Camarillo Academy of Performing Arts

The Camarillo Academy of Performing Arts (located at 2520-A Los Posas Road) has brought the performing arts to students since 1999. The Academy features a state-of-the-art facility featuring over 10,000 square feet of learning space and a professional faculty with vast teaching and performing experience. Ages three through adult. Classes offered in ballet, tap, pointe, acrobatics/tumbling, lyrical/contemporary, aerial, modern, hop hop and voice. All boys dances classes too!

For more information, visit www.camarilloacademy.com or call 805.383.6446.

Over 4 Dozen Community Parks in the Conejo Valley

The Conejo Recreation and Park District maintains over 4 dozen parks in the Conejo Valley. These parks contain over 20 tennis courts, close to 30 basketball courts, dozens of softball/soccer fields, nearly 150 swing sets, around 100 slides, dozens and dozens of play structures and jungle gym equipment and countless other fun things for the kids.

Most parks are open to the public from 7am to 10am, with the exception of Conejo Community Park and Lynn Oaks Park (7am-6pm Oct-Mar, 7am-8pm Apr-Sep), Conejo Creek North Park (7am-6pm Nov-Feb, 7am-7pm Mar & Oct, 7am-8pm Apr-Sep) and Conejo Creek Dog Park (7am-8:30pm).

CRPD maintains a list of parks it maintains at crpd.org/parkfac/parks/default.asp. Some additional observations below.

Pepper Tree Playfields has multiple playing fields for soccer, baseball, etc. and is a popular spot for local team sports.  The park is equipped with a decent sized play area and smaller kids' play area that was updated in 2008. There's also a .8 mile fitness trail course that runs around the perimeter of the park.

Conejo Creek Park - North in Thousand Oaks behind the Thousand Oaks Library is easily my kids' favorite park.  It is large, has nicely appointed play areas, plenty of restrooms and parking and two large duck ponds with a 720 foot creek joining them. The playground also has a NEOS, an interactive, electronic game with flashing lights, music and sound effects.

If you are a duck fan, Conejo Creek Park - North will not disappoint you.

Borchard Community Park in Newbury Park (Reino Road and Borchard Road) is another large park with multiple playing fields, restrooms, separate play areas for older and younger kids that are quite interesting and newly updated with a farm motif in Fall 2014, tennis courts and a community center where hundreds of CRPD classes are held each year.

Dos Vientos Community Park in Newbury Park (4801 Borchard Road) is also a large park that has multiple restrooms, numerous playing fields, separate play areas for large and small kids, a large, covered picnic table and BBQ area, lots of parking and is another active community hub with hundreds of CRPD classes taking place each year.

Thousand Oaks Community Park (2525 N. Moorpark Road) is a large park that holds numerous annual CRPD events (such as the extremely popular "Touch-a-Truck" event Father's Day weekend, Halloween events, etc.) and hundreds of CRPD community classes.  Nice playground there too, including the popular "Ant Hill."

Conejo Creek South Playfields at 1300 E. Janss Road in Thousand Oaks is primarily used for team/league sports, both day and night.  However, other events often take place there, such as Conejo Valley Days, Circus Vargas and various CRPD community events like an annual Easter egg hunt. Although there are no playground areas here, the Conejo Creek Bike Path runs through this park to the Thousand Oaks Library, making it a perfect place to take your young ones who are learning how to ride a bike!

The playhouse at the Kids' Adventure Garden at Conejo Community Park.

Conejo Community Park at Dover and Hendrix in Thousand Oaks is a nicely sized park that is well known for the extremely popular CRPD free summer concert series.  In November 2008, a new play area was completed between the community center and the Botanic Garden that includes a rock and rope climbing area along with a separate play area for the younger set.  There's also a creek that runs through the park and the Kids' Adventure Garden adjacent to the park open on Sundays only is a great activity for your younger set.

Rancho Conejo Playfields on North Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park has a large expanse of grass for soccer games and a baseball diamond.  There is a fun kids area there.  A fun place for the kids to run around.  Not a lot of fully grown trees at this park. Plenty of parking.

Old Meadows Park at 1600 Marview Drive in Thousand Oaks is hidden away off of Erbes Road in Thousand Oaks and is where the CRPD Therapeutic Recreation Unit is located.  Kind of a quiet, low key, fairly undeveloped park that is geared towards the local neighborhood and younger children. The park features the Rotary Dreamcatcher Playground geared towards children with special needs with a sensory interactive play area stimulating senses and abilities. But all kids are welcome!

Banyan Park at 3571 Erinlea Ave in Newbury Park is a small neighborhood park with restrooms, small covered picnic area and a small kids playground area.

Lang Ranch Community Park at 3287 Lang Ranch Parkway, Thousand Oaks has a large open space for baseball, soccer, etc., a nice playground, a basketball court, etc.  Right across the street from the Chumash Indian Museum and Oakbrook Regional Park.  Plenty of parking on the street and restrooms are available.

Stagecoach Inn Park at 51 S. Ventu Park Road in Newbury Park is a relatively small park with no restrooms and a small kids play area. There is one basketball court.  It is adjacent to the Stagecoach Inn Museum and parking is fairly limited.

Wildflower Playfield at Avenida de los Arboles at Canna Street, west of Lynn Road in Thousand Oakshas 19 acres, tons of grassy area for soccer and baseball, a nice playground area, 4 tennis courts, a basketball court, restrooms and more.

The 26 acre Del Prado Playfield in the Dos Vientos section of Newbury Park opened in January 2013, with a cool new playground, tennis and pickleball courts, restrooms, plenty of parking, playfields and nearby hiking.

The expansive Sapwi Trails Community Park opened in the fall of 2018. This 145 acre park is located in the open space between Erbes Road (at Scenicpark Street) on the west and Westlake Boulevard east, with Avenida de los Arboles on the north. The park has numerous features, including a disc golf course, trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding, playground, beginners’ bike park, terraced areas with picnic benches and more.

And there's more...click here for a compilation of parks throughout Ventura County.

Playground Next to the Ventura Pier

Click the image for more information about this playground area adjacent to the Ventura Pier.

Interpretative Playground at Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center

There is quite a neat little interpretative play area at the City of Agoura Hills Recreation and Event Center at 29900 Ladyface Court. It has a Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area theme, including a slide, climbing wall, track ride and more. There's a gigantic Rattlesnake Seating Wall, Mountain Lion Climber, Bobcat Climber and Hawk Track Ride. More on the Recreation Center at

Dos Vientos Neighborhood Park in Newbury Park

Dos Vientos Neighborhood Park is a 5 acre park located at the corner of Lynn Road and Via Andrea in Newbury Park. This is a a low-key neighborhood park with some, but not a lot, of parking available along Via Andrea.  It has a large grassy area, sand volleyball court, playground area, basketball court, four picnic tables and BBQ grills and a small restroom.  More information at the Conejo Recreation and Park District website at www.crpd.org/parkfac/parks/dosvientosneighborhood.asp.

Rotary Dreamcatcher Playground at Old Meadows Park in Thousand Oaks

Old Meadows Park at 1600 Marview Drive, Thousand Oaks houses the Therapeutic Recreation Unit of the Conejo Recreation and Park District, which provides recreation programs for Conejo Valley residents with disabilities.

The park includes a one-of-a-kind "SensAbility Playground," an interactive play area stimulating senses and abilities. The playground contains mat surfacing, rolling turf hills, large shaded areas, tree log swings, seagull swings, harmony chimes, hammocks, pod seats, picnic tables and many other cool features.

The area also features a butterfly garden, physical development apparatus with features that encourage climbing, crawling, jumping and so on, sensory processing and calming features and features that encourage socialization.

There are active and passive play areas allowing children to engage in stimulating activities, and areas to which they can retreat and calm themselves after anxiety-producing experiences while remaining close by to other children, parents or caregivers.

The playground features many unique play pieces including "Playville" miniature village, elevated sand table, "Sand Works", one back hoe digger, Tenor Marimba (a xylophone-like musical piece), Talking Bob, talking horns, a sign language panel and several sensory panels. 

Rancho Tapo Community Park in Simi Valley

Located at 3700 Avenida Simi in Simi Valley, Rancho Tapo Community Park al is hidden away north of the 118 freeway between Sequoia Avenue and Tapo Canyon Road. The park has something for everyone, including several play areas, splash pad, covered area for gatherings, nicely appointed fitness circuit area, playfields, basketball and a peaceful Veterans' Plaza with pond in memory those who have served. Best of all, this is a very flat park with a nice, 1/2 mile walking path that the kids enjoy riding their scooters on. We like this park! Visit www.rsrpd.org/simi_valley/parks/rancho_tapo_community_park_%28lemon%29.php for more information.

Veterans' Memorial

Splash pad

The Ant Hill at Thousand Oaks Community Park

The Ant Hill at Thousand Oaks Community Park is a small hill made with artificial grass covering that provides a fun play slide area for kids. Bring some cardboard! It is located adjacent to a nice playground area and the tennis courts. The park is at 2525 N. Moorpark Road. 

Santa Susana Park in Simi Valley

Santa Susana Park is a quiet park adjacent to the Santa Susana Railroad Depot in Simi Valley. There is a large play area, grassy picnic areas as well as a covered picnic area, restrooms and more. But of particular interest to my kid are the large sandstone rock formations they climbed into and onto. The park is located at 6503 Katherine Road, off of Kuehner. More information at www.rsrpd.org/simi_valley/parks/santa_susana_park.php.

Sumac Park in Agoura Hills

Sumac Park is located at 6000 Calmfield Avenue in Agoura Hills. It is a small neighborhood park that was upgraded with a new play structure in 2010. There is a handful of parking spots and plenty of street parking, restrooms (these are pretty old style but functional) and a nice, flat grassy area. More information at www.agourahillscity.org/department/community-services-parks-recreation/parks-facilities/parks.