Lake Eleanor Open Space Hike in Westlake Village

For a nice, fairly moderate hike in Westlake Village, take Triunfo Canyon Road south to Highgate Road and head up to the southeast endpoint of Highgate, past Hillsbury Road, to the end of the road, where you'll see a trailhead sign. Park on the street.

It doesn't actually say "Lake Eleanor Open Space Hike" but this is indeed the way to get to this trail maintained by the Conejo Open Space Foundation (COSF).  Walk past the fence on the pavement, and in about 60 steps, the trailhead is on the right. There's no sign. In fact, I've never seen any signs indicating which way to go on this trail. But once you reach this path, for the most part the trail is pretty obvious.

COSF has some helpful images and a trail map at cosf.org/trails/other-trails/easy-lake-eleanor-open-space-hike.

There are some brief, slightly challenging hilly sections on this hike, along with some rocky sections, but for the most part, this trail is perfectly fine for all ages. I generally wouldn't recommend strollers on this trail though because of these sections, but if you have a solid off-road stroller, it is possible.

After record rainfalls in January/February 2017, this place is looking quite green.

On the left you'll see the beautiful Las Virgenes Reservoir for most of the 1 1/2 mile hike.

You can't go swimming in the Las Virgenes Reservoir but it sure makes for gorgeous views.

Towards the endpoint (Denver Springs Drive), on the right you can look down towards Westlake Boulevard/Decker Canyon and see the eight acre Lake Eleanor. Pretty cool to see from above as it is not accessible to the public.

There is also a trailhead and some parking on Hillsbury Road.

The main trail is on the left; veer right however for best views of Lake Eleanor.

Lake Eleanor along with the Lake Eleanor Dam (also called Banning Dam) and surrounding 529 acres of open space has been named City of Thousand Oaks Historical Landmark #9. 

Lake Eleanor, which is fenced off to protect the wildlife, is clearly visible from the trail.

I love this little hike. It is quiet and peaceful and the views are just wonderful up here. And you are just minutes from civilization.

CLICK HERE FOR DOZENS OF OTHER GREAT HIKING TRAILS AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Chumash Trail in Simi Valley

The Chumash Trail in Simi Valley is a roughly 2.7 mile trail that takes you from near Chumash Park to the trailhead at the north end of Flanagan Drive to the Rocky Peak Trail. It is a moderate, uphill trail with plenty of views of Simi Valley. No trees and thus no shade. Dogs allowed on leash.

To get to the Chumash Trail trailhead, take the 118 to Yosemite, go north, turn right on Flanagan to the end. Park on the street. More information at www.rsrpd.org/business_detail_T9_R11.php.

Sandstone formations appear on the upper portion of the trail.

Camarillo Premium Outlets

The Camarillo Premium Outlets at 740 East Ventura Boulevard offers nearly 160 stores.

Regular hours are 10 am to 8 pm daily (as of January 2026). More information at www.premiumoutlets.com/outlet/camarillo.

Get there by taking the 101 to either Carmen (make a left over the freeway and then right on Ventura Blvd.) or Los Posas (left over the freeway and then left on Ventura Blvd.).  If you're on a diet, you might take Los Posas as the Carmen route takes you past a large, alluring In-N-Out Burger.

As you can see on the map below, there are three main sections. The original outlets are on the left side, including the Main Court and across Camarillo Center Drive is the Fashion Court. In 2009 the outlets expanded to the west between the Edwards Movie Theater and Las Posas Road to include The Promenade section.

The Main Court contains suites 100-744, Fashion Court suites 800-1118 and The Promenade suites 1200-1514. The CP Outlets website has a listing by store type as well as a map.

The outlets are massive. You can park anywhere and walk the entire way, though I prefer to park in the Main Court and cover the Main Court and walk across Camarillo Center Drive to get to the Fashion Court.

You can also walk to The Promenade section, where you’ll find eateries such as Panera Bread, Loru’s Cafe, Cracker Barrel, and Chick Fil-A, as well as the adjacent eateries in the parking lot that include Finney’s Crafthouse, Latitude 34, Ubatuba Acai, Makenna Koffee, and Chipotle.

A small kids’ playground area was added in 2019 to The Promenade section near Wetzel’s Pretzels/Lids/Sunglass Hut.

Not a great pic but gives you a feel for the kids’ playground area at The Promenade (new in 2019)

Join the VIP Club to receive special discount offers and coupons at www.premiumoutlets.com/vip/

The two videos below provide a quick drive-through around the Main/Fashion Courts and the newer The Promenade.

Ojai Valley Trail

The Ojai Valley Trail is a 9 mile trail that parallels Highway 33 from Foster Park on the outskirts of west Ventura, to Soule Park in Ojai. One side of the trail is paved for bicyclists, walkers, joggers and people exercising their pets. Post-and-rail wood fence separates the paved path from a dirt bridle path for horseback riders. Sections wind through wooded areas and past riverbeds. While most of the path is offset from Highway 33 (the main thoroughfare in Ojai), it does have a number of street crossings. If staying in Ojai and you run or bike, you will no doubt cross paths with this path!

At Foster Park, the Ojai Valley Trail connects with the 6.3 mile Ventura River Trail, which in turn extends to the Omer Rains Trail along the Ventura beachfront.

More information at parks.venturacounty.gov/county-parks/ojai-valley-trail.

Ojai Valley Trail near Foster Park

Prickly Pear Trail in Newbury Park

The Prickly Pear Trail is located in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park. The entry point is at Del Prado Playfields, 402 Calle Del Prado, Newbury Park.

This is a short, roughly one mile in total, family-friendly hike at the east end of the Dos Vientos community. 

The entry point is on the south side of the parking lot in front of the park. It is quite clearly marked, as shown below. The first straightaway is about 1/4 mile, at which point you have the decision of which direction you'd like to take the loop. If you go left (clockwise loop), at the first fork in the trail, continue the remainder of the loop veering right until you're back at the straightway you came from.

This is a convenient little family hike as there is plenty of parking, restrooms, a newer playground for the kids, pickleball and tennis courts at the park.

About 1/4 mile into the hike, looking back towards Del Prado Playfields.

Views toward the protected pond behind Cypress Elementary, along Via Rio.

Movie Theaters In and Around Ventura County

Here's a handy list of movie theaters with over 120 (originally it was over 150, but there’s been some closures over the years) screens throughout Ventura County and adjacent areas. Click the links for theater websites and/or showtimes.

Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas at the Promenade at Westlake, 100 Promenade Way, Westlake Village  (8 screens). Order food and drink from your seat and enjoy. cinepolisusa.com/locations/cinepolis-luxury-cinemas-westlake-village (805) 413-8838

AMC Dine-In Thousand Oaks 14, 166 West Hillcrest Drive at The Oaks Mall. Tickets at www.amctheatres.com/movie-theatres/los-angeles/amc-dine-in-thousand-oaks-14. $5 Tuesdays all day for AMC Stubs members.

Regal Janss Marketplace 9 is located at Janss Marketplace in Thousand Oaks, 255 North Moorpark Road. www.regmovies.com/theatres/regal-janss-marketplace-1418

Former Muvico (now AMC Dine-In) Thousand Oaks.

Camarillo/Oxnard/Ventura

Cinemark Century Downtown 10, 555 East Main Street, Ventura (800.326.3264) www.cinemark.com/southern-california/century-10-downtown

Cinemark Century Riverpark 16 at 2766 Seaglass Way, Oxnard (800.326.3264). www.cinemark.com/theatres/ca-oxnard/cinemark-century-riverpark-and-xd

Cinemark Century Riverpark 16 at The Collection at Riverpark

Regal Edwards Camarillo Palace 12 and IMAX, 680 Ventura Boulevard, Camarillo (805.383.8879) (Located adjacent to The Promenade section of Camarillo Premium Outlets. www.regmovies.com/theatres/regal-edwards-camarillo-palace-1009

Plaza Stadium Cinemas 14, 255 West Fifth Street, Oxnard (805.487.8380). santarosacinemas.com

Roxy Stadium 11, 5001 Verdugo Way, Camarillo (805.388.0532). santarosacinemas.com

Simi Valley

Regal Civic Center Plaza 16 & IMAX, 2751 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley (805.526.0232). www.regmovies.com/theaters/regal-simi-valley-civic-center-stadium-16-imax/C00745385306

Studio Movie Grill at the Simi Valley Town Center opened on October 22, 2015, with 9 screens and over 950 seats. www.studiomoviegrill.com/locations/california/simi-valley/2022/1/14

Regal Civic Center Plaza, Tapo Canyon Road, just north of the 118.

Other Local Theaters

Regency Santa Paula 7, 550 West Main Street, Santa Paula (805.933.6707). www.regencymovies.com/locations/santa-paula-7 Seats just $7 on Sundays!

The Ojai Playhouse at 145 East Ojai Avenue (805.646.1011) (1 screen) - reopened in late 2024 after it was closed for repairs due to a water main break in January 2018. The theater originated in 1914.

CLOSED

Regal Malibu Twin at 3822 Cross Creek Road, Malibu (310.456.6990) (closed in September 2017)

Simi Valley 10 Tristone Cinemas, 1457 E. Los Angeles Avenue (805.526.4329) simivalley.tristonecinemas.com (Closed 12/5/19 “due to leasing disagreements”)

Regency Paseo Camarillo Cinemas (3 theaters), 390 North Lantana Street, Camarillo (805.383.2267). regencymovies.com/main.php?theaterId=3 (“TEMPORARILY CLOSED” SINCE AUGUST 2021.)

Regency Westlake Village Twin, 4711 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village (818.889.8061) regencymovies.com/main.php?theaterId=1 Closed 1/17/22.

Edwards Grand Palace Stadium 6, 4767 Commons Way, Calabasas (818.223.0223). www.regmovies.com/theaters/edwards-calabasas-stadium-6/C00791471576 Closed 9/15/22

Regency Agoura Hills 8, 29045 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills (818.707.9966) www.regencymovies.com/locations/agoura-hill-stadium-8 closed its doors on 2/9/25. It originally opened as the Mann 8 Theatres in August 1990.

Regency Buenaventura 6, 1440 Eastman Avenue, Ventura (805.658.6544). www.regencymovies.com/locations/buena-ventura-6 closed its doors 8/4/25.

Regency Theatres at The Commons at Calabasas closed its doors on 12/28/25 due to the Calabasas Commons redevelopment.

Museum of Ventura County in Downtown Ventura

The Museum of Ventura County is the most comprehensive resource for local history in the county.  There are exhibitions, galleries, and an extensive research library with over 140,000 books, newspaper clippings, photographs, maps and other historical materials.

The museum is open from 11am to 5pm, Thursday through Sunday.  General admission is $10 for adults, $5 for seniors/students and free for 17 and under. Located at 100 E. Main Street, Ventura.

For more information, visit www.venturamuseum.org or call 805.653.0323.

LEARN ABOUT THE MUSEUM'S AGRICULTURE MUSEUM IN SANTA PAULA

The 3,500 sq ft river-rock walled, state-of-the-art Martin V. and Martha K. Smith Event Pavilion is used for lectures, programs and a variety of Museum events. It can seat 200 for dinner, with the option to tent the front plaza for an additional 140 guests. Could be a great wedding reception venue!!

Elverhøj Museum of History & Art in Solvang

Located in Solvang at 1624 Elverhoy Way, the Elverhøj Museum is the former residence of one of Solvang’s most artistic families and is now a community museum devoted to the history of Solvang, the Danish-American pioneer spirit, the colorful heritage of Denmark and the arts.. Elverhøj (pronounced "Elverhoy") is one of the few museums outside of Denmark devoted to the Danish culture and the Danish-American experience.

Solvang means "sunny field" in English. It was founded in 1911 by a group of Danish educators looking to preserve their culture while assimilating into America. And Solvang was incorporated as a city in Satna Barbara County on May 1, 1985. Solvang is just 90 miles, or about 1 1/2 hours away from Thousand Oaks.

The museum is open from 11am to 5pm Thursday through Monday. Admission is free of charge; suggested donation is $5 for ages 12+. Closed Easter Sunday, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, New Year’s Eve, and New Year’s Day.

More information at www.elverhoj.org.

Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center

The Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center is a 21,000 sq. ft. multi-purpose facility located at 29900 Ladyface Court. It opened its doors in January 2015.

The center includes a rentable 3,500 sq ft event center, kitchen, beautiful patio area with outstanding views and more.

The Center hosts a wide variety of activities throughout the year and can be rented for private functions like weddings and meetings. The facility has dedicated space for senior programs as well as a teen center, "The Garage."

Lastly, there is an interpretative play area next to the facility with a Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area theme, including a Rattlesnake Seating Wall, Mountain Lion Climber, Bobcat Climber and Hawk Track Ride.

More information at agourahillscity.gov/rec or call 818.597.7361.

Ojai Playhouse

The Ojai Playhouse is located in the heart of Ojai at 145 East Ojai Avenue (at the Signal Street intersection). This landmark originated as a single screen theater called The Isis in 1914 and has changed hands numerous times since then. The theater has also changed names over the years but is now called the Ojai Playhouse. It has been restored to its original deco-style look inside and upgraded and now shows first run movies and other films in a theater that seats over 200 people.

The theater closed in January 2018 due to a water main break that caused flooding damage to the building. After a long wait, the theater re-opened in late 2024.

The Ojai Film Society hosts eclectic, independently produced movies here every Sunday afternoon at 4pm. Visit www.ojaifilmsociety.org for more information.

Visit www.ojaiplayhouse.com.

Commemorative Air Force Aviation Museum at Camarillo Airport

Located at the Camarillo Airport at 455 Aviation Drive, the Southern California Wing of the Commemorative Air Force has hangars devoted to preserving, maintaining, displaying, and flying World War II aircraft.

The Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Aviation Museum is open Thursday through Saturday from 10 am to 4 pm and Sunday noon to 4pm.

Donations requested of $15 for adults, $10 for ages 10 to 18, $5 for ages 6 to 10 and active military. Kids under 6 are free (as of November 2025). Visit www.cafsocal.com or call 805.482.0064 for more information.

Also, take a vintage WWII airplane ride on the only remaining U.S. Navy/Marine Mitchell B-25 PBJ Bomber, the open cockpit Primary Trainer PT-19, the SNJ Texan and the Aircoupe. Details at www.cafsocal.com/warbird-ride-program.

Docents are enjoyable to speak with as they have a lot of history to share at this museum. Two 15,000 sq ft hangars and a 32,800 sq. ft. hangar complex serve as a Museum Hangar and a Maintenance and Restoration Hangar.

The Museum Hangar contains some of the many artifacts that are currently on display as well as a gift shop. It also houses any of the aircraft that are not away on a mission or undergoing maintenance.  For safety reasons the maintenance hangar is not available for a walk-through, however visitors can observe any work in progress from behind a safety perimeter.

There are a number of aircraft on display, including several you can physically inspect, which is always fun to do with the kids. There are some interesting WWII exhibits on hand too. 

The only authentic Marine BPJ-1J variant of the famed Mitchell B-25 Bomber. It flew into Camarillo from Midland, TX in 1993 for a 20 year restoration project. It is now flight-ready!

The Kakovlev Yak-3 is widely considered the lightest fighter aircraft between 1939 and 1945.

Adamson House Tour and Malibu Lagoon Museum

The Adamson House at 23200 Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu is a National Historic Site and a registered California landmark. The house and grounds share one of the most beautiful beach locations in Southern California, with a view of the Malibu Lagoon, Malibu Beach and the Malibu Pier. In addition to its world-famous Malibu Tile, the house contains hand-carved teakwood doors, hand-painted murals, molded ceilings, hand-wrought ironwork and lead-framed bottle glass windows.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE PHOTOS AND INFO ABOUT THE ADAMSON HOUSE

The Adamson House Tour is a guided tour through the house which contains its original furnishings and is decorated with the renowned Malibu Potteries tile. Trained volunteer docents relate the history of the house, details of its architecture and furnishings, and the history of the family that lived in and created this distinctive home.

Admission (as of November 2025) is $7 for adults and $2 ages 6 to 17. Five and under is free. Cash only.

Open 8am to sunset, 7 days a week. Docent-led tours are available Wed-Sat from 11am to 2pm

No on-site parking. Park at Surfrider Beach, Malibu Lagoon State Beach or on PCH.

The Malibu Lagoon Museum adjoins the Adamson House and contains a collection of artifacts, rare photographs and documents depicting the colorful history of Malibu. The museum tour takes the visitor from the early Chumash Indian era through the Spanish California culture. Here is an excellent opportunity to relive the genteel and romantic ranching days of the famed Rindge and Adamson families. Learn about dramatic episodes in Malibu's rich history: the Malibu Railroad; the 50-room Castle on the Hill; the 17-year legal battle over a Malibu highway; the Malibu movie colony; the Malibu Dam, and much more. Admission to the museum is free.

The Adamson House Garden Tour is a docent-led walking tour of the landmark gardens, beautifully preserved in their 1930s appearance. It is offered every Friday of the month, 10:00 a.m. The Adamson House Tour admission fee includes a house garden tour; no reservation is required. Reservations are necessary only for groups of 10 or more at 310-456-8432. Group tours are Tuesdays at 10:00 a.m.

More information at www.adamsonhouse.org or call 310.456.8432.