Arroyo Simi Bike Path in Simi Valley

The Arroyo Simi Bike Path is a two lane bike path in Simi Valley that runs from Madera Road, just south of Easy Street on the west, ending at Cochran Avenue between Fig Street and Ralston Street on the east (more recently, the path has been extended east to Tapo Street).

Over seven miles in total. It is also referred to as the Arroyo Simi Greenway.

The Arroyo Simi is a waterway that begins at Corriganville Park in east Simi Valley and extends west all the way through Simi Valley until into merges into Arroyo Las Posas and Conejo Creek into Calleguas Creek. It is managed by the County of Ventura but the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District has access to the pathway for recreational use.

While this path is nowhere near as visually appealing as bike paths along Ventura Beach and such, the Arroyo Simi Bike Path is almost entirely flat and allows passageway along much of Simi Valley from east to west. You can really do a lot of exploration from this artery. We like to park at the East Street entry point and bike to Rancho Simi Community Park (2.2 miles one way), Rancho Santa Susana Park (6 miles one way) and various other areas.

Because this path is so long and flat (and not crowded), it is a nice destination for learning to ride. However, do be aware that there are a number of street crossings where you are asked to walk your bike across. They are protected by lights and signs, however.

Arroyo Simi bike path entry point at Easy Street and Madera.

Arroyo Simi Bike path may not be the most picturesque path but is nicely flat and goes a long way!

There are numerous entry points to the path, which largely parallels Los Angeles Avenue; this one is just east of Ralston off of Los Angeles Avenue.

More information at www.rsrpd.org/business_detail_T9_R7.php

Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad in Simi Valley

Visit a fully restored Southern Pacific Railroad depot that was built in 1903 with both freight and passenger trains rushing by at the Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad. The depot served passengers and farmers in Simi Valley for over 60 years, with a classic passenger waiting room featuring a pot-belly stove, the depot was also headquarters for local freight shipments.

The depot is a museum filled with hundreds of items having both railroad and local historical significance. The depot is owned and managed by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District, which took it over from the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1973. The depot was moved to its current location and after 10 years of neglect was restored to its current state by 1996. The depot was restored to what it looked like in 1938.

Also at the depot is the Santa Susana Model Railroad Club’s large operating HO scale model railroad. Located inside the depot's freight room, the layout of the railroad portrays Simi Valley during the mid 1950s. Trains run each weekend, with Sundays being the best day to see several trains operating simultaneously.

The depot is located on the grounds of Simi Valley’s beautiful Oak Knolls Park. For you rail fans, the depot is adjacent to the Union Pacific Railroad’s busy “Coast Line,” which is also utilized by both Amtrak and Metrolink passenger trains. You will standing in close proximity to passing trains, so get ready to wave!

The depot is located at 6503 Katherine Road in Simi Valley. For more information and a map to the depot/parking, visit www.santasusanapacific.org or call 805.581.3462.  The depot is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 pm to 4 pm.

Conejo Players Theatre in Thousand Oaks

The Conejo Players is a community based theatre arts group that has entertained local residents since 1958.  It is a volunteer based non-profit organization that hosts six productions each year, as well as several productions geared towards kids.

The 185 seat Conejo Players Theatre is located at 351 South Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks, just south of the 101 near the Los Robles Greens entrance.  Phone is 805.495.3715.  www.conejoplayers.org

Malibu Lagoon State Beach

Malibu Lagoon State Beach is where Malibu Creek meets the Pacific Ocean. To get there, park either at the state lot (corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Cross Creek Road) for a fee, along Pacific Coast Highway or across the street in spots available near Malibu Country Mart and the Malibu Civic Center.

The lagoon is serene, with a sandbar of pelicans enjoying their summer day. This beach extends southeast to Surfrider Beach and the Malibu Pier, which is just a short walk away. While you're there try to check out the Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum.

More information at www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=835. Dogs are not allowed at Malibu Lagoon State Beach and trails.

INFORMATION ABOUT AND DIRECTIONS TO DOZENS OF LOCAL AREA BEACHES AT THIS LINK

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

A local must see is the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum, located at 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley.  With sweeping hilltop views of the surrounding valleys, this 153,000 sq ft museum on 100 acres is educational and interesting for all ages.  A wealth of memorabilia and artifacts from throughout Reagan's life is on display.

In February 2011, over 26,000 sq ft of new exhibits and dozens of interactive displays spanning Reagan's life were introduced.  There are 24 galleries that pay tribute to our 40th President's life. You can act in a movie with Reagan, deliver his inaugural address with a teleprompter, set the table for a state dinner, learn about his economic policies in interactive games, read his handwritten diary, ride a horse alongside Reagan at Rancho del Cielo, and much more. There is also a full-scale Oval Office replica and a 9 1/2 foot, 6,300 lb section of the Berlin Wall on display.

Volunteer docents are very friendly, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. They are there to help guide you through your visit and answer your questions.

Exhibits include the Air Force One Pavilion, sections of the Berlin Wall, F-117 Nighthawk Stealth Fighter, F-14 Tomcat aircraft, Reagan Memorial Site, M-1 Abrams Tank, Marine One helicopter, Oval Office and more.

In addition to the permanent exhibits discussed above, there are usually temporary exhibits on display. Check out the museum's website for details.

Dine at the Reagan Library! The Gipper’s Bar + Bistro offers panoramic views and is open and is open from 10:30am to 3pm seven days a week. You can access this eatery without entering the Library. The Ronald Reagan Pub is located inside the Air Force One Pavilion and offers drinks and prepackaged sandwiches and other items.

The museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. except Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. Parking is free of charge. Admission costs vary based on the special exhibit on hand.

More information at www.reaganfoundation.org.

Los Angeles County Museum of Natural History

The Natural History Museum (NHM) of Los Angeles County is located at 900 Exposition Blvd. in Los Angeles, near USC. It is open daily from 9:30 am to 5 pm. It was the first dedicated museum building in Los Angeles, opening its doors in 1913. The NHM has amassed one of the world’s most extensive and valuable collections of natural and cultural history—with more than 35 million objects, some as old as 4.5 billion years. The Natural History Family of Museums includes the NHM, the Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles and the William S. Hart Museum in Newhall.

Sections of the museum include African Mammals, North American Mammals, Insect Zoo, Gems and Minerals, California History, Birds and much more. In July 2011, the new 14,000 sq ft Dinosaur Hall opened, featuring over 300 fossils and 20 complete mounts of dinosaurs and sea creatures. It includes a Tyrannosaurus rex growth series, Triceratops, Stegosaurus, Allosaurus, long-necked Mamenchisaurus and much more! It is extremely impressive!

My kids were particularly wowed by the Insect Hall, where they were treated to dozens of display of live insects from around the world. In fact, I think they would have spent the entire day in there if they could have.

Insect Hall

Museum admission (as of August 2022) for NHM members and children under 3 are free; children 3-12 are $7; youth 13-17 are $12, seniors 62 + are $12; and adults are $15. Visit www.nhm.org or call 213.763.DINO for more information.

Camarillo Bike Path Next to Calleguas Creek

Looking to take the kids on a nice, flat bike path unimpeded by cars? A great choice is the roughly 2 mile Calleguas Creek bike path from Pleasant Valley Fields at 100 Village at the Park Drive in Camarillo off the Dawson 101 exit up to the corner of Flynn and Upland Roads in Camarillo.

Look at how nice and flat this bike path adjacent to Calleguas Creek is!

This is a nice, smooth and flat bike path that goes under several bridges, including the 101 freeway, so that you don't have to worry about cars! You can park your car at Pleasant Valley Fields and ride up and back down the path. This is a comfortable path to learn on as well as just enjoy.

At the north end of the path, you can detour off the path to Pitts Ranch Park at 1400 Flynn Road, just a short block northwest of the path, and enjoy lunch.

Calleguas Creek

Sapwi Bike Park in Thousand Oaks

Beginners’ pump track at Sapwi Trails Community Park.

The Sapwi Bike Park project is a partnership between the Concerned Off-Road Bicyclists Association (CORBA) and Conejo Recreation and Park District (CRPD). The park is a free, public recreational bicycle skills park facility located in the heart of beautiful Sapwi Trails Community Park in Thousand Oaks.

The park also features several miles of multi-use trails, natural habitat preservation, and other activities such as disc golf, cross-country running, and a non-motorized glider flying area.

The Sapwi Trails Bike Park offers a wide range of trails and features to challenge all ages and skill levels. In addition to a pump track, the park features progressive drop and jump lines – varying in difficulty from beginner to advanced. Outside of the dedicated bike park area, there are several trail side feature areas and a hard-surface beginner level pump track.

This 145 acre Sapwi Trails Community Park is located in the open space between Erbes Road (at Scenicpark Street) on the west and Westlake Boulevard east, with Avenida de los Arboles on the north. There are three parking lots off of Erbes, Arboles and Westlake Boulevard.

Learn more about the Sapwi Bike Park at sapwibikepark.com.

Surfer's Knoll Beach in Ventura

Surfer's Knoll Beach is located in Ventura adjacent from Ventura Harbor Village and as its name implies, is geared towards surfers, as well as others looking to relax and explore. Riptides are common here so be careful if you're a novice swimmer. There are restrooms and showers available. Lifeguard service on weekends only in May until Memorial Day weekend, then daily through Labor Day weekend. There is a relatively small parking lot available at 1596 Spinnaker Drive; parking is free.

One great thing about this beach is that it is one of the few almost completely westbound facing beaches throughout the area, meaning...it is a great place to catch the sunset! And several of the Channel Islands - Anacapa and Santa Cruz.

Though this is a nice, sandy beach, a better beach for kids/families is just north up the road at Harbor Cove Beach, which is calmer water, protected by jetties. 

Surfer’s Knoll Beach, Harbor Cove Beach and South Beach is managed by the Ventura Port District at venturaharbor.com/beaches.

DOZENS OF BEACHES STRETCHING FROM VENTURA TO CARPINTERIA

Malibu Country Mart

The Malibu County Mart encompasses 90,000 square feet of high-end retail, dining and service offerings housed in an eclectic mix of architectural styles including Mediterranean, modern and rustic influences. The structures are complemented by world-class gardens, unique sculptures, outdoor dining and picnic areas, and the popular children’s playground.

Notable restaurants at Malibu Country Mart include Taverna Tony and Nobu among others.

Visit www.malibucountrymart.com or call 310.456.7300 for more information. Plenty of free parking. Located at 3835 Cross Creek Road, Malibu.

Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens in Santa Barbara

Located at 1500 Santa Barbara Street, adjacent to Alameda Park, Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens is a beautiful botanic garden with over 75 tree and plant species. There's also a large koi pond with ducks and turtles floating around, picnic area, gazebo and walking paths. 

Formerly at this spot was the El Mirasol Hotel, which was purchased and donated to the city in 1975. An anonymous donor provided the funds to acquire the property, which was later was revealed to be Alice Keck Park (after she passed away), daughter of William Myron Keck, the founder of Superior Oil Company (now part of ExxonMobil).

Visit the City of Santa Barbara website at www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/parksrec/parks/features/horticulture/alicekeck.asp or call 805.564.5418 to make reservations.

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

The 133 acre Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens first opened in 1966. The Zoo is home to more than 2,200 mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles representing more than 270 different species of which more than 58 are endangered. In addition, the Zoo’s botanical collection comprises several planted gardens and over 800 different plant species with over 7,400 individual plants. The Zoo receives over 1.8 million visitors per year and is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles.

There's a children's zoo area with a petting zoo and fun exhibits. There's also a play area for kids that is quite popular.

Some advice! The line to get into the park can get pretty long on weekends. My advice is to buy an L.A. Zoo Membership! There is a $150 one-year family membership (as of January 2022) that gives you FREE admission for 2 adults and all of your kids or grandkids ages 2-17.  If you have a family of 4 and visit the park twice a year, this membership SAVES YOU MONEY as the regular entry cost is $22 for adults and $17 for ages 2 to 17. Ages 62+ is $19. (Pricing as of January 2022.) Plus, there was NO LINE to get in with your membership card! That alone gave us an extra 30 minutes in the park today. 

Zoo membership also gives you free or discounted admission to zoos and aquariums across the country, including 50% off at the Santa Barbara Zoo!

The Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, Reptiles (LAIR) exhibit opened in March 2012. There is a damp forest section that has Fiji Island banded iguanas, poison dart frogs, Guatemalan palm vipers and Fly River turtles, an area where you can watch staff taking care of the animals, tortoises, lizards, crocodile swamp, desert reptiles and much more. We also learned that Mexico has more reptile species than any other country on earth.

The L.A. Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. Visit www.lazoo.org for more information.

Hippo relaxing at the Los Angeles Zoo

Nicely appointed kids' play area at Los Angeles Zoo

Rhino at Los Angeles Zoo is just kickin' it

Zebra at Los Angeles Zoo is having a snack

The Young Artists Ensemble - Thousand Oaks

Since 1981, talented kids between the ages of 10 to 19 have performed with The Young Artists Ensemble in Thousand Oaks.  Over 6,000 people attend YAE events each year and shows are all family friendly. YAE presents six or seven productions each year.

Performances take place at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks.  Phone is 805.381.2747.

For tickets, contact the box office at 805.381.1246 or visit www.yaeonline.com.