K1 Speed Indoor Go Kart Racing in Thousand Oaks

K1 Speed indoor go kart racing opened its 8th Southern California location - K1 Speed Thousand Oaks, in February 2022

Guests can enjoy indoor go kart racing, games for all ages, food and drinks, and a private event room for any occasion.

The all-electric Adult Karts for adults and teens can reach speeds of up to 45 mph. Kids 4’ (48”) or taller can drive electric Junior Karts that can reach up to 20 mph on the professionally designed circuit.

Guests can also play over 30 popular video games from the past and present, plus pool tables, air hockey, basketball hoops and prize machines.

The Paddock Lounge is an onsite café that serves classic favorites such as hamburgers, pizza, nachos, and wings in addition to a wide assortment of non-alcoholic beverages. In the near future, this location plans to serve beer & wine for adults 21 years of age and older to enjoy after racing.

A private event room for birthdays, corporate events, bachelor parties, and other group events is also available. For private events, the entire venue may be rented by the hour, half-day, or full day.

K1 Speed Thousand Oaks is open seven days a week at 770 Lawrence Drive. Reservations are not required to race.

More information at www.k1speed.com/thousand-oaks-location.html.

A portion of the arcade at K1 Speed Thousand Oaks

Rincon Point in Carpinteria

Rincon Point is home to one of the most popular surfing spots in the world. Accessible near the Ventura/Santa Barbara County line just a few miles east of Downtown Carpinteria. Take the Bates Avenue offramp off the 101 Freeway towards the ocean. On the right is access to the City of Carpinteria's Rincon Beach Park and on the left is access to the Rincon Point parking area. Open 6am to 9pm daily, with a not-particulary-nice porta-john available in the parking area.

There is a trail that takes you to the beach area from the parking lot. The area is also surrounded by beach homes.

A view toward the north from Rincon Point (in the direction of Rincon Beach Park).

THE BEACH BOYS INCLUDED A REFERENCE TO RINCON IN SURFIN' SAFARI:

At Huntington and Malibu

They're shooting the pier

At Rincon they're walking the nose

We're going on safari to the islands this year

So if you're coming get ready to go

Boney Mountain Trail to Hidden Valley Overlook, Danielson Monument and Waterfall

At Rancho Sierra Vista/Satwiwa in Newbury Park is a nice assortment of trails that reward hikers with beautiful views and peaceful surroundings.  Find your way to the Satwiwa Native American Culture Center and from there walk up Big Sycamore Canyon Road where you'll reach a fork in the road. If you go straight you'll be taking Big Sycamore Canyon road about 6-7 miles down to Sycamore Canyon Campground and Sycamore Cove Beach. The road is paved for about 3 miles until it intersects the Backbone Trail, at which point it is dirt trails to PCH.

Benches at the top of Big Sycamore Canyon Road.

Views from the benches looking down Big Sycamore Canyon. Photo taken a few months before the Springs Fire of 2013.

View of Big Sycamore Canyon after the Springs Fire of 2013.

Getting back to the benches at the top of Sycamore Canyon, looking off to the east you'll find the Boney Mountain Trail sign that takes you towards the Hidden Valley Overlook, Waterfall and Danielson Monument, a .4 mile, 1 mile and 2.2 mile one way hike, respectively.

Boney Mountain Trail sign in Rancho Sierra Vista post-Springs fire 5/5/13.

Take the trail to the fork in the road. A sharp left takes you directly back to the Satwiwa Center, a "normal" left takes you on a trail towards Wendy Drive and/or back to the Satwiwa Center in a loop, and a right turn takes you up the hill towards the destinations mentioned above.

A short walk up the trail gets you to yet another bench that overlooks Sycamore Canyon from another angle. This is called the Sycamore Canyon Overlook.

This photo of the Sycamore Canyon Overlook was taken before the Springs Fire of 2013.

Bench at Sycamore Canyon Overlook on 5/14/13.

The rocky trail from there takes you to a fork. Veer LEFT to the Hidden Valley Overlook trail or right to the Danielson Monument and Waterfall (as well as the Old Boney Trail).

The Hidden Valley Overlook trail is rocky, pretty steep in some sections and a bit challenging. But...you will be rewarded with some nice views of Dos Vientos, Camarillo and eventually an "overlook" of Hidden Valley.

Endpoint of the Hidden Valley Overlook trail, peering into Hidden Valley. This photo was taken in April 2014.

If you veer right at the fork in the trail, after a .4 mile jaunt down the hill you'll see a sign that tells you you're getting close the waterfall. There are lots of rocky sections as well as crevices as you make your way down this trail, so do be careful. But it is fairly wide most of the way.

Sign at bottom of hill indicating you distance to waterfall trail and danielson monument

There's a stream crossing that most of the year is easy to get across as there's not a lot of water in it, although in particularly rainy winters it can get more challenging in the winter/spring.

Mostly mud in the stream crossing that gets you to the Danielson Monument in mid-February 2013, but some years there's more water in there (like 2017, after the winter rainstorms).

So after you cross the stream, you're off on a mostly narrow, single-track trail. Watch out for poison oak on the sides of the trails. I usually run up here in shorts, but you're much safer wearing long pants. The next juncture in the trail, you go straight to the waterfall, or veer right up to the Danielson Monument.

We've been to the waterfall when it had a lot of water flowing in it. This year (2013) there's barely a trickle.

So if you take the sharp right hand turn, you're on your way to the Danielson Monument (a tribute to Richard Ely Danielson, Junior, who lived on land in this area for 32 years with his family, until it was sold to the National Park Service in 1980). Awesome views from several vantage points as you head up the trail. A bit of a climb. Be prepared! Check out other photos of the monument HERE and larger pics HERE.

Danielson Monument

About 4/5ths of the way from the bottom of the canyon to the Danielson Monument, you can veer right to the Old Boney Trail, an interesting, mostly single track trail that has great views of Boney and intersects with the Fossil Trail.

Here's the sign at the juncture of the Danielson Road trail and the Old Boney Trail turnoff, about .3 mile away from the Danielson Monument.

COMPILATION OF HIKES AND TRAILS IN AND AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens

The 133 acre Los Angeles Zoo and Botanical Gardens first opened in 1966. The Zoo is home to more than 2,200 mammals, birds, amphibians and reptiles representing more than 270 different species of which more than 58 are endangered. In addition, the Zoo’s botanical collection comprises several planted gardens and over 800 different plant species with over 7,400 individual plants. The Zoo receives over 1.8 million visitors per year and is owned and operated by the City of Los Angeles.

There's a children's zoo area with a petting zoo and fun exhibits. There's also a play area for kids that is quite popular.

Some advice! The line to get into the park can get pretty long on weekends. My advice is to buy an L.A. Zoo Membership! There is a $150 one-year family membership (as of January 2022) that gives you FREE admission for 2 adults and all of your kids or grandkids ages 2-17.  If you have a family of 4 and visit the park twice a year, this membership SAVES YOU MONEY as the regular entry cost is $22 for adults and $17 for ages 2 to 17. Ages 62+ is $19. (Pricing as of January 2022.) Plus, there was NO LINE to get in with your membership card! That alone gave us an extra 30 minutes in the park today. 

Zoo membership also gives you free or discounted admission to zoos and aquariums across the country, including 50% off at the Santa Barbara Zoo!

The Living Amphibians, Invertebrates, Reptiles (LAIR) exhibit opened in March 2012. There is a damp forest section that has Fiji Island banded iguanas, poison dart frogs, Guatemalan palm vipers and Fly River turtles, an area where you can watch staff taking care of the animals, tortoises, lizards, crocodile swamp, desert reptiles and much more. We also learned that Mexico has more reptile species than any other country on earth.

The L.A. Zoo is located at 5333 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles. Visit www.lazoo.org for more information.

Hippo relaxing at the Los Angeles Zoo

Nicely appointed kids' play area at Los Angeles Zoo

Rhino at Los Angeles Zoo is just kickin' it

Zebra at Los Angeles Zoo is having a snack

Community Classes at Conejo Valley Adult Education in Thousand Oaks

Conejo Valley Adult Education offers a wide range of classes in Foreign Language, Food and Nutrition, Decorative and Fine Arts and Home and Garden. Additionally, the school conducts vocational training programs for the medical community and for careers in the private business sector. The school is part of the Conejo Valley Unified School District. 

Visit www.ConejoAdultSchool.org for more information and for the current class catalog. The campus is located at 1025 Old Farm Road, Thousand Oaks.

Murphy Auto Museum - Oxnard (CLOSED IN JULY 2024)

NOTE: The Murphy Auto Museum shut its doors on July 7, 2024.

See a collection of dozens of vintage and classic cars at the Murphy Auto Museum, 1930 Eastman Avenue in Oxnard .

The suggested donation to the museum is $10 for adults. Children 12 and under are free. Active military with ID or in uniform are also free.  Open year-round on Saturdays/Sundays from 10am to 4pm. April through December, the museum is also open on Fridays from 10am to 4pm.

Free Range Comedy Theatre in Camarillo

Free Range Comedy SoCal is a non-profit 501(c)(3) improv theatre group in Camarillo with shows at the Camarillo Art Center, 3150 E. Ponderosa Drive.

With decades of improvisational comedy training in LA, AZ, and HI, combined with decades of theatre, this group of 15 performers is now unfolding Free Range Comedy in Camarillo by offering classes, workshops and performance opportunities for local improvisors.

Shows will take place the 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month. Family friendly shows at 7:30pm.

Learn more at freerangecomedy.com.

The Young Artists Ensemble - Thousand Oaks

Since 1981, talented kids between the ages of 10 to 19 have performed with The Young Artists Ensemble in Thousand Oaks.  Over 6,000 people attend YAE events each year and shows are all family friendly. YAE presents six or seven productions each year.

Performances take place at the Hillcrest Center for the Arts, 403 West Hillcrest Drive, Thousand Oaks.  Phone is 805.381.2747.

For tickets, contact the box office at 805.381.1246 or visit www.yaeonline.com.

Moorpark College Art Gallery

The Moorpark College Art Gallery is located in the Moorpark College Administration Building at 7075 Campus Road, Moorpark. The gallery is open Monday to Thursday from 8am to 6pm and Friday from 8am to noon.

Get there as follows: Take Collins Drive exit from the 118 north towards Moorpark College. Turn right at Campus Park Drive and park in Lot A. Parking is $2 (pay at machine). The Administration Building is located next to the President's Office.

Learn more about exhibit on display at the gallery at www.moorparkcollege.edu/departments/academic/art-department/art-gallery.

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 13+.

More information at www.elverhoj.org.

Rabbit Hill (Knoll Open Space) in Newbury Park

The Knoll Open Space is a 21 acre plot of land owned by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency located at the corner of Reino Road and Old Conejo Road in Newbury Park (across the street from Peppertree Playfields). This plot of land is more affectionately known as Rabbit Hill. While it doesn't take too much effort to get to the top of Rabbit Hill, you will definitely be rewarded with a nice, panoramic view towards Boney Mountain, Thousand Oaks and Conejo Mountain. This hill is somewhat less challenging than the steeper Tarantula Hill in Thousand Oaks, so if you're looking for a nice after-dinner stroll, this is a fine choice. While not the most exciting hill to look at, the views make it worthwhile! You can park on Reino Road to start your short journey.

You can either take a straight shot up the hill or a more gradual curved trail. 

Views toward Boney Mountain.

Autry Museum of the American West in Griffith Park

The Autry Museum of the American West is located in Griffith Park, directly across the parking lot from the Los Angeles Zoo, at 4700 Western Heritage Way.

The Autry features exhibits of Native American art and artifacts, film memorabilia, historic firearms, paintings and more with its collection of over 500,000 pieces. This collection includes art and artifacts of the Southwest Museum of the American Indian Collection, one of the largest collections of Native American materials in the country.

In addition to a wide range of exhibitions, the museum hosts lectures, film, theater, family events and more. 

Open Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 4pm. Closed Mondays. Admission (as of December 2021) is $14 for adults, $10 for students/60+ seniors (with ID), and $6 for kids 3-12.

Free admission on the 2nd Tuesday of the month.

Visit theautry.org for more information.

The Alley in Moorpark

The Alley in Moorpark is an outdoor hangout destination with a beer and wine garden area featuring Enegren Brewery and Lucas Sellers Winery, The Craft House, California Coffee Republic and Fire and Vice. Live music is often featured on weekends. The address is 330-444 Zachary Street.

The Alley is a family friendly space, including furry family members.

The Craft House consists of a craft bar, instructor-led workshops and a variety of local and handmade good for sale. Note that The Craft House is for 21+ only because it also has a beer and wine bar.

California Coffee Republic features fresh small batch roasted coffee daily and packaged coffee in craft bags that can be delivered to local customers. www.californiacoffeerepublic.com

Fire and Vice offers pizzas, pretzels, cheese curds and more.

Learn more about The Alley at thealleymoorpark.com.