A Weekend in Oxnard and Ojai

It’s no surprise we make our way to Disneyland as often as possible. The Happiest Place on Earth is a vacation capital in itself, but it also happens to sit amidst a plethora of gorgeous destinations.

This summer, after showing our cousins the ropes at the west coast Disney resort, we explored southern California. We visited the new to us Oxnard and our cousin took us through her old stomping grounds in Ojai.

Here are just a few of our favorites along the way.

Zachari Dunes on Mandalay Beach

We typically travel with a pretty sizeable group, so suites or villas are our go-tos when looking for resorts. Hilton had recently acquired this resort when we decided it was a good fit. Settled just over the dunes of Mandalay Beach, we had high hopes. The grounds are gorgeous, the amenities were many and the beach was beautiful.

We loved the layout of the suite AND the fact that we had two full bathrooms (always a plus when traveling with kids!). However, the outdoor spaces were poorly maintained with piles of garbage surrounded by flies, food service dishes left on doorsteps for days and open dumpsters lead the way to our room.

The rotten cherry on top was a break-in of our cousin’s car while parked in “secure parking.” The security team, including the head of security, witnessed the break-in happen and watched via surveillance as the thieves broke the windows of the car and made their way off with my niece and nephew’s Disneyland souvenirs and backpacks. The head of security claimed only the victims were allowed to call the police, which is false. We got the runaround as we attempted to handle this issue with management and still (five months later) have never received return contact from the resort.

Lobby

Henry’s

Beach rentals and gift shop

Fire pit

We made s’mores and warmed up after an evening swim.

Fire pit

Float Spa

We did enjoy a nice massage at the spa.

Elevator

This pile was here for at least a day and a half and swarming with bees.

Walkway

Dishes and service items were often strewn about the walkways.

Mandalay Beach

Iffy resort experience aside, the piece de resistance of our hotel stay was Mandalay Beach! Although chilly, as expected, the beach was beautiful, serene and we really enjoyed our time there! The kids loved climbing up the dunes to get to the beach, and even though they didn’t spend too much time in the water proper, they kept themselves busy. Sand forts, drawing in the packed sand, burying each other and lots of splashing when the waves made kissed the shore.

Let me also give a shout out to this HUGE beach blanket! (affiliate link) It was the 11th member of our travel crew. I was skeptical of its powers, but it did shake free of sand quite easily, and it was perfect for the kids and adults to land on during our beach treks.

Pacific Coast Highway

Not much says California quite like cruising down PCH with the top down and enjoying the breathtaking views. Now, we were in a sensible crossover and caught in traffic fairly often, but we still enjoyed the sights, sounds and tastes of the Pacific Coast Highway.

@magicmemoriesmayhem A leisurely drive up Pacific Coast Highway 🌊 #CaliforniaVacationTips #FamilyVacation #PacificCoastHighway #BeachTrip #TravelAgentMom ♬ Dancing In The Moonlight – 苏颜悦

@magicmemoriesmayhem This was a great little market! 🍓🍑🍊We had THE BEST mandarins from Buckhorn Canyon Ranch, and I’ve stalked them and hoping they ship! #FarmersMarket #ChannelIsland #Oxnard #ShopLocal #California ♬ Gorgeous – Taylor Swift

Channel Islands Farmers Market

I love a farmer’s market no matter its locale, but when I say this one had the BEST citrus, I’m not exagerrating. I even tracked down the farm, Buckhorn Canyon Ranch, and inquired about shipping it was so good. Sadly, they weren’t able to, but I will absolutely try to find them next time I’m in the area.

In addition, there was live music, clothing, gifts, souvenirs, flowers, plants, popcorn, food trucks and more.

Oxnard Farmer’s Market

Pizza Man Dan’s

Another one of our travel traditions is to grab local pizza. Our search took us to Pizza Man Dan’s, and while the food was good, we may have enjoyed the box more…