The Conejo Valley Guide "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, highlights of local things to do, compilations and other items. Focus is on information relevant to Ventura County and surrounding areas, including Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Newbury Park, Agoura Hills, Calabasas, Malibu, Simi Valley, Camarillo, Moorpark, Somis, Fillmore, Santa Paula, Ojai, Oxnard, Port Hueneme, Santa Barbara and Moorpark.
The Conejo Valley Guide® "Welcome" blog covers a wide range of topics, local information, local things to do, holiday event compilations, announcements and more.
The Conejo Recreation and Park District in conjunction with the Thousand Oaks Kiwanis Club hosted its annual Fishing Frenzy event at Conejo Creek North Park (behind Thousand Oaks Library) on Saturday, August 4, 2018. Hundreds of magnetic fish are released into the creek and children were given magnetic poles to catch them. The event has taken place for many years and is quite popular with the young set.
Conejo Valley Guide highlights thousands of things to do in the Conejo Valley, Greater Ventura County and surrounding areas, including carnivals, festivals, fairs, free concerts and movies and all sorts of places and things to see and do. Let's zero in on things to do that will help keep you fit right here in the Conejo Valley, at a total cost of $0.
The Conejo Recreation & Park District maintains the Rabbit Flats Disc Golf Course at Thousand Oaks Community Park. This 9 acre, 18 basket course has rolling hills and will keep you moving. The only cost to you is your flying disc!
Rabbit Flats Disc Golf Course in Thousand Oaks
The Conejo Group Sierra Club and other local hiking groups often host hikes in the area.
There are several dozen free tennis courts open to the public available throughout the Conejo Valley.
The 33 acre Conejo Valley Botanic Garden is a peaceful, beautiful respite from the daily grind...and makes for a nice hike with panaromic views of the Conejo Valley as your reward.
Local hiking surrounds us. Check out Oakbrook Regional Park and dozens of other local Conejo Valley trails at Wildwood Park, Los Robles Trail, Dos Vientos such as the Conejo Mountain/Edison Road trail.
We love stopping by the Borchard Park Labyrinth and Fitness Equipment Area in Newbury Park from time to time and moving our way through the entire labyrinth (my kids still call it a maze).
Borchard Park Labyrinth in Newbury Park
The Oaks Mall at 1.3 million square feet is so huge that you can get a great workout in just walking from end to end or around the perimeter...though you may be tempted to consume the calories you burned off at some of the great eateries inside.
Roadrunner Sports in Newbury Park hosts Thursday Adventure Runs on the 3rd Thursday of each month in March through November! Sign up, show up, run and have fun.
There are over 4 dozen Thousand Oaks parks maintained by the Conejo Recreation and Park District and another 11 in Agoura/Westlake Village.
Try the Fitness Trail at Pepper Tree Park in Newbury Park; a .83 mile trail with fitness activities every 1/8th of a mile.
Westlake Lake is a great venue for walking, running and cycling year-round. There is roughly a 4 to 5 mile scenic loop around the lake and surrounding areas that you and your family will enjoy.
Gardens of the World Thousand Oaks
Gardens of the World across from the Civic Arts Plaza is 4 1/2 acres of immaculate, serene gardens to walk through and enjoy Tuesday through Sunday. Perhaps not the place for a "power" walk and definitely not a run. You will enjoy it, regardless.
Last but not least, the National Park Service brings us over 154,000 acres of open space in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, including local Conejo Valley open space at Paramount Ranch, Cheeseboro and Palo Comado Canyons in Agoura, Rancho Sierra Vista/Point Mugu State Park and more.
Founded in 1982, Westlake Village Meals on Wheels, Inc. is a non-profit community service providing weekday meals to the home-bound or temporarily/permanently incapacitated residents of Westlake Village, Agoura Hills and Oak Park.
“Meals-on-Wheels” is seeking volunteer drivers in Agoura Hills, Oak Park and Westlake Village, to ensure home bound seniors receive nutritious meals and a bit of companionship. Meals on Wheels also provide human contact, conversations, and a connection to the outside world that many of our aged neighbors would lack without our daily visits. Eating the right foods can make all the difference in staying mentally sharp, emotionally balanced, full of energy, and keeping a positive mental attitude and a healthy immune system.
Meals on Wheels serves approximately 30 meals a day to seniors in our community. Our clients are our mothers, fathers, grandparents and neighbors. They need your help.
Drivers use their vehicles to deliver meals to home bound seniors from eleven to noon, Monday through Saturday. A delivery route consists of 5-10 meals per route.
Volunteer drivers/riders may commit to once a week on a regular basis or be called on a substitute basis. Groups may adopt a route and rotate drivers to suit there schedule. All’s you need is a valid driver's license, insurance and a vehicle.
For more information on how to become a volunteer, call Debbie at Meals on Wheels 1-805-370-4295 or visit www.mealsonwheels-wlv.org.
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 teak wood doors, hand-painted murals, molded ceilings, hand-wrought ironwork and lead-framed bottle glass windows.
The house was built in 1930 for Rhoda Rindge Adamson and Merritt Huntley Adamson, originally as a summer cottage and in 1936 as the family's primary residence. It is located on the 13,315 acre Malibu Rancho that was purchased by Rhoda's parents, Frederick and May K. Rindge, in 1892. Mr. Rindge passed away in 1905 and left the ranch to his wife, who later gave the parcel to the Adamsons.
USC graduate Merritt Adamson met Rhoda Rindge while he was employed as foreman of the Rindge Ranch. The couple married in 1915 and in 1916 Merritt founded Adohr Farms in the San Fernando Valley, named after his wife's first name spelled backwards.
Rhoda inherited the property after Merritt's death in 1949 and she lived there until her passing in 1962. The land was later purchased by the State of California under eminent domain laws to create beach parking, but local groups and preservationists fought to preserve the property and succeeded. The house was restored and the garage was converted into the Malibu Lagoon Museum and they opened to the public in 1983.
Flooring in the backside of the 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 July 2018) is $7 for ages 17 and up, $2 ages 6 to 16 and free for under 6. Cash only. Open for guided tours 11am to 2pm Wed to Sat. More information at www.adamsonhouse.org or call 310.456.8432.
Here's a fun montage of conejo photos and footage from the ring of trails surround the Conejo Valley. If you're looking to take your own rabbit photos on the trails of the Conejo Valley, check out this compilation of over 50 local hiking and trail areas at THIS LINK.
It's the little things.
Late this afternoon I was on a casual run on the streets of Newbury Park in the industrial area along Lawrence Drive. It was a beautiful day today and there was a cool breeze in the air.
As I cruised along, I noticed a bird perched on the MB2 Raceway sign west of the Rancho Conejo Boulevard intersection. This bird, a California quail, stopped me in my tracks.
I've seen quail out and about, but never as prominent as this one, with the comma-shaped crest on its head. This is a male California quail.
So I pulled out my camera and took a few photos before moving along on my way. He was o.k. with it, posing for me. Staying put on the MB2 sign.
Speaking of MB2, this Thousand Oaks location turns 10 years old this September.
Driving the 101 through Ventura towards Santa Barbara, we all pass through Mussel Shoals and see the man-made Rincon Island off in the distance, but we're usually either rushing through to get to our destination and stuck in traffic! So we decided to stop by and actually check out the beach in person.
Mussel Shoals is a small beach community with around 50 homes. There are about a dozen public parking spots along Old Pacific Coast Highway, paralleling the 101, The Cliff House Inn is a quaint hotel with spectacular ocean views. Dine at their Shoals restaurant and relax with the waves breaking on the rocks below.
Rincon Island was built in 1958 for well drilling and oil and gas production, so it's not open to the public. But the kids and I fantasize about having our own island like that, with palm trees growing. Here's a closer look, thanks to the person who shared it at Wikipedia. Looks like an electric guitar to me.
Conejo Valley Guide covers events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and surrounding areas.
Conejo Valley Guide® covers thousands of events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County, California and surrounding areas.
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