Casitas Water Adventure in Ventura

Casitas Water Adventure is a water park at the Lake Casitas Recreation Area that is open throughout the summer, generally from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend (mid-Sept for weekend sessions).

There are two distinct areas. For younger children, there is an aquatic play structure designed for all ages, with two water buckets and five slides - two for kids and three for teens and adults.

The new Aquatic mega play unit Structure completed in 2023

The 1,200 foot long Lazy River offers a cool water ride on inner tubes along a scenic waterway featuring waterfalls, fog filled bridges and jet sprays. The inner tubes are available on a first-come, first-served basis, but usually there are plenty of them on hand.

The 1,200 foot long lazy river at Casitas Water Adventure is my kids' favorite.

For the very youngest tots, a zero-depth pool sprays water from all angles, providing a safe, fun play area.

Shaded decks, lounge chairs, showers, restrooms and a snack bar are available, but food is not allowed inside the park (though you can bring bottled water). Certified lifeguards are on hand at all times and life jackets are available at no extra charge while supplies last. Locker rentals are available for a nominal fee.

Do take note that they don't heat the water here. It is a bit on the cold side for many, though on hot days this can be a good thing.

Lake Casitas Recreation Area is located at 11311 Santa Ana Road, Ventura. Take Highway 33 from Ventura towards Ojai, make a left turn on Santa Ana Blvd, then a right on Santa Ana Road 3 or 4 miles to the park entrance.

Weekend morning sessions 10:30 am to 2 pm and afternoon sessions 3 to 6:30 pm. Weekday hours are 11am to 6pm. The cost for the 2026 season is $23 per person on weekdays and $28 on weekends. Online reservations also include a $15 reservation fee.

Visit www.casitaswater.org/casitas-water-adventure for details. Buy tickets at reservations.casitaswater.org/passes.

Parking inside Lake Casitas is $20 on weekends/holidays and $10 on weekdays. There is parking available on Santa Ana Road if you don't mind walking.

This is the “old” (Pre-2023) aquatic Play Structure (for historical purposes)

Art Trek in Newbury Park

Art Trek, Inc. is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization designed to bring visual, performing and literary arts to people of all ages. Art Trek provides art training to parents and teachers, after school programs, teen programs, summer camps, studio workshops and more. It has been active since 1992 and was established as a not-for-profit in 2006.

Birthday parties, corporate events and more. arttrek.org/schedule-event

Art Trek is located at 1144 Tourmaline Drive, Newbury Park. Visit www.arttrek.org for more information.

Rancho Simi Community Pool in Simi Valley

The Rancho Simi Recreation and Park District maintains the massive Rancho Simi Community Pool, located at 1765 Royal Avenue, Simi Valley.

The pool is available year round for lap swimming, recreational swimming, swimming lessons, birthday parties, periodic events and more.

Hours vary for recreational swimming, so check website below for schedules. Admission (as of March 2026) is $5 for ages 3 to 49 and $3 for ages 50+.

To learn more, visit www.rsrpd.org/recreation/aquatics.php.

Water Wings Swim School in Agoura Hills

Water Wings Swim School opened in August 2015 at the Agoura Hills Town Center, 30135 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills.  

Water Wings is a year-round indoor swim school offering private and group lessons to children and adults of all ages, starting at 3 months. They also do birthday parties, family day open swim events, parents' night out events and more.

For more information, visit www.waterwingsswimschool.com or visit the Water Wings Agoura Hills Facebook page at www.facebook.com/waterwingsah. 

Starlight Dance Academy in Ojai

Located at 407b Bryant Circle in Ojai, Starlight Dance Academy provides dance classes to children and adults. Current classes include jazz, ballet, tap, Zumba and hip hop as well as Pilates, yoga and mommy and me sessions. Also a great place for children's birthday parties! For more information, visit www.ojaistarlightdance.com or call 805.646.3732.

The Vivid Canvas Art Studio in Simi Valley

The Vivid Canvas Art Studio is located at 1633 Erringer Road, Suite 201B, Simi Valley, offering step-by-step, individualized art lessons for ages 6 and up. Programs include drawing/pastel basics, drawing, watercolor, acrylics and oils.

Visit vividcanvasartstudio.com or call 805.579.7076 for more information.

For Art's Sake Studio in Westlake Village

For Art's Sake offers fine art classes exclusively in oil painting. While other methodologies dictate that students must graduate through training in other skills and mediums prior to working with oils, For Art's Sake's philosophy is that all the required skills can be effectively taught as part of the process. Students learn basic to advanced techniques in drawing, composition, color harmony and mixing theories.  Oils are a wonderfully flexible and forgiving medium for artists of any skill level to explore with unique potential for growth and advancement.

Kids and adults art classes are available as well as summer art camp, birthday parties and more. Visit www.4artsakestudio.com or call 818.707.1952 for more information. For Art's Sake is located at 31143 Via Colinas #511, Westlake Village.

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation in Santa Barbara

MOXI, The Wolf Museum of Exploration + Innovation, is a one-of-a-kind museum for all ages designed to ignite learning through interactive experiences in science and creativity.  

The museum opened its doors to the public on February 25, 2017 at 125 State Street, Santa Barbara, adjacent to the Amtrak Station.

The museum's three floors are filled with 17,000 sq ft of hands-on exhibits that encourage open-ended discovery, analytical assessment, experimentation, play and just plain fun.

The interactive exhibits are organized around seven themes that all relate to science, technology, engineering, arts and math.

• Tech Track: Includes an Innovation Workshop, a makerspace area where you can imagine, design and test your own creations using a wide variety of technologies and tools

• Sound Track: In this largest exhibit area on the first floor is a Giant Guitar to learn about how your favorite guitar riffs begin, a Sound Machine, the Reactable (part DJ table, part musical instrument), Foley Studios sound studios and more.

• Fantastic Forces Courtyard: This space is dedicated to gravity, magnetism, propulsion, centripetal force and more. Conduct test flights in our Wind Column Workshop, launch an Air Rocket and discover the power of magnetic fields on our Magnetic Islands.

• Speed Track: Build your own race car and send it down the race track, play the game of Mindball, prototype designs for a marble roller coaster and more.

• Light Track: Explore lights, colors, shadows and more. Take the ultimate selfie at Mosaic Faces. Create a bold display of colored lights at Light Patterns. Control the Color Mixing Machine that hangs above the entryway and learn more about color and light waves.

• Interactive Media Track: Explore a wide range of digital interactive experiences designed in partnership with area artists, educators and scientists.

• Sky Garden: The exhibit-filled rooftop includes Whitewater, a fully interactive water feature including a giant Archimedes screw. Create a wind-, sun- and human-powered symphony with the Weather Orchestra. Step inside the Lookout Tower to see the city through the lenses of five different observation scopes. And walk across the glass Sky Deck for a unique view of the courtyard below.

MOXI is open daily, except Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Thanksgiving, from 10am to 5pm. As of January 2026, admission is $25 for ages 13+, $20 for ages 2 to 12 and free under age 2. The museum encourages the purchase of timed-entry tickets in advance at www.moxi.org or you can purchase tickets when you arrive.

MORE ON MOXI AT THIS LINK

The Arterie Art Studio in Thousand Oaks

The Arterie Art Studio at 2219 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Suite 105, Thousand Oaks is an art studio for both kids and adults that offers art classes, camps, birthday parties and more.

Visit www.thearterie.org or call 805.379.1426 for more information.

Viridian Art Academy in Agoura Hills

Viridian Art Academy opened in the Whizin Market Square, 28869 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, in September 2018, offering:

• Weekly art classes for kids, teens, and adults

• Seasonal art camps and workshops

• Drop-in art and open studio

• Kids’ art parties

• Adult art parties

• Painting kits

• Sculpting kits

Visit www.viridianart.com or call 818.532.7878 for more information.