We had clear sunny windy weather most of our week in Ventura. Today was supposed to be a calmer day but everything is relative. We stopped at the Butterfly Grove where Monarch Butterflies are abundant Oct-Feb. This February, there were only several but the grove is free, easy to access so worth a visit. There is beach access, dunes, coastal trees, birds & trails we enjoyed. The section of campground adjacent the Butterfly Grove was closed due to recent flooding, perhaps from recent King Tides.
Later, we took the coastal drive up to Avila Beach, hoping to check out the lighthouse. Turns out the only way to see the lighthouse is by tour group so we stopped for lunch by the beach. Avila Beach has a similar ambiance to Catalina Island.
We ended the day by driving on the beach at sunset. We later learned there are petitions and the Sierra Club lobbying to stop the vehicles on the beach. There is only ~4 miles of driveable beach but I understand, as an oceanographer, the potential environmental impact.
We are heading south tomorrow and this is our last evening at Pismo Beach. We considered driving all the way home tomorrow but booked a single night in Carpenteria, about 110mi south.