Trips to Loreto

The Ventura Sister City Association plans two group trips each year.

OCTOBER:

A Ventura Sister City delegation travels south to Loreto every year to join in the celebration of the founding of Loreto on October 25, 1697.

FEBRUARY/MARCH:

A naturalist sponsored trip to Loreto for whale watching in the Gulf of California and in the Pacific at Magadalena Bay.

For more information about future trips, group airfare, and lodging options in Loreto, email: chair@venturasistercity.org.

Hope to see you in Loreto!

Spring 2026 Trip: Cross-Disciplinary Experience

We will be adding a full article about the first Ventura College (VC) Student Trip to Loreto very soon!

A sample of the photos of the trip are below.

11 students and 2 VC Professors visited and learned about our Ventura Sister City as part of their course work at VC.

Previous Trips

Ventura College students with Conserva Loreto Program Director Sula Vanderplank. The Olive Tree behind the students is one of the oldest living trees in Baja California. Students visited Mission San Francisco Javier and visited the desert in the Sierra de la Giganta mountain range.

Ventura College Students Visiting Coronado Island in Loreto, Mexico, after they visited Santa Cruz Island in Ventura

Beach Clean-up at Estero Las Garzas, a coastal estuary in the city of Loreto. Freshwater mixes with salt water from the Sea of Cortez to create an area very popular for bird watchers.

Left to right: Michelle Marily Higuera Amador, program assistant of Eco Alienza, Kammy Algiers, Biology Professor at Ventura College, Mark Urwick, Ventura Sister City Board Member,  Carlos Posadas, Director of Eco Alienza, Daniella Graves, Sociology Professor at Ventura College, receiving a recognition for their work together.

More photos from the trip

October 2025 Trip: Boating & Goating in Loreto

A large group of people, including children and adults, poses for a photo at an airport terminal in front of the arrivals area. Some people are holding luggage, and many are wearing lanyards and identification badges. There are signs for international arrivals in the background.

Sister City Members arrive at Loreto International Airport.

On another day, we loaded into a van driven by our awesome tour guide, Mario. We stopped at a nearby goat ranch, where we learned to milk goats, make tortillas, and had a wonderfully delicious snack of fresh tortillas topped with fresh goat milk. (Yes, we met the ranch’s goats and they were hilarious!)

BOATING to Isla Coronado

Tour boat on calm water near a marina with dock and seagulls, distant islands in the background.
People relaxing on a beach with sand, sitting under a canopy and near a boat in calm water on a sunny day.

After a 2-hour flight from Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), representatives of the Ventura Sister City Association (and Hermosa Beach Sister City Association) arrived at Loreto International Airport (LTO). We were excited about the interesting, delicious, and educational adventures planned for us.

By the way, this international airport is small, but despite its small size, its one terminal has plenty of tasty food and beverages, souvenirs and clean restrooms.

Later that day, Liz Ramirez, a past Sister City Association president and owner of Casa Mangos (a charming small hotel) near downtown, hosted a “Welcome” happy hour for our group in Casa Mangos’ lovely courtyard. It was a beautiful and fun evening.

Close-up of a brown goat with black markings, sticking out its tongue, standing outdoors near wooden fencing.
A woman wearing a straw hat, orange top, and sunglasses hanging from her neck, smiling and holding a large shell in an outdoor rustic setting. Another woman nearby is also holding a shell, with chairs, tools, and a tree in the background.

Leaving the small harbor in Loreto for a panga trip to Isla Coronado. After arriving at Is. Coronado, some of the group snorkeled, some hiked, and others floated just off the beach (and relaxed on the beach). The views during our voyage were magnificent (lots of marine life and birds. Even a Blue Footed Booby!). The water at Isla Coronado was bathtub-warm and very calm, and the food Mario brought for us was delicious! A mucho buenos day!

Group of dancers on stage performing at a nighttime outdoor event with large illuminated letters spelling "OBET 32" in front of the stage.

Celebrating the founding of Loreto

Group of five people smiling and posing for a photo outdoors at an event, with a woman holding an envelope in her hand.

Loreto 2024 October Trip

A historic yellow building in Loreto, California, illuminated at night with purple lighting and pink awareness ribbons displayed on the windows and balcony, honoring breast cancer awareness.

Loreto City Hall

Outdoor stage setup with white chairs in front of an old stone tower with a clock, and a yellow building to the side, under a clear blue sky.

Mission Loreto the first of the California missions.

 A photo from the October 2024 Loreto trip with Lizette Inzunza (artist), Fr. Tom Elewaut (Ventura), Mayor Paz Ochoa (Loreto), Barbara Post (Ventura), Carl Morehouse (chair, Ventura Sister City Association).(From left to right)

The Ventura Sister City Committee gave Lizette the proceeds from her art work that was sold at the 2024 Ventura Art Walk

We are ready to support more collaboration between artists in our two cites with Lizette and MB taking the lead and the Mural Project continuing in both cities.

Group of people at an award ceremony, with one person receiving a framed certificate from another on a stage at night, with palm trees and stage lighting in the background.

Carl Morehouse, our Sister City Chair, and the Governor of Baja California Sur

Our October 2023 Ventura Sister City group photo before a trip to the islands

We had a wonderful trip to Loreto in October of 2023!

We had the largest ever from Ventura, including 7 students from various Ventura schools who are all in the Ventura Mission Choir.

We are planning another trip the end of Feb/ early March to see the whale migration.

We also plan to return again in October of 2024! This is when Loreta celebrates the founding of their city.

Group of people sitting at a restaurant table with Mexican food, including tacos and drinks, smiling and enjoying their meal.

Ventura Sister City Chair, Carl, and Vice Chair, Mark, enjoying the wonderful food in Loreto with their wives.

A historic stone church with a bell tower surrounded by palm trees, set against a clear blue sky.
Four men standing in a formal meeting room, with one holding a framed certificate or document. The room has wood paneling and raised seating in the background.
Group of people standing in front of vehicles with a mountain range and palm trees in the background on a sunny day.
A group of nine people standing on stage during a presentation or ceremony, with a woman speaking at a podium. The stage has a large screen with colorful graphics and text, including the letters "T" and "L" in the background.

November 13th 2023

The Ventura Sister City Association board members were able to present a proclamation of friendship between our cities to our Mayor Joe Schroeder.