Live Music and Other Nightlife Options In and Around Ventura County

Are you a night owl looking for something to do around town? Here's a list of places in and around Ventura County that have things to do during nighttime hours, including live music, concerts, dancing, darts, comedy, trivia and other activities scheduled on a regular basis.

This compilation includes restaurants as well as some bars. TVs are great, but don't count as "something to do" for the purposes of this compilation.

Are we missing something? Let us know!

For other nighttime fun, check out these compilations of Ventura County area movie theaters, comedy shows and entertainment venues. Or bowling. Perhaps wine tasting.

Local area craft breweries with taprooms!

(Information is subject to change, so contact the business to confirm.)

Conejo Valley (Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village)

Azar's Sports Bar at 2215 Michael Drive, Newbury Park has Tuesday night karaoke and live music and dancing on Fri/Sat nights. 805.498.2365 azarsportsbar.com

Crown and Anchor at 2891 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks is a British restaurant and pub, offering authentic British dishes along with American fare. Live music on the patio Fri/Sat nights and Sun afternoons. 805.497.0070 crownnanchor.com

14 Cannons Brewery at 31125 Via Colinas, Suite 907 in Westlake Village offers trivia nights, open mic nights and comedy nights 818.652.6971 www.14cannons.com

NABU Wines at 2649 Townsgate Road, Suite 200, Westlake Village offers live bands and dancing on many nights! nabuwines.com or 805.778.1100 or 818.835.3704.

Naughty Pine Brewing Co. at 766 Lakefield Dr., Ste A in Westake Villlage offers live music and trivia nights most nights as well as food trucks. 808.269.7975 www.naughtypinebrewingco.com

Pedals & Pints Brewing Company is located at The Oaks mall east parking lot, offering freshly brewed beer, artisan pizzas, baked tater tots, wings and other small plates…and live music every Saturday night, trivia nights at 7pm on Wed nights, open mic night on Tuesdays. 805-551-0547 www.pedalsandpintsbrewing.com

Sunland Vintage Winery Tasting Room at 1321 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard #108 hosts live music on Thursday and Friday nights as well as other events. 805-379-2250 www.sunlandvintagewinery.com/events

Sunset Terrace Restaurant and Lounge at Janss Marketplace has live music, dancing, three pool tables, shuffleboard, four lanes of bowling and more. 805.497.4847 www.sunsetterracerestaurant.com

Tarantula Hill Brewing Company at 244 Thousand Oaks Boulevard offers live music and other events - check their events calendar at www.tarantulahillbrewingco.com/events for details.

The Bamboo Room is a craft cocktail lounge at The Shoppes at Westlake with a DJ and dancing on Friday/Saturday nights and Happy Hour Thursdays. www.bambooroomwlv.com

The Mighty Axe at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks offers the ultimate in nighttime excitement…axe throwing and beer! And you can order food from eateries at Janss. themightyaxe.com

The Original Pizza Cookery at 75 West Thousand Oaks Blvd offers live music most Friday/Saturday nights. See www.pizzacookery.com/entertainment for details.

The Tipsy Goat at 159 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard, Thousand Oaks has karaoke, pool tables, a dartboard, ping pong, shuffleboard, video games, trivia and more. www.facebook.com/TipsyGoat 805-494-9996

Vista Terrace (Bogies) at the Westlake Village Inn at 32001 Agoura Road, Westlake Village is a bar/nightclub open Wed through Saturday nights. 818.889.2394 www.bogies-bar.com/calendar

Zin Bistro Americana at 32131 Lindero Canyon Road, Westlake Village (The Landing) offers live music on certain nights. 818.865.0095 zinwestlake.com

Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu

The Canyon at Whizin Market Square in Agoura Hills is a hot spot for live music of all types, from original rock bands to cover bands, tribute bands, comedy and more. 888.645.5006 wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com

Tavern Tomoko and Ladyface Alehouse & Brasserie at 29281 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills offers live jazz, blues and other acoustic music on some Fri/Sat nights and trivia on Wednesday nights beginning at 6:30pm. 818.477.4566 www.taverntomoko.com

Sagebrush Cantina at 23527 Calabasas Road hosts karaoke on Thursday nights, live music and dancing on Fri/Sat nights and music on Sun afternoons. 818.222.6062 sagebrushcantina.com

Ventura

Bombay Bar & Grill, located at 143 S. California Street in Ventura has a DJ and dancing on weekends. 805.643.4404 bombayventura.com

Margarita Villa Mexican Restaurant at Ventura Harbor Village, 1567 Spinnaker Drive, Ventura hosts live music Friday through Sunday - check for times and schedule at margaritavillaventura.com/music.html 805-654-7906

The Copa Cubana at Ventura Harbor Village offers live music a number of nights each week 805.642.9463 www.facebook.com/TheCopaCubana

The Garage is a dive bar located at 1091 Scandia Avenue, Ventura with live music on Fri/Sat nights. 805.814.2234 www.facebook.com/TheGarageBarVTA

The Twist on Main at 454 E. Main Street in Ventura offers live music daily, including jazz on Thursday nights. 805.641.0053 thetwistonmain.com

The Greek at the Harbor at Ventura Harbor Village offers belly dancing starting at 6:30pm on Fri/Sat nights and 6pm on Sundays. Greek dance shows Fri/Sat at 7pm. 805.650.5350 www.thegreekventura.com

Keynote Lounge at 10245 Telephone Road in Ventura is a bar with live music on Fri/Sat nights. 805.647.9390 www.keynotelounge.com

Leashless Brewing at 585 East Thompson Blvd., Ventura is a tasting room that hosts live music most Thursdays through Sundays. Check their events calendar at www.leashlessbrewing.com/event-calendar. 805.628.9474

O'Leary's Tavern at 6555 Telephone Road, Suite 7 in Ventura has a pool table, shuffleboard, air hockey, dartboard machine, karaoke and live music. 805.644.4619 www.facebook.com/olearysventura

Paddy's Bar & Lounge at 2 W. Main St, Ventura is a LGBT owned/operated nightclub bar offering pool, darts, karaoke on Wed nights and more. 805.652.1071 paddysventura.com

Prime Steakhouse at 2009 E. Thompson Blvd, Ventura has live music three to four nights a week, including "Frank Sinatra" Tuesdays. 805.652.1055 www.primesteakhouseventura.com

The Saloon at 456 E. Main St in Ventura has live music. 805.667.8550 www.thesaloonvta.com

The Grape House of Jazz & Spirits is a winery and jazz club with a full menu at 2351 E. Main Street in Ventura, offering live jazz Tues through Sun nights. 805.643.7300 thegrapeventura.com

Ventura Music Hall is located at 1888 E. Thompson Boulevard in Ventura. Live music from local talent and touring musicians, along with food from local eateries and drinks at several bars throughout the venue. Learn more at www.venturamusichall.com.

Victoria Pub & Grill at 1413 Victoria Avenue, Suite F, Ventura has pool tables and darts. 805.650.0060 www.victoriapubandgrill.com

Winchester’s Grill & Saloon hosts live music Thursday through Sunday plus open mic night on many Tuesdays. www.winchestersgrill.com 805-653-7446

Simi Valley/Moorpark/Heritage Valley (Fillmore, Santa Paula)

Arena Sports Grill at the Grand Vista Hotel, 999 Enchanted Way, Simi Valley has live music, dancing, pool tables, dartboards, video games, 20 TVs and more. 805.583.2000 arenasimi.com

Chuy's Mesquite Broiler Simi West at 1397 E. Los Angeles Avenue hosts live music various nights 805.582.4897 www.facebook.com/ChuysReno

Enzo's Italian Restaurant at the historic Glen Tavern Inn at 134 N. Mill St, Santa Paula offers live entertainment on weekends. 805.933.5550 www.glentavern.com/dining.aspx

The Golden Nugget Pub and Tavern at 4435 Cochran St, Simi Valley is the oldest bar in Simi, established in 1964. Trivia on Monday and Wednesday nights. 805.583.9715 www.goldennuggetpub.com

Lucas Sellers Winery at 330 Zachary Street in Moorpark (at The Alley in Moorpark) hosts live music most Saturday nights from 6-9pm. www.lucassellers.com

Lucky Fool's Pub at 75 E. High Street in Moorpark offers Sunday night trivia games, a pool table and dart board, not to mention live music several nights a week. 805.532.1500 www.luckyfoolspub.com

Rock & Roll Pizza at Harley’s Valley Bowl, 5255 Cochran Street, Simi Valley, offers live music on Friday/Saturday, Reggae on Sundays, Karaoke Night 9-12 on Tuesdays and Live Comedy on many Wed nights. Details at www.harleysbowl.com/rocknrollpizzabar 805-584-2695

Other West Ventura County (Camarillo, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Ojai)

Copper Blues Rock Pub & Kitchen at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard opened in September 2016, with live music on Saturday nights and more. 805.457.5551 www.copperblueslive.com/oxnard

Corner Pocket Billiards on 7th & A Street in Oxnard is a billiards, arcade, lounge, restaurant and sports bar for the whole family. 805.844.7266 www.facebook.com/cornerpocketoxnard

The El Rey Cantina at 2302 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo has occasional live music. 805.484.4433 elreycamarillo.com/events

Four Brix Winery at 2290 Eastman Ave, Ste 109, Ventura offers live music every Saturday and Sunday from 1-3:30pm. www.fourbrixwine.com

Harley’s Camarillo Bowl offers live music most Saturday nights and select other nights. Check their events calendar at www.harleysbowl.com/camarillo-events 805-482-0747

The Lamplighter is dive bar at 1936 Ventura Blvd, Camarillo that has three pool tables, foosball and darts for your nighttime activities. www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064177201671 805-484-2113

The Lookout Bar & Grill at Channel Islands Harbor (2800 Harbor Blvd, Oxnard) offers Tuesday night trivia and live music on designated days. Open mic night on Mon nights. 805.985.9300 www.facebook.com/TheLookoutBar

The Manhattan of Camarillo at 5800 Santa Rosa Road, Suite 140 offers live music and dancing Thursday through Sunday nights. Also Trivia Night on Thursday nights. 805.388.5550 www.themanhattanofcamarillo.com

The Ojai Deer Lodge at 2261 Maricopa Highway showcases live local entertainers up to 5 nights a week. 805.646.4256 deerlodgeojai.com

Q Club Oxnard at 2362 N. Oxnard Blvd is a sports lounge with 25 TVs and 15 pool tables, karaoke, games, DJ and more 805.278.1231 www.facebook.com/qcluboxnard

Onyx Bistro at 2390 Las Posas Road (at Arneill) offers live music from 5;30-8:30pm on Friday/Saturday nights. 805.991.7356 onyxbistrocamarillo.com

Ric's Restaurant at 2500 Las Posas Road, Camarillo offers live music on Sunday afternoons and other time frames. www.ricsrestaurant.com/entertainment 805.389.9919

The Raven Tavern at 1651 Victoria Avenue, Oxnard in the Seabridge Marina Harbor offers live music every Friday and Saturday night and Wine Wednesdays. www.theraventavern.com 805.686.7683

The Shores Restaurant at 1031 S. Harbor Blvd in Oxnard has karaoke on Thursdays and live music on weekends. 805.984.5533 www.facebook.com/theshoresoxnard

The Six Chow House at 419 E. Main Street, Ventura offers live music or DJ Thursday through Sunday nights. www.thesixrestaurant.com

Sam’s Place at 308 E. Ojai Avenue offers live music Wednesday thru Sunday from 8-10 PM www.facebook.com/The-Vine-1471139523136821 805.646.1555

Beerly departed:

• Season Ticket at 5710 E. Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley closed in May 2016

• Galletto Bar and Grill at the Westlake Plaza has closed.

• W2O Rooftop Lounge at Watermark on Main, 598 E. Main St, Ventura closed 10/4/16.

• The Napa Tavern in Thousand Oaks closed its doors on 2/23/16

• The Whale's Tail at 3950 Bluefin Circle in Oxnard closed its doors in 2016

• Padri Martini Bar at 29008 Agoura Road in Agoura Hills closed in latter 2016.

• The Chop Shop Bar & Grill at 4351 Valley Fair, Simi Valley served its last beer on April 5, 2017.

• Public School 805 at The Promenade at Westlake closed on June 17, 2018.

• Safire American Bistro at 4850 Verdugo Road in Camarillo closed in late October 2017.

• Amigo's Surf Cantina at 546 E. Main Street in Ventura in 2017

• Chuy's Mesquite Broiler at 311 Carmen Drive in Camarillo closed in 2017.

• Bellini Osteria at 951 S. Westlake Blvd, Westlake Village closed in Spring 2018.

• Daryl's Couch in Camarillo closed in 2018.

• Aroha New Zealand Cuisine and Bar in Westlake Village closed in November 2018

• Prime Steakhouse at 29020 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills closed in mid-2018

• Rookees Sports Bar & Lounge at 419 E. Main Street in Ventura closed in fall 2018

• Vintura Tasting Room & Wine Rack at 14 S. California Street in Ventura closed 2/25/19

• Borderline Bar and Grill at 99 Rolling Oaks Drive, Thousand Oaks

• Westlake Brewing Company at 31111 Via Colinas #200, Westlake Village closed in June 2019.

• Brendan's Irish Pub and Restaurant in Agoura Hills closed in mid-2019.

• Brendan's Irish Pub and Restaurant Newbury Park and Camarillo locations closed 1/1/20.

• Pirates Restaurant at 450 S. Victoria Avenue in Oxnard closed in 2020.

• Edelweiss Restaurant at 2160 Newbury Road in Newbury Park closed in mid-2020.

• The Bench Warmer at 1855 E. Main Street in Ventura closed in mid-2020.

• Golden China Restaurant at 760 S. Seaward Ave closed in early 2020.

• McGregor's Craft Beer & Wine at 144 W. Los Angeles Ave. #105 in Moorpark closed in mid-2020.

• Discovery Ventura at 1888 E. Thompson Blvd closed in 2020 but a new concert venue, Ventura Music Hall, has opened in its place

• Twisted Oak Tavern at 30105 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills closed 1/16/22.

• Five Threads Brewing Company at 31133 Via Colinas, Ste 109, Westlake Village closed its doors on January 30, 2022.

• Garman's Restaurant & Irish Pub at 932 E. Main Street in Santa Paula closed in May 2020.

• Anacapa Brewing Company at 472 E. Main Street in Ventura closed in October 2022.

• BL Dancehall and Saloon at 29020 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills in the Agoura Village Center closed this location on February 25, 2023 but indicates it will be relocating to a new location in the future. Check for updates at www.blsaloon.com

Highlights of a Dozen Fun Things to See and Do In and Around Camarillo

Residents voted to incorporate Camarillo as a city on September 29, 1964 (the same day that Thousand Oaks residents voted to do the same). Today Camarillo has the 5th largest population out of 10 cities in Ventura County, with about 71,000 residents.

One neat feature of Camarillo is its revitalized Old Town on Ventura Boulevard, a one mile stretch adjacent to Highway 101 between Lewis Road and Carmen Drive. There is a mixture of eateries, galleries, salons, boutiques and shopping along the pedestrian friendly thoroughfare that has transformed the area. Parking is free. More at www.facebook.com/camarillooldtown.

Here are a dozen other fun things to explore, see and do in Camarillo:

The roughly 2 mile Calleguas Creek Bike Path from Pleasant Valley Fields to the corner of Flynn and Upland Road in Camarillo is a family favorite, providing 4 miles of bicycling round-trip. The path is adjacent to Calleguas Creek with several street underpasses, keeping the path completely free of vehicular traffic.

Calleugas Creek Bike Path

McGrath Family Farm off the Central Avenue 101 offramp grows organic fruits, vegetables and flowers and is open 7 days a week from spring through fall. McGrath also offers farm tours, visits with the farm animals and "pick your own" produce. A quick, healthy and fun stop with the kids.

The Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Aviation Museum is open Friday through Sunday at the Camarillo Airport with hangars devoted to preserving, displaying and flying World War II aircraft. Docents are extremely knowledgeable and eager to share information.  This is a Camarillo must-see.

Also at the Camarillo Airport is the annual Wings Over Camarillo Air Show in the August time frame. This is a weekend display of restored World War II military aircraft in flight, aerobatic, vintage and experimental aircraft displays, classic cars and plenty of family fun. This is one event in Camarillo that you have to see up close at least once. Visit wingsovercamarillo.com for more information.

The Camarillo Ranch House is a 3-story, 14 room, 6,000 square foot Victorian home built by Adolfo Camarillo in 1892. The City restored the beautiful home to what it looked like during the 1914 to 1930 time frame. Today the house is a popular event venue and is open for docent-led tours several days a week. The Camarillo Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

The Camarillo Ranch House is a popular wedding and other special events destination.

I'm amazed at how few of the people I talk to have heard of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, more popularly known as the Camarillo Bird Museum. The 22,000 sq ft non-descript facility in an industrial office park hosts a collection of over 250,000 sets of bird eggs representing approximately 4,000 species; 18,000 nests and 56,000 bird study skins. The Museum is open to the public for one-hour tours on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm.

The Camarillo Premium Outlets is Ventura County's premiere outlet mall, featuring over 160 shops and eateries. On the east side are the original outlets, including the Main Court and Fashion Court, while on the west is the newer The Promenade section. In between is the Edwards Camarillo Palace 12.

Harley's Camarillo Bowl is the go-to spot for most kids that I know in the Conejo Valley who throw bowling birthday parties. I know because when the kids go bowling, I make sure to join them. Harley's gets the job done with 20 lanes, a small arcade, and a bar that serves up cold beer.

There are dozens of great farmers' markets around Ventura County, including the Saturday morning Camarillo Certified Farmers Market in Old Town Camarillo from 8am to noon.

There are a number of nicely appointed parks of all shapes and sizes in Camarillo, including six larger parks. One of my favorites is the hidden away Camarillo Grove Park at the bottom of the Conejo Grade, 6968 E. Camarillo Springs Road. This 24.5 acre park offers hiking trails, a dog park, outdoor nature center and more.

A trail at Camarillo Grove Park

The Pleasant Valley Historical Museum is dedicated to the preservation of local history and the adjoining Charles L. Honn Botanical Garden features plants and trees indigenous to the Pleasant Valley and the surrounding region. Both are fun, short, worthwhile visits, which is good because the Museum and Garden are only open from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, except holidays. Admission is free. (MUSEUM IS UNDERGOING EXPANSION AND IS CLOSED AS OF JANUARY 2024. Check their website for updates at pvhsonline.org.

Several Dozen Things to See and Do in the City of Oxnard

The City of Oxnard was incorporated on June 30, 1903. Covering an area of just over 39 miles, of which 70% is land, Oxnard is the most populous city in Ventura County, with nearly 208,000 residents in 2016.

Oxnard's namesake is Harry T. Oxnard, who opened a beet factory in 1899 and taught local farmers the ins and outs of growing sugar beets. The land for the factory was purchased from Thomas S. Rice (of Rice Avenue fame) and the first plant manager was Major J. A. Driffill, who later became mayor.

There's plenty to see and do in Oxnard, and we've summed up some of our favorite activities below.

Great beaches in Oxnard include Mandalay Shores, Hollywood Beach and Silver Strand Beach, which are highlighted at THIS LINK.

Speaking of beaches, Oxnard Beach Park is a nice park with a pirate-themed, accessible playground area, large grassy area, restrooms and quick access to the beach.

The Channel Islands Maritime Museum located at the Channel Islands Harbor is home to world class maritime art, ship models and other maritime items. Admission is free the 3rd Thursday of the month.

Channel Islands Harbor is a great place to beat the heat with the family, offering a variety of activities, such as fishing trips, boat cruises, eateries, water sports, shopping and special events year-round.

Oxnard Beach Park

There's a nice bike path in Oxnard that takes you from Oxnard Beach Park to Channel Islands Harbor that we enjoy from time to time.

The Henry T. Oxnard Historic District is located on F and G Streets, between Palm and 5th Streets. The area was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1999. Most of the 144 historic homes and buildings in the area were built before 1925 and includes Mission/Spanish revival, bungalow/craftsman and Colonial Revival architecture.

A great time to check out the Historic Oxnard District is during the two weeks preceding Christmas each year, when dozens and dozens of residents decorate their homes in lights and holiday decor for Christmas Tree Lane.

The Oxnard Performing Arts Center hosts concerts, musicals, speakers and other performances year-round. At over 1,600 seats, it is one of the largest venues in Ventura County and is a performance venue for the New West Symphony.

The Collection at RiverPark is an outdoor shopping center located on the northeast side of the 101 between the Oxnard and Vineyard exits. The 650,000 sq ft center includes a combination of entertainment, retail, restaurants, open space with fountains, parks and playgrounds and quality art. Activities at The Collection include The Painted Cabernet, Color Me Mine Ceramics Studio, Century RiverPark Movie Theater and Levity Live Comedy Club, Jump ‘n Jammin Children’s Entertainment Center, Red Door Escape Room and Bowlero.

Something we have to be extremely thankful for here in Ventura County is the endless supply of strawberries grown on the Oxnard Plain. The annual California Strawberry Festival held the 3rd weekend of May each year in Oxnard showcases our favorite local fruit!

Swing for the fences at Who's on First Batting Cages in Oxnard. What's on second? I don't know's on third. Who? First base.

The Murphy Auto Museum houses a collection of over 40 vintage and classic cars, artifacts. (However, the museum announced it will be closing its doors in July 2024.)

Hollywood Beach

River Ridge Golf Course is a public golf course offering two 18-hole courses as well as footgolf!

Skateboarders and in-line skaters are on a roll at the City of Oxnard Bedford Pinkard Skate Park near Channel Islands High School. Pinkard is a former City Council member who was a supporter of many youth and community programs.

First Thursdays Food Trucks at Plaza Park in Oxnard is a popular gastronomic destination.

The Elite Theatre Company, located at Fisherman's Wharf at Channel Islands Harbor, Fisherman's Wharf, is host to musicals, plays, comedies and more.

The Dallas Cowboys have held Summer Training Camp for a number of years at River Ridge Fields at Oxnard's Marriott Residence Inn. Practices and scrimmages taking place in August are open to the public and free of charge. Check for updates at www.dallascowboys.com/trainingcamp.

Memorial Day Weekend Events and Activities Around Ventura County

Memorial Day is a holiday to remember those who died while serving in the armed forces. Memorial Day was declared a national holiday by an act of Congress in 1971, but its beginnings go back to after the Civil War in 1868.

According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, cities in the North and South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day in 1866. But in 1966, Congress and President Lyndon B. Johnson declared Waterloo, N.Y. as the birthplace of Memorial Day.

Memorial Day was originally called Decoration Day.

Traditionally, Memorial Day was May 30th each year. That was changed to the last Monday in May when the Uniform Monday Holiday Act was signed into law in June 1968 and put into effect in 1971.

In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act was enacted by Congress to ask Americans to pause in an act of national unity at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.

Here is a compilation of activities and events this 2023 Memorial Day weekend around Ventura County and adjacent areas.

• Fri 5/31: Jazz Night at Westlake Village Civic Center (7PM)

• Sat-Mon 5/25-5/27: I Madonnari Italian Street Painting Festival in Santa Barbara

• Sat/Sun 5/25-5/26: 47th Annual Ojai Art in the Park

• Sat 5/27: Happy Face Hill Music Festival in Simi Valley

• Mon 5/27: Memorial Day Service at the Reagan Library (9:30AM)

• Mon 5/27: Memorial Day Observance at Moorpark Veterans’ Memorial (10AM)

• Mon 5/27: CPRD Concert in the Park - Beatles Tribute (5PM)

• The annual Butterflies Alive! summer exhibit at the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History opens on Sat, 5/25

Hike to the Teepee, Paradise Falls and Little Cave at Wildwood Park in Thousand Oaks

One hiking experience that everyone in the Conejo Valley and neighboring areas has to experience is Wildwood Park. With 14 trails covering 17 miles in the nearly 1,800 acre park managed by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, there is plenty to see and do in Wildwood Park.

One particularly fun and fairly easy family hike at Wildwood takes you from the main parking lot at the west end of Avenida de los Arboles to the Teepee, Paradise Falls and Little Cave (formerly Indian Cave**). Take the Mesa Trail about a 3rd of a mile until you see the sign below, then take a left.

Another third of a mile and you're at the teepee, where you'll find another clearly marked sign pointing you in the direction of Paradise Falls.

Hike down some switchbacks and stairs and you'll see be at the beautiful Paradise Falls. Always a fun place to take the kids, though we're warned not to go into the water, which is largely urban runoff.

But it is sure popular and enjoyable to sit back and enjoy this year-round waterfall that is so nicely hidden yet so close to hustle and bustle of suburban Thousand Oaks.

The Little Cave is roughly half a mile east of Paradise Falls and can be accessed from the trail directly above the falls or by hiking back up to the teepee and going the other direction.

Trail adjacent to Paradise Falls that takes you towards little Cave.

A quarter of a mile or so and you'll see the sign below.

Little Cave (Formerly Indian Cave) sign

Formerly called indian cave

Another 100 yards or so and you've reached the staircase that will take you up to the Cave.

Large enough to actually hang out in, though the last time we walked in there were signs of rodents.

You can literally climb through the cave to an exit at the top and hike your way up to a connector trail that will lead you back towards the parking lot. My kids love this and so do I!

** The change in name was approved by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA) in May 2022. COSCA received a request to change the Indian Creek Trail name earlier that year. On its own, the work "Indian" refers to individuals from India, rather than Native Americans, and thus did not accurately reflect the origin of the people to whom it refers.

The Indian Cave and Indian Cave Trail were renamed Little Cave as it was unclear if the cave was naturally formed and/or historically used by Native Americans.

The Indian Creek Trail in Wildwood Park was renamed Two Springs Trail as two natural springs contribute to the stream flow in this portion of the channel.

Bench Yourself in the Conejo Valley

There are over 150 miles of public multi-use trails surrounding the Conejo Valley managed by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency and hundreds of miles more in the neighboring Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Learn more about these great trails here on Conejo Valley Guide.

All of this hiking, biking and running can make one tired. Not to worry...there are benches in strategic spots all throughout the area, all with great views! Here we highlight some of them. Click the images for more information about the trails that lead to these benches.

Views from Angel Vista Peak bench in Newbury Park.

Bench at top of peak just east of Angel Vista Peak.

Bench at the top of "Space Mountain" on the Los Robles Trail West.

Bench with perfect sunset view off of the Autumn Ridge Trail in the Lang Ranch Open Space.

A bench on a hilltop overlooking the Conejo Valley on Los Robles Trail East Scenic Loop.

Bench on Los Robles Loop East Scenic Loop looking towards the south.

Benches at the top of Big Sycamore Canyon Road in Point Mugu State Park (adjacent to Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park).

Another bench that overlooks Sycamore Canyon from the Boney Mountain Trail.

Image of the Upper Sycamore Canyon bench after the Rancho Sierra Vista area in Newbury Park was ravaged by the Springs Fire of 2013.

Upper Sycamore Canyon bench was subsequently replaced. Here it is in April 2014.

Bench on the west side of Tarantula Hill in Thousand Oaks.

Another view of the Tarantula Hill bench before sundown in June 2022.

This bench is located at the juncture of the Sunrise and Meadow Vista Trails in the Lang Ranch Open Space and the Long Canyon Trail in Simi Valley. Nice view towards Simi Valley.

Bench on Indian Creek Trail in Wildwood Park.

Bench overlooking Bard Reservoir on the Sunset Hills Loop.

Sunset Hills Trail bench in early spring 2023.

One of two benches in the hills above CLU overlooking Thousand Oaks.

Oakbrook Vista Trail bench off of Lang Ranch Parkway in Thousand Oaks

This bench on a hill connected to the Rancho Potrero trail in Newbury Park faces the west and gets you some nice views of several of the Channel Islands on clear days.

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Bench off the Lizard Rock Loop trail on the west side of Wildwood Park.

Bench with a view of Boney Peak from the Potrero Ridge Trail in Newbury Park.

There are dozens of benches facing all directions in the beautiful hilltop Conejo Valley Botanic Garden in the heart of Thousand Oaks

Another bench on the west side of top of the Conejo Valley Botanic Garden.

Bench overlooking the Potrero Grade from the Vista Del Mar Trail in Newbury Park.

This is a new bench on the Vista Del Mar Trail in Newbury Park that made its premiere in 2023.

Bench on the El Encanto Trail in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park. Panaromic view towards Boney Mountain while catching the sunset.

Bench with panoramic views at the top of the Triunfo Canyon Trail (part of the Los Robles trail system) in Westlake Village.

Enjoy views towards Newbury Park, Wildwood Park and so on from this bench on the Lynnmere Trail in Thousand Oaks.

Bench at Box Canyon Overlook in Wildwood Park.

Bench #1 on the Albertson Motorway Fire Road Trail in Thousand Oaks.

Bench #2 on the Albertson Motorway Fire Road Trail in Thousand Oaks.

Bench off the Western Plateau Trail in the Conejo Canyons Open Space near the Hill Canyon Trail.

Another bench off the Western Plateau Trail. This one is marked by a “Vista Point” sign and is across from the Outlaw Trail juncture in the Conejo Canyons Open Space.

This bench is near Elliot Peak in the Conejo Canyons Open Space.

This bench is off the Outlaw Trail in the Conejo Canyons Open Space, not far from Elliot Peak.

Another view from the bench atop Tarantula Hill….at sunset.

Koi Ponds In and Around Ventura County and Surrounding Areas

On a recent visit to The Commons at Calabasas we were treated to a beautiful pond full of koi and turtles cohabitating. Koi comes from the Japanese word nishikigoi, which means "brocaded carp." Koi is basically domesticated, ornamental carp. In Japanese, the word koi sounds like another word that mean affection or love.

Where to find koi in Ventura County and surrounding areas? Here's what we know:

There is a koi pond at The Promenade at Westlake, next to Marmalade Cafe.

Friendly looking koi looking for handouts at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks.

The bottom level pond at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks has lots of koi, frolicking around with the ducks, even during the winter when the Holiday Ice Rink is in use.

Green Thumb Nursery on Victoria Avenue in Ventura has a small koi pond container in the back that is fun to observe with the kids.

The pristine Gardens of the World on Thousand Oaks Boulevard has a Japanese Garden that contains a beautiful koi pond.

Koi pond at The Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks

The Santa Barbara Zoo has a large koi pond area with some very healthy looking koi, swimming among the lily pads.

Last I checked there were a lot of koi amongst the hundreds of ducks at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks.

The Simi Valley Town Center has a koi pond on the west side of the mall where you can get up close and personal with them.

Koi pond at west end near Studio Movie Grill.

As noted at the beginning of the article The Commons at Calabasas has quite a lovely koi and turtle pond.

The turtles are quite prominent at The Commons at Calabasas. Don't touch them!

When in Santa Barbara, be sure to stop by Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens, a beautiful botanic garden with over 75 tree and plant species, a large koi pond also home to ducks and turtles, picnic areas and more. Quite a serene place.

Only 25 miles from the Conejo Valley is the Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens in Pacific Palisades. This 10 acre spiritual sanctuary hosts a spring-fed lake lined with gardens and home to koi, ducks and beautiful swans.