Stagecoach Inn Museum is a charming museum and venue filled with rich history. This is such a cute…read morevenue for weddings, fundraisers, and entertainment. I had no idea until recently that stagecoach inn museum offered their lawn and space to accommodate events. Sweet location, but parking can be tight if you do consider having an event here. There's a park with public parking next door, but once that lot is filled, good luck finding parking within convenient walking distance. Highly recommend checking out the museum doing business hours.

One of my professions is that of a Medieval English Historian having worked in contract with the…read moreHistoric Royal Palaces foundation in England. Even though my expertise is in Medieval, Renaissance and Restoration Europe; I am passionate about much of history. Basically, I am saying I am a history buff both academically/professionally and leisurely. California is rich in history from the indigenous people of Mexico to Missionaries to the Gold Rush to motion pictures to everything in between. One piece of this history sits locally in the Los Angeles/Southern California area where proprietors from all parts of the country made the trek to the 'Wild Wild West' frontier. You can re-live this history in the Stagecoach Inn Museum in Newbury Park. Let's give a quick history lesson... In the late 1800s, before Newbury Park was even called Newbury Park, the Grand Union Hotel was built as a stopping point for travelers from Santa Barbara and beyond to Los Angeles south. This area was purchased by the Newbury family (you get it now?)  who named it after themselves and the wooded area. The Newbury family initially tried to strike it rich with using the land for crops but after years of crop failure due to little rain; they had to find another way to survive and opened the first post office in the area (which was initially a tent!). The Grand Union Hotel was moved to make way for the burgeoning 101 freeway and ended by burning down by fire (no one knows the exact cause of the fire).  To celebrate this Conejo Valley history, Newbury Park constructed a replica of the Grand Union Hotel about a block or so away from where it originally stood currently at South Ventu Park Road (free parking lot or street parking available). The compound consists of the hotel replica, The Timber School which is an accurate imitation of a one room school house that served the area, a blacksmith shop, a Chumash "village" (basically a yurt), a Spanish Adobe home, and Newbury Pioneer House and thus showcases all eras of peoples/history that once stood in the area.  Some "hiking" paths around the property are also available. This sounds fantastic... in theory. Unfortunately, in execution it is quite cheesy and maybe better suited for very young children. The pioneer house is sort of 'cool' as you can walk through this 'Little House on the Prairie" - style cabin and transported back into what it would feel like to live in such accommodations as a docent explains the history. The Chumash Village is nothing more than a yurt and an awning that takes .2 seconds to traverse while the Spanish Adobe House seems inaccurate in construction materials but what do I know. The blacksmith shop wasn't attended during my visit so I didn't get to experience it fully; but it does contain actual proper tools. This part of the compound simply feels a bit "half-assed", so to speak. The Grand Union hotel replica - the actual Stagecoach Inn in this case - is two floors (plus small gift shop) that you can walk through the rooms some of which are set up to exemplify their actual functions like kitchen, dining room, bedrooms, etc; while others hold permanent or temporary exhibits like art made from real hair that was popular during the Victorian era (VERY weird), a room full of clothing irons from various timeline periods, a room filled with gramophones (I loved this because I have a tattoo of one), etc. The weird thing about the Stagecoach Inn is that it jumps back-and-forth between history versus staying true to the California late 1800s as far ahead as WWII as docents explained that the dishware in the dining room came from Germany during WWII (so, stolen from the Jews --- why is this here in a frontier replica?!). Some of this place simply does not make sense and being a historian - I take historical inaccuracy personally. Also awkward are the overuse of very creepy mannequins in each room including the 800 dolls in the children's bedroom that I was just waiting to attack me via a horror film. Both corny and cheesy; I could have done without.  It doesn't take long to walk through the museum and it is just a little unappetizing. My favorite part of the Stagecoach Inn Museum grounds was the Timber School. It is the least creepy and best in terms of historical merit with school desks, chalkboard, books, a wood burning stove, a working school bell tower, etc. It looks exactly like all the photos of one room school houses. I have to give a shout-out to the docents at Stagecoach Inn Museum. These are all unpaid volunteers and yet I have never seen such enthusiastic, happy museum employees. They are almost aggressive in their zeal to share the history of the area/buildings and because of this: you will truly retain the information they pass. The Stagecoach Inn Museum isn't terrible; don't misunderstand. It is just cheesy and a stretch calling it a 'museum'. I would say it is more of a history center and best suited for school field trips for the locals versus adults.

Unfortunately this museum is now closed to the general public. School group still have the…read moreopportunity to visit this museum that offers a wealth of information on the native Americans in this area plus about the local wildlife. As the museum is closed to the public, you can still enjoy the items outside that includes Chumash housing, remains of a chimney and more. Hope to experience this museum soon: please open to the public

What a wonderful museum! If you want to learn a little about Chumash history and culture, this is…read morethe place. I learned that Chumash territory extended from Malibu to Morro Bay, covering some 7,000 square miles, and included the four northernmost Channel Islands. The Chumash believed their ancestors came from these islands in the far distant past. Inside the museum you can view a staggering number of authentic artifacts, giving you an idea of the technological sophistication of the Chumash people. Some artifacts as old as 9,000 BC One can get a sense of how resourceful the Chumash people were, particularly in how they used plants and how they manufactured implements and tools to address their daily needs. On view are talismans used by Medicine Men, tomols (canoes) used for transportation and trade, as well as arrowheads and spear tips used for hunting and war. Very interesting to me were the many gambling artifacts. Dice games, marbles, ring toss, so many different games! Equally interesting were the musical instruments. I saw terrific examples of whistles, rattles, and clapper sticks. I spent an inordinate amount of time inside the museum, examining every display. But as fascinating as all that was, for me the most interesting part was the recreation of a Chumash Village in the beautiful hills behind the museum. Kind of odd, I suppose, that the recreated part captured my imagination even more than the authentic part. But the recreated village was just what I needed to see to be able to imagine how all the artifacts fit together. I was keen to see the recreation of the type of shelters the Chumash people lived in. The structures, called "'Aps" were made with tule and cattail reeds attached to a framework of wooden poles. Some smaller 'Aps were for single families, others, much larger, could house as many as 50 people. They featured a central fire pit, with an opening directly above to vent smoke. Villages were typically built on high ground, near a source of water. The chief's 'Ap was always the largest. Some things never change, lol. Near the chief's 'Ap there was usually another 'Ap to hold a supply of extra food for entertaining visitors or distribution to the people in times of need. Villages also typically included a sweat lodge. I was surprised to learn that the sweat lodges weren't only for men. Sometimes women and children used them for ceremonies and in healing rituals. The museum location is perfect. As you walk the ground it truly feels like stepping back in time. Few reminders of the outside world intrude in this idyllic setting. I found out about this great museum because it is part of the Passport2History program. If you are at all interested in the history of Southern California you should check into the Passport2History. I've been to many of the participating museums and each one has been very worth a visit. For information on the Passport2History program, go here: https://www.leonisadobemuseum.org/passport-2-history Mikey C says: thanks to my friend Victor G up in Hayward for reminding me that November is Native American Heritage Month

I'd argue that the "Commemorative Air Force museum" is a better representative of "Air" exhibits…read morethan the Smithsonian's " "Air and Space" museum. Sure the Smithsonian has some of the most historically significant airplane in aviation history but everything is so far away. All the exhibits here including the airplanes are within reach...one can experience there size and in many cases your able to look, touch, and walk into some (historic ) airplanes. One of personal life thrills is being able to sit inside a real MIG 29 cockpit which I did at this museum. Also in this visit we were within feet of one of the only flying B29 super-fortresses left. Our entire family was in awe of the planes and the stories the (wonderful ) docent regaled us with during our visit. It's not fancy...you are in fact inside a hanger with planes that do fly vs the Smithsonian but no less an opportunity to see historical planes and learn about the history of flight and the US Air Force ! Everyone associated with the museum is wonderful and friendly. We were told that the exhibits do change so visiting at least once a year will provide an opportunity to learn and see something new.

My hubby's job had a New Year's casino night party here last night. The space was very large! It…read moreheld 700 people! Approximately 15,000 square feet of hangar space! It was a very different, but cool thing to see airplanes inside of the venue. We took a picture of one of the airplanes outside and one of the airplanes inside the venue. I took a couple of videos showing how spacious it was. They have a stage for a band, DJ, or performers. From what I read on their website, they have a list of caterers they work with. I don't know which one they had yesterday, but the food was delicious! They also had several cashless bars inside the venue to order drinks from. The only things that I didn't like were that they don't have restrooms inside, so the company rented "fancy porta potties". Another thing was the parking situation. They don't have a lot of parking space so we had to take an Uber to get there and back, but overall, it was nice and great for big events.

Wonderful Memorial Day Parade!!Thousands of parade goers and many participants!! Organized friendly…read moreand fun. Very safe and respectful!! Great job Bill Ratner!!

This historical society has a nice little museum. It is only open to the public on the second…read moreSunday of each month, from 2-4 PM. Free but feel free to make a donation. The staff I met were friendly and knew a lot about the local area. There were some temporary displays and permanent exhibits.

Must see and it's free- after too much sun, too much wind burn - take a break for the self guided…read moreSeaBees museum and come away proud!

Free Museum alert! There are not many free museums left plus free parking as well. This Navy museum…read moreis located in Port Hueneme (Oxnard if this helps) in Ventura County. 3201 S. Ventura Road, Building 100, Port Hueneme which is on the base. Opened daily 10a-4pm but closed on Sundays. No reservations needed. Kid friendly location. This museum opened in 1947 which is also the 2nd oldest Navy museum in the US. You can easily spend about 2 hours here because they carry so much actually memorials from the actually event. There are a couple of screening rooms to sit and watch. Vintage heavy machinery like war tanks. Learning about the history with the collections, preserves, and exhibits artifacts related to the history of the United States Navy Engineer Corps. We can learn about Seabees (Navy military) also perform global humanitarian missions such as well-drilling and disaster relief. Established in 1941, they served as the construction force for the Navy during World War II. The Seabees' "Can Do" attitude made them legendary within the Armed Forces, and their character epitomized the resilience of that generation. The "Can Do" attitude still drives today's Seabees. If you are lucky you might even see a few Navy members walking from the base. After your tour you can take the scenic route home on the coast of PCH. Thank you Naval History and Heritage Command for preserving our history. We appreciate all your hard work for US history.

A beautiful place to enjoy nature, have a leisurely walk, and take in the views of Thousand Oaks!read more

Such a cool little hidden spot! Honestly, the fact that it's…read morecompletely free is awesome, and parking was a total breeze. It was super nice to get away from Cristy for a bit and just chill out in nature. The trails are pretty neat, and you get some really awesome views of the valley once you walk up a bit. Only real downside is that it gets super hot during the summer, so definitely bring some water and try to go before the sun starts scorching.

Wow! What fun! A great way to spend a weekend or a day, on gorgeous grounds and a variety of…read morewines, brews and food! A different theme & entertainment each year .... They have a Sat night Wine Auction Gala Dinner, champagne & hors'douevrs w/ silent & live auctions of wines, collections and wine related trips. Sunday is the Festival with wine, brew and food tastings, boutiques, silent auctions, entertainment, etc! VIP tent with early admittance, special tastes, etc. Held the last weekend in July, early-bird tickets are the way to go! Buying mine now b/c only on sale until June 1st! And VIP tx are limited. meadowlarkserviceleague.com for info.....

Four stars for our visit to Bennett's Honey Farm as part of the Honey Festival. However, only two…read morestars for the part over at Central Park in Fillmore It's like trying to learn a new board game; the rules don't make sense of you haven't played before. We went to Bennett's first, then back to Fillmore, arriving just past 3:00. The festival was supposed to last until 5:00. We were hungry and looking forward to trying some BBQ. Not to be. There were a plethora of trailers with barbeque teams from Bakersfield and other far-flung places, but no one seemed to be cooking anything. Okay. We walked around the area with various booths and didn't see many food options. There weren't any signs about how it worked, and no one to readily ask, either. Dear Hubby was getting annoyed, because it was confusing, plus he was ready to eat. We finally found an unmarked booth where we were able to get info. Apparently, all the grill masters came in for a BBQ competition, but only 3 were offering food for sale. Huh?! You had to buy tokens for $2 a piece, which got you a small taste of some of the meats, like pulled pork or chicken. One of the 3 booths had already sold out, so it was down to 2. There weren't other complimentary options like roasted corn, or other usual festival food. So odd! Overall, it was disappointing. Maybe the organizers shouldn't bill it as lasting from 9 to 5, when there's not much available by 3 p.m. There was free parking, and a DJ playing music in front of City Hall, but the energy level was pretty low key.