Bell Arts Factory in Ventura

Bell Arts Factory at 432 N. Ventura Avenue, Studio 101, Ventura was created in October 2004 with the decision to transform an historic 20,000 square foot mattress factory on Ventura Avenue into a vibrant, mixed-use community arts center. When we opened officially in April 2006, over 20 artists were at work in their studios, and we began engaging 70 children per week, ages 6 to 12, in the multicultural Bell Arts Factory After-School and Saturday Youth Arts Program.

Artists, poets, crafters, dance and arts instructors, as well as City and community groups, are all making creative and active use of the 2,000 square foot Janet Addison Community Room for programs, meetings, performances and exhibitions.

There are 27 Artist Studios at our facility that are open to the public on First Fridays of each month. Artists can be seen working or displaying their art on days when there are special events taking place in the Community Room and other locations on our premises.

The Bell Arts Factory Youth Arts Program invites children from 6 to 13 to come and participate in exciting art classes every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.

The Tool Room Gallery exhibits the works of talented local and renowned visiting artists and offers a venue for the unique and avant garde.

More information at bellartsfactory.org or 805.643.1960.

City of Ojai Recreation Department Programs and Activities

The Ojai Recreation Department provides many activities to residents of the Ojai Valley. Programs and activities include: youth day camps, youth and adult activity classes, youth and adult volleyball, softball, flag football, basketball, soccer, tennis; teen fitness center and boxing program, a downtown skateboard park, a comprehensive gymnastics program, summer aquatics programs, lifeguard training class, sports tournament throughout the year, youth excursions, horse shows and more. For more information and the latest recreation class brochure, visit www.ojairec.com or call 805.646.1872.

Alumni Park at Pepperdine University

Situated in front of Pepperdine's Malibu campus at 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, Alumni Park is a beautiful 30 acre expanse of lawn, rolling hills, ponds and coral trees. The two ponds are actually open reservoirs (about 40,000 square feet each) of reclaimed water, but add beauty and serenity to the park. Intramural games are played in the flat field area, and picnics can be held under the scenic coral trees lining the crest of the park.

You cannot ask for a more serene setting overlooking the Pacific Ocean on a Sunday afternoon...unless of course I'm there with my kids.  This park is not geared towards children in that there is no playground facility, etc.  But...if you're looking for a very inexpensive, yet wonderful, peaceful and romantic date, bring a picnic basket and blanket to this park with your significant other and take in the unbelievable views.

If you are looking for peace, quiet and the most amazing views of the Pacific Ocean, stop by Alumni Park in front of Pepperdine University in Malibu. Pepperdine students are blessed to have such an incredible location.

Ventura Improv Company

Ventura Improv Company has performed at 34 North Palm Street locations for 27 years, since 1994. The group announced in December 2016 that it will not be renewing its lease here in mid-January 2017 but will continue to perform and teach at other spaces in the area, including the Bell Arts Factory and Namba. 

In addition to live improv on Fri/Sat nights, VIC offers improv and acting workshops for all ages. 

More information at www.venturaimprov.com or call 805.643.5701.

Grasslands Trail to Rock Pool Hike in Malibu Creek State Park

Click the image below to learn about the 3 mile round-trip Grasslands Trail hike to the popular Rock Pool area in Malibu Creek State Park.

Page Museum / La Brea Tar Pits

The La Brea Tar Pits has the largest collection of Ice Age plants and animal fossils in the world.  Over the last 100 years, more than 3 million bones, plants, bugs and other items have been retrieved from the oily asphalt that continues to ooze up out of the ground at Rancho La Brea in the heart of Los Angeles.  These bones are between 10,000 to 40,000 years old.

The Page Museum located at the La Brea Tar Pits displays many of these bones...giant mammoths, saber tooth cats, ground sloths, bears, wolves, bison and a whole assortment of animals.  The museum is open 361 days per year from 9:30am to 5pm, closed only for Independence Day, Christmas Day, Thanksgiving Day and New Year's Day.  We visited on a Sunday and were amazed by the fact that half a dozen scientists were hard at work in this amazing "fish bowl" laboratory, cleaning and restoring fossils while we watched.

Outside, you can walk around and see the gooey sticky tar-like asphalt, including "Pit 91," where the annual excavation of Ice Age fossils has taken place since 1969. 

This is a great place to take the kids, for both education and for a fun, active excursion.

Page Museum at the La Brea Tar Pits is located at 5801 Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles 323.934.PAGE (7243) Visit www.tarpits.org for more information.

Park View Trail in Dos Vientos Section of Newbury Park

The Park View Trail is a short little 1/2 mile trail adjacent to Dos Vientos Community Park in Newbury Park. There are two main access points. There is a trailhead near the corner of Rancho Dos Vientos and Via Rincon at the southwest corner of the park, and there is another trailhead on Via Ricardo, one block east of Via Pisa.

Views of Dos Vientos Community Park from the Park View Trail.

This short hike is perfect with the kids as it is not too strenuous and is adjacent to the park. Good for a quick getaway. There's also at least one geocache on this trail that's pretty cool.

Moderate trail it is. Not too steep, yet not completely flat.

View of the Edison power lines going up Conejo Mountain from Park View Trail.

Nice quick access to views of the park, Dos Vientos, the Powerline Trail and beyond. And speaking of the Powerline trail, the trailhead is directly across the street from the west end of the trail.

Trailhead on west side of Park View Trail off of Via Ricardo

Interested in other Dos Vientos trails? Learn about the El Rincon, El Cerro and Las Brisas trails and the nearby (access point just south on Via Ricardo) Vista Del Mar Trail.

Santa Barbara Audubon Aviary

Eyes in the Sky (EITS) is an education program with the Santa Barbara Audubon Society (SBAS) that brings a variety of programs to children and adults in the Santa Barbara area. EITS features wildlife messengers - birds of prey native to the area that are no longer capable of surviving in the wild. 

The SBAS has teamed with the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History (2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara) to build the Santa Barbara Audubon Aviary, a physical structure located in the "backyard" area of the Museum. The Aviary is open every afternoon between 2 and 4PM. During this time, volunteers bring the birds out for exercise, sunshine, misting/baths and close up encounters with visitors.  We have seen these animals up close and they are quite impressive!

For more information, visit www.eyesinthesky.org.

Kisa the Peregrine Falcon

Community Center Park in Camarillo

Community Center Park in Camarillo is home to the administrative offices of the Pleasant Valley Recreation and Park District, Community Center, Senior Center, classrooms and quite a nice park that is host to numerous community activities year-round. The park is nearly 13 acres and plenty of parking.

Community Center Park is located at 1605 E. Burnley Street in Camarillo. For more information, visit www.pvrpd.org/community-center-park or call 805.482.1996.

Eagle View Park in Oak Park

Eagle View Park is located at 1240 Hidden Springs Avenue in Oak Park, near the very top of Lindero Canyon Road. This is a nice little neighborhood park with a basketball court, bike path, recreational trail, picnic tables and play areas. No restroom though! The park is maintained by the Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District at www.rsrpd.org.

Play area for bigger kids

Play area for little kids

Recreational trail accessible just southeast of the park

Libraries In and Around Ventura County

There are nearly 20 libraries in Ventura County and adjacent areas. Click the book cart for a link to them!

Conejo Recreation & Park District - Thousand Oaks

The Conejo Recreation and Park Districthas served the Conejo Valley since 1963 and covers 66 square miles with a population of over 140,000 people in Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park and the Ventura County portion of Westlake Village. 

The Recreation Division conducts over 3,000 organized recreation and leisure programs each year.  The Parks Division maintains over 50 parks, over 1,000 acres with a variety of recreation amenities, including tot-lots, lighted sports fields, picnic areas, and community centers.  Additionally, the Parks and Planning Division, through the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency (COSCA), maintains approximately 15,000 acres of open space and a 140-mile multi-use trail system including a disabled accessible trail segment on Oak Creek Canyon.

CRPD releases its Recreation Program Guide four times a year (Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall) and has hundreds if not thousands of activities for adults, seniors, kids and teens.

Visit the CRPD website at www.crpd.org or call 805.495.6471 for more information or to access community class schedules, park listings, facilities, sports and other information about local Conejo Valley events and activities. 

Conejo Recreation and Park District is located at 403 W. Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks. 

Dozens and Dozens of Kid-Friendly Parks in Ventura County and Surrounding Areas

There's a method to the madness. You'll find some parks listed here in the Do Something section of CVG, but dozens more are profiled in the Kid Fun section. But those parks are also great for non-kids, so click the picture below to see that list. Most of the listings include photos and/or video to help you scope thing out.