With little fanfare, the new parking lot at Surfers Point opened for public access on Friday, February 20, 2026. This follows completion of the final landscaping, including seeding the constructed dunes with native plants. Straw was added as a topping mulch to help prevent seeds from blowing away. This final measure was completed right before the last rainfall of a wet winter. The City of Ventura plans to organize an official ribbon cutting ceremony in the near future.
For now, day use parking rates are still $2, but a resolution for pay parking has not yet been announced.
Parking for beach access at Surfers Point has been a concern since construction began in 2024. Beach access parking was designated in the main Fairgrounds parking lot, with Derby Club parking designated on the beach side of the parking lot. Many local residents who visit the beach daily have in the past been able to purchase an annual pass. These passes were honored on weekdays during construction, but event parking rates of $10-15 were charged for weekend beach access, sometimes starting on Friday afternoon through Sunday. Many locals were frustrated when it was announced that the annual pass would not be made available.
Surfrider encouraged people to attend the Fair Board meetings to express their concerns. https://ventura.surfrider.org/news/reinstate-affordable-parking-at-surfers-point
The issue was in the news in January:
Controversial parking rate increases have been at least temporarily halted at a Ventura County Fairgrounds lot that serves one of the best-known surfing beaches in the region.
After a closed-door discussion on Jan. 5, the Ventura County Fairgrounds Board of Directors voted unanimously to pause last year’s rate increase that hiked the daily parking rate at a lot that serves the iconic Surfers Point in Ventura from $2 to $5. They also paused a pending increase that would have doubled the price of an annual parking pass to $150.
The closed door session was in response to legal concerns after the Coastal Commission issued a letter outlining the process required for increased beach parking fees.
In the News:
Surfers Point parking rates, on hold for now, stoke frustration, VCStar Jan 25, 2026 (Yahoo news)
Reference:
2025.12.05 CCC Letter to Ventura Fairgrounds
