I’ve lived in Northern California for most of life but hadn’t really visited the region known as Conejo Valley until recently. The Conejo Valley is a region spanning both southeastern Ventura County and northwestern Los Angeles County in Southern California. If you’ve ever been to Thousand Oaks then you’ve been to the largest city in Conejo Valley. In this guide, I’ll show you how to spend a weekend getaway in Conejo Valley.

Getting There

From San Francisco, the drive to Conejo Valley is roughly around 5.5 – 6 hours south towards Santa Monica. I like to break it up with a gas stop and a Starbucks stop for a pink drink and a spinach feta wrap!

Where to Stay in Conejo Valley

I checked into the Best Western Plus Thousand Oaks Inn in the city of Thousand Oaks. I had a massive room with a seating area, a spacious work desk, free internet access, balcony, and if that weren’t enough, a jacuzzi in my bedroom! The room also had a convenient mini fridge that is ideal for drinks and snacks and a microwave. The property has a restaurant on-site (I had a salad for lunch one afternoon), a swimming pool/hot tub and a library! I highly recommend this hotel as your base during your visit.

What to Do in Conejo Valley

Wineries

Sunland Vintage Winery – Conejo Valley

Winery

This winery is a small family-owned business in Thousand Oaks, Conejo Valley. The owners are Debbie and Mike (the wine maker) and the wines are Italian varietals grown and bottled in California. They are also the first wine tasting room in Ventura County to be known for the Aglianico wine (a full bodied red wine found almost exclusively in Southern Italy).

History

Mike, following in his grandfather’s wine making business, decided to start Sunland Vintage Winery in early 2010 in Conejo Valley. Their inaugural wines were with grapes grown in Lodi, California and Santa Barbara County. They also have SVI wines which are premium non- Italian varietals. Early on the winery garnered multiple awards for their Tre Ragazzi (Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Sangiovese).

Tasting Room

The wine tasting room in Conejo Valley is charming, with references in the décor to top Italian wine regions like Montepulciano and the vibe is casual. Check out their tasting room hours and flights here.

West Tasting Room – Conejo Valley

Tasting Room

In contrast to Sunland Vintage Winery, West is a tasting room in Conejo Valley that carries wines from the West Coast. So look for specialties from wineries in California, Washington and Oregon. The tasting room itself is classy and has a sleek, upscale vibe to it. They offer a fantastic charcuterie plate along with some fabulous pizzas and flatbreads.

The Wines

If you like reds, definitely try the Brooks Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley, Oregon, the Sans Liege GSM from Paso Robles, CA and the Wautoma Springs Cab Sauv & Merlot from Yakima Valley, WA.

For my white wine lovers, I will recommend the Barter & Trade Sauvignon Blanc from Columbia Valley, WA, the Elk Cove Pinot Gris from the Willamette Valley, OR and the Lichen Estate White Pinot Noir from the Anderson Valley, CA.

Wine/food Pairing

To pair with your wines, I highly encourage you to get the ultimate Smorgasboard, a bit of everything from their charcuterie boards including cheeses, meats, burrata and roasted vegetables! I topped this off with Spicy Salami pizza and a Burrata & Prosciutto pizza which were both deeeelicous! And yes my friend and I split all these so it’s perfect for a group of 2-4 people.

Hikes in Conejo Valley

• Mishe Mokwa to Tri-Peaks and Sandstone Peak

Hike Introduction

This hike should be a bucketlist hike if you’re down in the Conejo Valley area. I say this because as part of this hike you’ll be summitting the highest peak in the Santa Monica Mountains – Sandstone Peak at 3,114 feet. The total mileage for the Mishe Mokwa to Tri-Peaks to Sandstone Peak is 6.25mi and it’s a loop. The elevation gain on the 6.25mi round trip hike is 1,075 feet that will offer expansive views of the range.

What you need to know before you hike this

I began at the parking lot of the Sandstone Peak trailhead. From my hotel this trailhead was about 30 minutes. The last stretch for about a mile or so is deeply windy so be prepared for that.  I started the hike at 6:30am because I wanted to beat the heat, and I was wise to do so! As you start climbing up (it’s a steady gentle incline), you’ll see signs for the Mishe Mokwa trail. Take that path. As you hike along, you’ll see signs for the Tri Peaks which will add 1.2mi to the hike. To reach Sandstone Peak, continue on the Backbone Trail. As you get closer to the peak you’ll need to climb some stone steps and then go left toward the peak. It requires a little bit of scrambling at the top, but nothing major.

The Finish

Before long you’ll be looking at the Pacific Ocean views and marveling at how gorgeous Conejo Valley is! The way back down is a steep descent to the parking lot, so I highly recommend you bring hiking poles as they help take the pressure of the lower back and the knees. Take more water than you think you need. I had 3L on me and I used it all up as by the time I headed back the sun was beating down in full force.

• Satwiwa Loop Trail (easy)

Hike Introduction

The Satwiwa Loop trail is a gorgeous loop with a large parking lot in Conejo Valley. I started again at 6:30am to beat the now familiar heat. This hike is a 3.5mi loop trail. Quarter way into this hike you’ll come across the American Indian Cultural Center and Boney Mountain looming in the background. This trail meanders through an area that is considered sacred by the Chumash Indians.

Hike History

For many years, the Santa Monica Mountains sustained the Chumash and Tongva/Gabrielino cultures. Sycamore Canyon, which cuts through Satwiwa was part of a Chumash trade route. Satwiwa, which means “the bluffs,” was the name of a nearby Chumash village. To reflect this heritage, Satwiwa Native American Indian Culture Center and Natural Area was established by the National Park Service in partnership with the Friends of Satwiwa.

A Native American guest host or a park ranger is on hand to answer questions from 9am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays. Native American workshops, programs and art shows occur throughout the year.

• Los Padres – Los Robles Loop (Moderate)

Hike Introduction

What I enjoyed about this 3.3mi loop trail is that it’s a beautiful neighborhood trail that takes you through the initial forest area and then opens you up to the Conejo Valley.

What you need to know before you hike this trail

There’s ample parking on the street and the initial part of the Los Padres trail is covered in a canopy of trees that creates a very woodsy, romantic feel like you’re headed on an epic adventure! The elevation gain here is about 750 feet as you climb out of the forest area. The climb on the Los Robles Trail is pretty moderate and gradual. If you keep hiking, you will come across a sign that says scenic view. If you take that detour, you’ll come to a bench which will allow you to take a breather and enjoy the expansive views of the Conejo Valley. You can then complete the rest of the hike or just head back the way you came.

Axe Throwing in Conejo Valley

One of the most fun activities while you’re here is axe throwing at The Mighty Axe! It was my first time and I honestly didn’t think I’d enjoy throwing an axe. But omg it was so fun because it felt like I was letting out my aggressions, and second, I turned out to be quite good at it!

How to throw an axe

One of the guys (an axepert) will show you how it works and best techniques to get your axe to stick to the wall. But the key is to use a smaller axe! That’s right – not many know this – but you can actually ask for a smaller axe that makes it easier to handle – especially if it’s your first time! It’s $35 for 1 hour and there’s a 2-person minimum.

Where to Eat in Conejo Valley

• The Waffle Experience

If you’re mad about waffles or even if you have the tiniest bit of interest in having a waffle, head to this place in Conejo Valley. It has a patio area out back that’s super cute with umbrellas for shade. It’s the perfect spot to grab the mini waffles (if you don’t want to try the large ones) and eggs after the Los Padres trail hike! My favorite waffles were the mini strawberry Nutella ones!

• Tarantula Hill Brewing

This is a super happening place in Conejo Valley with plenty of seating out back, out front and inside. It’s a sprawling brewery with some great food options and of course beer. Definitely put it on your list for an evening out.

• Ragamuffin Roasters

What I loved about this place was that it’s small and cozy with that perfect coffee house vibe. They have some great Matcha options, Mexican Mocha, as well as Acai bowls and Avo toast (it even comes with chili flakes) and outdoors dining. I recommend sitting inside away from the heat to fully enjoy the ambience.

• The Fisherman’s Wife

The Story

The Fisherman’s Wife is a neighborhood jaunt in Conejo Valley that has a great story. It’s a local, family-owned fresh fish business. I met the owner Dania, whose husband Chris has been fishing out of Channel Islands Harbor for 40 years. He has a reputation on caring for his hard-earned catch. Their son Max also works as a deckhand while the rest of the kids and Dania work to fill the restaurant’s orders.

The Food

The place just opened up August of 2022 and I will say that the fish is fresh and you have a ton of options on the menu to choose from.

Why you should go

My poke bowl was yum – there were no greens in them like I’ve had in other poke bowls – but overall the tuna in my poke was fresh. I think if you’re craving good, fresh fish this place is great. The owners are hardworking and I wish this restaurant all the success in the future.

• Tavern Tomoko & Ladyface Brewery

The best time to hit this delightful place is after you finish the Mishe Mokwa and Sandstone Peak hike! It’s on your way back to the hotel (if you’re staying at the Best Western Plus Thousand Oaks Inn). This place has an extensive outdoors patio that’s really nice overlooking the Ladyface mountain (yes you can see the shape of the face)!

The Food

And the food is top notch. You can get the Japanese bbq items (robata which means cooked over hot coals) and/or go for some of the other popular dishes like the Pretzel bites, Spicy tuna on crispy rice, Karaage chicken, the Bao buns, or the burgers (which are amazing). The flavors are insane and you really have so many options to choose from it’s amazing!

• Tabu Shabu

If you’re looking for a dinner option, and you’ve never had hot pot before you’re in for a treat at the Tabu Shabu. It’s not too bad a wait to get in (about 20 minutes)!

The Food

The waiter will run you through the concept of a hot pot which essentially means you pick your broth between Tonkotsu, Miso and some other flavors and then your vegetables and finally your meat options. These will be delivered to you on your table. And then you add the vegetables to your boiling broth (which will be set on an individual stove top in front of you) little by little. And then finally your meat. They will tell you how long you should cook each item for and accordingly you pull them out of the broth. You can then scoop some broth into your individual bowl add your cooked items and begin eating! It’s a super fun experience and I highly recommend a visit one evening for dinner!

Conclusion

In conclusion, Conejo Valley was a delightful surprise and such a beautiful region to visit. With plenty of options for things to do from wine tasting to breweries to hiking to axe throwing, this place makes for a great weekend getaway! I’d love to hear from you if you’ve been down this way, let me know in the comments what you enjoyed the most about this area!