The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Ty Warner Sea Center is a fun, engaging, interactive marine education facility located on Stearns Wharf. Owned and operated by the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History, the Ty Warner Sea Center fulfills the mission of the Museum to inspire a passion for the natural world.

Conejo Joe and family have visited the Sea Center and his young boys really enjoyed the interactive nature of this place.  This is a not a huge museum but it is worth stop by with the kids every now and then.  Make a day of it in Santa Barbara, have lunch, stop by the carousel at Chase Palm Park, ride bikes along the beach, etc.

The Sea Center is located at 211 Stearns Wharf in Santa Barbara and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., major holidays excepted.  For more info visit www.sbnature.org/seacenter or call 805.962.2526.

For more information visit www.simi-arts.org or call 805.583.7905 (administrative office) or the box office at 805.583.7900.

The Palms is only open until August 17th according to management, so check it out soon or you'll miss out!  There is also a snack bar with pizza, hot dogs, pretzels, lemonade and other scrumptious delicacies. 

The Palms does not have a website but you can call 818.225.2496 for more information.  Apparently celebrity Denise Richards visited The Palms with her daughters as evidenced here.  Have fun!

Limoneira Tours in Santa Paula offers a variety of adventures that take you back in time where you can live the rich history of California fields.  Check out www.limoneiratours.com to learn about hot air balloon rides, backcountry jeep tours, chuck wagon lunch, citrus ranch/packing house tours, gourmet orchard dining, horseback riding and historic hometown tours of Santa Paula.  Call 866.321.9995 for reservations and details.  Prices to me seem pretty reasonable.  The most expensive activity is a 2 1/2 hour hot air balloon ride, which is $185 for adults and $145 for children (as of June 21, 2008) and includes fresh fruit and beverages.  Heck, I've never been on a hot air balloon ride so I'll definitely have to try this and report back (please tell us your experience!).

Limoneira Tours is located at 1141 Cummings Road in Santa Paula and can also be reached at 805.525.5541.

The Majestic Ventura Theater

26 S. Chestnut Ave., Ventura

www.venturatheater.net

Phone:  805.653.0721

Let's Get Cooking is a culinary school located at 4643 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village that trains both professional chefs and the rest of us looking to learn how to cook.  Classes are for all ages, including adults, child/parent classes, teens and summer camps.  They also offer catering (my preference, as even if I did learn to cook I hate cleaning!).  For more info visit www.letsgetcookin.com or call 818.991.3940.

Based at Camarillo Airport (455 Aviation Drive), the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force has hangars devoted to preserving, maintaining, displaying, AND FLYING World War II aircraft. The WWII Aviation Museum is open every day (except Mondays and Wednesdays) from 10:00 to 4:00 and accepts donations (usually $5.00 from adults - children are free).  Visit www.cafsocal.com or call 805.482.0064 for more information.

I have to say that I have been to this low-key museum and it is enjoyable because there are not many people in there so you have plenty of time to enjoy the unique items preserved in the museum and closely check out the aircraft.  The docents are extremely enjoyable to speak with as they have a lot of history to share.

Just 79 feet away from the bustling Sagebrush Cantina, the Leonis Adobe Museum in Calabasas was named as the first Los Angeles historic monument on August 6, 1962.  The Leonis Adobe was the home of Miguel Leonis, known as the King of Calabasas. The museum features his authentically furnished two-story Monterey-Style adobe with original buildings, period livestock, gardens and a vineyard--all part of Leonis' recreated ranch where he once ruled the territory.  The house was originally built in 1844, six years before Los Angeles was incorporated and California was given statehood.

Also on the property is the Plummer House, which was named the oldest house in Hollywood and in 1935 was named California Historical Landmark No. 160.  The house fell into disrepair and became dilapidated before the salvagable front portion of the house was moved to the Leonis Adobe site in 1983 and repaired, restored and refurbished.  It now serves as the Visitor Center and gift shop at the Leonis Adobe site.

The Museum is open Wed through Sunday.  Visit www.leonisadobemuseum.com or call 818.222.6511 for more information.  Location is 23537 Calabasas Road in Calabasas.

The Carnegie collection is Oxnard's municipal art collection which began before the Carnegie Building was used as a fine arts museum. The collection was begun in 1924 when members of the Art Club of Oxnard decided to purchase "Desert Bloom" by California landscape painter Katherine Leighton. Money was raised through popular subscription and a "penny festival."

In addition to its traveling and special exhibits which change every month, the Museum has a permanent collection of 1580 art and ethnographic objects. Over 600 are paintings, drawings, prints and photographs primarily by 20th century California artists. Due to limited gallery space, only a small selection from the permanent collection are displayed periodically.

The museum is open 7 days per week and closed holidays.  Admission is only $3 for adults.  For more information, visit www.vcnet.com/carnart or call 805.385.8157.  The museum is located at 424 South C Street, Oxnard.

In addition to the permanent exhibits, the Museum features other exhibits of interest.  Currently (June through October 2008) the Museum has an exhibit entitled "Giants - African Dinosaurs" that features life size replicas of African dinosaurs and actual dinosaur bones.  Though the exhibit is not particularly large, it was mesmerizing and the little ones will get a kick out of it (especiallly if they are dinosaur fans).  However, watch out...there are some pretty intimidating creatures on exhibit as seen in the pictures below.

Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History

2559 Puesta del Sol Road, Santa Barbara

Phone:  805.682.4711

www.sbnature.org