Upcoming 5K, 10K and Other Ventura County Area Running and Fitness Events

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Start training for upcoming 5K, 10K, half marathon and other Ventura County running and fitness events! We've made it easy for you to find a local race by tracking local events right here. So go on, get moving, lace up those shoes and start training!

Training for a marathon? Check out 26.2 Training Tips for Your First Marathon!

Running Clubs in the Local Area

Ventura Running Club www.venturarunningclub.com Sunday beach runs at the Ventura Pier, Wednesday track workouts and social event.

Inside Track Running Club has been training in Ventura since 1976. Saturday long runs, Tuesday intervals, Thursday hills and Sunday easy runs. runsignup.com/Club/CA/Ventura/InsideTrackRunningClub

Thousand Oaks Pacers www.runpacers.org/thousandoaks/about Running club founded in 2014.

Future Track Running Pack futuretrackrunningpack.org Founded in 1988 in Agoura Hills. Tuesday night track workouts at Oak Park High School and more.

The Pacific Coast Track Club hosts training sessions on Sunday mornings at the Camarillo High School track and Ojai community track. Individual training sessions also available. Email mgenebyme@gmail.com for more information or visit www.facebook.com/genebyrne101.

Conejo Valley Run Club was established in 2024 for all levels of runners, meeting for local are runs every 2nd and 4th Wednesday of the month. www.strava.com/clubs/cvrunclub

Newbury Park Elite Endurance offers personalized coaching an training plans. Visit www.newburyparkendurance.com to learn more.

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For great running shoes from local businesses that know a lot about them, try the following:

Highlights of a Dozen Fun Things to See and Do In and Around Camarillo

Residents voted to incorporate Camarillo as a city on September 29, 1964 (the same day that Thousand Oaks residents voted to do the same). Today Camarillo has the 5th largest population out of 10 cities in Ventura County, with about 71,000 residents.

One neat feature of Camarillo is its revitalized Old Town on Ventura Boulevard, a one mile stretch adjacent to Highway 101 between Lewis Road and Carmen Drive. There is a mixture of eateries, galleries, salons, boutiques and shopping along the pedestrian friendly thoroughfare that has transformed the area. Parking is free. More at www.facebook.com/camarillooldtown.

Here are a dozen other fun things to explore, see and do in Camarillo:

The roughly 2 mile Calleguas Creek Bike Path from Pleasant Valley Fields to the corner of Flynn and Upland Road in Camarillo is a family favorite, providing 4 miles of bicycling round-trip. The path is adjacent to Calleguas Creek with several street underpasses, keeping the path completely free of vehicular traffic.

Calleugas Creek Bike Path

Calleugas Creek Bike Path

McGrath Family Farm off the Central Avenue 101 offramp grows organic fruits, vegetables and flowers and is open 7 days a week from spring through fall. McGrath also offers farm tours, visits with the farm animals and "pick your own" produce. A quick, healthy and fun stop with the kids.

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The Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Aviation Museum is open Friday through Sunday at the Camarillo Airport with hangars devoted to preserving, displaying and flying World War II aircraft. Docents are extremely knowledgeable and eager to share information.  This is a Camarillo must-see.

Also at the Camarillo Airport is the annual Wings Over Camarillo Air Show in the August time frame. This is a weekend display of restored World War II military aircraft in flight, aerobatic, vintage and experimental aircraft displays, classic cars and plenty of family fun. This is one event in Camarillo that you have to see up close at least once. Visit wingsovercamarillo.com for more information.

The Camarillo Ranch House is a 3-story, 14 room, 6,000 square foot Victorian home built by Adolfo Camarillo in 1892. The City restored the beautiful home to what it looked like during the 1914 to 1930 time frame. Today the house is a popular event venue and is open for docent-led tours several days a week. The Camarillo Ranch was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2003.

The Camarillo Ranch House is a popular wedding and other special events destination.

The Camarillo Ranch House is a popular wedding and other special events destination.

I'm amazed at how few of the people I talk to have heard of the Western Foundation of Vertebrate Zoology, more popularly known as the Camarillo Bird Museum. The 22,000 sq ft non-descript facility in an industrial office park hosts a collection of over 250,000 sets of bird eggs representing approximately 4,000 species; 18,000 nests and 56,000 bird study skins. The Museum is open to the public for one-hour tours on Wednesdays and Fridays from 10am to 2pm.

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The Camarillo Premium Outlets is Ventura County's premiere outlet mall, featuring over 160 shops and eateries. On the east side are the original outlets, including the Main Court and Fashion Court, while on the west is the newer The Promenade section. In between is the Edwards Camarillo Palace 12.

Harley's Camarillo Bowl is the go-to spot for most kids that I know in the Conejo Valley who throw bowling birthday parties. I know because when the kids go bowling, I make sure to join them. Harley's gets the job done with 20 lanes, a small arcade, and a bar that serves up cold beer.

There are dozens of great farmers' markets around Ventura County, including the Saturday morning Camarillo Certified Farmers Market in Old Town Camarillo from 8am to noon.

There are a number of nicely appointed parks of all shapes and sizes in Camarillo, including six larger parks. One of my favorites is the hidden away Camarillo Grove Park at the bottom of the Conejo Grade, 6968 E. Camarillo Springs Road. This 24.5 acre park offers hiking trails, a dog park, outdoor nature center and more.

A trail at Camarillo Grove Park

A trail at Camarillo Grove Park

The Pleasant Valley Historical Museum is dedicated to the preservation of local history and the adjoining Charles L. Honn Botanical Garden features plants and trees indigenous to the Pleasant Valley and the surrounding region. Both are fun, short, worthwhile visits, which is good because the Museum and Garden are only open from noon to 4:00 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, except holidays. Admission is free. (MUSEUM IS UNDERGOING EXPANSION AND IS STILL CLOSED AS OF SEPTEMBER 2025. Check their website for updates at pvhsonline.org.

Coffee Shops in the Conejo Valley

Photo credit: Michaela (via Pexels)

According to the National Coffee Association in its Spring 2024 National Coffee Data Trends report, 67% of Americans have had coffee in the past day, compared to 49% in 2004. The greatest increase is among consumers 60+, whose past day consumption increased by 9%. Consumers in the 25 to 59 age groups also saw increases in consumption. 57% of American adults had a specialty coffee in the past week, up 7.5% one year prior.

On that caffeinated note, let’s take a look at what coffee shops we have here in the Conejo Valley, covering Thousand Oaks, Newbury Park, Westlake Village, Agoura Hills, Oak Park and parts of Calabasas.

Note that this list can change at any time. We’ve listed store hours but those can also change, so check directly with the store first to confirm. Also note that this list includes places where coffee is the primary offering. (Contact us for updates, additions and edits.)

Independent Coffee Shops

Longevity Coffee is located in the Skyline Center at 2849 Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks. Longevity offers low acid, freshly roasted, certified organic coffee and shakes, smoothies, Longevity Sodas and ore. Food items offered include toasts, acai bowls, oatmeal, baked goods and more. Open daily from 7:30am to 4:30pm. www.longevitycoffee.com (805) 836-2849

Five07 Coffee Bar and Eatery is located near Vons in the Oakbrook Plaza at 2036 E Avenida de los Árboles, Thousand Oaks. Five07 offers a wide array of drinks and food items, such as crepes, toasts, baked goods and more.. Plenty of indoor and outdoor seating available. Live music too. Open 7:30am - 5pm daily. www.thefive07.com

Five07 opened a 2nd location at 2955 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks (between Bad Ass Street Tacos and Oak and Iron), on Friday, December 29, 2023. Hours are 6 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Closed Sundays. This location is geared towards takeout, with limited seating and a standing bar. www.thefive07.com

Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters is located in the CVS/Trader Joe’s strip mall at 111 N. Reino Road (at Borchard) in Newbury Park. Ragamuffin offers espresso/coffee drinks, tea/non-coffee drinks and a selection of food items such as avocado toast, frittatas and baked goods (including gluten-free options). Opens at 7 a.m. daily. ragamuffinroasters.com (805) 375-9000

Honey Cup Coffeehouse & Creamery is located at 360 Via Las Brisas in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park. Honey Cup serves coffee, tea, and smoothies. Pastries, sandwiches and handmade ice cream are also on the menu. Open daily 7am to 3pm. www.honeycupcoffeehouse.com (805) 716-3156.

Honeycup Coffeehouse is opening a location at Santal Thousand Oaks, 299 Thousand Oaks Boulevard, presumably sometime in 2025.

Honey Cup Coffeehouse & Patisserie is "soft opening" on Thursday, August 7th at 5755 Las Virgenes Road, Suite B in Calabasas, next to Inner Power Yoga Studio, which is about a mile north of the 101.

Conejo Coffee at 2860 Camino Dos Rios in Newbury Park (across the street from Home Depot and Target) offers coffee drinks, pastries, smoothies, breakfast burritos, sandwiches, and more. Open 5:30am to 2pm Monday through Friday and 7am to 2pm Saturday. Closed Sunday. www.instagram.com/conejocoffee (805) 498-7420.

Cafe Sapientia is located at 706 Lindero Canyon Road in Oak Park, serving specialty coffee and tea drinks, as well as their delectable pastries and Korean shaved ice. Open daily (except closed on Tuesdays) from 9am to 5pm. www.cafesapientia.com (818) 532-7112

Caffe Aroma is located in the Smart & Final Extra/CVS plaza at 2130 Newbury Road in Newbury Park, offering coffee, tea and other drinks as well as food items. Open 8am to 4pm Wednesday through Monday. (805) 375-7150

Bonibi Coffee is located in The Landing in Westlake Village at 32123 Lindero Canyon Road. They offer Stumptown specialty coffee, multiple origin coffee blend with signature notes of citrus and dark chocolate. Bonibi offers hot drinks, iced drinks, pastries and food items. Open 8am to 4pm daily. www.bonibicoffee.com (747) 283-5982

Hibye Coffee opened January 10, 2025 at The Shoppes at Westlake Village at 30770 Russell Ranch Road, Suite D, near Figueroa Mountain Brewing Co. hibyecoffeeco.com

La La Land Kind Cafe opened on September 28, 2024 at The Promenade at Westlake in Thousand Oaks, offering signature lattes, coffee drinks, toasts and more. www.lalalandkindcafe.com

Laidrey Coffee Roasters is open daily from 7am to 5pm at the Shoppes at Kanan Village in Agoura Hills (across from IHOP) at 5021 Kanan Road. laidrey.com.

Makenna Koffee opened on Saturday, October 11, 2025 in the North Ranch Shopping Center, 2825 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Westlake Village. makennakoffee.com.

CHECK OUT OUR COMPILATION OF CONEJO VALLEY BAKERIES, MOST OF WHICH ALSO SERVE COFFEE, AT THIS LINK.

Chain Coffee Shops

The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf is located in the Oakbrook Plaza at 1772 E Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks. offering coffees, teas and more. Open weekdays 5:30am to 7pm and weekends 6am-7pm. www.coffeebean.com (805) 241-2499

The other Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf location is in the Westlake Plaza, 968 S. Westlake Blvd., #6, Westlake Village. Open 5:30am to 7:30pm weekdays, 6am to 8pm Saturday and 6am to 7pm Sunday. (805) 497-1256

Nordstrom Ebar is located outside of Nordstrom on the first floor of The Oaks mall, offering expresso drinks, coffee, smoothies, pastries and healthy snacks. Open 10am to 8pm Monday to Saturday and 11am to 7pm Sunday. (805) 418-4015 www.nordstrom.com/store-details/united-states/ca/thousand-oaks/nordstrom-thousand-oaks

Peet’s Coffee is at 595 Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks near Janss Marketplace. Peet’s is a California-based coffee chain founded in 1966, offering tea, blended drinks, pastries, sandwiches and their signature coffee. Open daily 5:30am to 6pm. www.peets.com (805) 497-8366.

Dunkin’ (formerly Dunkin’ Donuts) bills itself as “the world’s leading baked goods and coffee chain” and thus their location at 30895 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd. #101, Westlake Village (cross street Lindero) is included on this list. Their menu includes espresso, coffee, teas, frozen drinks and more, along with their signature donuts, sandwiches and other menu items. Open 5am to 8pm daily. locations.dunkindonuts.com/en/ca/westlake-village/30895-e-thousand-oaks-blvd/355298 (818) 991-5555

Philz Coffee is located at 33 N. Moorpark Road, in the Village at Moorpark in Thousand Oaks, in the former Starbucks between Men’s Warehouse and Jamba Juice. Philz brews an assortment of dark, medium, and light blends of coffees, along with their featured tea and coffee creations, such as their Iced Mint Mojito. www.philzcoffee.com

Philz Coffee also has a location at The Summit at Calabasas, at the corner of Lost Hills Road and Agoura Road. www.philzcoffee.com

Possible Dutch Bros Coffee? On 8/14/25, a proposed project was submitted to the City of Thousand Oaks for a 1,025 sq ft Dutch Bros Coffee drive-thru location in the northwest corner of Hillcrest Drive and Conejo Blvd within the Janss Marketplace parking lot. The application is under review. Stay tuned for updates.

And how could we not forget Starbucks, with nearly 34,000 stores in 80 countries. Starbucks currently has 22 locations in the Conejo Valley, including numerous locations inside supermarkets literally across the parking lot from stand-alone locations.

  • Thousand Oaks: 2072 E. Avenida De Los Arboles (at Erbes) (Oakbrook Plaza) Open 4:30am to 7pm weekdays and 5:30am to 7:30pm weekends. (805) 241-8026

  • Thousand Oaks: 2048 E. Avenida De Los Arboles (at Erbes) inside Vons. Open 6am to 8pm daily. (805) 492-2497

  • Thousand Oaks: 3366 Thousand Oaks Blvd (at Auto Mall Drive). Drive-thru location. Open 5am to 10pm weekdays and 5:30am to 9:30pm on weekends. (805) 230-9267

  • Thousand Oaks: 1195 East Thousand Oaks Blvd (at Rancho). Drive-thru location. Open 4:30am to 8:30pm weekdays and 5am to 9pm weekends. (805) 379-1750

  • Thousand Oaks: 605 E. Janss Road (at Moorpark Road). Open 6am to 7pm daily. (805) 497-3499

  • Thousand Oaks: 401 Moorpark Road (at Brazil) at Janss Marketplace. Drive-thru location. Open 4:30am to 10pm weekdays and 5:30am to 10pm weekends. (805) 666-3158

  • Thousand Oaks: 1790 N. Moorpark Road inside Vons in the Park Oaks Shopping Center. Open 6am to 8pm daily. (805) 497-8652

  • Thousand Oaks: 350 West Hillcrest Drive (kiosk inside The Oaks Mall). Open 10am to 8pm Monday through Saturday, 11am to 6pm Sunday. (805) 371-4399

  • Thousand Oaks: 1500 Moorpark Road inside Ralph’s at the Conejo Valley Plaza. Open 5am to 9pm daily. (805) 379-3100

  • Thousand Oaks: 101 Memorial Parkway (at Cal Lutheran Univ, Ullman Commons). Open 8am to 5pm weekdays and 8am to 11am weekends. (805) 493-3669

  • Thousand Oaks: Southeast corner of Moorpark Road and Avenida De Las Flores, across the street from Thousand Oaks High School. Drive-thru location.

  • Newbury Park: 975 Broadbeck Drive (The Village at Newbury Park - near Islands). Drive-thru location. Open 4:30am to 8:30pm weekdays and 5:30am to 8:30pm weekends. (805) 375-6163.

  • Newbury Park; 2705 Teller Road (inside Target). Open 8am to 8pm daily. (805) 480-9114

  • Newbury Park: 421 S. Reino Road (at Kimber Drive) (Albertson’s/CVS plaza). Open 4:30am to 7pm weekdays and 4:30am to 6:30pm weekends. (805) 498-8287

  • Newbury Park: 540 North Ventu Park Road (Walmart/Walgreens center). Drive-thru location. Open 4:30am to 9:30pm weekdays and 5am to 9:30pm weekends. (805) 499-2581

  • Another Starbucks may be coming to the Conejo Gateway Plaza in Newbury Park, near the corner of Wendy Drive and Old Conejo Road. Originally the location was slated as a Dunkin Donuts. Stay tuned.

  • Westlake Village: 925 South Westlake Blvd. Drive-thru location. Open 5am to 8:30pm weekdays and 5:30am to 8pm weekends. (805) 777-1196

  • Westlake Village: 2755 Agoura Road (at the Westlake Plaza). Open 4:30am to 7:30pm weekdays and 5:30am to 7:30pm weekends. (805) 379-2499

  • Westlake Village: 30740 Russell Ranch Road (inside the Target at The Shoppes at Westlake Village) Open 8am to 8pm daily. (818) 661-2361

  • Westlake Village 5750 Lindero Canyon Road (cross street Russell Ranch Road in the Westlake Village Marketplace). Opened 1/23/25

  • Agoura Hills: 5827 Kanan Road (at Thousand Oaks Blvd.). Open 4:30am to 7:30pm weekdays and 5am to 8pm weekends. (818) 735-0268

  • Oak Park: 688 Lindero Canyon (at Kanan). Drive-thru location. Open 5am to 8pm weekdays and 5:3am to 8:30pm weekends. (818) 865-2184

  • Calabasas: 26531 Agoura Road (at Las Virgenes in the Albertson’s Plaza). Open 4:30am to 9pm daily. (818) 878-0503

  • Calabasas: 26521 Agoura Road (inside Albertson’s). Open 6am to pm daily. (818) 880-9080

  • Calabasas: New drive-thru location now open at the former Taco Bell at 4955 Las Virgenes Road (at the 101). Open 4:30am to 8 or 9pm daily.

Forty-Seven Things to Do In Thousand Oaks

The City of Thousand Oaks was incorporated on September 29, 1964. Most of Newbury Park was annexed by the city in the 1960s/1970s. Casa Conejo, Newbury Park's first planned community built in the early 1960s and the Lynn Ranch area of Thousand Oaks are unincorporated areas of Ventura County that technically are not annexed into the City of Thousand Oaks. The City of Thousand Oaks also annexed the Ventura County portions of Westlake Village in 1968 and 1972. That said, this list also includes a few things to do in the City of Westlake Village.

Enough history for now! Let's look at the future...like tomorrow or this coming weekend. Here are 47* things to do in the City of Thousand Oaks in random order.

*It started out as 47 things to do but we've lost count since originally posting this.

View of Boney Mountain from the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa area.

View of Boney Mountain from the Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa area.

Older version of City of Thousand Oaks sign.

Older version of City of Thousand Oaks sign.

Things to Do With the Kids in Ventura County When It's Wet Outside

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It doesn't rain nearly often enough here in Ventura County, but when it does, that's a great excuse for staying inside. You are in the right place as we have compiled this extensive list of well over 200 indoor activities from Agoura to Simi Valley to Ventura and everywhere in between!

Arts and Crafts

These are just a sampling of the various activities and events in Conejo Valley Guide, so make sure to explore and find something fun to do!

Breakfast Eateries In and Around the Conejo Valley

Breakfast. Is it the most important meal of the day? Perhaps. But who cares, we’re just hungry and want to eat something delicious for breakfast right here in the Conejo Valley. And to that end, we’ve compiled a list, in no particular order, of eateries in the Conejo Valley that are known for their breakfast options.

(While hours of operation are listed, they are subject to change, so check with the eatery to confirm. Contact us with updates, addition and edits.)

Country Harvest is located at 3345 Kimber Drive in Newbury Park and has served the community since May 2002. Country Harvest opens at 7:30 a.m. daily for traditional breakfast options like Corned Beef Hash & Eggs, Three-Egg Omelets, eight different Benedict (open-faced English muffin) options, favorites like Chicken & Waffles, pancakes and more. They also have locations in Camarillo and Moorpark. countryharvest.restaurant (805) 375-4598.

Honey & Herb Belgian Waffle House is located in the Conejo Gateway Plaza at 765 Wendy Drive, Newbury Park Dr. Here you will find a unique array of savory and sweet waffle options. Open for breakfast and lunch Mon to Thu at 8 a.m. and Sat/Sun at 7:30 a.m. honey-and-herb.com (805) 375-9998

CiCi’s Cafe is located at 30990 Russell Ranch Road in Westlake Village, across the parking lot from Lure Fish House. CiCi’s, which originated in 2006 and opened this location in December 2016, is known for its incredible selection of unique pancakes, waffles, and crepes as well as savory breakfast and lunch items. The menu is over 30 pages long! Open at 7:30 a.m. daily. ciciscafe.com (818) 874-3391

Side Street Cafe is located at 996 Lawrence Drive, #103 in Newbury Park, tucked into an industrial park, but well worth going slightly out of your way for. Open Mon-Fri 6:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Sat/Sun 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Specializes in an all day breakfast menu featuring egg breakfasts, egg scramblers, egg benedicts, omelettes, waffles, pancakes, French toast and other specialties. sidestreetcafe805.com (805) 499-9323

Zooza Cafe is located in the Paseo Market Place at 3687 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks. Open 8am to 5pm daily with a breakfast menu that includes omelets, egg sandwiches, oatmeal and more. zoozacafe.com (805) 496-9669

The Royal Egg Cafe at 30815 E Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Westlake Village (in the North Ranch Gateway Plaza) offers a variety of organic breakfast items, including savory favorites, avocado toasts, breakfast burritos and much more . Opens daily at 8 a.m. theroyaleggcafe.com (818) 532-7710

Mikey’s Restaurant opened in the former home of The Nook Restaurant at 579 Ventu Park Road, Suite D, Newbury Park in mid-January 2024. Similar menu to The Nook, with a wide range of breakfast specialties. Open 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily. mikeysrestaurants.com

Pickles Deli & Restaurant originally opened in 2006 at 1940 Newbury Road in Newbury Park. Open daily at 9 a.m. until 8 p.m., this traditional Jewish deli serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. Their breakfast menu is served all day includes egg dishes, lox, omelettes, Mexican specialties, French toast, pancakes and much more. picklesdeli.com (805) 480-4800

Brent’s Delicatessen & Restaurant at 2799 Townsgate Road in Westlake Village offers a large number of breakfast items - pancakes, French toast, fish plates, omelets, benedicts, egg specialties and more. Open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily. brentsdeli.com (805) 557-1882

Agoura’s Famous Deli is located at 5915 Kanan Road in Agoura Hills in the Agoura Hills City Mall. You’re in luck for breakfast - pancakes, egg dishes, omelettes, waffles and more are offered . Open daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.. agourasfamousdeli.com (818) 889-9113

Eggs ‘n’ Things in the Ralphs’s shopping center at 1542 Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks is one of four Eggs ‘n’ Things in Ventura County. Their extensive breakfast menu includes omelettes, French toast, pancakes, their special Swedish Pancakes, scrambles, benedicts and more. Open for breakfast at 6 a.m. weekdays and 7 a.m. weekends. eggsnthings.net (805) 497-1711

Cafe ViVi (new in 2025; previously Jinky’s Cafe) is located at 1724 E. Avenida De Los Árboles, Thousand Oaks (805) 493-8809 Opens at 8am to 3pm daily. www.cafe-vivi.com

Corner Bakery Cafe is located at 111 S. Westlake Boulevard in Thousand Oaks. Open daily at 7:30 a.m., Corner Bakery offers pancakes, scramblers, egg bowls, breakfast sandwiches, breakfast wraps, oatmeal, yogurt and more. cornerbakerycafe.com/location/thousand-oaks (805) 496-6993

Denny’s is located at 2830 Camino Del Rios in Newbury Park, serving breakfast 24/7. Who doesn’t love a Grand Slam? And of course pancakes, crepes, omelettes and classic breakfast that Denny’s offers. (805) 498-4440 dennys.com

IHOP is located at 5031 Kanan Road, Agoura Hills (open 24/7) (818) 991-4957 IHOP offers, if you can believe it, pancakes! Plus omelettes, crepes, Belgian waffles, French toast and breakfast combos. The chain’s name was officially shortened from International House of Pancakes to IHOP in 1979. restaurants.ihop.com

JOi Cafe, located at 2855 Agoura Road in Westlake Village in the Westlake Commons, is a fantastic plant-based eatery that’s open for breakfast daily at 7 a.m. You’ll find unique choices on their breakfast menu, such as Superfood Pancakes, The JOi Scramble (no eggs involved), JOi Breakfast Burrito and more. www.joicafe.com

Sunrose California Eatery opened on October 24, 2023 in the Whizin Market Square in Agoura Hills. Their breakfast and brunch is served all day, featuring a variety of options including toasts, burrito, omelet, pancake, egg dishes and more. Opens for breakfast at 8 a.m. daily. www.thesunroseca.com

The Galloping Hen opened its Thousand Oaks location at 3085 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd (at Hampshire) in November 2024 They serve breakfast and lunch, including omelettes, eggs benedicts, other breakfast dishes, burgers, salads and more. Learn more at thegallopinghen.com.

Marmalade Cafe at The Promenade at Westlake, opens daily at 7:30 a.m. for breakfast. You know, I’ve eaten there dozens of times, but never for breakfast, but their menu looks great! Southern Fried Chicken & Waffles, Chorizo & Eggs, frittatas, benedicts, pancakes, combos and much more. I’ll have to check it out. www.marmaladecafe.com/locations#WestlakeVillage-Location (805) 370-1331

Justine’s Cafe is located in the Westlake Village Industrial Park, 31356 Via Colinas #103 in Westlake Village. Open weekdays from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., Justine’s offers a full breakfast menu that includes egg dishes, omelets, breakfast burritos, French toast and more. www.justinescafe.com (818) 879-8786

The Cookie Cafe opened in December 2024 at 30651 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Agoura Hills. Open daily for breakfast, as well as lunch and dinner, they offer omelettes, breakfast burritos, quiche, waffles, eggs, sweet crepes, and more. www.thecookie.cafe (747) 222-6221

Decker Kitchen, located in the Lake Lindero Country Club at 5719 Lake Lindero Drive in Agoura Hills, serves a breakfast menu from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. that includes breakfast burritos, breakfast plates, and more. deckerkitchen.com/breakfast-menu (805) 418-7746

Bo’s House of Omelettes & Waffles (formerly the iconic Harold’s House of Omelettes), has served the Conejo Valley since 1961. Located at 2440 East Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks and open 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily, Bo’s serves Belgian waffles, omelettes (well duh), eggs Benedict, huevos rancheros, scrambles, pancakes, combos and more. houseofomelettesto.com (805) 906-2138

The Breakfast Cafe, believe it or not, serves breakfast, of all things, daily, starting at 7 a.m., at 686 Lindero Canyon Road in Oak Park. You will find all of the standard breakfast favorites here…pancakes, French toast, waffles, omelettes, breakfast burritos, egg combos and more. www.breakfastcafe.online (818) 865-8807

P & L Burgers is located at 2000-A East Avenida de los Arboles, Thousand Oaks in the Oakbrook Plaza. So what is a place named after burgers on this breakfast eateries list? Because they serve a great breakfast daily starting at 7 a.m. - egg dishes, omelettes, pancakes, French toast and more. pandlburgers.com/BreakfastMenu.html (805) 493-5336

There is a separate list of COFFEE SHOPS IN THE CONEJO VALLEY and all of these coffee shops serve some form of breakfast - Five07 Coffee Bar and Eatery, Honeycup Coffeehouse, Longevity Coffee, Caffe Aroma, Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters, Conejo Coffee, Cafe Sapientia, and others are on this list.

Novo Cafe in The Shoppes at Westlake Village has a nice breakfast menu that includes all your favorites - benedicts, French toast, egg dishes, omelettes and more. But geared towards late sleepers - they open at 11 a.m. Tue-Sat and 10:30 a.m. Sun. www.novocafe.com/westlake (818) 318-1466 (updated 12/14/23)

There is a separate list of BAKERIES IN THE CONEJO VALLEY, many of which offer up more than pastries for breakfast -Village Bakery & Cafe in Agoura Hills, Le Pain Quotidien in Westlake Village, Emil’s Bake House in Agoura Hills, Historia Bakery Cafe in Thousand Oaks, La Cereza Bakery and Cafe, Furn Saj Bakery in Calabasas, Cafe Ficelle and others.

Agoura Village Bakery is located in the Twin Oaks Shopping Center at 5839 Kanan Road, Agoura Hills. In addition to a fantastic array of decadent pastries and other baked goods, they offer omelettes, scrambles, French toast, pancakes, protein shakes and more. Opens at 8 a.m. daily. www.agouravillagebakery.com (818) 736-9898

You may not be aware that Cronies Sports Grill is open daily for breakfast at 9 a.m. Mon-Fri and 8 a.m. Sat/Sun at 1620 Newbury Road in Newbury Park (805) 498-7888 and 8 a.m. Mon-Fri and 7 a.m. Sat/Sun at 5687 Kanan Road in Agoura Hills (818) 889-0889. Cronies’ breakfast menu includes pancakes, waffles, eggs, breakfast sandwiches, omelets and more. www.cronies.com/menu?menu=breakfast-menu#1

Panera Bread’s Conejo Valley locations in Thousand Oaks (Janss Marketplace) (opens at 7 a.m. daily) and Westlake Village (5784 Lindero Canyon Road) (opens at 7 a.m. Mon-Sat and 8 a.m. Sun) serve breakfast sandwiches, baked egg soufflés, oatmeal and more. www.panerabread.com

Rise Southern Biscuits Righteous Chicken opened in the summer of 2022 in the Conejo Valley Plaza at 1408 N Moorpark Road in Thousand Oaks. Rise specializes in chicken, biscuits, donuts and other southern specialties. Very limited outdoor seating. Open 7 am - 2 pm risebiscuitschicken.com/locations/thousand-oaks (805) 291-4274

On a side note, something I’ve found interesting in compiling this list is that most eateries offer omelettes, while a few offer omelets. According to Grammarly.com, omelet is the American English spelling whereas omelette is the British English spelling. Thus, I regret to inform you that most Conejo Valley breakfast eateries are not using proper American English. But I guess as long as the omelette is delicious, we’ll give them a pass.


Breakfast No More

Chocolatine French Cafe was located at 2955 E. Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks, but closed its doors in August 2023.

The Newbury Park IHOP closed its doors on November 19, 2023.)

Jinky’s Kanan Cafe at 29001 Canwood St in Agoura Hills closed its doors on 12/12/23 but they indicate that they plan to reopen elsewhere in Agoura Hills.)

Stella’s Gourmet Restaurant at 2385 Michael Drive, Newbury Park, which served the local community, since 1981, closed its doors in December 2023.

The Nook Restaurant in Newbury Park closed in December 2023 but reopened under new ownership as Mikey’s Restaurant in mid-January 2024. It originally opened in September 2019.

JOiBIRDS Cafe at 299 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks opened in November 2023 but closed in October 2024.

Jinky’s Cafe Thousand Oaks is now Cafe ViVi as of January 2025.

Veterans Day Services in Ventura County

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Veterans Day is celebrated as a Federal holiday on the 11th day of November in honor of those who have served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Veterans Day coincides with other holidays such as Armistice Day and Remembrance Day, which are celebrated in other parts of the world and also mark the anniversary of the end of World War I, which formally ended at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, when Armistice with Germany took effect.

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Vietnam veteran David Stull stands guard while supporting a flagpole carrying the American flag at the Garden of Valor at Valley Oaks Memorial Park in Westlake Village. This was one of three 30 minute shifts he stood guard. November 1984 photo by Scott Harrison/The News Chronicle

Back in the 1980s, Conejo Valley residents would observe a 24-hour vigil during the Veterans Day holiday. I took photos several times, but this 1984 photo at dusk remains my favorite. The current full name of Valley Oaks is Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks Memorial Park. The flame is still burning at the Garden of Valor.