Tour Cities Throughout the U.S. in Scavenger Hunt Fashion with Urban Adventure Quest

Looking for an adventure!? Turn Southern California cities into a giant game board this summer with a fun scavenger hunt adventure from Urban Adventure Quest.  Combine the excitement of the Amazing Race with a two to three hour city tour.

Guided from any smart phone, teams make their way among well known and overlooked gems of the city, solving clues and completing challenges while learning local history. 

Play in Los Angeles, Hollywood, San Diego, Catalina Island, The Getty Center, Paso Robles or 30 other cities across the United States.  Available 365 days a year, sunrise to sunset.  Start when you want and play at your pace.

Interested in trying it out!? Save 20% by using Promotion Code: CVGUIDE at checkout. Only $39.20 for a team of 2-5 people (regular price is $49).

Sign up online at www.UrbanAdventureQuest.com. 

Urban Adventure Quest was created right here in Ventura County in 2011 by three local residents inspired by "The Amazing Race" combined with their love for travel.  Since then, over 62,000 people have played! Other cities include, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas, New York, Washington DC, Portland, New Orleans and many more.

First 5 Ventura County Invests in the Future of Young Children

Because the first 5 years impact a lifetime, First 5 Ventura County is making sound investments in the future of children. Early brain research tells us that ages 0-5 are critical years for developing lifelong social, emotional and learning skills. By working with parents, school districts, community leaders, social service and healthcare agencies, First 5 Ventura County helps to design and fund a network of essential services for young children and their families.

Proposition 10, the California Children and Families Act, was approved by voters in 1998, giving rise to First 5. Through a 50 cent tax on tobacco, First 5 develops locally designed systems of support for children 0-5 and their families in 58 counties across the state.

By building an integrated network of early childhood development services, and 11 model Neighborhoods for Learning (NfL), First 5 Ventura County enhances the emotional, physical and intellectual foundation for every child during the years when a majority of all learning and behavior development takes place. First 5 works to help children enter school healthy, supported, prepared to learn and ready to greet their full potential.

Local NfL locations in Ventura County are in Thousand Oaks, Moorpark/Simi Valley, Oak Park, Oxnard (3), Ojai, Camarillo, Port Hueneme, Santa Paula and Ventura.

Programs provided by local area NfLs include family education and training, preschool programs, infants and pre-K programs, health services, enrichment programs, community events and more.

To learn more about First 5 Ventura County, visit www.first5ventura.org.

What are You Looking Forward to Doing at Conejo Valley Days? Readers Respond

The 59th Annual Conejo Valley Days is coming Thursday, May 7th though Sunday, May 10th, 2015. The event will feature a carnival, exciting rides for all ages, outhouse races, Kids' Korral stage, live musical entertainment, numerous vendors, exhibitors and community organizations and great food.

What are you looking forward to at this year's Conejo Valley Days? We recently asked CVG Facebook followers this question. Some of the responses are below.  It seems funnel cakes, Ferris wheel, food, family and fun are some of the most common responses.

• Spending a fun day with my 5 year old who enjoys getting on the same rides over and over and over again. While he does that I need to enjoy a funnel cake

• Spending the day with my son! We haven't been before!

• Looking forward to the food and trying to win a goldfish!

• Taking my boys for the first time!

• I look forward to hearing the music and rides playing at night after we get home from the fair.

• Spending some fun time with the family!

• Taking my daughter on the rides (she's finally old enough!) and of course... fair food!!

• Enjoying family time with my husband and 2 girls!

• Elephant Ears and Fried Zucchini

• Looking forward to taking my grandkids like I do every year! They love the kid friendly stuff to do!

• The ribs... I hope the Elks have their beef ribs!

• What I really look forward to this year is seeing all my family friends with our kids enjoying the great food and rides and have a big smile from cheek to cheek!

• Riding the rides!!

• Trying the chili and seeing friends

• All the super unhealthy but delicious food

• I can't wait to volunteer with the Special Kids Day event. To be a part of that makes my year!

• Seeing friends and eating junk.

• Seeing all the goodies under the tent. Eating lots of good food

• Taking my son in for the rides.

• Seeking out a funnel cake

• Eating food and seeing all of the families out enjoying the event.

• Smoked turkey legs

• Games, rides, food and a great time!!!!!!

• We look forward to watching people scream upside down

• Drooling over the food I can't have because I'm on Weight Watchers.

• We go almost every year. Always a lot of fun and good food.

• I look forward to some good ole community fun!!! Love it ALL!

• I look forward to riding the Ferris wheel again and for my younger son to participate in more rides!

• Funnel cakes and hopefully some awesome Fedora in the tent

• The Ferris wheel

• Yummy food and lively music

• Eating funnel cake and going on all the awesome rides with my daughter!????

• Chocolate covered strawberries and the goldfish game!!!!!

• Watching my kids laugh and smile.

• Going with 3 generations that have been going since the beginning…and funnel cakes.

• Taking my little man with me and watching his adorable face light up as he goes on kiddie rides and tries cotton candy for the first time!

• Looking forward to taking my 18 month old this year...our first year going as a family.

• Going on the ferris wheel with the boyfriend and his kids. Making more memories to come!

• Deep fried zucchini and winning a gold fish

• Enjoy the corn dogs!

• Every Year for 35 years! Family and Friends Getting Together!

• I have been going to CVD since I was in elementary school...in the 70's. I still love to go because the smells remind me of being a kid, and being there with my friends. Each year, I run into friends from my childhood, and I love that! I have to eat corn dogs and cotton candy, and spy on my teenage kids!

• Too many things to list but nostaligic foods like...Elks Lodge BBQ babyback ribs and roasted corn!

• Eating things that aren't meant to be fried.

• Looking forward to taking my daughter on the ferris wheel

• Spending time with my son on the same grounds I spent time with my family on

• I look forward to taking my boys to the same fair I used to go to at their age!

• Spending the day with my family and taking my little one on the rides.

• Riding the rides with my kid and all the food!! Yummmmmy funnel cake ??

• Eating chocolate covered strawberries as I watch my daughter perform on stage Mother's Day!!!

• Great event and hoping to share it with my family

• Annual funnel cake to be shared with my parents!

• Taking the kids and winning them prizes!!

• Funnel Cakes yum!

• I go with my daughter ever year - this year she is 7 and said she can't wait to try out a new ride!

• Looking forward to all the laughter and smiles from my son (and all the other kids enjoying the fair!)!

• Carnival rides for the kids and live music for me! And it never fails... Always end up running into old friends

• Cotton candy, the Zipper, and the look on my kids' faces when we pull up!

Learn more about Conejo Valley Days at www.conejovalleydays.us.

Beach Scene in McFarland, U.S.A. Filmed at Sycamore Cove Beach, Point Mugu State Park

McFarland U.S.A. is a great "feel good" movie about a coach who leads the cross country team from McFarland High School to win the inaugural California state championship in 1987. The film, starring Kevin Costner as coach Jim White, is based on a true story. The film premiered on February 20th. My kids and I saw the movie today in Thousand Oaks and we unanimously agreed it was outstanding.

McFarland is a small town in Kern County, 25 miles north of Bakersfield (and 145 miles north of the Conejo Valley). There is a scene in the film where Coach White surprises the kids by diverting them to a beach after a successful cross country meet. This was a special moment for the kids, because none of them had ever seen the ocean. The first several minutes of the following video shows some behind the scenes footage from that scene.

If the beach scene looks familiar, it should be. It was filmed at Sycamore Cove Beach at Point Mugu State Park. The Sycamore Cove PCH bridge crossing seen in the background made this quite clear. Sycamore Cove is only an eight mile walk, ride or hike from Newbury Park via Sycamore Canyon. According to this website, the actual beach visited by the team was near Morro Bay.

Sycamore Cove Beach looking west towards PCH and the bridge

The PCH bridge that connects Sycamore Cove Beach with Sycamore Canyon Campground

The Pacific Ocean, seen from Sycamore Cove Beach

Learn more about McFarland, U.S.A. at movies.disney.com/mcfarland-usa.

Cool Ventura County Residential Holiday Light Displays This 2014 Holiday Season

UPDATE: 2015 residential holiday light displays are compiled at THIS LINK.

We are in the home stretch of the winter holiday season 2014 and once again are fortunate to have a number of great residential light displays thanks to the amazing efforts of local Ventura County residents. This is just a sampling of what's out there...please let us know if you come across other noteworthy displays around town!

In Camarillo on Gemini Street and Waverly Avenue south of Dunnigan Street, dozens of homes are decorated once again with cartoon characters, Santas, snowmen and tens of thousands of lights and other decorations.

Do I detect Dora at this house on Gemini St in Camarillo!?

Every holiday season, one of Ventura County's biggest residential light displays lights up the historic section of Downtown Oxnard on F and G streets between 5th and Palm.

The holiday light display by the Higgins family at 1566 El Dorado Drive in Thousand Oaks is a 30 minute display synchronized with music and over 150,000 lights.

This image of the epic light show on El Dorado Drive display does not do it justice!

There's a breathtaking display of lights, decorations and falling snow at Every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Night, until Christmas from 5:30 to 9:00pm the lights at 4903 Pathfinder in Westlake Village that is highlighted in more detail at this link.

Take Walter Avenue off of Kimber Drive in Newbury Park and you'll be treated to what may be the tallest inflatable Rudolph in Ventura County! And homes have joined in on the fun.

The Winter Wonderland home at 469 Highland Road at Sinaloa in Simi Valley is a sight to behold!

Simi Sue reminded us of a neat display wooden animated Disney figures at the house at the corner of Timberlane and Fearing in Simi Valley.

There are some nice displays on Camino Dos Rios in Thousand Oaks and Silverwheel Place in Newbury Park. More details at this link.

A late edition! The outstanding animated holiday light display at 538 Brisbaine Avenue in Newbury Park is back! Lights synchronized with lively music simulcast on 100.5 FM. Really fun, sparkly display!

A fantastic music and lights display at 538 Brisbaine in Newbury Park

There's a synchronized music/light display at 3167 Gold Hill Circle (at Sundance Street) in Thousand Oaks, off of Lynn and Wildwood. Check out some footage at this link.

There's a particularly festively decorated residence on Shetland Place in North Ranch worth a look!

For other local holiday events and activities in and around Ventura County, click here!

The. Most. Awesome. Holiday. Light. Show. You. Will. Ever. See. In. Thousand. Oaks!

2016 Update: The Higgins family moved and thus no more display. Plenty of other awesome displays in and around Ventura County though at THIS LINK.

UPDATE FALL 2014: The display is back again this year, longer than ever!

Located at 1566 El Dorado Drive in Thousand Oaks. Take Janss Road east off the 23 Freeway, turn right on El Monte Drive (past the Thousand Oaks Library), then left on El Dorado. Be mindful of the neighbors!

The Higgins family of Thousand Oaks may have the most entertaining and fun residential holiday light show in the Conejo Valley.

Photo of the Higgins' holiday light show in 2012.According to Ed Higgins, this amazing display was constructed with over 150,000 lights, over 3 1/2 MILES of hard wire extension cords, 192 digital channels and over 1,000 feet of Cat 5 cable in the "Old Oaks" section of Thousand Oaks at 1566 El Dorado Drive.

Higgins admits "we're nuts" but they obviously have a passion and talent for this. And the neighbors are great about it they say. Ed and his wife Valerie are often out on Friday/Saturday nights with tables of cocoa and whipped cream, cookies, cider and cinammon twists!

Below is footage of the display in 2012. This short video does not do it justice. Go check it out!