Full of interesting and unique activities and attractions, it’s no surprise the city of Simi Valley, California, has a handful of hidden gems. From famous festivals to museums and a colorful village made of bottles, the pull and charm of this town speak for itself. If you’re planning a trip to this city in Ventura County, then do check out our list of the best things to do in Simi Valley, California.
1. Take a leisurely walk with your fur baby around Simi Dog Park
Simi Valley Dog park is a huge fenced-in portion of the main park where you can bring your dogs to run and play unleashed on the grass. It has two sections to separate the small and big dog breeds. Not only can you play with your pet, but your fur baby can also socialize with other dogs. If you are planning to adopt or buy a dog, this is a great place to meet up with breeders or other fur parents. Here, you can observe the dog’s behavior and how it interacts with other breeds. This dog park also has an excellent view of the valley, canyons, and rolling hills that surround the area.
Simi Dog Park
Address: 2151 Lost Canyons Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93065-0215
Website: Simi Dog Park
Opening hours: Sun - Wed: 7am - 8pm; Thu: 11am - 8pm; Fri: 7am - 8pm
2. Go camping at Tapo Canyon Regional Park
Nestled in the middle of Santa Susana Mountains’ rolling hills and canyons, Tapo Canyon Regional Park is an open-area park that is popular for its camping grounds and recreational facilities such as a volleyball court, equestrian area, picnic areas, RV park, and barbecue areas. It’s perfect for a day trip or a weekend outing if you want to take your kids camping, horseback riding, mountain biking, trekking, and more. Breathe in the fresh air and enjoy the fantastic mountain scenery while hiking or camping.
Tapo Canyon Regional Park
Address: 4651 Tapo Canyon Rd, Simi Valley, CA 93063, United States
Website: Tapo Canyon Regional Park
Opening hours: 7:30am - 5pm (daily)
Price: From 2 USD
3. Gorge on barbecue dishes at Red's Barbecue & Grillery
Red’s Barbecue and Grillery has been serving the community since 1992 with their mouthwatering barbecue dishes. They serve lip-smacking and grilled-to-perfection beef, baby back ribs, chicken, and tri-tips that you eat off the bone. They also have tall barbecue beef sandwiches best paired with pasta, heaps of salads, baked potatoes, and their famous garlic rolls. Your hearty meal deserves a sweet ending with their delicious desserts. Check out their family meals and daily specials! They are open for dine-in lunch and dinner and accept orders for contactless delivery, curbside pickup, and catering services.
Red's Barbecue & Grillery
Address: 3090 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93065, United States
Website: Red’s Barbecue & Grillery
Opening hours: 11am - 8pm (daily)
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4. Catch well-known musicals at Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center
Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center started in 1995 as a historic neo-Classical building at the corner of Church Street and Los Angeles Avenue. It serves as the hub for culture, visual arts, music, dance, and theater performances. It’s also used for meetings, special events, and conferences. Though the center is temporarily closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it will reopen once the situation is back to normal. Currently, a new platform called Simi Valley Virtual Arts Center was created to stay connected with their patrons in providing them helpful information and entertainment they deserve. Their patrons can stream the performances online and enjoy watching them from the comforts of home.
Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center
Address: 3050 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93065, United States
Website: Simi Valley Cultural Arts Center
5. Experience an invigorating massage at Salt And Sage Spa
Salt and Sage Spa is your one-stop-shop for all your health and wellness needs. Under one roof, you have a wide selection of specialists who can attend to your specific needs when it comes to keeping your mind and body in tip-top shape. Their facilities are the best and impeccably clean. They provide guests with an array of spa treatments, salon services, cosmetic services, and wellness programs. Their services and prices are customized and exclusive. Schedule an appointment for a massage, facial, manicure or pedicure, hair treatment, full-body scrub, Vichy shower, or a Reiki reading. You will leave the spa fresh, fully recharged, and rejuvenated.
Salt And Sage Spa
Address: 3310 E Los Angeles Ave, Simi Valley, CA 93063, United States
Website: Salt And Sage Spa
Opening hours: Mon: 9am - 4pm; Tue: 8:30am - 6pm; Wed - Fri: 9am - 6pm; Sat: 9am - 4pm (closed on Sun)
6. Take your partner out for a movie at Studio Movie Grill - Simi Valley
Studio Movie Grill is the perfect place to go if you are thinking of a movie date night in Simi Valley. It is a huge complex at Simi Town Center Way that has nine state-of-the-art auditoriums. Each auditorium boasts the latest digital projection with custom-built recliners and lounge chairs. It also has a full-service bar for meeting up with your friends or for a post-party nightcap. The in-house American Grill Menu offers a huge selection of food options and 60 alcoholic beverages. Experience exceptional cinema-dining service by pressing a button. Though the theaters are currently closed due to the pandemic, you can still order food-to-go and have your movie date at home.
Studio Movie Grill - Simi Valley
Address: 1555 Simi Town Center Way Simi Valley , CA 93065
Website: Studio Movie Grill - Simi Valley
7. Bond with friends at Lazertag Axtreme
Lazertag Axtreme is a huge adult gaming facility that has branches in Simi Valley, Westlake Village, Thousand Oaks, and Moorpark. It is temporarily closed due to the pandemic but will reopen when the situation goes back to normal. This family-owned business offers a huge venue where you can practice throwing axes in a safe and contained environment. There is also a facility where you can play Lazer Tag with your friends. These extraordinary games are a unique way to unwind, celebrate birthdays, and special occasions, or simply bond with friends and family. Since ax-throwing is a novelty sport, you will be assisted by expert coaches regarding special techniques.
Lazertag Axtreme
Address: 591 Country Club Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93065, United States
Website: Lazertag Axtreme
Price: From 15 USD
8. Let your dogs run leash-free at Big Sky Park
Big Sky Park is one of the biggest parks in Simi Valley where you can take the kids to play softball and your dogs can run leash-free. It features a vast property with four brightly lit softball diamonds complete with dugouts, bullpens, a concession stand, and covered bleachers. The park is behind Simi Hills just past Erringer Avenue with Simi Dog Park overlooking the property. The dog park has separate enclosures for the big and small breeds so they can play with other dogs. You can also have picnics, grill barbecues, play basketball, and let the kids loose on the playground.
Big Sky Park
Address: 2251 Lost Canyons Dr, Simi Valley, CA 93065, United States
Website: Big Sky Park
Opening hours: 6am - 10pm (daily)
9. Visit the Skateboarding Hall of Fame (Skatelab Museum)
If you want to see walls lined with hundreds of skateboards, make sure you take a trip to the Skateboarding Hall of Fame and Museum, which holds a huge collection of signed skateboards, skateboards from world championships, photographs and other memorabilia. Some of the stuff here goes back to the 1960s! They’ve been inducting nominees since 2009, so there’s plenty of cool stuff to see here.
Skateboarding Hall of Fame
Address: 4226 Valley Fair Street, Simi Valley, California
Website: Skateboarding Hall of Fame
10. Do some hiking
Simi Valley has a handful of unique hiking spots. The first is Corriganville Movie Ranch, a trail that has posted markers with information about movies that were filmed in the area. Another popular area is Long Ranch, which has 10 trails on thousands of acres of land, and epic views of the mountains. There are also several mountain trails in Rocky Peak Park, most notably Rocky Peak Trail, which takes you up to the peak at 2,715 feet (about 828 meters)!
Long Ranch
Address: Long Canyon Road, Simi Valley, California
Website: Long Ranch
Rocky Peak Park
Address: Rocky Peak Road, Simi Valley, California
Website: Rocky Peak Park
11. Check out the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
This museum is easily the number one tourist attraction in Simi Valley. The grounds include archives, a piece of the Berlin Wall, a memorial, Reagan’s Air Force One, and replicas of the White House rose garden, south lawn, and oval office. The museum also has several interactive exhibits that allow guests to immerse themselves in activities with President Reagan, such as riding a horse, acting in a movie, or even setting up a state dinner at the White House!
Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
Address: 40 Presidential Drive, Simi Valley, California
12. Take in the wonder of Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village
Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village is one place you shouldn’t miss. All of the buildings in this village are made of glass bottles and bottle pieces, as well as stone and cement. There are even glass and other recycled things in the walkways and the grounds are covered with unique sculptures and objects. It’s been around since the 1970s and is on the National Register of Historic Places.
Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village
Address: 4595 Cochran St, Simi Valley, CA 93063, USA
Website: Grandma Prisbrey’s Bottle Village
13. Go to a big festival
There are two big festivals hosted in Simi Valley. The first is Simi Valley Days, which is a four-day community festival, dating back to 1934. It’s held annually, in September, and features plenty of food and games, carnival rides, and even a parade.
Simi Valley also holds the annual Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Music Festival, which is the largest festival for this kind of music in the area. It’s been around since 1988 and is hosted by the Rotary Club of Simi Sunrise, on Memorial Day weekend. Attendees can enjoy amazing music, delicious Cajun and Creole food and a Mardi Gras parade.
Simi Valley Days
Address: Simi Valley, California
Website: Simi Valley Days
Simi Valley Cajun and Blues Music Festival
Address: Simi Valley, California
14. Go museum-hopping around Simi Valley
The Simi Valley area has a lot of interesting history, worth commemorating. One of the other notable museums here includes the Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad. It’s housed in a 19th-century train station, with various displays and includes a model railroad.
The Strathearn Historical Park and Museum is another popular destination. This huge park features a variety of displays in the visitor’s center and many historical buildings to explore, from Strathearn House to a playhouse, a church, a barn, a library, and more.
Finally, there’s the Museum of Military History Posters and Memorabilia. This little educational museum has displays pertaining to WWI, WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, as well as some recent wars.
Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad
Address: 6503 Katherine Road, Simi Valley, California
Website: Santa Susana Depot Museum and Model Railroad
Strathearn Historical Park and Museum
Address: 137 Strathearn Place, Simi Valley, California
Website: Strathearn Historical Park and Museum
Museum of Military History Posters and Memorabilia
Address: 1555 Simi Town Center Way. #220, Simi Valley, California
Take your pick
Several unique museums, plenty of beautiful hikes, a historical bottle village - there’s so much you won’t want to miss out on, in Simi Valley. Whether you’re headed here to partake in one of the festivals or you’re looking for a new and interesting place to explore, Simi Valley is sure to exceed your expectations.