Pumpkin Patches in Ventura County and Adjacent Areas

The star of the Halloween show is the pumpkin. According to my favorite resource Wikipedia, the name pumpkin originated from the ancient Greek word pepon ("large melon"). The French called it pompom. The British changed it to pumpion. Then American colonists changed it to pumpkin.

Pumpkins are gourd-like squashes and technically are a fruit. They can range in size from 1 lb to 1,000 lbs.

But who cares about all that...what we REALLY want to know is, where are the pumpkin patches in Ventura County and surrounding areas for the 2024 fall season!? Well, here are some choices...but make sure to call before you go for hours, etc.

OTHER HALLOWEEN EVENTS AND ACTIVITIES AROUND VENTURA COUNTY

Big Wave Dave's Pumpkin Patch will be operating one pumpkin patch this year at the Pacific View Mall in the Trader Joe's/Target parking lot from October 1st through October 31st, 2024. Free admission to the pumpkin patch, with kids’ activities, photo opps and more. Visit bigwavedaveschristmastrees.com/pumpkin-patch.html

Boccali Ranch Pumpkin Patch at 3277 E. Ojai Avenue in Ojai will be open 7 days a week from 10am to 7pm starting October 5 to October 31, 2024, They offer tiny to extra-large “Big Mac” pumpkins, squash, gourds, Indian corn and seasonal produce. More details at boccalis.com/pumpkinpatch.html.

Prancer's Pumpkin Patch Santa Paula is located at 18540 East Telegraph Road and their Fall Fest will take place September 28 to October 31, 2024. Pumpkin patch events on weekends from 9am to 6pm with the following themes:

• 9/28-9/29: Heroes of the Farm

• 10/5-10/6: The Wild West

• 10/12-10/13: Animals of the Farm

• 10/19-10/20: Fiesta at the Farm

• 10/26-10/27: Harvest Fest

Fall fest includes 10 acres of pumpkin patch, wagon hay ride, corn field maze, farm games, live entertainment and more. Movie nights on Saturdays: 10/5 - Hocus Pocus, 10/12 - Hocus Pocus 2, 10/19 - Coco, 10/26 - Haunted Mansion. Admission $20 to $26 on weekends, $13 on weekdays. Ages 2 and under free. Check for details at prancersfarm.com.

Stu Miller's Pumpkin Patch just east of the Simi Valley Town Center.

The 2024 Underwood Family Farms Fall Harvest Festival in Moorpark is back from September 28 to October 31 at 3370 Sunset Valley Road. Admission includes huge pumpkin patch, tractor-drawn wagon rides, corn maze, giant tractor display, hay pyramids, animal center, and many other family-friendly activities. Themed weekend events include animal shows, pig races, live performers, roaming entertainment and more. Weekday admission is $14 at the gate only. Weekend admission varies from $22 to $28 per person purchased online. Children 2 and under and parking are free. More details at www.underwoodfamilyfarms.com/fall-harvest.

The Underwood Farm Center in Somis at 5696 Los Angeles Avenue also has a pumpkin patch along with its year-round animal center. Open 9am to 6pm.

Mizel Family Foundation is hosting a “Pick Your Own” Pumpkin Patch in Hidden Valley on October 21 and 24 from 4-6pm. Learn more at THIS LINK.

The 2024 Calabasas Pumpkin Festival is planned for Sunday, October 20th from 10am to 5pm at De Anza Park. Event will feature pumpkin patch and plenty of other fun activities. $10 per person in advance online. $15 at the gate. Kids under 2 are free. www.calabasaspumpkinfestival.com

The Seasonal Adventures Pumpkin Patch will be back this year at 450 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd (at Hodencamp) in Thousand Oaks from October 1-31, 2024. Hours are 3-9pm Mon-Thu, 3-10pm Fri, 11am-10pm Sat and 11am-9pm Sun. Closes at 7pm on 10/31. Free admission. Rides and attractions priced separately. www.seasonaladventures.com/thousandoakspumpkins

The Simi Valley Seasonal Adventures Pumpkin Patch is also back this year at 1898 Simi Town Center Way from October 1-31, 2024. Hours are 3-9pm Mon-Thu, 3-10pm Fri, 11am-10pm Sat and 11am-9pm Sun. Closes at 7pm on 10/31. Free admission. Rides and attractions priced separately. www.seasonaladventures.com/simivalleypumpkins

McGrath Brothers Great Pacific Pumpkins is located at 5100 Olivas Park Drive in Ventura. Call 805.644.1235. They are open the entire month of October from 9am to 6pm. Admission is $2. Tractor ride is $2. Hay Maze is $2. Check their Instagram page at www.instagram.com/mcgrathgreatpacificpumpkins for updates.

Pumpkin Patch at Christ the King Lutheran Church, 3947 W. Kimber Drive, Newbury Park. October 21 through 31, 2024, Mon-Fri 2-7pm, Sat 10am-7pm, Sun noon-7pm and Oct 31 9am-4pm. They will also be hosting a free Pumpkin Fest event from 2-6pm on the 26th. ctknp.com/pumpkin-patch

Bennett's Best Pumpkin Patch has locations next to the Whizin Market Square at 28900 Roadside Drive and at the corner of Kanan and Agoura Roads. They are both now open.

Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is Open to the Public the First Sunday of Each Month

The Santa Paula Airport was dedicated in August 1930. Today it is a non-towered facility with nearly 300 aircraft, handling approximately 97,000 arrivals/departures a year. Much of the original 1930’s-era facilities still exist and are used today, giving the airport a very authentic representation of the Golden Age of Aviation.

Located at the Santa Paula Airport, the Aviation Museum of Santa Paula is open the first Sunday of each month, with an array of hangars open to the public from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Upcoming dates: December 1

Each of the privately owned hangars houses a variety of vintage aircraft and collections of various types, as well as other memorabilia, such as antique radios, model aircraft and race cars. Some hangars celebrate highlights of fascinating aviation careers, while others contain antique aircraft undergoing the process of restoration. Hangar owners or docents are available to answer questions. 

You've got to take the time to stop by. It is fun, low key and quite interesting. The hangars are directly adjacent to the airfield, so you are guaranteed to see aircraft taking off and landing up close.

Obviously an aviation aficionado in this hangar!

The participating hangars are fairly well spread out at the 51 acre airport but if you're not up for walking, there's a complimentary tram that will take you around. These are some very nice people who have obvious passion for what they do and enjoy sharing it with the general public. I struck up conversations with several hangar owners and they were full of great stories and information.

There is no charge for visiting the Aviation Museum, though donations are welcomed. Visit www.aviationmuseumofsantapaula.org or call 805.525.1109 for more information.

The Museum is not open on rainy days.

Directions: Arriving by car from the east, exit the Santa Paula Freeway (SR 126) at 10th street, turn right off the ramp, and then a quick left onto Harvard Boulevard. Turn left at the next signal at Eighth Street, under the freeway, left onto Santa Maria Street and park in the lot. Arriving from the west, exit the freeway at Palm Avenue, turn right and then a quick left onto Santa Maria Street, about a half mile to the end at the parking lot.

Lots to see, both inside and outside of the hangars.

Laugh it Up! Live Comedy in and Around Ventura County

Looking for laughs around Ventura County? Here are some great options to consider.

Levity Live Comedy Club at The Collection at RiverPark in Oxnard offers a weekly lineup of stand-up comedy. oxnard.levitylive.com

The Hillcrest Center for the Arts hosts “Stand-Up Comedy on the Hill” on designated Saturday nights, hosted by Jason Love. Visit www.hillcrestarts.com for upcoming shows.

The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills is known primarily for music also hosts top-notch comedians. Reserve a dinner table and get guaranteed seating! www.canyonclub.net

The Bank of America Performing Arts Center Thousand Oaks hosts all types of performances...musicals, concerts, lecture, ballet, dances, plays and comedy! bapacthousandoaks.com

Giggles Santa Paula - Live comedy shows with top talent at the Glen Tavern Inn in Santa Paula. www.giggleslive.com/santa-paula

Comedy Nights at the High Street Arts Center in Moorpark on designated Saturday nights posted at highstreetartscenter.com.

Jest Improv is a Ventura-based comedy school that offers shows at the Bunker Theater in Ventura, improv classes, workshops and more. www.jestimprov.com

Funny Girl Events - Local comedian Steph Clark hosts events at various local are venues. More info at www.funnygirlevents.com.

Free Range Comedy is a comedy improv troupe that performs periodic comedy shows throughout Ventura County. www.instagram.com/freerangecomedysocal

Humor No More

The Copa Comedy Club (formerly Ventura Harbor Comedy Club), at Ventura Harbor Village), closed its doors on December 19, 2023.

Over 40 Things to Do in Malibu

This "27 Miles of Scenic Beauty" sign was swapped out for "21 Miles of Scenic Beauty" sign in April 2017 in order to correct the actual length of City of Malibu coastline.

The new sign updated in 2017.

Malibu was incorporated as a separate city in Los Angeles County on March 28, 1991, with 84% of Malibu voters supporting incorporation in a 1990 election.

The Conejo Valley lies just 8 to 10 miles away from the Malibu beachfront, making Malibu a natural choice to beat the heat and enjoy to its south-facing beaches. Here's a compilation of over 40 things to do in and around Malibu.

Beaches (East to West)

• Las Tunas Beach

• Carbon Beach

• Malibu Surfrider Beach

• Malibu Lagoon State Beach

• Dan Blocker Beach

• Escondido Beach

• Paradise Cove Beach

• Point Dume State Beach

• Westward Beach

• Zuma Beach

• Lechuza Beach

• El Matador State Beach

• La Piedra State Beach

• El Pescador State Beach

• Nicholas Canyon County Beach

• Leo Carrillo State Beach

• County Line Beach

• Sycamore Cove Beach

• Thornhill Broome Beach

• Mugu Beach

Surfrider Beach from the Malibu Pier

Hiking and Camping

• Solstice Canyon

• Grotto Trail

• Arroyo Sequit (Woolsey Fire Closure)

• Charmlee Wilderness Park

• Escondido Canyon and Waterfalls

• Chumash Trail in Point Mugu State Park

• Ray Miller Trail in Point Mugu State Park

• Sandstone Peak

• Mishe Mokwa Trail

• Rocky Oaks Nature Reserve

• Big Sycamore Canyon Campground

• Thornhill Broome Campground

• Leo Carrillo State Park Campground

Adamson House

Other Places

• Malibu Pier

• Adamson House and Malibu Lagoon Museum

• Alumni Park at Pepperdine University

• Legacy Park

• Malibu Bluffs Park

• Serra Retreat

• Frederick R. Weisman Museum of Art at Pepperdine University

• Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University

• Malibu Country Mart

• Large Sand Dune at Thornhill Broome Beach

• Mugu Rock

Portrait of Ronald Reagan Made Out of 10,000 Jelly Beans at Reagan Library

Artist Peter Rocha passed away at age 65 in 2004 from Lou Gehrig's Disease but his work lives on at the Reagan Library in Simi Valley. Rocha was famous for creating portraits out of jelly beans, including this amazing portrait of Ronald Reagan made out of approximately 10,000 Jelly Belly jelly beans.

Ronald Reagan once said, "You can tell a lot about a fella's character by whether he picks out all of one color or just grabs a handful." explaining why he liked to have a jar of jelly beans on hand for important meetings. His love for jelly beans makes this quite a wonderful tribute to the down to earth Reagan.

Here's a close up of a portion of his face, including Reagan's right eye. Looking at this up close one might think, hey, I could do this! But the positioning and coloring required to get those jelly beans to look so much like Ronald Reagan was a skill unique to Mr. Rocha!

17th Annual Waves of Flags Display at Pepperdine University September 7-27, 2024

For the 17th consecutive year, Pepperdine University will commemorate the lives lost in the terror attacks on September 11, 2001, with the Waves of Flags display at Alumni Park on the Malibu campus.

Waves of Flags commemorates the 2,977 lives lost in the September 11 terror attacks and features a vast display of American flags for each American life lost as well as international flags representing the home countries of those from abroad. Made possible through the support of donors and volunteers, the installation will be on display at the corner of Pacific Coast Highway and Malibu Canyon Road from Saturday, September 7 to Friday, September 27, 2024.

In addition to the Waves of Flags installation, Pepperdine is the permanent home of the Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., Heroes Garden, a place to honor all those who live heroic lives, including Pepperdine alumnus Thomas E. Burnett, Jr. (MBA ’95), a passenger on United Flight 93, whose life was cut short in the September 11 attacks. The garden's plaque reads: “Dedicated to freedom's heroes of September 11, 2001, and the passengers of United Airlines Flight 93, among them Pepperdine alumnus Thomas E. Burnett, Jr., who sacrificed their lives to overcome terrorists’ intent on destroying American lives and landmarks in our nation's capital. We shall never forget.” Heroes Garden is currently closed to the public, along with the rest of the Pepperdine campus.

www.pepperdine.edu/waves-of-flags

Tell Me a Little Bit About Newbury Park

Newbury Park is a community located in the western portion of Thousand Oaks. Most of Newbury Park became part of Thousand Oaks by community vote sometime in the 1960s and 1970s. Thousand Oaks became a city in October 1964.

A view of Newbury Park from Boney Peak in October 2021. (Feet Model: Conejo Joe)

Egbert Starr Newbury (Photo Courtesy Conejo Valley Historical Society)

Newbury Park is named after Egbert Starr Newbury, who owned thousands of acres of land in the Conejo Valley after moving to California from Michigan for health reasons in 1871.  Newbury was one of the three largest Conejo Valley landowners of his time. He and his wife Fannie became the first postmasters in the Conejo Valley in 1875.  The post office was located in a small compound near their house, which was located at the current location of the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza. 

The other major landowners at that time were John Edwards, who owned much of the current Newbury Park/Thousand Oaks area north of the 101, and Howard Mills, who owned much of what today is Westlake Village and Hidden Valley.

Edwards sold 10,000 acres of what is now central Thousand Oaks to Edwin and Harold Janss in 1893.  The Janss Corporation also bought thousands of acres of land in Newbury Park (Friedrich, Running Springs and Borchard Ranches) in 1962. 

There were efforts to incorporate Newbury Park in 1961 and 1963 that failed due to a lack of sufficient votes.

Over a 30 month period beginning in the Fall of 1876, only 6 inches of rain fell in the Conejo Valley.  This drought brought devastation to landowners, most of whom lost their crops and livestock and had to sell at a loss or went bankrupt.  The Newburys were no exception; they moved back to the midwest in 1877.  Egbert fell ill to pneumonia in 1880 and passed away at the young age of 36.

The Newburys lived here only six years, so why is it still called Newbury Park? Because the name of the Newburys' post office never changed! The Newbury Park Post Office has changed locations a number of times (including 1602 Newbury Road from May 1968 until it moved to its current location at 3401 Grande Vista Drive in 2013). So the Newbury name and legacy live on here in the Conejo Valley.

Horse tied to a sign indicating the Newbury Park Post Office, in 1909. The location was near modern-day Lynn Ranch. (Courtesy of the Thousand Oaks Library Local History Photo Collection).

Sources: "The Conejo Valley - Old and New Frontiers" by Carol A. Bidwell and "The Newburys of Newbury Park" by Miriam Sprankling

But wait...there's more to Newbury Park! Casa Conejo is also part of the Newbury Park community but is not an incorporated part of Thousand Oaks. It is considered a census-designated place in Ventura County, with its own Municipal Advisory Council. Casa Conejo is the first planned community in Newbury Park and was built in the early 1960s. It is has an area of .5 square mile and is bound by Borchard to the South, Old Conejo Road to the North, Jenny Drive (East of Newbury Park High School) to the West and Sequoia Middle School to the East.

TELL ME ABOUT THE HISTORY OF THE STREET NAMES IN THE CASA CONEJO NEIGHBORHOOD

Interested in historical pictures of the area going back to the 1950s?  Click here to read about the work of prolific Conejo Valley photographer, Ed Lawrence. 

Click here for a history of Thousand Oaks. Thousand Oaks is over 56 square miles and Newbury Park represents about 40% of that square footage. Thousand Oaks was incorporated as a city on October 7, 1964.

Three dozen or so things to do in Newbury Park

Another three dozen or so kids' activities in Newbury Park

Yet another three dozen or so sports and fitness activities in Newbury Park