48 Hours in Simi Valley: A Weekend Worth the Drive

Friday Evening: Arrive, Uncork, Unwind

The best way to arrive in Simi Valley on a Friday evening is without a plan beyond one stop: Nectar Of The Dogs Wine on Chambers Lane. This small-lot winery has a tasting room that operates at exactly the right pace — unhurried, genuinely local, and staffed by people who actually want to talk about what's in your glass. Pull up, taste through their current lineup, and pick up a bottle (or two) to bring back to wherever you're staying. Summer evenings in the valley cool down just enough after 6 PM to make sitting outside with a glass of their red feel like the whole point of the trip. Parking is easy and the vibe is far more relaxed than anything you'd find in Malibu or Ojai.

Nectar Of The Dogs Wine — Arrive between 5 and 6 PM on a Friday to beat any wait and catch the tasting room at its most social — the after-work crowd here is genuinely fun to talk to.

Tip: If you're picking up wine for the evening, BevMo! on the west side of town is open late on Fridays and Saturdays — handy for grabbing mixers, sparkling water, or a backup bottle if Nectar Of The Dogs has sold out of your favorite pour.

Saturday Morning: Coffee, Thrift, and a Slow Start

Saturday mornings in summer call for an early-ish start before the heat settles in. After breakfast at wherever you're staying, head east along East Los Angeles Avenue — this corridor is Simi Valley's unofficial antique and second-hand row, and it rewards a slow drive with windows down. Just Around The Corner at 1458 East Los Angeles Ave opens at 10 AM Monday through Saturday and carries a genuinely curated mix of vintage collectibles and furniture — not the chaotic pile-it-in approach, but an edited selection that makes browsing feel worthwhile. A few blocks east, The Vintage Peddler opens at 11 AM Tuesday through Saturday and leans toward decorative antiques and mid-century pieces. If you're the type who gets competitive about finding something first, arrive at The Vintage Peddler right when they unlock the door. Further down the same stretch, Fishy Finds (open Thursday through Sunday, 11 AM to 5 PM) is worth a stop for anyone who appreciates the weirder end of vintage collecting — the name is not misleading, but it's also not the whole story.

Just Around The Corner — Weekday inventory tends to be more picked-over, so hitting this one first thing Saturday morning is genuinely the move.

The Vintage Peddler — Their mid-century lighting section is worth a focused look — pieces show up here that would cost twice as much in a Ventura or Pasadena shop.

Fishy Finds — Open Thursday through Sunday only, so Saturday is your window — give yourself at least 30 minutes to get through everything properly.

Tip: The East Los Angeles Avenue antique corridor gets significantly hotter by noon in summer. Start your browsing by 9:30 or 10 AM and you'll be comfortable. By 1 PM, you'll want to be indoors or in the car with the AC on.

Saturday Afternoon: Games, Gear, and Valley Side Streets

After the antique run, head toward the Sequoia Avenue area for a different kind of Saturday afternoon. A Hidden Fortress on Sequoia Avenue is one of those stores that genuinely earns its loyal following — a destination for board games, tabletop miniatures, and all manner of strategic entertainment. Whether you're a serious gamer or someone who just wants to find a good party game to bring to a friend's house, the staff here know their inventory deeply and won't steer you wrong. It doubles as a community gathering space, and on a summer Saturday afternoon, there are often games in progress if you want to watch or jump in. Right around the corner, Alpine Attic Thrift Shop (open Fridays and Saturdays 10 AM to 4 PM, Wednesdays and Thursdays until 7 PM) rounds out the Sequoia corridor nicely — smaller than the East Los Angeles antique shops but with a rotating inventory that can surprise you. If you're traveling with a skater or just want to see a proper local skate shop, Rapid Skateboarding on East Los Angeles Ave has boards, decks, wheels, and apparel that reflect what local riders actually want, not a watered-down chain-store selection.

A Hidden Fortress — Ask the staff what's been moving this month — they track trends closely and can point you toward games that actually get played, not just purchased.

Alpine Attic Thrift Shop — The Saturday window (10 AM to 4 PM) closes earlier than you'd expect, so don't leave this one for last.

Rapid Skateboarding — A genuinely local shop with gear curated for the valley's skate community — worth supporting even if you're just browsing.

Tip: If the afternoon heat becomes a factor, the Cochran Street corridor (Target, Ross, Marshalls) gives you a fully air-conditioned stretch to walk and browse without committing to anything in particular. Good for regrouping between the more interesting stops.

Saturday Evening: Stock Up and Settle In

Saturday evening in Simi Valley has a genuinely local rhythm to it. For provisions — whether you're cooking at a rental, heading to a picnic spot, or assembling a solid charcuterie situation — Novy Ranches on East Los Angeles Avenue is where to go for quality meat. This is a proper local butcher, open Tuesday through Saturday, and the difference between their product and what you'd grab at a chain grocery is immediately obvious. Pick up something for the grill and pair it with whatever you brought back from Nectar Of The Dogs the night before. BevMo! is your safety net if you need to restock wine or spirits before the evening — open late on Saturdays, well-organized, and with a beer selection that goes well beyond the obvious. Knolls Plaza Market Liquor is another solid local option if you're already in that part of town and want something more neighborhood-scale.

Novy Ranches — Get there by 4 PM on Saturdays to ensure the best selection — they're open until late afternoon and popular cuts move fast on weekends.

BevMo! — Their 5-cent wine sale runs periodically — check their app before visiting on Saturday, because the savings on a two-bottle purchase are real.

Tip: If you have a dog along for the weekend, Saturday is also the day to hit The Aquarium Connection (open weekends 10 AM to 3 PM) for a look at something genuinely different, or swing by R&R Pet Lifestyle and Supply on Tapo Canyon Road for quality food and supplies without a big-box atmosphere.

Sunday Morning: Antiquing Before the Heat, Then Head Home Happy

Sunday mornings are for the Valley Fair Street pocket of Simi Valley, which operates on its own quiet schedule. Shop Around the Corner and Aubergine Emporium are both on Valley Fair Street and both open Thursday through Saturday — which means if you missed them on Saturday, you've missed them for this trip. Make a note for next time and let that be your reason to come back. What Sunday does offer is The Vintage Peddler's Sunday hours (noon to 5 PM) if you want one more pass through their collection after sleeping on a piece you saw Saturday. Heaven Cent Thrift Shop on Royal Avenue is open seven days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM — it's the most accessible Sunday thrift option in the valley and worth a look before you load the car. Bring Down The House on California Avenue is also open Tuesdays through Saturdays, so catch it if you're doing a late Saturday departure instead. For those traveling with or toward athletic interests, On Track and Field on Ish Drive is a legitimate training facility open seven days a week — a good spot to get a morning run in before the drive home if your body is asking for movement after a weekend of browsing and wine.

Heaven Cent Thrift Shop — Open daily at 10 AM — the most reliable Sunday morning stop for second-hand browsing before you hit the road.

On Track and Field — Open seven days a week — get your Sunday miles in here before the temperature climbs past comfortable.

Tip: Leave Simi Valley by noon on Sunday in summer if you're heading south toward the 101 — traffic builds fast on weekend afternoons, and an early departure means you carry the relaxed valley energy home instead of burning it off in stop-and-go traffic on the Ventura Freeway.