Exploring the Hidden Gems of Ventura County- Part II

To pick up where we left off in our previous blog, let’s continue with our journey through Ventura County as we explore the cities of Fillmore, Moorpark, and Thousand Oaks.

Fillmore

Located at the foothills of the Topatopa Mountains in the Santa Clara River Valley, Fillmore is famous for its numerous orange groves. With an economy largely driven by agriculture and a population of fewer than 16000 residents, the city is one of the smallest cities in Ventura County, CA.

The following are some of the interesting places that you can explore while visiting Fillmore:

• Bennetts’ Honey Farm – Located on the Honey Lane with a private drive leading to the main shop, Bennetts’ Honey Farm sells more than a dozen different flavors of honey (orange, clover, blueberry, and so on) and other honey and bee-related items. From candles made of beeswax to stuffed bee toys, this place is a must-visit for any honey lover who is keen on buying a variety of products made of honey or beeswax.

• Fillmore Trout Hatchery – For all fish lovers, this place is indeed a visual treat. With several long streams of water filled with trouts at different stages of their life, Fillmore Trout Hatchery is home to trouts of all shapes and sizes. The hatchery gets its water from several different springs and wells, creating the ideal aquatic environment with optimum temperature.

Moorpark

Founded in 1900, with an initial population of a little over 4,000, Moorpark is among the fastest-growing cities in Ventura County. Located close to Los Angeles, the city is located in the southeastern part of Ventura County. With extremely low crime rates, the city is considered one of the safest cities of its size in the United States.

The following are a few chief attractions of Moorpark:

• Underwood Family Farms – A great place to spend leisure-filled hours with your family and friends, this family-run farm has been producing some of the freshest and most delicious fruits in Ventura County. You can pick out the fruits with your own hands, from strawberries to squashes- there is a beautiful abundance to choose from.

• America’s Teaching Zoo at Moorpark College – Located on the Moorpark College campus, this zoo is run by students enrolled in the college’s Exotic Animal Training and Management program. Smaller than your typical zoo, America’s Teaching Zoo offers opportunities for close interaction with the animals, their habitats, and behaviors, educating both the students and the visitors.

Thousand Oaks

After Oxnard, Thousand Oaks is the second-largest city of Ventura County. It is conveniently located in Conejo Valley, halfway between Los Angeles and Santa Barbara. As one of the cities with the highest median household income in the U.S., Thousand Oaks is home to the largest mall in Ventura County known as “The Oaks.”

2 of the most popular tourist attractions in Thousand Oaks include:

• Wildwood Regional Park – With over 27 miles of hiking trails, the park is home to over 250 species of plants and several species of mammals, amphibians, and reptiles. The park offers options for several recreational activities such as mountain biking, jogging, picnicking, hiking, and more. The park has multiple creeks and creekbeds, including the famous Arroyo Conejo and Paradise Falls.

• Bank of America Performing Arts Center(BAPAC) – Constructed in 1994 and formerly known as the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, the BAPAC is among the largest performing theaters between San Fransisco and Los Angeles. The center consists of Fred Kavli Theatre for the Performing Arts with 1,800 seats and the Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre with over 300 seats. Hosting a wide range of performances such as concerts, Broadway musicals, dances, ballets, cabarets, and more, the theater is the center of life and creativity for thousands of patrons and children who attend these performances every year.

To learn more about Ventura County and the endless opportunities for all-round growth and development offered by its cities, reach out to us at Business Forward Ventura County today! We are a countywide initiative and business resource hub committed to delivering economic development support to businesses throughout Ventura County. For more information on getting started, contact us today!