Ventura River Trail

The Ventura River Trail is a 6.3 mile asphalt pedestrian and bike path that follows the old Southern Pacific Railroad right-of-way from Main Street in Ventura to Foster Park inland towards Ojai. The path, originally opened in 1999, connects the Ojai Valley Trail to the Omer Rains Trail along the beachfront for 17 miles of great bicycling. The trail is open dawn to dusk.

Much of the Ventura River Trail parallels Ojai Freeway 33 and as such is also referred to as the Ojai Valley Trail Extension. Here are the various access points from south to north:

• Dubbers Street at Rex Street
• West Park Row Avenue
• West Harrison Ave at Westpark Center
• Stanley Avenue
• Shoshone Street
• Shell Road
• Orchard Drive
• Crooked Palm Road at Highway 33 Underpass
• Ojai Valley Waste Water Treatment Plant Access Road
• North Ventura Avenue at Hwy. 33
• Santa Ana Road at entrance to Foster Park

OK, so now for some commentary. This is not exactly the most exciting bike path in the world. You are paralleling Highway 33 and are kind of off the beaten path in an industrial area, but it is a peaceful path. Also, there are several stops you need to make as you cross streets, so your kids (and you) do need to be aware of that. You won't find an ocean view on this path.  But...it is never crowded, quite flat and a great way to get out on the bikes away, for the most part, from automobiles.

One of the more interesting, albeit somewhat creepy scenes along the path is this dormant USA Petroleum Refinery that was closed in 1984 after operating less than 10 years.  A bit of an eyesore this 96 acre, barbed wire fence enclosed section on the north end of the trail is. In the past there have been homeless encampments in the vicinity, but I've never seen them.

What I like to do is park in the free city parking lot near the Omer Rains Trail at the corner of W. Main St and Peking St, then take Main St a block east to N. Olive St, turn left (north) to Rex St. Take a left on Rex to the bike path entrance.

Oakbrook Neighborhood Park in Thousand Oaks

Located at the corner of Erbes Road and Pederson Road in Thousand Oaks, the 14 acre Oakbrook Neighborhood Park was expanded dramatically in 2012. The original park included a play area, sand volleyball court and large grassy area. The expansion includes a decent-sized parking area, small restroom, basketball and netball* courts, a jogging/walking/bike path and a nice horseshoe pit area. Visit the Conejo Recreation and Park District website at www.crpd.org for more information.

This is the original section of the park; primarily expansive grassy area with play area in background.Paved path area in the expanded section of the park.Something you don't see too often these days...new horseshoe pit area .

Yes, this is a netball court, not to be confused with a basketball court!

To learn more about the game of netball, click this link. This is the first, and, as of May 2013, only netball court in Thousand Oaks. And yes, I was confused when I saw it too.

Rose Valley Campground in the Los Padres National Forest in Ojai

Rose Valley Campground in Ojai is located at an elevation of 3,450 feet. It is open year-round. There are nine campsites located in a single loop, each with tables, BBQ grills, and/or fire rings. There is one vault toilet in the campground and another across from the lake. Drinking water is not available, so be sure to bring your own.

No reservations taken; first come, first served. An Adventure Pass is required to be displayed on car ($5/day or $30/year as of March 2017).

Half a mile hike gets you to the Rose Valley Falls. The trail begins at the southwest section of the campground.

Directions: Take Highway 33 north from Ojai 14.7 miles to mile marker 25.84.  Turn right at the Rose Valley Road turnoff and follow the paved road for 3.1 miles. Turn right again at the Rose Valley sign and drive 0.6 miles into the campground.

OTHER LOCAL CAMPING OPTIONS IN AND AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak Hike at Circle X Ranch in Malibu

Click the Balanced Rock image below for a link to information about the Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak hike at Circle X Ranch in the Santa Monica Mountains.

Balanced Rock in Santa Monica Mountains as seen from Mishe Mokwa trail.

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.

Scrapbooking Forever in Westlake Village (CLOSED NOVEMBER 2017)

NOTE: STORE CLOSED NOVEMBER 18, 2017

Scrapbooking Forever is a scrapbooking supply store that offers scrapping supplies, classes, parties and more. Located in the Water Court in Westlake Village at 880 Hampshire Road, Suite S.

Visit www.scrapbookingforever.net or call 805.379.4901 for more information.

Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center and Campground in Ojai

The Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center is located at 17017 Maricopa Highway, Ojai. To reach the Center from Ventura take Highway 33 towards Ojai at the “Y” intersection (by the Vons shopping center) turn left on Hwy 33 for about eight miles.

The Center provides information about the Los Padres National Forest and also sells maps, trail guides, forest-related books, Adventure Passes and other items. It opened in June 2001. Staff are on hand to help you plan your backcountry trip planning in the area.

The Center also serves as a hub for interpretive and educational activities and programs. These include membership functions and presentations about the resources and issues of Los Padres National Forest. One of the more popular programs is the Introduction to Backpacking course.

The Visitor Center has a kitchen, classroom, library, audiovisual equipment, large parking area, outside picnic areas, and tools/equipment storage and serves as a staging area for forest projects in the southern section of the Los Padres National Forest.

The Center is open on weekends from 9am to 3pm, except Thanksgiving and Christmas. More information at lpforest.org/wheeler or call 805.640.9060.

Across the street is the Wheeler Gorge Campground, which is open year-round and offers over 60 single-family sites for tent or RV camping. Some sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Visit www.recreation.gov/camping/Wheeler_Gorge/r/campgroundDetails.do?contractCode=NRSO&parkId=70392 to learn more about the Wheeler Gorge Campground.

Carnegie Art Museum - Oxnard (Closed July 2019)

The Carnegie Art Museum (CAM) was closed effective July 1, 2019 as a result of a $9.2 million shortfall in the fiscal year 2019-20 City of Oxnard budget. City Council opted to close the Museum as a result of the shortfall.

CAM Cornerstones will continue offering exhibits and programs at the CAM Studio Gallery, behind the Museum on the right-hand side, facing Plaza Park. Updates on exhibits will be posted via social media, email newsletter and at www.carnegieam.org.

The Carnegie Art Museum is run by the City of Oxnard.  It was originally built by Andrew Carnegie, who donated $12,000 in 1906 towards the construction of the building to be used as a library for the area. Its Neo-Classical (1900-1920) architecture and grand scale preserves the prevailing taste for classical forms during the first decades of the twentieth century. Its strict Greek Temple facade in the Doric Order with interior Ionic columns are graphic documents of a young western town's striving for recognition. Its Greek architecture was in fact the choice of Oxnard's first mayor, Richard Haydock. It was designed by Los Angeles Architect, Franklin Burnham.

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

In addition to its traveling and special exhibits which change every month, the Museum has a permanent collection of over 1,500 art and ethnographic objects. Over 600 are paintings, drawings, prints and photographs primarily by 20th century California artists.

The museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10am to 5pm, Sunday from 1-5pm and is closed on holidays. For more information, visit www.carnegieam.org or call 805.385.8157.  The museum is located at 424 South C Street, Oxnard.

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.

Condor Express Whale Watching in Santa Barbara

The Condor Express is Santa Barbara's newest, most modern whale watching, party cruise, and private charter vessel, launched in March 2002. A beautifully appointed vessel, the Condor Express boasts large walk-around decks, a generous upper sun-deck, and a raised forward bow area. These features provide unparalleled, close-to-the-action, viewing of the Santa Barbara Channels' marine life and scenic coastline. The luxurious teak-paneled cabin seats 68 people for comfortable dining with a smoked glass skylight.

The Condor Express is the ideal platform for whale watching, island excursions, weddings and receptions, company charters, dinner cruises, educational and research trips - virtually any type of ocean outing! The Condor Express's unique combination of speed, luxury, safety, and experienced crew offers our passengers the opportunity to see and experience more of the sights, wildlife, and beauty of the Santa Barbara Channel and the Channel Islands than any other vessel.

Today, with the California Gray Whale population restored to its pre-whaling numbers (18,000-26,000), and the recent appearance of Humpback and Blue whales during the summer months (since 1992), whale watching aboard Condor Cruises has evolved into a year-round adventure.

With more than 30 years of experience, over 100,000 satisfied passengers, and a love and appreciation for the ocean and its inhabitants, Condor Cruises has evolved into one of the most successful whale watching and private charter boat operations in the U.S.

Visit www.condorexpress.com or call 805.882.0088 for more information. Trips depart delay from the Sea Landing (Cabrillo Blvd and Bath St).

Train Rides at Fillmore and Western Railway - Fillmore (NO LONGER OPERATING)

FILLMORE AND WESTERN STOPPED OPERATIONS IN THE SUMMER OF 2021

Take a vintage train ride at the historic Fillmore and Western Railway in Downtown Fillmore, only 30 miles from the Conejo Valley. Trains here date back to the 1930s. Most were acquired from MGM, Paramount and 20th Century Fox studios in the late 1960s and have been used in numerous Hollywood films.

Trains at Fillmore and Western Railway

There are dinner rides throughout the year with names like Margarita Madness, The Wine Train, Mardi Gras Train, Chinese New Year Train and a New Year’s Eve party train. There are event rides including scenic tours to Santa Paula and a Murder Mystery Ride. There are kids events like Day out with Thomas the Tank Engine, Dinner with Santa, North Pole Express and a Pumpkin Patch ride.

Fillmore and Western Railway is located at 351 Santa Clara Street in Fillmore.  Visit www.fwry.com for a full schedule of events or call 805.524.2546.

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.