1. Hike, Bike, and Explore Nature’s Best at Wildwood Regional Park
Wildwood Regional Park is a charming suburban regional park in Thousand Oaks offering more than 1,765 acres of public space for outdoor recreation, along with an adjacent 1,400 acres of open space.
The park, which is overseen by the Conejo Open Space Conservation Agency, was originally created in 1967 and merged with the nearby Wildwood Mesa Park in 1987. Today, it is home to more than 27 miles of visitor-use hiking trails, including the Mesa, Santa Rosa, Wildwood Canyon, and Moonridge Trails.
Landmarks within the park include the spectacular 40-foot Paradise Falls and connector trail, the Arroyo Conejo Creek, and a Nature Center and Indian Cave.
Popular park activities include hiking, biking, horseback riding, camping, and wildlife watching, with ranger-led interpretive programming and educational tours offered throughout the year.
928 W Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, Phone: 805-495-2163
2. Travel the World in Bloom at The Gardens of the World
The Gardens of the World are a stunning botanical garden in Thousand Oaks, originally opened to the public across from the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza in December of 2001. The 4.5-acre botanical garden facility is home to a wide variety of demonstration gardens, including a French-style garden with a large cascading waterfall showcasing a replica of a fountain originally constructed in Versailles, France. Other gardens include an English-style rose garden, a Japanese garden with a pagoda and koi pond, and an Italian-style grapevine garden. Visitors can hike along a concrete loop trail which connects all of the facility's gardens and view a statue of Father Junipero Serra, included as part of the state's missions trail.
2001 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, Phone: 805-557-1135
What to do if you are traveling with kids:
3. Read, Discover, and Learn at the Grant R. Brimhall Library
The Grant R. Brimhall Library is Thousand Oaks' primary library branch, overseen by the Thousand Oaks Library System, which also operates the nearby Newbury Park Branch Library. The 81,000-square-foot library is Ventura County's largest public library and one of the largest libraries in Southern California, servicing the communities of Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, and Newbury Park. More than 350,000 items are circulated at the library, which opened to the public in 1982 and was remodeled with an additional 22,000 square feet in 2006. Major features include a 3,600-gallon saltwater aquarium located between the library's adult and children's areas, donated to the library by the Friends of the Thousand Oaks Library nonprofit organization and showcasing native and exotic fish species from around the world.
1401 E Janss Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, Phone: 805-449-2660
4. Stroll Through Local Flora at Conejo Valley Botanical Garden
Conejo Valley Botanical Garden is a charming 33-acre botanical garden located adjacent to the Conejo Valley Community Garden near Tarantula Hill, the highest point in the city of Thousand Oaks. The garden, which was originally developed in 1976 and is overseen by the Gregor Mendel Foundation, is home to a beautiful vista overlook and 15 landscaped hillside gardens, serving as a teaching laboratory to discover plant sustainability within the Conejo Valley. Special gardens within the free-admission garden facility include a native plant garden and meadow, a butterfly garden, a Mediterranean garden, a bird habitat, and a rare fruit orchard, along with salvia collections, an oak tree grove, and a children's adventure garden. A Trail of Trees showcases more than 50 tree species, while a one-mile nature trail traverse along a creek bed into an oak-filled canyon.
400 W Gainsborough Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, Phone: 805-494-7630
5. Step Into Native History at the Chumash Indian Museum
Chumash Indian Museum is an indigenous interpretive center in Thousand Oaks located on the site of the former Sap'wi village, populated by Chumash people prior to the arrival of Europeans in the Americas. The museum is located within the 432-acre Oakbrook Regional Park and is dedicated to preserving the history and culture of the Chumash people, originally opened to the public in 1994. Exhibits within the 5,400-square-foot indoor museum portion showcase Chumash cultural artifacts, including acorn-grinding tools, woven bowls, and a reconstructed tomol canoe. Outside, a reconstructed Chumash village showcases replica 'ap houses and a malamtepupi playing field, while a 25-acre nature preserve offers miles of hiking trails and four ethnobotany gardens. Nearby, archaic pictographs are showcased within two rock shelters, which may be viewed as part of guided tours.
3290 Lang Ranch Pkwy, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, Phone: 805-492-8076
Activities and Attractions for Couples:
6. Catch Big Talent on a Local Stage at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza is the city's premiere performing arts center, located within its City Hall building across from the Gardens of the World botanical garden center. The building, which was constructed in 1994 by AIA Gold Medal-winning architect Antoine Predock, combines modern and postmodern design elements and houses the 1,800-seat Fred Kavli Theatre, which has hosted internationally-renowned performers such as Willie Nelson, the Beach Boys, Colbie Caillat, and Liza Minnelli. Performances range from touring Broadway musicals to international folk dance companies, with performances offered throughout the season by resident orchestra The New West Symphony. Fine arts exhibits are also showcased at the Fred Kavli Theatre Gallery, located in the center's lobby.
2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, Phone: 805-449-2700
7. Experience Intimate Performances at Conejo Players Theatre
Conejo Players Theatre is one of Southern California's oldest theatrical playhouses, originally established in 1958. The theater was originally housed within a former converted barn space, moving to its current purpose-built location in 1963. Today, the 185-seat theater showcases a full season of musicals and theatrical performances throughout the year, along with improv comedy performances, holiday spectaculars, and a children's theater program hosted each year, taught by experienced theatrical professionals. Past productions have highlighted notable celebrities such as Marilyn O'Connor, Kurt Russell, Amanda Bynes, and Corey Fogelmanis. The theater is also available for private special event rental throughout the year.
351 S Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91361, Phone: 805-495-3715
8. Tee Off Among Oaks and Rolling Greens at Los Robles Greens Golf Course
Los Robles Greens Golf Course is a beautiful par-70 championship golf course in Thousand Oaks, offering all the services of an exclusive country club golf course in a public facility open to visitors of all skill levels seven days a week. The spectacular golf course offers 6,304 yards of exciting fairways, with a full 32-station driving range, chipping area, and practice green also available for visitor use. Men's and women's locker rooms are offered at the facility's expansive clubhouse, which is also home to a world-class golf pro shop. The delicious Oaks Bar and Grille serves up breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days a week, highlighting American favorites on its menu and offering a full-service bar pouring draft beers, fine wines, and signature cocktails.
1006, 299 S Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91361, Phone: 805-495-6421
9. Celebrate Creativity and Local Legacy at Conejo Valley Art Museum
Conejo Valley Art Museum is Thousand Oaks' premiere fine art museum, originally established in 1978 by a group of artists and art teachers within the Conejo Valley. The museum, which moved into its current space in the Janss Mall in 1990, is in the process of raising funds for a permanent home as part of an endowment fund. Fine and modern art exhibits are showcased at the museum throughout the year, often highlighting artwork traveling as part of prestigious national tours. Six to seven art exhibitions are presented each year, highlighting renowned artists such as Elizabeth Williams, David Rose, and Howard Brodie. Premiere annual events include the Thousand Oaks ArtWalk, which draws up to 14,000 spectators each year and features a variety of outdoor art exhibits and live music performances.
197 N Moorpark Rd, Thousand Oaks, CA 91360, Phone: 805-492-8778
10. If You’re Looking for Scenic Charm, Raise a Glass at Alma Sol Winery
Alma Sol Winery is a family-operated boutique winery in Thousand Oaks, originally established in 2011. The winery, which strives to craft world-class Bordeaux single varietals and special blends, hand-picks all of its grapes from small lots and emphasizes principles of artisanal winemaking in all of its operations. Wines produced by the company include splendid cabernet sauvignon variants, along with classics such as Chardonnays and tempranillos. Visitors can sample all of the company's boutique wine variants at the Sunland Vintage Winery Tasting Room.
1321 Thousand Oaks Blvd #108, Thousand Oaks, CA 91362, Phone: 818-231-2749
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