Things to Do in Camarillo

After dedicating seven years to helping novice mariners tame the local waters, SailTime Channel Islands' original owners hung up their sailing hats and bequeathed their company to Jon and Nicole Trautman. A devoted seafarer since age 10, Jon jumped at the chance to share his high-seas enthusiasm with others via sailing lessons aboard the company’s squadron of midsize, offshore cruising yachts. Now, along with obtaining their American Sailing Association certifications, trainees can learn the ropes of keelboating, coastal cruising, and nymph saddling before renting a 33- or 36-foot Hunter boat for their own nautical escapades. Members pay monthly rates for unlimited use of their vessel and can hoist anchor for all-day or overnight journeys. Those eager for a dinghy of their own can investigate SailTime Channel Islands' ownership plan, which ensures a vessel free of cannonball holes and mutinous crew members.

From dawn to dusk, Hopper Boat Rentals fleet of small, maneuverable crafts weave past the sailboats and houseboats docked in the tree-lined Channel Islands Harbor. Though the compact vessels are easy to master, Hopper Boat Rentals’ aquatic experts still happily help customers suit up in provided lifejackets and then impart a brief tutorial on operating their vessel of choice. They then rent out their watercraft by the hour, allowing customers the freedom to enjoy a quick jaunt or a daylong quest to overthrow surrounding sandcastle fiefdoms.

Scenes of learning and enjoyment spark infectious enthusiasm among Channel Islands Kayak Center's guides, who thrive on bringing adventurers up close to the wildlife of Channel Islands Harbor and Ventura Harbor. The team furnishes independent explorers with kayak rentals, which include safety briefings so kayakers can tell the difference between a sea lion and an actual lion.

Every Thursday, Comedy Hideaway ushers in a lineup of HBO– and Comedy Central–anointed performers, its stage still echoing with the bygone riffs of such national acts as Zach Galifianakis and Whitney Cummings. The club's founder, Andrey Belikov, often hosts and performs at the evening's revues, spinning impressions of his Ukrainian father and detailing his foibles in American society. Between sets, guests avail themselves of Petrini’s menu of Italian fare, sip laugh-loosening drinks, and stand in line for autographs from nationally touring microphone stands.