Reviews & Comments
San Buenaventura (Ventura), CA
A real gem -
1/19/2011I lived in Ojai for 18 years--which is located about 10 miles inland of Ventura, and I used to go to Ventura all of the time. The beaches are wonderful, the climate is second to none. The downtown shopping district (Main St.) has seen some real revitalization over the past few years. I now live out of state, but come back to Ventura every summer for a week and look forward to a time when I can afford to live in the area again. The parks are simply OK, as some are vandalized, but the Marina is a wonderful place to spend an afternoon. The city is very bike friendly and the people are friendly as well. The crime rate is well below the national average, but housing is--well--too rich for my blood at the moment. What makes Ventura so great is that you are close to Santa Barbara and LA, as well as mountains. You are close to everything! Ventura is the place to be if you enjoy being outdoors--plenty of tennis, cycling, golf, and surf for a lifetime. If you want quality museums and theatre, then it would be better to live closer to a big city.
St. Louis, MO
re: Mild temperatures - 4/26/2006 -
2/22/2008Mild temps? Are you kidding? In the 10s in the summers, wind chills get below zero in the winters. Ice storms, tornados, brown outs due to heat. Look at St. L's climate compared to most regions and you will find we are nowhere near mild. Statistically speaking, our winters are generally colder than CO and warmer than CA.
Ojai, CA
If only climate was cheap -
2/22/2008I grew up in Ojai, and graduated from Nordhoff in 1989. I've been back to visit several times, and long to live in this wonderful town again. Ojai is a wonderful place to raise a child if you can afford it. 20 min. from the beach, 10 min from hiking, and amazing sunsets and near perfect weather. Clear night skies and fresh, clean air in abundance. But, the crazy real estate kicked me out 15 years ago b/c I became a teacher. This town isn't for middle of the road earners unless you want to feel like you are living in poverty, which I don't. So, I plan to retire here someday and will continue to visit every few years to keep my dream alive. If you can afford this wonderful town, move here!
Oh yeah, you can walk around the whole town, visit great locally owned restaurants and shops, and ride the bike path. It really is a town here, not subdivisions and strip malls like where I live now in MO.
Manchester, MO
a good place to raise a family -
1/7/2007I grew up in Ventura, California. I'm now 35, living in Manchester. This area is a wonderful place to raise a family. 20 min. from everywhere--the Zoo, Botanical Gardens, mountain biking, etc. The cost of living is very reasonable. Great schools, great parks, virtually no crime. The weater leaves something to be desired, but I was spoiled by the best weather in the US when I was growing up. So, now I vacation in CA, but enjoy a wonderful life here in MO.