Rubicon Theatre Company - Ventura

The Rubicon Theatre Company has provided theater productions, festivals, special events and education programs (outreach, camps, classes, etc.) in Ventura since 1998.  The Rubicon's mission is Some of the actors that have performed at Rubicon in the past include Ed Asner, John Ritter, Stacy Keach, Jack Lemmon, Efrem Zimbalist Jr. and other luminaries.  The Rubicon Theatre is very intimate, with only about 200 seats! 

The theatre is located at 1006 E. Main Street in Ventura.  For more information, visit www.rubicontheatre.org or call 805.667.2900.

Present innovative, first-rate professional theatrical productions, festivals, special events and education programs for the enrichment, entertainment, and education of the region's residents and visitors.

Universal Citywalk

Universal Citywalk is a 23 acre entertainment and retail area adjacent to Universal Studios. It is a popular destination for entertainment, dining, shopping and getting out and about. Always lively, festive and colorful, and easy to get to, to me, Citywalk is a no-brainer destination when you have out of town guests or just want to get out and about from Ventura County.

Other than walking around and gazing at the people and interesting sites, there are plenty of things to do at Citywalk, including movie theaters, IMAX theater, a comedy club, the Gibson Amphitheatre, Jillian's (which has food, billiards and a large arcade), iFly Hollywood indoor skydiving and much more.

My kids absolutely love the Bubba Gump Shrimp Co so we usually eat there when we go. But there's a lot of other choices, like Buca di Beppo, Karl Strauss Brewery, Wolfgang Puck Cafe, Hard Rock Cafe, Saddle Ranch Chop House among others.

We also usually stop by Sparky's for a little sugar fix after our meal. They have chocolate covered Twinkies, s'mores, Rice Krispie treats, pretzels, bacon, jalapeno, you name it. Their candied apples look mouth watering too.

I've barely scratched the surface in this post, so visit www.citywalkhollywood.com to learn more. Click here for directions.

Oh, there's another thing. As of January 2015, general parking is $17 before 3pm ($10 after). While I kind of expect that when I visit an amusement park, it is harder for me to part with that kind of cash if I'm going mainly to have a meal and walk around for an hour.  So let me impart some wisdom on you:

If you are planning on going to the movies, the box office will give you a rebate of $11 if you park before 3pm and $5 if you park after 3pm. That reduces your parking cost quite a bit.

Jim Hall Kart Racing School in Ventura (CLOSED)

Jim Hall Kart Racing School closed operations effective March 31, 2019 as a result of losing their lease. :(

Jim Hall Kart Racing School was established in 1982 by world kart champion Jim Hall II and is the longest-running and most recognized karting school in the country.  There are half day, full day and multi-day classes and programs.  There are also parent/child classes for kids ages 10 to 14.

Located at Seaside Park at 2600 Challenger Place, Oxnard.  Visit www.jimhallkartracing.com or call 805.654.1329 for more information.

BeadTime Beading Shop in Camarillo

BeadTime is located in the Mission Oaks Business Park at 5217 Verdugo Way, Suite F, Camarillo, offering a full line of quality stones, pearls, glass, seed beeds, sterling silver, classes and more for the serious beader. Visit www.beadtime.com or call 805.482.5256 for more information.

Make Meaning in Thousand Oaks (Closed Feb 2016)

Make Meaning closed its doors on February 7, 2016.

Make Meaning opened at The Oaks Shopping Mall in February 2013. Located in the outdoor shops area of the mall, upper level, south side, first store outside of the mall, Make Meaning offers seven creative experiences to both kids and adults, including customized soap, candles, paper, ceramics, glass, jewelry and cake decorating. Walk in and start creating something unique. No admission or membership fees. Speciality classes and events are also available.

This is quite a large store, open, light and airy, with an upbeat atmosphere. How do I know? Because we checked it out! My son painted a piggy bank he hand-selected and at the table next to us I admired a pretty neat looking customized candle and cake. Everyone was happy in there!

The staff are called Associate Creativity Enthusiasts (ACEs), there to help you through the process. And that they were. I was able to just walk in and they kind of took over with my son while enjoyed watching him in his creative efforts. And they took care of the prep and the mess.

For more information, visit www.makemeaning.com or call 805.582.1107.

My son's froggy piggy bank masterpiece in it final stages. Make Meaning glazes it and fires it, then you pick it up in 4 days.

Selection of supplies to individualize your cake!

Or customize your own soap. Quite a unique concept and very well done.

City of Agoura Hills Community Programs and Activities

The City of Agoura Hills Community Services Department includes both parks maintenance and recreational classes and events. Toddlers to teens, adults and seniors all enjoy high quality recreation activities.  There are hundreds of programs, classes and events available in the quarterly catalog at ci.agoura-hills.ca.us. For more info call 818.597.7361.

Stiix Billiards in Ventura

Stiix Billiards at 2520 E. Main St in Ventura is a family billiards center open 7 days a week, with over a dozen billiards table, weekly leagues/tournaments, several dozen types of beer, music, TV, music, food and more. Visit www.stiixbilliards.com or call 805.641.2020.

Michaels Stores Classes in Ventura County

Michaels Stores is North America’s largest specialty retailer of arts, crafts, framing, floral, wall décor, and seasonal merchandise for the hobbyist and do-it-yourself home decorator. Michaels is one of the funnest stores to visit for arts, crafts, framing, floral, home décor, scrapbooking and much more.

Local area Michaels Stores are in Westlake Village at 5780 Lindero Canyon Road (818.707.0013), Camarillo at 351 Carmen Drive (805.388.5001) and Moorpark at 816 New Los Angeles Avenue (805.552.9140).

In addition to offering up tens of thousands of items for your arts and crafts needs, Michaels offers classes at very low prices! Classes cover a wide range of fun activities, including cake decorating, art painting, jewelry making, paper crafting, knit and crochet, kids' programs and more.

Check out Camarillo classes at classes.michaels.com/OnlineClasses/control/dateView?storeId=9525

Westlake Village classes at classes.michaels.com/OnlineClasses/control/dateView?storeId=9822

Moorpark classes at classes.michaels.com/OnlineClasses/control/dateView?storeId=3848

For more information, visit www.michaels.com.

City of Moorpark Arroyo Vista Recreation Center Programs

The Arroyo Vista Recreation Center, located at 4550 Tierra Rejada Road in Moorpark, offers a variety of recreational programs for all ages. Activities include sports, library programs, seniors programs, community events, teen events, camps and more.  The facility can also be rented for private parties.

Visit www.moorparkca.gov/199/Recreation or call 805.517.6300 for a quarterly program brochure or more information. Or download the recreation guide at www.moorparkca.gov/214/Recreation-Classes.

Farmers' Market in Thousand Oaks

The Thousand Oaks Farmers’ Market is located at The Oaks Shopping Center located on the east end parking lot at the corner of Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Wilbur Road. Operating hours are 1:30 pm to 6:30 pm. on THURSDAYS.

This long-running farmers' market is a great place to buy fruits, vegetables, plants, eggs, nuts, honey and flowers from local farmers, as well as delicacies such as fresh tamales, baked goods and other goodies from local vendors.

Visit the VCCFM website at www.vccfarmersmarkets.com for details.

FOR MORE INFO ABOUT VENTURA COUNTY FARMERS' MARKETS, CLICK HERE

+EV Games in Camarillo

Located at 300 N. Lantana Street (cross street Daily) in Camarillo, +EV Games is a Magic the Gathering and other Trading Card Games Tournament Center. With space for over 60 people +EV Games has one of the best places in the state to play Magic, your favorite board game or other TCG.

More information at www.plusevgames.com or call 805.389.7428.

Camarillo Skyway Playhouse (Closed in Mid-2021)

NOTE: THE CAMARILLO SKYWAY PLAYHOUSE LOCATION WAS SOLD IN MID-2021.

Located at 330 Skyway Drive, Camarillo Skyway Playhouse (formerly Camarillo Community Theatre) is a 501(c) non-profit, all-volunteer corporation dedicated to providing excellent live stage entertainment to Ventura County residents. Skyway relies solely on ticket sales and community support to maintain and grow the theatre.

CCT presented shows such as Annie, Man of la Mancha, Pirates of Penzance, Arsenic and Old Lace, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Cabaret, It's a Wonderful Life and much more. at www.skywayplayhouse.org

Knott's Berry Farm in Buena Park

Knott's Berry Farm is a 160 acre amusement park in Buena Park that originally opened in 1940, 15 years prior to the grand opening of Disneyland (the parks are about 7 miles apart). I like Knott's because it is low key and has a fun combination of old time Western motif with modern amusement park rides. This overview of Knott's is current as of March 2012 and of course subject to change.

The areas of the park include, Ghost Town, with over 50 themed shops, eateries and attractions, Indian Trails, Camp Snoopy, Fiesta Village, Boardwalk and more.

Knott's Resort Hotel is a 320 room hotel with 16 Snoopy-themed rooms adjacent to the park and California Marketplace, just outside of the park entrance, has over a dozen shops and restaurants outside of the main park that include Pink's Famous Hot Dogs, TGI Friday's and other businesses.

Higher intensity roller coasters at Knotts include Boomerang, GhostRider, Jaguar, Montezooma's Revenge, Pony Express, Sierra Sidewinder, Silver Bullet, Timberline Twister and Xcelerator.

Thrill rides include La Revolucion, Rip Tide, Screamin' Swing, Supreme Scream and WindSeeker.

Family rides include Butterfield Stagecoach, Calico Mine Ride, Calico Railroad, Dragon Swing, Hat Dance, High Sierra Ferris Wheel, Merry Go Round, Sky Cabin, Waveswinger, Wheeler Dealer Bumper Cars and Wipeout.

Camp Snoopy has about a dozen rides geared towards kids.

Water rides include Bigfoot Rapids, Perilous Plunge and Timber Mountain Log Ride.

Live shows and entertainment include a Wild West Stunt Show, Mystery Lodge, Calico Saloon Show, Native American Dancers, Peanuts Character Show and Snoopy and the Peanuts Gang.

Visit www.knotts.com or call 714.220.5200 to learn more. Knotts is located at 8039 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park.