If you spot sails on the horizon this May, no, you're not imagining things—and no, Ventura isn’t filming a period drama. The Mystic Whaler, a towering 83-foot, two-masted schooner modeled after a 19th-century coastal cargo ship, is docking at Ventura Harbor Village from May 14 through Memorial Day, and you’re invited to step aboard.
Forget velvet ropes and passive placards. This isn't your typical maritime exhibit—it's a floating classroom, a storytelling stage, and a hands-on slice of seafaring history. Run by the Central Coast Ocean Adventures Foundation (based out of Channel Islands Harbor), the Mystic Whaler isn’t just here to look pretty against the Ventura sunset. She’s here to teach—about teamwork, tides, and the kinds of skills you won’t pick up in any textbook.
Docked near Brophy Bros. and On the Alley (yes, within sniffing distance of clam chowder and fish tacos), the ship will offer deck tours for just five bucks (free for kids). Visitors can meet the crew, learn sailor lingo, and try their hand at rigging lines or just soak up tales of life at sea. Think: history with sea spray, not dust.
The schedule includes several public tour windows—May 17, 23, 24, 25, and 26—and a possible private sail on May 18. The real photo op, though, might be watching the ship sail in on May 14 around 11 AM or depart on May 27 at 8 AM, sails unfurled and all. Fair warning: it might spark a sudden urge to abandon your landlocked life and join the crew.
The arrival also tacks neatly onto Ventura Harbor Village’s broader May programming for California Tourism Month. Expect seaside concerts each weekend (rock, folk, indie, and even tropical reggae on Memorial Day), postcard giveaways, bubble-blowing booths, and a fish-printing activity honoring Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. It’s a beachy blend of civic pride, hands-on culture, and old-school fun—with just the right amount of salt.
And while you’re at the harbor, don’t just walk the plank and leave. Grab a cone from Coastal Cone, rent a pedal boat shaped like a dragon, or window-shop your way along the docks. Just remember to post your tall ship selfies with #SeaTallShip—because if a schooner docks in Ventura and no one Instagrams it, did it even happen?
More info and full sailing schedules at VenturaHarborVillage.com.
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