Originally started as a Catholic mission in 1782, Ventura was hemmed in by two rivers, thick forest, deep canyons and the sea, and it remained fairly isolated for years.    More outsiders began to arrive after the Maricopa Highway was built in the 1930s, but growth really kicked in after 1959 when U.S. Highway 101 (also known as the Ventura Freeway) connected Ventura to Los Angeles.  The city is still growing, 5% in the last decade, attracting a diverse group of people.  The cost of living is 40% above the national average, and the median home price is $425,000, down about 3% in the last year or so.  Of the residents, 35% are age 45 or better (and they lean to the left politically).  The crime rate is below the national average.

Ventura is in many ways California at its best.  Known as the "land of the endless summer," it has a rich cultural scene and is home to hundreds of musicians and artists.   Musical venues are varied, from concert halls to cafes and churches.  Theater and dance events are mounted by the Rubicon Theater Company and the All American Ballet Company, among many others.  Art exhibits and galleries are found all across the city.  There are spas, wineries, beach festivals, gardens, museums and many excellent restaurants.    Historic sites include the 1847 Olivas Adobes, one of the original California rancheros, and the 1782 Mission San Buenaventura, still an active parish.   The Ventura County Library has three Ventura branches with computers and Internet access.   Residents enjoy horseracing, car racing and plenty of golf, too.   Boats bob in the harbor, and the sprawling Los Padres National Forest, north of the city, is ripe with outdoor adventure possibilities.  Los Angeles is an hour south.

The delightfully funky downtown, comprised of classic 19th-century Spanish-style buildings painted in colorful pastels, is full of energy, cafes, pubs, galleries and shops.   Across the bridge from downtown is the Pier and Promenade, a lively spot for beach strolling and people watching.   The Boardwalk stretches to Surfer's Point, where young and old catch waves, rollerblade or just sit and soak up the California sun.  Seaward Avenue is a beachy street with palm trees, retailers and eateries.   All around the city the soil is rich and fertile, launching a tapestry of color and vegetation, while eucalyptus trees blanket the surrounding hills.   And life carries on in that mellow California way.

VISTA provides public transportation in town, including to the city's senior nutrition site and its several senior centers, as well as to surrounding cities, including Los Angeles.  Gold Coast Transportation also provides bus service (peopl age 65 or better ride for $.65).   The County of Ventura Area Agency on Aging sponsors services that include support groups and legal assistance and is a good resource for volunteer opportunities.

Two primary hospitals, Community Memorial and Ventura County Medical Center, have a combined total of 470 beds.  Both meet or exceed national averages in nearly all specialty areas, and both accept Medicare and Medicaid.

They say it never rains in southern California, but it actually does a bit, up to 14 inches annually, primarily during the winter months when temperatures range from the low-40s to the mid-60s.  In the summer, the temperatures top out in the mid-80s.  The city comes in well above the national average on the comfort index, a combination of temperature and humidity.  The sun shines 275 days of the year.  Overall, the climate is amazing.

There are some drawbacks to a Ventura retirement.   More and more people are discovering this area, leading to congested highways (but California roadways are always congested).  Developers have also made their way here, raising prices and gentrifying what was once a somewhat ramshackle beach town (although not everyone sees gentrification as a bad thing).  The air quality and water quality are below national averages, and the chance of an earthquake is 1,800 times greater than the national average.  And, of course, California is having serious budget problems.