PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripCommunityMerchandise
PYRTPlan Your Road Trips
Create TripCommunityMerchandise
3-D Perspective image of the Los Angeles Basin from the Landsat satellite using NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) for topography information. The vertical scale is exaggerated one and half times.
Horseshoe Bend, Arizona. Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona.
El Rio, California
Photo by This image uses high-resolution digital topography data from NASA's Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) at JPL-Caltech [1]. It is in the public domain in the United States.
Destinations
Home›Destinations›El Rio
North AmericaUnited StatesCalifornia

El Rio

California, United States · North America

About El Rio

El Rio is worth a stop: 10 minutes from Oxnard, 56km from Six Flags Magic Mountain.

El Rio is in California, United States, with about 7,200 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Oxnard, about 4 km away.

El Rio ( ; Spanish: El Río, meaning "The River") is a small, rural unincorporated town in Ventura County, California, United States, on the northeast side of the 101 Freeway and Oxnard, and south of the Santa Clara River. The town was founded in 1875 and named New Jerusalem by the owner of general store who became the

Read more first postmaster in 1882. In 1885, a school and Santa Clara Catholic Church were built. Located near where the coastal railroad line crosses the Santa Clara River, the town's name was changed to El Rio around 1900. The former wagon river crossing route became the Ventura Freeway which separates the community from the commercial developments that grew up on the southwest side of the freeway. That portion of the historic community and sections closer to the river have been annexed to the city of Oxnard. Vineyard Avenue (State Route 232) is the central business district for the largely residential community. The population was 7,037 at the 2020 census, down from 7,198 at the 2010 census. For statistical purposes, the United States Census Bureau has defined a portion of the unincorporated area as El Rio census-designated place (CDP) which does not precisely correspond to the historical community that is much larger with significant portions having been annexed to the city of Oxnard.

Read more on Wikipedia

Where to Stay in El Rio

Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.

Filter presets

Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.

Booking.comExpediaTripAdvisorHotels.comAgodaAirbnb

Compare before you book!

Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in El Rio.

Explore the Area

Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near El Rio.

Loading map...
Open in Google Maps

Frequently Asked Questions

What is there to see near El Rio?

Within an hour or so of El Rio: Neptune's Net (27 km), The Rock Store (37 km), Six Flags Magic Mountain (56 km).

Are there any good drives near El Rio?

The nearest famous roads are Route 66 - Santa Monica End and Mulholland Drive.

Where is El Rio?

El Rio is in California, United States, about 4 km from Oxnard.

Road trip

Drive to El Rio

Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.

Start planning

What's nearby?

Swipe through places to go

Places within a drive of El Rio. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.

Explore now

Quick Information

Population
7,198
Continent
North America
Country
United States
Region
California
Timezone
America/Los_Angeles
Coordinates
34.2358, -119.1638

Emergency & Services

Essential numbers in United States

Police
911
Ambulance
911
Fire
911
Driving side
right

AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.

Full driving guide for United States

Tags

North AmericaUnited StatesCaliforniaTown

Worth the detour from El Rio

3 notable places within an hour's drive.

cafe

Neptune's Net

A legendary seafood shack on PCH in Malibu where bikers, surfers, and road trippers have gathered since 1956, featured in numerous films including Point Break.

27 km · about 30 min drive

cafe

The Rock Store

A famous biker bar and cafe in Cornell, California on Mulholland Highway, where celebrity riders and car enthusiasts congregate on weekend mornings.

37 km · about 45 min drive

landmark

Six Flags Magic Mountain

Thrill capital of the world near Los Angeles boasting more roller coasters than any other park on the planet.

56 km · about 65 min drive

Driving roads near El Rio

  • 66 kmRoute 66 - Santa Monica EndThe 'End of the Trail' sign on Santa Monica Pier marks Route 66's symbolic Pacific terminus, 2,448 miles from Chicago, beside the pier's vintage carousel and Ferris wheel.
  • 68 kmMulholland DriveWinding road through the Santa Monica Mountains with LA city views

Nearby Destinations

Other places to explore near El Rio.

Oxnard

🇺🇸 United States

4 km awayPop. 207,254

Saticoy

🇺🇸 United States

5 km awayPop. 1,029

Channel Islands Beach

🇺🇸 United States

10 km awayPop. 3,103

Camarillo

🇺🇸 United States

12 km awayPop. 67,608

Casa Conejo

🇺🇸 United States

21 km awayPop. 3,249

Mira Monte

🇺🇸 United States

25 km awayPop. 6,854

Moorpark

🇺🇸 United States

26 km awayPop. 36,104

Fillmore

🇺🇸 United States

29 km awayPop. 15,548

Plan a trip around El Rio

North America road trip planner

Your trip starts here

Plan a road trip from El Rio.

Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.

Start planning
PYRT

The ultimate road trip planning platform. Discover 150,000+ destinations worldwide, plan scenic routes, and create unforgettable adventures.

Inspiration

  • Discover Trips
  • Travel Guides
  • Community

The Product

  • Calendar Planner
  • Integrations
  • How It Works
  • Collaboration Mode
  • Get the App
  • Merchandise: PYRT Supply Co.
  • Become a Creator
  • Trip Marketplace

Plan Your Trip

  • Road Trip Planner
  • Famous Routes
  • Drive Times & Distances
  • Planners by Country
  • Best Road Trip Planner App
  • Discover Road Trips
  • Events
  • Travel Guides
  • How It Works
  • My Trips
  • Community Groups

Company

  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
  • About PYRT
  • Support
  • Contact Us
  • Sign In
  • Create Account

© 2026 Plan Your Road Trips. All rights reserved.

•[email protected]
Data sources:GeoNames (CC BY 4.0)•Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA)•Mapbox•Photography: George Lawrence