By Megan Macias
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Agriculture named Ventura County the most desirable place to live in America. As a Ventura County-based business for nearly 30 years, Mustang Marketing is thrilled to see that the department loves our county as much as we do.
But what about Ventura County makes it so great?
After growing up in Thousand Oaks and graduating from TOHS in 2009, I decided it was time to explore a little outside of our “bubble.” Now, having lived all over the Southern California coastline — from Santa Barbara for my undergraduate studies and San Diego for a stint after graduation to Venice and Culver City during my early professional years — it’s safe to say that I’ve seen my fair share of desirable places to be.
Yet, here I am, back in the county where I came from, and I’m proud to say that there is no place I’d rather be.
In addition to the reasons listed by the USDA, which range from Ventura County’s sunny winters to our access to a body of water — rationale with which I whole-heartedly agree — I’ve come up with a few of my personal top reasons why I love where I live.
1.) The people: I’m the type of person who makes it a point to have a conversation with strangers in line at the supermarket, on the trails with my dogs, while grabbing the mail — you name it. Not only do the people in Ventura County seem to appease my outgoing personality, but they actually seem to enjoy it as well, and I can easily say that the people in our community, more often than not, bring a smile to my face.
2.) The food: While we may not have as many five-star-rated restaurants as other counties, there’s something to be said about having those neighborhood spots that you can always rely on (Topper’s Pizza, Pete’s Breakfast House in Ventura, Sesame Inn in Newbury Park, Lure Fish House, Stonehaus in Westlake, anyone?)
3.) The security: After having some not-so-comforting incidents in some of my former living situations, it’s nice to go about my daily routine knowing that I live in one of the top 30 safest communities in California, according to safewise.com.
4.) The scenery: Hiking Sycamore Canyon to Pt. Mugu, taking a boat ride around Westlake Lake, driving through Hidden Valley, watching the sunset over Silverstrand beach — if you’re into “stopping and smelling the roses” this is the place to be.
5.) Mustang Marketing and our clients: As I mentioned before, Mustang was established in Ventura County in 1986, something that has given us the pleasure of working with many outstanding Ventura County-based clients that contribute fantastic products and services to the region. Although I am the newest member of the team, I can easily say that I love where I work, and I am glad Mustang still calls Ventura County home to this very day.