Concert Venues in Ventura County and Adjacent Venues

Looking to attend a concert in the Conejo Valley, greater Ventura County and adjacent areas? Here’s a compilation of such concert venues. For a separate listing of local area restaurant and bars where you can catch live music, visit THIS LINK.

The Bank of America Performing Arts Center (BAPAC) Thousand Oaks is one of the largest performing arts centers between Los Angeles and San Francisco at over 200,000 square feet. Managed by the City of Thousand Oaks, the BAPAC encompasses two theatres – the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre and the 394-seat Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre. Located at 2100 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard.  bapacthousandoaks.com

The Santa Barbara Bowl, located at 1122 N. Milpas Street, Santa Barbara, was originally built in 1936 and today with its capacity of nearly 5,000 people is the largest outdoor amphitheater in Santa Barbara County. www.sbbowl.com

The Majestic Ventura Theatre offers a 1920's Mission Style Architecture ambiance - you can see and feel close to the band from practically anywhere in the theater. All genres of music. 1200 capacity venue with multiple full bars, ballroom and occasional dinner shows. The theater is located at 26 S. Chestnut Ave., Ventura.  www.venturatheater.net 

Ventura Music Hall is located at 1888 E. Thompson Blvd in Ventura, hosting live music and offering craft food and drinks. www.venturamusichall.com

The Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center is a 220 seat theater at 3050 Los Angeles Avenue that hosts musicals, concerts, exhibits, children's theater and other events year-round.  The theater is a landmark Gothic structure built in the 1920s that was named as Ventura County Historical Landmark #67 in July 1981.  The building has served numerous purposes since inception and became the Cultural Arts Center in November 1995.  www.simi-arts.org

The Oceanview Pavilion located at 575 E. Surfside Drive in Port Hueneme offers concerts, theater, fairs, shows and a variety of other events for all ages.  The venue has a capacity for up to 1400 people and can be rented out for special events. www.oceanviewinfo.com

The Oxnard Performing Arts & Convention Center at 800 Hobson Way has over 1,600 seats in a theater that showcases local theater, dance, music and other programs. www.theopac.org

The High Street Arts Center at 45 E. High Street has been owned by the city of Moorpark since 2005, the theater now provides high quality theatrical performances and concerts at reasonable prices  www.highstreetarts.com

The Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University, located on campus at 24255 Pacific Coast Highway, Malibu, showcases musicians, performers and artists from around the world at its Raitt Recital Hall (100 seats), Smothers Theatre (500 seats), Helen E. Lindhurst Theatre and the Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art. www.arts.pepperdine.edu

The Canyon Club in the Whizin Market Square at 28912 Roadside Drive, Agoura Hills is a live concert venue and supper club that host all types of bands and genres, comedy, special events and more. There are tables if you’re there to enjoy dinner too. Capacity is about 600. wheremusicmeetsthesoul.com/canyon-agoura-hills

Libbey Bowl is located in the heart of Ojai near the corner of Ojai Avenue and Signal Street. It was originally built in 1957 and has been used for the annual Ojai Music Festival, Storytelling Festival, Ojai Day event, holiday celebrations and many other community events through the years. It accommodates 1,300 people. www.libbeybowl.org.

The historic Arlington Theatre is located at 1317 State Street in Santa Barbara. Built in the mission revival style, it seats over 2,000 attendees. thearlingtontheatre.com

Then and Now: The Dairy Farm at Camarillo State Hospital

In 1932, the State of California purchased 1,760 acres of the Lewis Ranch and built the Camarillo State Mental Hospital, which operated from 1936 to 1997 and at one point treated as many as 7,000 patients in the mid 1950s.

Located on the parcel was a dairy farm that produced crops and housed livestock that fed the hospital community. The farm was disbanded in the 1960s and has been left in a state of disrepair, falling prey over the decades to vandals and coined "Scary Dairy."

Here are some "then and now" photos of the most prominent elements of the dairy farm.

The hay barn at Camarillo State Hospital in the 1940s (CSUCI John Spoor Broome Library historic photo collection)

The hay barn today.

The dairy at Camarillo State Hospital in the mid-1950s. (CSUCI John Spoor Broome Library historic photo collection)

The dairy building today, fenced off, covered with graffiti. 

Inside the hay barn - undated photo. (CSUCI John Spoor Broome Library historic photo collection)

Inside of hay barn - more recently.

Hiking to the Waterfall in Pt Mugu State Park from Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa

One of the most popular hikes in the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa open space in Newbury Park is to a small waterfall in the adjacent Boney Mountain Wilderness. The hike is about 3 1/2 miles round-trip from the Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center and is a moderate hike that can be done by all ages.

Keep in mind that in drought years, there’s sometimes not more than a trickle flowing down this waterfall, while in rainier years like 2023-2024, the waterfall is quite active. In either case, it’s a fun hike to do.

You have two primary options for where to start the hike. You can drive into the Rancho Sierra Vista park entrance on Via Goleta in Newbury Park and park in a lot that is a brief walk to the Culture Center, or you can park at the Wendy Drive and Potrero Road trailhead and add an another two miles, round trip, to your adventure.

The entrance to Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa at Via Goleta, 1 mile west of Reino Road.

The trailhead where Wendy Road ends at Potrero Road in Newbury Park

The Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center is a small building open from 9am to 4pm on weekends (as of April 2024) where you can learn about native Chumash items and local wildlife.

Next to the Culture Center, you'll see multiple paths, all of which can get you to your destination, but the most direct path is the Satwiwa Loop Trail seen on the left, which crosses through a meadow that can be quite green and beautiful in late Winter/early Spring and dry and brown the rest of the year. An alternate route is on the right of the picture above - the Big Sycamore Canyon Trail (paved road) to the Boney Mountain Trail, where you'll take a left.

Satwiwa Loop Trail section that takes you diagonally through the meadow. Seen here when it is nice and green.

At the end of the meadow, continue straight up a fairly steep hill, where on the right hand side you'll see the Sycamore Canyon Overlook bench shown below.

bench on sycamore canyon overlook

Hike up the moderately steep and rocky path up the hill behind the bench and you'll reach another fork in the road. If you veer left at this juncture you'll be on the Hidden Valley Overlook Trail within Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa. Stay to the right and you'll be entering the Boney Mountain Wilderness area within Point Mugu State Park.

Sign that shows you the Hidden Valley Overlook Trail is on the left.

Veering right into the State of California managed Pt Mugu State Park; as you can see, dogs are not allowed in the back country area of the park.

This trail is referred to as Danielson Road, named after the last private owner of these lands. The path down into the canyon is seen below (taken from a higher point en route to the Danielson Monument).

View of the initial section of Danielson Road trail down into the canyon; this is the path you will be taking towards the waterfall.

Danielson Road is a bit on the steep side but I see folks young and old walking up and down this section all the time. Seen here in very dry conditions.

THIS IS THE OLD SIGN, WHEN IT WAS CALLED DANIELSON ROAD (PRIOR TO 2024)

NEW SIGN IN 2024 SHOWING THE “OLD CABIN TRAIL” INSTEAD OF DANIELSON ROAD.

After .4 mile, you will reach the bottom of the canyon and see the sign above, the final sign indicating you are on your way to the Waterfall Trail. Then you will cross a creek bed, which can have water in it after the rains. The photo taken below in January 2015 shows minimal moisture, making it easy to cross. Some years you may have to rock hop your way a bit over the creek.

Creek bed crossing on the way to the waterfall IN 2015

Creek Crossing in April 2024.

After you cross the creek, the remainder of the trail to the waterfall is single track. Be careful not to come in contact with poison oak often seen on the sides of the trails. For this reason, I would generally not recommend strollers be taken up here.

Soon you will reach the final fork in the road. Go straight and soon you will be at the waterfall. To the right, the Old Cabin Trail (formerly Danielson Road Trail) continues upward to the Danielson Monument.

the waterfall in april 2024.

OTHER HIKES AND TRAILS IN AND AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Areas in the Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area Allowing Dogs on Leash

Pooch on leash

The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is the largest urban national park in the United States at over 150,000 acres, extending from the Hollywood Bowl on the east to Point Mugu at its western end; including the beaches of Santa Monica and Malibu as well as the canyons and peaks extending north to Simi Valley.

Dogs are allowed in a number of areas within the Santa Monica Mountains, as long as they are on leashes that are no more than 6 feet in length. Here is a listing of areas where dogs are allowed:

National Park Service: Arroyo Sequit (has been closed since the Woolsey Fire in 2018), Castro Crest, Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyons, Circle X Ranch, Deer Creek Canyon, Paramount Ranch, Peter Strauss Ranch, Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa, Rocky Oaks, Solstice Canyon and Zuma/Trancas Canyons

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy: Calabasas Peak, Dixie Canyon, Escondido Canyon, Franklin Canyon, Fryman Canyon, Marvin Braude Mulholland Gateway Park, Red Rock Canyon Park, San Vicente Mountain Park, Temescal Gateway Park, Wilacre Park

City of Malibu: Charmlee Wilderness Park, Malibu Bluffs

California State Parks: Pets are NOT allowed on backcountry trails of Topanga, Malibu Creek, Leo Carrillo and Point Mugu State Park, including the Boney Mountain Wilderness.

Canines are not allowed in the backcountry trails of Point Mugu State Park, including the Boney Mountain Wilderness.

Dogs on leash are allowed at County Line Beach, Leo Carrillo State Park (on beach north of lifeguard tower 3 and campground only), Point Mugu State Park (on beach and campground only in Sycamore Cove and Thornhill Broome Beach), Will Rogers State Historic Park (day-use areas and loop road only)

L.A. City Recreation and Park District: Coldwater Canyon Park, Laurel Canyon Park, Runyon Canyon Park, Temescal Canyon Park

While you're out on the trails with your pooch, remember to pick up after your dog and bring plenty of water and food for you and Fido.

For more information, visit the Anthony C. Beilenson Interagency Visitor Center in Calabasas or www.nps.gov/samo.

Outside of the Santa Monica Mountains, trails in the Conejo Valley, Simi Hills and other local area locations are generally dog-friendly as long as your furry friend is on a leash. 

Dozens and dozens and dozens of local area trails and hikes

DOG PARKS IN AND AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

VISITING STATE PARKS WITH YOUR DOG

Palo Comado Canyon Trail in Agoura Hills

Palo Comado Canyon is located adjacent to Cheeseboro Canyon in the National Park Service maintained Santa Monica Mountains in Agoura. Palo Comado is part of the 2,308 acre Jordan Ranch owned by comedian Bob Hope that was acquired for $16.7 million in 1993.

The Palo Comado Canyon Trail stretches from the Modelo Trail in Cheeseboro Canyon on the south to the China Flat area in Oak Park to the north, about six miles one way.

View of the Cheeseboro Canyon trailhead and parking are from the Modelo Spur Trail.

There are stretches of the trail that are flat, wide and good for family hikes and outings. This section of the trail is primarily in the area accessible via the Smoketree Avenue (east of Conifer St in Oak Park) and Doubletree Road (east of Clear Haven Dr in Oak Park) residential connectors.

The Palo Comado Trail on the south end connects with the Cheeseboro Canyon Trail in addition to the moderately steep Modelo Trail.

From the main Cheeseboro Canyon Trail, this juncture leads you to the south entry point to the Palo Comado Trail.

The Modelo Trail on the south end of the Palo Comado Canyon Trail is a bit steep, with awesome views.

The southern section of the Palo Comado Trail has rolling hills with some beautiful views, but is a bit on steep side. The northern section of the trail, about a mile or so above the Doubletree trailhead, is also a moderately grueling climb, from 1,200 feet to 2,140 feet elevation at the China Flat area. In my personal experiences on these sections of the trail, mountain bikers are the vast majority. But don't let that stop you if you're up for a long, mostly quiet, hike!

The southern end of the Palo Comado Trail has rolling, moderately steep hills.

Learn more about Cheeseboro/Palo Comado Canyon are at THIS LINK.

Events in Ventura County and Nearby Areas That Have Been Around Over 40 Years

Conejo Valley Guide is the most comprehensive resource ever known to human civilization for events, activities and things to do throughout Ventura County and adjacent areas stretching to Santa Barbara, Malibu and Calabasas, as all of you already know. We've noticed there are numerous events that have taken place in our local community for quite a long time! Let's take a look at the longest duration events in the area - those that have been around at least 40 years.

The 150th Ventura County Fair will take place in summer 2024, the longest duration community event in the county. According to this Fillmore Gazette article, the VC Fair originated in 1874 at Pierpont Bluffs and Hueneme before moving to Seaside Park in Ventura. www.venturacountyfair.org

The Ventura County Fair is the longest-running community event in the area.

The 100th Anniversary Old Spanish Days Fiesta in Santa Barbara will take place over five days, July 31 to August 4, 2024. It is an annual festival that honors and preserves Santa Barbara’s history, spirit, culture, heritage and traditions with music, art, food, parade, tours and more in various locations. Learn more at www.oldspanishdays-fiesta.org.

The 76th Annual Santa Barbara International Orchid Show took place in March 2024. It is one of the largest and oldest orchid shows in the United States. www.sborchidshow.com

The 74th Annual Oxnard Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony will occur in December 2024 (generally the first Friday night of the month), making it one of the oldest traditions in Ventura County. And the tree is the County's tallest, at about 110 feet! downtownoxnard.org

The 74th Annual Santa Paula Christmas Parade takes place on the first Sunday after Thankgiving 2024, Quite a tradition for this town that was incorporated in April 1902!

The 70th Annual Semana Nautica 15K in Santa Barbara takes place on July 4, 2024 and on July 4th of each year. It is the oldest foot race on the Central Coast. www.sbrunning.org

The 68th Conejo Valley Days carnival will take place in June 2024. It is the oldest event of its kind in Thousand Oaks. The event officially became called Conejo Valley Days in 1956; previously referred to as a "Community Circus" when held at the old Jungleland (now The Lakes) compound conejovalleydays.us.

Scene from Conejo Valley Days Parade of 1970.

The 63rd (give or take) Topanga Banjo-Fiddle Contest and Folk Festival took place at King Gillette Ranch in Agoura Hills on May 19, 2024. The event was established in Topanga Canyon and moved around a bit as it grew and moved to the current venue in 1990. It is one of the largest acoustic music events in Southern California. Learn more at www.topangabanjofiddle.org.

The second-longest running Christmas parade in Ventura County is the Camarillo Christmas Parade, which celebrates its 64th annual event in December 2024 www.pvrpd.org

The 62nd Annual Simi Valley Halloween Carnival took place on October 31, 2023 at Rancho Santa Susana Park. Hosted by the Rancho Simi Recreation & Park District, this is one of the longest running Halloween carnivals in Ventura County. www.rsrpd.org

Local area gem and mineral societies have been organizing fun annual shows for decades, including the Ventura Gem & Mineral Society's 61st Annual Gem, Mineral, Fossil and Lapidary Show happened in March 2024. vgms.org/category/gem-show.

The 57th Annual Parade of Lights at Channel Islands Harbor dazzles spectators in December 2023. This may well be the longest-running boat parade in Ventura County. Great fun watching the boats lighted up at the Harbor. www.channelislandsharbor.org

Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park hosted its 55th Annual Easter Sunrise Service on March 31, 2024, quite possibly the longest running local Easter service in Ventura County www.piercebrothersvalleyoaks.com

The 53rd Westlake Village 4th of July Parade and Party in the Park will be taking place yet again on July 4, 2024, making it the longest running Conejo Valley area 4th of July parade. (Like most events, it was cancelled in 2020.) www.wlv.org

The 45th Ventura County Greek Festival will take place at St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church in Camarillo in June 2024 www.vcgreekfestival.org.

The Conejo Gem & Mineral Club’s 47th Pageant of a Thousand Gems Show occurred in April 2024 in Newbury Park. www.cgamc.org

The 50th Anniversary Scandinavian Festival at California Lutheran University in Thousand Oaks was a lot of fun in May 2024.  www.scandinavianfest.org

The 47th Annual Ojai Art in the Park event took place on Memorial Day weekend 2024. This I believe is the longest-running outdoor art show within Ventura County. www.ojaiartcenter.org

This is just a tiny fraction of ALL the great events that take place in Ventura County and surrounding areas each year that are highlighted in the Events Calendar and Local Events section of Conejo Valley Guide.