Conejo Valley, located about 45 minutes north of Los Angeles, feels like a hidden gem destination within Southern California. It’s made up of two main areas of Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills and is just east of Malibu. With rolling green hills & views of the Santa Monica Mountains at every turn, Conejo Valley is beautiful and makes for a great weekend trip to escape the hustle & bustle of L.A. There are so many fun things to do in Conejo Valley. While you could technically just visit for a day trip from Los Angeles, I highly recommend spending the night and making it a weekend getaway!
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SEE ALSO: The Best Outdoor Activities in Conejo Valley
How to Get to Conejo Valley
If you live in the Los Angeles area, Conejo Valley is just a short 45-min drive away up the 101 freeway! If you are coming from somewhere else, the closest airports to fly into are LAX or Burbank (BUR).
Best Places to Stay in Conejo Valley
There are plenty of great hotel options in both Thousand Oaks and Agoura Hills. See below for my top picks!
Hotels
- Hampton Inn & Suites Thousand Oaks: conveniently located, recently renovated, and super friendly staff
- Palm Garden Hotel: They have a nice outdoor pool area with fire pits, as well as a garden you can walk through
The Best Things to Do in Conejo Valley for a Weekend Trip
1. Hike Sandstone Peak
Hiking Sandstone Peak is one of my favorite things to do in Conejo Valley. Sandstone Peak is the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, and the trailhead is just a quick drive from Conejo Valley. The views are amazing along the whole hike. Once you get to the top, you’re rewarded with 360-degree views of the Pacific Ocean, the rolling hills, and the valley beyond. It’s absolutely incredible! There are two options for this hike: the short version and the longer version. The short version goes up to the peak and back down the same way, while the longer version goes up to the peak and then continues on a loop trail. See below for the details:
Option 1: Shorter Hike
- Trailhead: Sandstone Peak Trailhead
- Miles: 3.0
- Route Type: Out & Back
- Elevation Gain: 997 ft
Option 2: Longer Hike
- Trailhead: Mishe Mokwa
- Miles: 5.7
- Route Type: Loop
- Elevation Gain: 1,312 ft
Whichever route you choose, you’re sure to have an amazing time! If you’re planning to do this hike in the summer, I recommend doing it at sunrise to avoid the heat, as the trail is exposed the whole way. Also, the trailhead parking lot can get crowded as this is a popular trail not only for hikers, but also road bikers and rock climbers!
2. Lunch at Tavern Tomoko & Ladyface Brewery
If you’re looking for a lunch spot with great food that has an outdoor patio with a view, this is it! Situated at the base of Ladyface Mountain in Agoura Hills, this brewery serves up local craft beers with delicious food to match. What sets it apart from most breweries (besides the beautiful view) is the diverse menu. Not only do they have the standard gastropub options, but they also have a plethora of Japanese dishes as well, including Japanese BBQ. What more could you want!?
3. Gardens of the World
Gardens of the World is definitely worth going to while you are in Conejo Valley. Stroll through these perfectly landscaped gardens that are influenced by different areas of the world (there’s a French garden, a Japanese garden, an Italian garden, etc). My favorite was the Japanese garden, which has a pagoda overlooking a koi pond. Spend some time sitting in the pagoda, listening to the sounds of the flowing water of the koi pond and let the relaxation wash over you. It’s so tranquil, and it literally feels like you’ve been transported to Japan! Entry to the gardens is free, and they are open Tuesday-Saturday from 9am – 5pm.
4. West Tasting Room
This female-owned tasting room specializes in natural & organic wine from the West Coast. The wine selection rotates weekly, so there is always something new to try. The staff is incredibly friendly and helpful, the vibes are great, and the wine is SO good. Getting a flight at West Tasting Room was one of my favorite moments during my weekend in Conejo Valley!
5. Go Horseback Riding
One of the most popular things to do in Conejo Valley is to go horseback riding. There are a few companies to choose from for booking a horseback riding tour, but one of the most popular is Malibu Riders. They have a few different options to choose from based on what type of trail & scenery you are looking for. One of the options takes you to Paramount Ranch, which used to be a filming location for old Western movies.
6. Whizin Market Square
If you’re looking to do some shopping and some dining while in Conejo Valley, Whizin Market Square in Agoura Hills is the place to be. There are a few cute boutiques, a vintage store, a beer & wine garden, a chocolate shop, and quite a few delicious restaurants to choose from.
7. Halo Salt Spa
Relaxing in the salt room at Halo Salt Spa is one of the more unique things to do in Conejo Valley. In a salt room, the air is pumped with super fine Himalayan salt that you breathe in while you relax in the room. The walls, ceiling and floor are all made of Himalayan salt as well. Breathing in the salt is found to have healing benefits related to improving sleep, improving your skin, and helping with sinus/allergy issues. You simply relax in one of the zero-gravity chairs they have in the salt room and breathe in the healing Himalayan salt for the 45-minute session. Halo Salt Spa also offers massages and other spa packages if you want to continue with your spa day after the salt room session is over!
8. Sip Wine with a View
One of my favorite things to do in Conejo Valley is go wine tasting outside with a beautiful view. There are a few options of wineries to go to for this. Below are two of my favorites that I recommend!
Heaven’s Hill Estate
Located in Agoura Hills, Heaven’s Hill Estate is a private estate that does wine tastings by appointment-only. The owner of the estate greets you at the entrance and leads you through a tour of the property, which is also used as a wellness retreat space complete with sound baths and yoga classes on their deck. After your property tour, you are seated at an outdoor table overlooking a sweeping view of the surrounding hills while the estate owner pours up a few of the wines grown on the property for you to taste. Given the fact that the space is also used for wellness retreats, the overall vibe of the experience is very tranquil and zen. It’s such a lovely experience!
Cielo Farms
Cielo Farms is just a short drive from Conejo Valley. This spot has the best view out of any winery I’ve been to in the area. You have to make a reservation online beforehand in order to go here, and parking is valet-only. Once you enter the property, you can order wine and food (they are known for having great pizza/flatbreads here!) and grab a seat with a view on the outside lawn. Pro tip: come here for golden hour & sunset!
9. Dinner at Moqueca
Moqueca is a Brazilian restaurant in Thousand Oaks that specializes in a dish called “Moqueca” which is a type of seafood stew. There are different types of fish to choose from (we got the mahi) and it comes served in a clay pot with rice. The different flavors in the sauce were so good. This dish is absolutely amazing!
10. Record Outlet
If you love music & vinyl, you’ve got to stop by Record Outlet! This unassuming little store has a great selection of records and really friendly staff. Also, If you buy something, you then get to pick out a record/cd/cassette to take home for free from their “free bucket” near the register!
11. Juice Ranch
I’ve had plenty of juices in my life and Juice Ranch in Conejo Valley is my favorite juice spot I’ve ever been to. I liked it so much that I went twice during my weekend in Conejo Valley! The juices are super fresh. They also have great smoothies and food as well. We brought their bagel sandwich and the turmeric chocolate-chip cookie to-go on our hike to Sandstone Peak, and it was such a treat. Definitely check this place out while you are in the area!
12. Ragamuffin Coffee
Whenever I travel to a new place, I always make a point to try out a local coffee shop. I highly recommend Ragamuffin Coffee in Conejo Valley. Both the coffee and matcha are great, and the shop itself would be a great place to do some work or catch up with a friend.
Enjoy!
