Plaza Park is all about bugs, with live insects, educational booths, crafts and food vendors. It drew about 10,500 visitors in 2025. It's a favorite for preschool and elementary-age kids.
FreeOrmond Beach Wetlands
A rare Southern California coastal wetland with birding trails and habitat for the endangered snowy plover and least tern.
FreeIndoor Play
Jump 'n Jammin Oxnard
This indoor playground at The Collection at RiverPark has multi-level play structures, climbing walls, slides, a ball volcano, air cannons and a separate toddler area. Passes are good all day with re-entry, so it works as a rainy-day base while you shop or eat at the Collection. A signed online waiver is required.
Day pass $25 (ages 3–17, one adult free); toddler pass $10 (5 months–2 yrs)Oxnard Police Activities League (PAL)
PAL is a free after-school program run by the Oxnard Police Department for ages 7–18, with recreation, educational and enrichment activities. It also fields Winter Youth Basketball teams through the city. It's a useful resource for working families who need an after-school spot.
FreeMuseums & Learning
Channel Islands Maritime Museum
A harborfront museum of maritime art and antique ship models, including the full life's work of master modeler Ed Marple and his workshop. Kids under 18 get in free and a tour comes with admission. It's a short walk from Hollywood Beach, so it pairs well with a beach morning.
Adults $10; seniors, active military and college students $5; under 18 freeColonia Library (Pre-K storytime)
This small city branch at Del Sol Park has shorter hours, Monday to Thursday afternoons only. It hosts a weekly Pre-K storytime plus occasional themed storytime-and-craft afternoons.
FreeOxnard Main Library (storytimes)
This is the main branch of Oxnard's city-owned library system, not the county system. It runs weekly preschool, baby-toddler and family storytimes, plus a First 5 lapsit storytime on the first Thursday of each month and frequent Saturday kids' crafts. Check the online calendar, because programs change by season.
FreeSouth Oxnard Library (storytimes)
This city library branch on Saviers Road runs a strong lineup for little ones. Tummytime Stories for babies and a bilingual storytime are on Mondays, and toddler storytime is on Thursdays. A Music and Movement storytime runs on the 1st and 3rd Tuesday, and a Lego Challenge for kids and teens on the 4th Wednesday.
FreeHeritage Square
Fifteen relocated Victorian-era homes (built 1876-1912) preserved on a single downtown block, with guided exterior tours available.
Grounds free; guided tours priced separatelyArts & Culture
Harbor View Park & Concerts by the Sea
This 2-acre shady harbor park hosts the Concerts by the Sea summer series, car shows and the harbor's farmers market. It has restrooms and plenty of parking, and it's steps from the Channel Islands Maritime Museum and Hollywood Beach. Check the harbor calendar for concert dates.
FreeOxnard Christmas Parade
The city's holiday parade runs through downtown and is followed by the Tamale Festival in Plaza Park. Bring chairs and stake out a curb spot early.
FreeOxnard Día de los Muertos Community Altar
The City's Cultural Arts team builds a large community altar at the Carnegie Art Museum building, and families can bring items to add. Each night has a theme: children on Nov 1, adults on Nov 2 and all who have passed on Nov 3. The museum itself remains closed to regular visits.
FreeOxnard Halloween Float Tours
A Halloween float with Jack and his Halloween Town friends tours a different part of Oxnard each evening, stopping at neighborhood parks and schools. The city posts a stop-by-stop schedule in English and Spanish, so you can find the stop nearest you.
FreeSanta @ the Station
The Oxnard Police Department hosts a free holiday walk-through at its downtown headquarters with free professional photos with Santa, treats, live music and community resource booths. It's an easy, low-key way to get a Santa photo without mall lines.
Free
More for families in Oxnard
From our researched guides: the Oxnard spots for splash pads, pickleball courts, bowling alleys. Hours and prices change, so check the venue's site before you go.
Splash pads
All SoCal splash pads →Oxnard Aquatic Center
A spacious 50-meter Olympic pool offering open swim all summer — a cool, affordable stop on the Oxnard plain.
$ low-cost (~$3–5)
Pickleball courts
All SoCal pickleball courts →Oxnard Tennis Center
The City of Oxnard's public tennis center, operated by Agape, runs pickleball programming alongside its tennis courts. Court count, drop-in hours and fees are not published - phone ahead before driving out.
Venue website ↗Bowling
All SoCal bowling alleys →Lucky Strike Oxnard
A 28-lane alley at 601 Collection Blvd, Suite 1175 (The Collection at RiverPark) with a large arcade and birthday party setups. Welcomes guests of all ages.
Per-game pricing; see site. Family Unlimited promo listed for weekends 11am-3pm
Venue website ↗Farmers markets in Oxnard
Downtown Oxnard Farmers Market
Free Thursday market at historic Plaza Park with a huge variety of fresh local fruits and vegetables plus breads and prepared foods.
Holidays in Oxnard
Lights, parades, Santa and more this season. Confirm details with the organizer before you go.
Photos with Santa at The Collection at RiverPark
Fri Nov 20 – Thu Dec 24, 2026 (page URL is the 2026 listing). Santa appears at the free Tree Lighting on Wed Nov 18, 2026, 7–8pm.
Santa's Workshop on Town Center Dr, between Cheesecake Factory and Larsen's, at this open-air Oxnard center.
Photo package prices not listed on the official page.
Santa Paws Pet Photo Nights at The Collection at RiverPark
Tuesdays Nov 24 – Dec 15, 2026 (Nov 24; Dec 1, 8, 15). Session times not posted.
Tuesday nights at Santa's Workshop are set aside for pets, though pets can also join photos any other day.
Not stated on the official page.
The Nutcracker (Ventura County Ballet)
Dec 5–6, 2026 · Sat 3pm; Sun 2pm
Ventura County's main Nutcracker at the Oxnard Performing Arts Center, matinees only.
See site
Sensory-Friendly Nutcracker (Ventura County Ballet)
Sat Dec 5, 2026 · 11am
A shorter, modified Nutcracker with house lights low but on, softer recorded music, quiet zones and freedom to move or leave.
$5 child / $10 adult (+Eventbrite fees)
Caring Santa at The Collection at RiverPark
Sun Dec 6 and Sun Dec 13, 2026, 10:00–11:30am.
Sensory-friendly photo sessions run with the Autism Society of Ventura County.
Not stated on the official page.
Christmas Tree Lane
2026 dates not confirmed
One of Ventura County's largest residential displays: the historic homes on F and G Streets are decorated entirely by residents.
Free
Festivals & annual events in Oxnard
What Oxnard is known for — the events locals plan the year around.
Reindeer Paddle at Channel Islands Harbor
The 2nd annual holiday paddle, listed for 11am-1pm at Channel Islands Harbor. Tip: check the harbor event page for registration and rental details before you go.
See organizer
Parade of Lights at Channel Islands Harbor (60th Annual)
The 60th annual boat parade runs 7-9pm with a Hawaiian/tropical theme. Tip: the harbor says more details are coming, so re-check the page. Arrive early because waterfront parking fills.
Free to watch (per harbor listing; see organizer)
Ponies by the Sea Mustang Car Show
A Tri-County Mustang Club show from 10am to 3pm at Harbor View Park, with classic and modern Mustangs, food trucks and live music. It supports Guide Dogs of America. Tip: the CHP awards a tongue-in-cheek 'Most Likely to Get a Ticket' prize, which kids enjoy.
Parade of Frights at Channel Islands Harbor (5th Annual)
A Halloween celebration with family-friendly landside activities from 3pm and free candy. The decorated boat parade starts at 7pm. Tip: come at 3pm for the kids' activities, then stay for the boats, and dress for cool harbor breezes.
Dia de los Muertos at Oxnard Performing Arts Center (7th Annual)
A free 5-9pm celebration with community altars, folklorico and indigenous dance, music, Mexican food vendors, art shows and hands-on crafts. Tip: it's a good first Dia de los Muertos for kids, so let them add a photo or note to a community altar.
Local restaurants in Oxnard
Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina
Downtown Oxnard's festive Jalisco-style seafood house — whole grilled fish, shrimp a dozen ways, and tortillas pressed fresh in the middle of the dining room.
Dominick's Italian Restaurant
A same-family Italian dinner house since 1949, known for New York-style pizza and homemade cheesecake.
Mrs. Olson's Restaurant
A harbor-view diner since 1974 serving hearty breakfast and lunch.
Hollywood Beach Cafe
An independent beach-adjacent breakfast and brunch cafe near Hollywood Beach.
Wagon Wheel Brewing Company
A local craft brewery and gastropub with a family-oriented taproom.
La Central Bakery
Oxnard's oldest family bakery, open since 1947, known for pan dulce, tortillas, and tamales.
Local shops in Oxnard
Pipiripau
A Mexican-culture apparel, art, and lifestyle boutique inside a restored Victorian home at Heritage Square.
Seasonal & outdoors near Oxnard
The closest splash pads, patches, lights and more — distances from Oxnard.
More Ventura County family guides
Oxnard family FAQ
What are the best things to do in Oxnard with kids?
Family favorites in and around Oxnard include Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard Insect Festival, Harbor View Park & Concerts by the Sea and Oxnard Christmas Parade, and more. Our guide lists 29 spots, each with a price note and practical tips where we have them.
Are there free things to do in Oxnard?
Yes — free family spots near Oxnard include Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard Insect Festival, Harbor View Park & Concerts by the Sea and Oxnard Christmas Parade. Our free things to do page lists more across Southern California.
What can kids do in Oxnard on a rainy day?
Indoor options in and around Oxnard include Jump 'n Jammin Oxnard, Oxnard Police Activities League (PAL), Channel Islands Maritime Museum and Colonia Library (Pre-K storytime), and more. Each listing in our guide is marked indoor or outdoor, so you can filter for the weather.
How can families spend a day in Oxnard?
One easy plan: start outside at Channel Islands Harbor while kids have the most energy, break for lunch at Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina, then head indoors to Jump 'n Jammin Oxnard for the afternoon. Our guide has prices and tips for each stop, plus 27 more ideas to swap in.
Where can families eat in Oxnard?
Local, family-friendly spots in Oxnard include Cabo Seafood Grill & Cantina, Dominick's Italian Restaurant, Mrs. Olson's Restaurant and Hollywood Beach Cafe, and more — independent, SoCal-only eateries, never national chains.
What does the YourSoCal Oxnard guide cover?
Our Oxnard family guide includes 29 things to do, 6 local eats, 2 local shops and 1 farmers market — with independent, non-chain eats and shops.
Listings are curated and may change — confirm hours and details before you go.
Where to stay in Oxnard
Hotels & rentals via Stay22 · we may earn a commissionCompare hotels, resorts, and vacation rentals near Oxnard on one map — then book on your favorite site.