Koi Ponds In and Around Ventura County and Surrounding Areas

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On a recent visit to The Commons at Calabasas we were treated to a beautiful pond full of koi and turtles cohabitating. Koi comes from the Japanese word nishikigoi, which means "brocaded carp." Koi is basically domesticated, ornamental carp. In Japanese, the word koi sounds like another word that mean affection or love.

Where to find koi in Ventura County and surrounding areas? Here's what we know:

There is a koi pond at The Promenade at Westlake, next to Marmalade Cafe.

Friendly looking koi looking for handouts at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks.

Friendly looking koi looking for handouts at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks.

The bottom level pond at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks has lots of koi, frolicking around with the ducks, even during the winter when the Holiday Ice Rink is in use.

Green Thumb Nursery on Victoria Avenue in Ventura has a small koi pond container in the back that is fun to observe with the kids.

The pristine Gardens of the World on Thousand Oaks Boulevard has a Japanese Garden that contains a beautiful koi pond.

Koi pond at The Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks

Koi pond at The Gardens of the World in Thousand Oaks

The Santa Barbara Zoo has a large koi pond area with some very healthy looking koi, swimming among the lily pads.

Last I checked there were a lot of koi amongst the hundreds of ducks at Conejo Creek Park in Thousand Oaks.

The Simi Valley Town Center has a koi pond on the west side of the mall where you can get up close and personal with them.

Koi pond at west end near Studio Movie Grill.

Koi pond at west end near Studio Movie Grill.

As noted at the beginning of the article The Commons at Calabasas has quite a lovely koi and turtle pond.

The turtles are quite prominent at The Commons at Calabasas. Don't touch them!

The turtles are quite prominent at The Commons at Calabasas. Don't touch them!

When in Santa Barbara, be sure to stop by Alice Keck Park Memorial Gardens, a beautiful botanic garden with over 75 tree and plant species, a large koi pond also home to ducks and turtles, picnic areas and more. Quite a serene place.

Only 25 miles from the Conejo Valley is the Lake Shrine Meditation Gardens in Pacific Palisades. This 10 acre spiritual sanctuary hosts a spring-fed lake lined with gardens and home to koi, ducks and beautiful swans.

The Hunt Olive Tree in Thousand Oaks is a Living Link to Conejo Valley History

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Richard Orville Hunt and his wife Mary Jane purchased a large parcel of land in the Conejo Valley in 1876 in what is now Lynn Ranch. He called it Salto Ranch. Hunt also served as postmaster of the Newbury Park Post Office for 18 years and was well known in the local community. While his former land now is populated with family homes, one part of Hunt's ranch lives on.

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For those of you who drive past the Sprouts Market at 600 West Hillcrest, perhaps you have noticed the historic landmark marker situated in front of the last remaining olive tree from Hunt's orchard. The Hunt Olive Tree was designated a Ventura County Historic Landmark in 1981, when the tree was over 100 years old. That would make this olive tree over 130 years old today.

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For nostalgia buffs, to the right is a view of the Hunt Olive Tree marker back in the day that Circuit City was located here. It closed in late 2008. This tree was moved to its current home in 1993. I'm not sure why...perhaps to say hello to the thousands of residents who pass by each day. What a fine specimen this link to the past is. The Hunt Olive Tree is also Historical Landmark #4 in the City of Thousand Oaks.

So be sure to say hello to this tree that sits next to the Sprouts Farmers Market sign at Hillcrest and Lynn and do be nice to him (or her). She's older and wiser than all of us combined, having seen and lived through the growth of our local community.

Visit the City of Thousand Oaks website at www.toaks.org/departments/city-manager-s-office/public-information-office/history for more information on local historical landmarks and points of interest around town.

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!

Easter Egg Hunts and Other Fun Easter Activities Around Ventura County

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Here at Conejo Valley Guide we have a special place in our heart for Easter fun! The bunnies of the Conejo Valley and surrounding Ventura County areas are planning ahead to make this Easter memorable.

We have the Germans to thank for the Easter Bunny concept, which came about in the 1500s. Hares and bunnies are signs of fertility and eggs signify rebirth. The Germans brought Easter traditions to America and it wasn't until after the Civil War that Easter became widely celebrated.

Easter Sunday 2024 is March 31st! Easter Sunday is the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern hemisphere's vernal equinox. As a result, Easter Sunday ranges from March 22nd to April 25th

Upcoming Easter season events and activities in and around Ventura County (list will be updated regularly; dates/time subject to change, so check with event organizers to be sure):

Fri March 29: Inclusive Egg Scramble in Simi Valley (4-5:30pm; must pre-register)

Sat, March 30: Easter Eggstravaganza Event in Camarillo (10am-1pm) EVENT IS BEING MOVED INDOORS DUE TO RAIN IN FORECAST

Sat, March 30: City of Moorpark Easter Egg Hunt (10am-1pm; Purchase wristbands in advance beginning March 1st) CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Sat, March 30: Egg Scramble Event at Rancho Santa Susana Park in Simi Valley (9-10am) CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Sat, March 30: Easter Scavenger Hunt at the Simi Valley Town Center (11am-5pm) EVENT IS ON, RAIN OR NOT

Sat, March 30: Egg Scramble Event Mae Boyar Park in Oak Park (9:30-11:30am) CANCELLED DUE TO RAIN

Sat, March 30: Spring Conejo & Easter Hunt at Stagecoach Inn Museum (1-4pm) EVENT IS A GO, RAIN OR NO RAIN

Sat/Sun, March 30-31: Cottontail Bunny at Ventura Harbor Village www.venturaharborvillage.com/event/easter-weekend-2024 POSTPONED

Sun, March 31 Easter Egg Hunt and Free Breakfast at Christ the King Church NP 9:30-10:15am

Sun, March 31: Easter Egg Hunt at Thousand Oaks Elks Lodge (Noon-2pm; egg hunt at 1pm) EVENT TO TAKE PLACE - MAY BE MOVED INSIDE DUE TO RAIN

Sun, March 31: Easter Sunrise Service at Pierce Brothers Valley Oaks (6am)

Mar 16 to Apr 7; Springtime Easter Festival at Underwood Family Farms

March 1-30: Photos with the Bunny at The Oaks Mall www.shoptheoaksmall.com/bunnyphotos

March 1-30: Photos with the Bunny at the Pacific View Mall in Ventura

March 15-30: Photos with the Bunny at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard thecollectionrp.com/portfolio/photos-with-the-bunny-2024

March 1-30: Spring Scavenger Hunt at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard

PAST EVENTS

Sat, March 16: Easter Bunny at the Simi Valley Town Center (11am to 5pm)

March 16-17, 22-24 Annual Spring Spectacular at America's Teaching Zoo in Moorpark

Fri, March 22: Flashlight Egg Hunt at 9 Locations in Thousand Oaks (6:30-8:30)

Sat, March 23: Meet Officer Bunny and Chase from Simi Patrol (9am-11am)

Sat, March 23: Springtime at the Adobe at Leonis Adobe Calabasas (1-4pm)

Sat, March 23: The Bunny Trail Junior Egg Hunt in Calabasas (SOLD OUT)

Sat, March 23: Breakfast with the Bunny and Egg Hunts at the Reyes Adobe in Agoura (SOLD OUT)

Sat, March 23: The Hunt Holiday Egg Hunt in Ventura (10am-5pm: RSVP required)

March 23-29: PVRPD Hosts “The Big Egg Hunt” at local parks in Camarillo

March 25-29: Easter Bunny at Strathearn Historical Park in Simi Valley (10am-noon)

Wed, March 27: Shine Homeschool Easter Egg Hunt in Thousand Oaks (Noon; RSVP)

Roller Skating, Roller Blading, Ice Skating and Skateboarding Around Ventura County

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Looking for some wheel fun around the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County? Look no further than this list of nearby skating, blading and boarding venues in and around the area.

ICE SKATING

LA Kings Iceoplex Ice Arena in Simi Valley

Hockey Alley Ice Skating Training Facility in Newbury Park

ROLLER SKATING, ROLLER HOCKEY

Skating Plus Indoor Roller Rink in Ventura

Tri-Valley Roller Hockey League in Calabasas

CLOSED

Channel Islands Ice Center in Oxnard (closed its doors in April 2016 but is looking to raise funds for a new home)

Skatelab Skate Park in Simi Valley closed its doors 1/6/19 after 21 years in operation, but its founder indicated a new location is coming.

The Holiday Ice Rink at The Lakes at Thousand Oaks operated annually from mid-November to January until the 2019-2020 holiday season.

The Conejo Valley Ice Skating Rink opened in 1977 at 510 North Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park (which today is the address of Hampton Inn & Suites). The facility closed its doors in 1994, after 17 years in business.

Batting Cages and Paintball in Ventura County

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For you baseball/softball players, here is a summary of local batting cage options, with links to additional contact information:

Paintball? No particular correlation to batting cages, but here it is:

Ambush Paintball and Airsoft Park in Moorpark

Bowling Alleys in Ventura County and Nearby Areas

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Archaeologists found ancient bowling balls and bowling pins in an Egyptian gravesite in the 1930s that date back to 3200 B.C., thus making bowling the world's oldest documented sport.  The first indoor bowling alley was Knickerbockers of New York City in 1840.

Bowling’s peak in popularity was in the 1960s, when there were over 12,000 bowling establishments in the United States. In 2022, there were approximately 3,500 bowling alleys in the U.S. But bowling seems to be growing in popularity, with companies like Bowlero expanding the market.

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Here’s a compilation of local bowling alleys in Ventura County and adjacent areas.

Bowling in the Conejo Valley!? The four-lane Sunset Lanes opened in mid-January 2024 at the Sunset Terrace Restaurant & Lounge in Thousand Oaks. Prior to this, the last time we had bowling in Thousand Oaks was 1995, when the 40 lane Conejo Village Bowl closed. It was located where Borders was until January 2010 and various county medical services now reside. Conejo Village Bowl opened in July 1960, as did the short-lived Acorn Bowl, which was located at 3089 Ventura Boulevard (subsequently renamed Thousand Oaks Boulevard).

Acorn Bowl Thousand Oaks in the early 1960s (Photo Credit: City of Thousand Oaks Library, Pat Allen Slide Collection - Thousand Oaks Boulevard Survey)

Acorn Bowl Thousand Oaks in the early 1960s (Photo Credit: City of Thousand Oaks Library, Pat Allen Slide Collection - Thousand Oaks Boulevard Survey)

Bowled Over:

Kids Bowl Free at local area bowling alleys

Many years ago existed the Ojai Bowling Lanes at 345 East Ojai Avenue in Ojai. This was a four lane establishment that operated in the 1940s-1950s. The Topa Topa Brewing Co. now operates at that address.