This hidden rural oasis makes for a splendid day trip — and it’s just an hour from L.A.
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Ask a random Angeleno to find Piru, Fillmore or Santa Paula on a California map and odds are they’ll shrug and give up. Blame it on location, location, location. Collectively known as the Heritage Valley, these small towns hidden on the stretch of Highway 126 are often ignored and bypassed by L.A. travelers bound for Ojai or Ventura.
But if you take the time to stop in this rural oasis, you’ll find miles of citrus groves, heaps of history and truly tasty Mexican food. Yes, there are more tractors than Tesla Superchargers in this region — that’s part of the draw. This, you realize, is what Southern California looked like before suburbia moved in.
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Heritage Valley was previously known as Santa Clara River Valley, which is what the locals still call it. In 1998, a committee was assembled to help bring in tourists, and the new, jazzier label was coined. It was an improvement over an earlier, clunkier nickname, Santa Clara River Valley Heritage Trail, which sounded more like a hiking path.
It wasn’t the only title created for the sake of marketing. The town of Santa Paula has always proclaimed itself “the citrus capital of the world” for its abundance of lemons and oranges. Fillmore, not to be outdone, picked a gem: “The last, best small town,” which inspired a play of the same name that’s set there. Piru was already born with a compelling handle when its devoutly religious founder proclaimed it as “The Second Garden of Eden” in 1887. Today, it’s better known for its popular outdoor recreational area, Lake Piru. (After “Glee” actress Naya Rivera drowned in the lake in 2020, swimming was temporarily banned. It’s now allowed, but only in designated areas between Memorial Day and Labor Day.)
If you go back hundreds of years before Lake Piru was created by the construction of the Santa Felicia Dam, you’d see Chumash villages dotting the valley. Then came the Spanish expeditions in the late 18th century, followed by ranchos that used the land for sheep and cattle. Soon the railroads arrived, and then an oil boom. The valley’s eventual transformation into an agricultural mecca was hastened by a Mediterranean climate that proved ideal for crops — first citrus, then avocados.
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But along with the bounty there were disasters, both natural and man-made, including the 1994 Northridge Earthquake and the catastrophic flood from the 1928 St. Francis Dam collapse. Numerous fires also have made the valley live up to a Times article that called it “among the most dangerous wind and fire corridors in Southern California.”
Yet through it all, the population has steadily grown and more travelers are discovering the area for its lively gatherings (the Santa Paula Citrus Music Festival took place last week), new attractions (check out the 17-mile Sunburst Railbike experience) and stunning hikes. Here’s where to go on a road trip along Highway 126.
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Pedal through miles of scenic citrus groves on a railbike
Santa Paula Experience
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
If you’ve seen a TikTok or Instagram post about Heritage Valley or Santa Paula in recent years, chances are it was about the Sunburst Railbikes. It’s an inherently Instagrammable experience —but also an expensive one. As of this writing, a two-hour railbike reservation for two people starts at $249 before fees, though discounted rates can be found on Groupon and other booking sites.
Opened in 2023 by Mendocino Railway — which also operates the River Fox Train in Sacramento and the famous Skunk Train through Mendocino’s redwood forests — this is the only railbike experience within 70 miles of Los Angeles. Your adventure begins outside the Santa Paula Depot, where a dozen railbikes are lined up bumper to bumper on the train tracks, part of a railroad line originally built by the Southern Pacific Railroad to haul citrus out of the area.
Once you’ve strapped on your helmet and are safely buckled into your vehicle, which is essentially two seats mounted to a barebones metal frame with four wheels, you’ll notice its DIY quality, like something a mechanical engineering student might build for a senior project. Soon your caravan of railbikes lurches toward Fillmore. You can either choose to pedal or just use the thumb throttle to have the electric motor glide you through the citrus and avocado groves. (As farmland provides little shade, be sure to bring sunscreen.) At the five-mile mark, the bikes are turned around as you break for lunch at picnic tables. A pre-ordered sandwich box is about $30 per person, but you’re allowed to bring your own food.
On the return trip, there’s a stop at Prancer’s Farm, where you can pet animals and buy fresh produce. Rides run twice daily from Thursday to Sunday, with a single ride offered on Wednesdays.
Opened in 2023 by Mendocino Railway — which also operates the River Fox Train in Sacramento and the famous Skunk Train through Mendocino’s redwood forests — this is the only railbike experience within 70 miles of Los Angeles. Your adventure begins outside the Santa Paula Depot, where a dozen railbikes are lined up bumper to bumper on the train tracks, part of a railroad line originally built by the Southern Pacific Railroad to haul citrus out of the area.
Once you’ve strapped on your helmet and are safely buckled into your vehicle, which is essentially two seats mounted to a barebones metal frame with four wheels, you’ll notice its DIY quality, like something a mechanical engineering student might build for a senior project. Soon your caravan of railbikes lurches toward Fillmore. You can either choose to pedal or just use the thumb throttle to have the electric motor glide you through the citrus and avocado groves. (As farmland provides little shade, be sure to bring sunscreen.) At the five-mile mark, the bikes are turned around as you break for lunch at picnic tables. A pre-ordered sandwich box is about $30 per person, but you’re allowed to bring your own food.
On the return trip, there’s a stop at Prancer’s Farm, where you can pet animals and buy fresh produce. Rides run twice daily from Thursday to Sunday, with a single ride offered on Wednesdays.
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Appreciate Ventura County's farming legacy at its Agriculture Museum
Santa Paula Museum
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
Located just steps from Santa Paula Depot and Glen Tavern Inn, and housed in a historic building dating back to 1888, this free museum was created by the Museum of Ventura County in 2011 to honor the region’s farming and ranching legacy. Exhibits include a slew of tractors, a living beehive and a gigantic rusting hulk of a machine called “The Thresher,” which — with its big gears, conveyor belts, and pulleys — looks like it could transform into a Steampunk robot if you pushed the right button.
As impressive as the antique farm equipment is, the most impactful displays are the ones that tell the stories of people — not just the farmers and ranchers, but the unseen communities that call Ventura County home.
In 40 stunning photographs taken by Diego Huerta during his month-long Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of Ventura County, representatives of Mexican indigenous groups — including the Mixteco, Zapotec, Purépecha, Maya, Nahua, and Otomí — are featured in traditional dress against the backdrop of Ventura County. The exhibit debuted during a gala earlier this year, with the subjects invited to see their portraits for the first time.
As impressive as the antique farm equipment is, the most impactful displays are the ones that tell the stories of people — not just the farmers and ranchers, but the unseen communities that call Ventura County home.
In 40 stunning photographs taken by Diego Huerta during his month-long Artist-in-Residence at the Museum of Ventura County, representatives of Mexican indigenous groups — including the Mixteco, Zapotec, Purépecha, Maya, Nahua, and Otomí — are featured in traditional dress against the backdrop of Ventura County. The exhibit debuted during a gala earlier this year, with the subjects invited to see their portraits for the first time.
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Learn about the myth of Ramona at Rancho Camulos
Historical Landmark
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
Before movie stars defined what it means to be famous, there was Ramona, whose fame has no modern day analog. She was such a cultural phenomenon that at least three towns, an entire freeway and even a public high school was named after her.
Who was Ramona? She’s the fictional titular character and mixed-race heroine of “Ramona,” the 1884 novel by Helen Hunt Jackson. The story follows her ill-fated romance with Alessandro, a Native American sheepherder, set against the backdrop of Southern California after the Mexican-American War. Jackson wrote the novel as a thinly veiled critique of the U.S. government’s mistreatment of Native Americans. But it was Ramona herself who captured the public’s imagination as the novel became an instant American classic — spawning no fewer than five film adaptations. The first was directed by D.W. Griffith in 1910.
Yet the biggest impact of the Ramona craze was the tourism boom it sparked for Southern California, particularly the locations alluded to in the book. Long before Disneyland came into the picture, the region became known as Ramona Country. In 1887, when the myth of Ramona was at its peak, Southern Pacific Railroads coincidentally established rail lines into the area. One stop was Rancho Camulos, the real-life inspiration for the fictional rancho that was at the heart of the story. The Del Valle family, who owned the property at the time, leaned into the legend — going so far as to brand their oranges with the “Home of Ramona” trademark.
Today, you can still visit Rancho Camulos, which happens to be the only National Historic Landmark in Ventura County. Docent-led visits for the public are offered only on Sundays starting at 1 p.m. and costs $10 per person (cash only). Over the course of a thorough three hours, you’ll explore the slightly crumbling yet still beautiful grounds, learn about the Californio days of the Del Valle family — who established the ranch in 1853 — and, of course, visit Ramona-related sites described in the novel, including “Ramona’s bedroom,” which your guide will note, with a wink, was never actually occupied by the fictional character.
The tour concludes with a viewing of the entire 17-minute D.W. Griffith film, tying the entire experience together. A majority of it was filmed right here at Rancho Camulos, including scenes in the small chapel by the fountain where, just minutes earlier, you probably snapped a selfie.
Who was Ramona? She’s the fictional titular character and mixed-race heroine of “Ramona,” the 1884 novel by Helen Hunt Jackson. The story follows her ill-fated romance with Alessandro, a Native American sheepherder, set against the backdrop of Southern California after the Mexican-American War. Jackson wrote the novel as a thinly veiled critique of the U.S. government’s mistreatment of Native Americans. But it was Ramona herself who captured the public’s imagination as the novel became an instant American classic — spawning no fewer than five film adaptations. The first was directed by D.W. Griffith in 1910.
Yet the biggest impact of the Ramona craze was the tourism boom it sparked for Southern California, particularly the locations alluded to in the book. Long before Disneyland came into the picture, the region became known as Ramona Country. In 1887, when the myth of Ramona was at its peak, Southern Pacific Railroads coincidentally established rail lines into the area. One stop was Rancho Camulos, the real-life inspiration for the fictional rancho that was at the heart of the story. The Del Valle family, who owned the property at the time, leaned into the legend — going so far as to brand their oranges with the “Home of Ramona” trademark.
Today, you can still visit Rancho Camulos, which happens to be the only National Historic Landmark in Ventura County. Docent-led visits for the public are offered only on Sundays starting at 1 p.m. and costs $10 per person (cash only). Over the course of a thorough three hours, you’ll explore the slightly crumbling yet still beautiful grounds, learn about the Californio days of the Del Valle family — who established the ranch in 1853 — and, of course, visit Ramona-related sites described in the novel, including “Ramona’s bedroom,” which your guide will note, with a wink, was never actually occupied by the fictional character.
The tour concludes with a viewing of the entire 17-minute D.W. Griffith film, tying the entire experience together. A majority of it was filmed right here at Rancho Camulos, including scenes in the small chapel by the fountain where, just minutes earlier, you probably snapped a selfie.
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Feast like it's Fat Tuesday at Rabalais’ Bistro
Santa Paula Cajun
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
In Downtown Santa Paula, there’s a portal to New Orleans’ French Quarter and it’s called Rabalais’ Bistro. If Emeril ever came to town and felt homesick for the Big Easy, he could start his day with freshly fried beignets and chicory coffee for breakfast, sink his teeth into a fried shrimp-stuffed po boy for lunch and go to sleep happy after a big bowl of gumbo for dinner.
Every year, when Fat Tuesday comes around, Rabalais’ Bistro hosts a Mardi Gras party with live music that makes it the only place to be in Heritage Valley before Lent. But each and every Tuesday is, in fact, a big deal here. It’s the first night of the week that Rabalais opens for dinner, and to mark the occasion, the kitchen starts it with a banger: Fried Chicken Tuesday. The huge plate of the Southern comfort classic, of course, comes with traditional sides and a fresh buttermilk biscuit from their in-house bakery.
The buttermilk biscuits, by the way, hold a special place in owner Tracy Lippert’s heart. Rabalais’ Bistro is a tribute to her grandmother, Anesia Lois Rabalais, who was born one of 11 children in 1912 in a small French settlement in Louisiana. Anesia went on to raise a family of six children and 16 grandchildren of her own, cooking Cajun meals that included those flaky buttermilk biscuits in a tiny kitchen that seared fond, indelible memories.
So when Tracy and her husband Dave opened the restaurant in 2011, they made sure that the two-story space dripped with history and honored her grandmother’s story. There are old black-and-white family photos all over the walls, gorgeous wrought iron sculpted into curlicues and a bar that looks like Harrison Ford’s character from “1923” could saddle up, bang his fist on the counter, and order whiskey. Fun fact: The actor has been a frequent patron of the restaurant in real life.
Every year, when Fat Tuesday comes around, Rabalais’ Bistro hosts a Mardi Gras party with live music that makes it the only place to be in Heritage Valley before Lent. But each and every Tuesday is, in fact, a big deal here. It’s the first night of the week that Rabalais opens for dinner, and to mark the occasion, the kitchen starts it with a banger: Fried Chicken Tuesday. The huge plate of the Southern comfort classic, of course, comes with traditional sides and a fresh buttermilk biscuit from their in-house bakery.
The buttermilk biscuits, by the way, hold a special place in owner Tracy Lippert’s heart. Rabalais’ Bistro is a tribute to her grandmother, Anesia Lois Rabalais, who was born one of 11 children in 1912 in a small French settlement in Louisiana. Anesia went on to raise a family of six children and 16 grandchildren of her own, cooking Cajun meals that included those flaky buttermilk biscuits in a tiny kitchen that seared fond, indelible memories.
So when Tracy and her husband Dave opened the restaurant in 2011, they made sure that the two-story space dripped with history and honored her grandmother’s story. There are old black-and-white family photos all over the walls, gorgeous wrought iron sculpted into curlicues and a bar that looks like Harrison Ford’s character from “1923” could saddle up, bang his fist on the counter, and order whiskey. Fun fact: The actor has been a frequent patron of the restaurant in real life.
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Be entranced by the sounds of 19th century music box at Fillmore Historical Museum
Fillmore Museum
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
Before compact discs and vinyl, there were music boxes — and the grandest of them all were made by the Regina Music Box Company in the late 19th century. The one on display at the Fillmore Historical Museum is a real treasure.
Originally purchased for Fillmore’s Star Theater in 1902, it’s the size of a wardrobe. Powered not by electricity but by spring tension via two hand cranks, it plays songs from interchangeable, wobbly metal discs the size of manhole covers. When activated — like a modern CD changer that’s just not very “C” — a series of mechanisms loads one of the 12 discs into place and fills the room with an ethereal concert.
If you’re lucky, one of the docents will treat you to a live performance. If you’re not so lucky, the Fillmore Historical Museum, in a twist of irony, sells CD recordings of all twelve songs in its gift shop for $10.
There are plenty more local historical wonders to gawk at here. When USC alum and Fillmore native Edith Moore Jarrett founded the Fillmore Historical Museum in 1971, there were concerns there wouldn’t be much to display. But the community quickly flooded the museum with donations. Over the years, it has expanded to include three historic buildings — the 1887 Fillmore Depot, the 1905 Hinckley House and the 1919 Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse — all of which were moved to this site and lovingly restored.
The 1919 Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse, once a dormitory for single ranch workers, now serves as the main museum building. It’s here you’ll find the music box, along with an exhibit listing the movies and TV shows filmed in Fillmore (“City Slickers 2 “ and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” to name a couple). And there’s even a resident celebrity that calls the museum home—or at least the garage. Restored by students from Fillmore Union High School, the museum’s Ford Model A pickup competed in the 2002 History Channel Great Race from Atlanta to Anaheim. These days, it’s proudly driven through town like a conquering hero when Fillmore has a parade.
Originally purchased for Fillmore’s Star Theater in 1902, it’s the size of a wardrobe. Powered not by electricity but by spring tension via two hand cranks, it plays songs from interchangeable, wobbly metal discs the size of manhole covers. When activated — like a modern CD changer that’s just not very “C” — a series of mechanisms loads one of the 12 discs into place and fills the room with an ethereal concert.
If you’re lucky, one of the docents will treat you to a live performance. If you’re not so lucky, the Fillmore Historical Museum, in a twist of irony, sells CD recordings of all twelve songs in its gift shop for $10.
There are plenty more local historical wonders to gawk at here. When USC alum and Fillmore native Edith Moore Jarrett founded the Fillmore Historical Museum in 1971, there were concerns there wouldn’t be much to display. But the community quickly flooded the museum with donations. Over the years, it has expanded to include three historic buildings — the 1887 Fillmore Depot, the 1905 Hinckley House and the 1919 Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse — all of which were moved to this site and lovingly restored.
The 1919 Rancho Sespe Bunkhouse, once a dormitory for single ranch workers, now serves as the main museum building. It’s here you’ll find the music box, along with an exhibit listing the movies and TV shows filmed in Fillmore (“City Slickers 2 “ and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer,” to name a couple). And there’s even a resident celebrity that calls the museum home—or at least the garage. Restored by students from Fillmore Union High School, the museum’s Ford Model A pickup competed in the 2002 History Channel Great Race from Atlanta to Anaheim. These days, it’s proudly driven through town like a conquering hero when Fillmore has a parade.
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Find the heart of Heritage Valley at Francisco’s Fruit Stand
Market
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
At Francisco’s Fruit Stand, the distance from field to checkout counter is measured in feet not miles — it’s literally surrounded by orchards. The story of this roadside shack began in 1963 when Manuel Cornejo emigrated to Los Angeles from Mexico. Turned away from multiple jobs, he drove north to the Santa Clara River Valley after hearing there might be part-time work. When he arrived, he saw endless rows of orange groves disappearing into the horizon — and that was it. He slept under the orchard trees and worked the fields season after season.
In time, Cornejo saved enough money to open a modest corn stand off Highway 126. By 1980, he bought his first piece of land and started a business he called Cornejo Produce. In 1983, when his daughter Francisca married Francisco Cardenas, a musician who embraced the farming life, the business evolved into what’s now known as Francisco’s Fruit Stand.
Today the family owns approximately 200 acres of farmland while Cardenas’ son, Carlos, manages the stand — the direct outlet of their harvest. Inside the breezy warehouse, you’re overwhelmed with the variety: neat stacks of oranges, lemons, mandarins, grapefruit, avocados, persimmons and pomegranates — none of which ever met a middleman. Carlos fills out the bounty with locally grown tomatoes, strawberries, cherimoya, dragon fruit, and guavas from neighboring farms.
If you’re there at the right time, you can score tangelos — a crop that Heritage Valley is especially well-suited to grow. Recognizable by its distinctive knobby neck, this hybrid of a tangerine and pomelo is so juicy when harvested in season (between March and May) that you might need a straw — and a bib.
In time, Cornejo saved enough money to open a modest corn stand off Highway 126. By 1980, he bought his first piece of land and started a business he called Cornejo Produce. In 1983, when his daughter Francisca married Francisco Cardenas, a musician who embraced the farming life, the business evolved into what’s now known as Francisco’s Fruit Stand.
Today the family owns approximately 200 acres of farmland while Cardenas’ son, Carlos, manages the stand — the direct outlet of their harvest. Inside the breezy warehouse, you’re overwhelmed with the variety: neat stacks of oranges, lemons, mandarins, grapefruit, avocados, persimmons and pomegranates — none of which ever met a middleman. Carlos fills out the bounty with locally grown tomatoes, strawberries, cherimoya, dragon fruit, and guavas from neighboring farms.
If you’re there at the right time, you can score tangelos — a crop that Heritage Valley is especially well-suited to grow. Recognizable by its distinctive knobby neck, this hybrid of a tangerine and pomelo is so juicy when harvested in season (between March and May) that you might need a straw — and a bib.
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Dig into an over-the-top mariscos dinner at El Pescador
Fillmore Mexican Cuisine
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
After driving past miles of farmland on Highway 126, this red-roofed, vanilla-colored edifice rises up in the horizon like a beacon — a landmark that might as well be the Fillmore town sign. Yet El Pescador can never be mistaken as a mere highway rest stop.
Jesús Ortiz, also known as “Don Chuy,” is one of twelve Ortiz brothers who own the El Pescador chain of restaurants all over Southern California — a dynasty that began in Bell Gardens in 1983. And Don Chuy’s El Pescador in Fillmore is easily the area’s crown jewel. With a dining room resembling a grand Mexican hacienda, it bills itself as one of Fillmore’s “tastiest attractions.” And it’s not wrong.
Wrought iron chandeliers dangle over every booth and hundreds of bottles of El Pescador’s own brand of tequila fill the hardwood cabinetry. At the head of the dining room, a woman presides over freshly-pressed tortillas, flipping them over as they roast and puff-up on a giant rotating comal. At least a stack of these tortillas are destined for your table. Coarse and supple, they ground the over-the-top dishes like the Molcajete Jefe, which needs to be seen to be believed. The spectacle demands an audience to ooh and ahh, and then feast on this extravagant arrangement of salsa, grilled chicken, chorizo, steak, shrimp, cheese, cactus, crab legs and a fat lobster tail piled high in a viciously hissing stone mortar.
Jesús Ortiz, also known as “Don Chuy,” is one of twelve Ortiz brothers who own the El Pescador chain of restaurants all over Southern California — a dynasty that began in Bell Gardens in 1983. And Don Chuy’s El Pescador in Fillmore is easily the area’s crown jewel. With a dining room resembling a grand Mexican hacienda, it bills itself as one of Fillmore’s “tastiest attractions.” And it’s not wrong.
Wrought iron chandeliers dangle over every booth and hundreds of bottles of El Pescador’s own brand of tequila fill the hardwood cabinetry. At the head of the dining room, a woman presides over freshly-pressed tortillas, flipping them over as they roast and puff-up on a giant rotating comal. At least a stack of these tortillas are destined for your table. Coarse and supple, they ground the over-the-top dishes like the Molcajete Jefe, which needs to be seen to be believed. The spectacle demands an audience to ooh and ahh, and then feast on this extravagant arrangement of salsa, grilled chicken, chorizo, steak, shrimp, cheese, cactus, crab legs and a fat lobster tail piled high in a viciously hissing stone mortar.
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Feed ravenous juvenile rainbow trout at Fillmore Fish Hatchery
Fish Hatchery
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(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
To the uninitiated, Fillmore Fish Hatchery doesn’t look like the most welcoming place. Enclosed with chain-link fencing, it could easily be mistaken for a water treatment plant.
But a creaky gate bears a weathered sign: “Come In, We’re Open.” Step through, and you realize that the pools inside — four long and narrow 1,000 foot channels called raceways — are teeming with thousands of fish. Step to the edge, and they rush toward you like iron filings to a magnet. (They’ve learned to associate visitors with food.) This facility produces half a million rainbow trout to stock 54 bodies of water across 10 California counties.
And you’re invited to feed these aquatic residents. Near the entrance, a sign above a bucket of pellets advises: Only two handfuls per visitor. Grab some and toss a few in — the water erupts as they thrash and leap over one another in a feeding frenzy.
For adults, the experience is oddly calming. For kids, it will be an engaging couple of minutes not spent glued to an iPad screen. But for the avid California angler, a visit here should feel like a pilgrimage. Run by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this is one of 21 hatcheries in the state that help sustain the sport of fishing. And during the Palisades Fires, Fillmore Fish Hatchery functioned as refuge for 271 endangered Southern California steelhead trout, rescued from Topanga Creek as ash and debris from rain runoff threatened to suffocate them.
Without the work being done here, you would never be able to land that monster trout in Big Bear Lake or the Santa Ana River — you’d be standing on the shore holding a stick.
But a creaky gate bears a weathered sign: “Come In, We’re Open.” Step through, and you realize that the pools inside — four long and narrow 1,000 foot channels called raceways — are teeming with thousands of fish. Step to the edge, and they rush toward you like iron filings to a magnet. (They’ve learned to associate visitors with food.) This facility produces half a million rainbow trout to stock 54 bodies of water across 10 California counties.
And you’re invited to feed these aquatic residents. Near the entrance, a sign above a bucket of pellets advises: Only two handfuls per visitor. Grab some and toss a few in — the water erupts as they thrash and leap over one another in a feeding frenzy.
For adults, the experience is oddly calming. For kids, it will be an engaging couple of minutes not spent glued to an iPad screen. But for the avid California angler, a visit here should feel like a pilgrimage. Run by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, this is one of 21 hatcheries in the state that help sustain the sport of fishing. And during the Palisades Fires, Fillmore Fish Hatchery functioned as refuge for 271 endangered Southern California steelhead trout, rescued from Topanga Creek as ash and debris from rain runoff threatened to suffocate them.
Without the work being done here, you would never be able to land that monster trout in Big Bear Lake or the Santa Ana River — you’d be standing on the shore holding a stick.
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Go on a ghost-hunting adventure at Glen Tavern Inn
Santa Paula Historic Hotel
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
Is the Glen Tavern Inn haunted? If you believe in paranormal reality shows, you’d think so. In 2012, “Ghost Adventures” featured a girl’s disembodied voice during a séance held at the hotel. In 2014, “The Dead Files” conducted an investigation that concluded the ghost of an 18th-century gunman haunted the premises. Others claim to have witnessed objects move by themselves, seen apparitions and felt cold spots.
But according to Craig Owens, who devoted an entire chapter to the Glen Tavern Inn in his book “Haunted by History,” the hotel didn’t have any ghosts until the 1980s. He pointed out a 2007 newspaper quote from Santa Paula historian, artist and author John Nichols: “We’ve lived in Santa Paula 31 years. When we first moved here, it wasn’t haunted. And then somebody along the way — one of the former owners, I think — got the idea that a ghost would be a good marketing device.”
Judging by its history, if Glen Tavern is haunted by anything, it’s financial instability. Since opening in 1911, there have been ups and downs. The hotel became low-income housing in 1972; was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1984; and was even sold to the Tokyo International College Center of Western Studies in 1989, which attempted to use it as a dormitory and classroom space. The hotel also managed to survive existential threats from the St. Francis Dam Disaster, multiple fires and scariest of all: tax collectors.
Today, the Glen Tavern Inn is thriving — ironically thanks to tales of the dead people who purportedly call it home, Room 307 in particular. But even if you were unaware of the ghost stories, you’d still get a Haunted Mansion vibe just standing in the lobby.
Still, it isn’t just the chance to experience paranormal activity that should convince you to stay here. The room rates are just as affordable — and sometimes cheaper — than the Best Western motel in nearby Fillmore, where the only thing you’ll hear go bump in the night is your next door neighbor through the paper-thin walls.
But according to Craig Owens, who devoted an entire chapter to the Glen Tavern Inn in his book “Haunted by History,” the hotel didn’t have any ghosts until the 1980s. He pointed out a 2007 newspaper quote from Santa Paula historian, artist and author John Nichols: “We’ve lived in Santa Paula 31 years. When we first moved here, it wasn’t haunted. And then somebody along the way — one of the former owners, I think — got the idea that a ghost would be a good marketing device.”
Judging by its history, if Glen Tavern is haunted by anything, it’s financial instability. Since opening in 1911, there have been ups and downs. The hotel became low-income housing in 1972; was inducted into the National Register of Historic Places in 1984; and was even sold to the Tokyo International College Center of Western Studies in 1989, which attempted to use it as a dormitory and classroom space. The hotel also managed to survive existential threats from the St. Francis Dam Disaster, multiple fires and scariest of all: tax collectors.
Today, the Glen Tavern Inn is thriving — ironically thanks to tales of the dead people who purportedly call it home, Room 307 in particular. But even if you were unaware of the ghost stories, you’d still get a Haunted Mansion vibe just standing in the lobby.
Still, it isn’t just the chance to experience paranormal activity that should convince you to stay here. The room rates are just as affordable — and sometimes cheaper — than the Best Western motel in nearby Fillmore, where the only thing you’ll hear go bump in the night is your next door neighbor through the paper-thin walls.
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Buzz with glee over the many honey flavors at Bennett’s Honey Farm
Specialty Food Store
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
Over 40 years ago, a funny thing happened to Jet Propulsion Laboratory engineer Red Bennett and his wife Ann that would change the course of their lives: a swarm of bees landed in their backyard. But rather than calling someone to remove them, Red embraced his new guests and took up beekeeping. Eventually, the hobby turned into a business, and those bees? They became his first employees in 1978 when he opened Bennett’s Honey Farm, which would become an award-winning honey bottler and a bona fide landmark in Heritage Valley.
In 2011, Chip Vannoy, a long-time customer and beekeeper himself, bought the business when Red and Ann decided to retire. But the gravity straining process used to extract honey from the combs remained the same. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a time-consuming and inefficient method that eschews high temperatures and pressures in favor of gravity to separate raw honey from beeswax. The result is honey that retains its natural flavor, aroma and color.
In the cozy factory store and tasting room — appropriately located on Honey Lane off the 126 — you can sample all the varieties collected by bees from Bennett’s own colonies as well as those from other local beekeepers. On busy days, customers make a, well, beeline around the center table, which features self-serve spigots. The sage honey is light, mild and has the desirable quality of never granulating over time. The avocado is dark and tangy — the Guinness stout of honey.
And if you didn’t already have choice paralysis: there are even specialty blended flavors, such as pink grapefruit (which is actually pink), matcha honey and other bee-based delights, from beeswax candles to soothing lotions.
In 2011, Chip Vannoy, a long-time customer and beekeeper himself, bought the business when Red and Ann decided to retire. But the gravity straining process used to extract honey from the combs remained the same. It’s exactly what it sounds like: a time-consuming and inefficient method that eschews high temperatures and pressures in favor of gravity to separate raw honey from beeswax. The result is honey that retains its natural flavor, aroma and color.
In the cozy factory store and tasting room — appropriately located on Honey Lane off the 126 — you can sample all the varieties collected by bees from Bennett’s own colonies as well as those from other local beekeepers. On busy days, customers make a, well, beeline around the center table, which features self-serve spigots. The sage honey is light, mild and has the desirable quality of never granulating over time. The avocado is dark and tangy — the Guinness stout of honey.
And if you didn’t already have choice paralysis: there are even specialty blended flavors, such as pink grapefruit (which is actually pink), matcha honey and other bee-based delights, from beeswax candles to soothing lotions.
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Grab a freshly-made combo plate at Ay! Chihuahua
Fillmore Mexican cuisine
(Michael Owen Baker / For The Times)
While there are certainly tonier spots in the Heritage Valley, if you’re in need of satisfying sustenance without the fuss, you’ll want to grab a fat burrito or maybe a big steaming bowl of menudo from Ay! Chihuahua. It is perhaps the gold standard of a Mexican joint in a town that knows its Mexican food.
Owned by the Galvez family, the restaurant is beloved by its community and because of that, has thrived more than 30 years. The cozy dining room — decorated with photos of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, and filled with the aromas from the gurgling deep-fat fryers and a sizzling plancha — is where it’s built its reputation. The breakfast burritos are legendary; the tacos arrive sizzling hot; and the salsas from the self-serve bar burn a path of destruction down your throat — and yet still leaves you coming back for more.
But most importantly, it’s the kind of place where the owner greets its regulars by name, asks how their kids are doing and knows their order before they even say a word.
Owned by the Galvez family, the restaurant is beloved by its community and because of that, has thrived more than 30 years. The cozy dining room — decorated with photos of Emiliano Zapata and Pancho Villa, and filled with the aromas from the gurgling deep-fat fryers and a sizzling plancha — is where it’s built its reputation. The breakfast burritos are legendary; the tacos arrive sizzling hot; and the salsas from the self-serve bar burn a path of destruction down your throat — and yet still leaves you coming back for more.
But most importantly, it’s the kind of place where the owner greets its regulars by name, asks how their kids are doing and knows their order before they even say a word.
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