Camarillo or Thousand Oaks? (Oxnard, San Fernando: home, movies, school districts)

[daddywa]

My wife and I have an opportunity to move, with our two young children, to the area with our current employers from TX.

Our initial leaning is to move to Camarillo for the proximity to the ocean and overall less summer heat (coming from the brutal TX summers!). We also want to have a somewhat down to earth area (I know, hard to achieve anymore).

I have read a bit about a potential new HS in Camarillo though. Should I be concerned about the school situation? Or, is my main concern really the commute to work?

Any other thoughts on Camarillo v TO are appreciated. We'll be out there late October to take a closer look than our work trips have allowed.

Thanks in advance!!

[BRinSM]

Although relatively close to each other, Camarillo is further from LA and thus LA's sphere of influence is not as strong. There are plenty of good people in TO, but the "keeping up with the Jones" mentality seems to be much stronger. Housing prices are also ridiculous in TO for standard tract housing that can be found anywhere in the country. Apparently the schools are top notch though.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I would say that Camarillo is more down to earth. I love both commuities though. Where will you be working?

[sarahkate_m]

i'd vote for the beach. the valley is... the ultimate as BRinSM describes in the 'joneses' mentality... my cousins live there & have done well for themselves the past 30 years but i'd rather visit them at the beach.

it is hot as H*LL in the valley in the summer.

there could be charter schools or alternative schools in C. if i hadn't been at this already for nearly 24 hours i'd do it for you. it's easy to look up! the wide web is your ally!

california curriculum isn't so bad for the elementary grades, from my observation. maybe have the kids up to 5th grade in public then the rest private or alt?

to be bereft of LA's influence... not a terrible loss, is it?

good luck! how fun to have choice!!! wow!

kate

[Charles]

Camarillo is about 15-20 minutes from the beach, TO is 25-30 minutes from the beach
Camarillo is cooler in summer and not as cold in winter.

Both are nice areas with good schools, little or no crime, and probably boring for single people.

Camarillo might have a slightly more conservative culture with some retired people and some ex-military people from Mugu and Hueneme.

You can visualize school performance with this map:

California School Performance Maps

Camarillo always reminded me more of Ventura County as it has a feel that you're only a mile away from a lemon grove by taking a two lane road that hasn't changed in 80 years.

Thousand Oaks seemed like it had more of an LA county feel maybe because a lot of people of my generation who grew up in the San Fernando Valley now live in Thousand Oaks. Also, there are some very wealthy parts of Thousand Oaks were celebrities and sports stars live. I bumped into Wayne Gretzky at the movies at the Promenade and Mike Scioscia lives in North Ranch.

We still need to know where the original poster is going to work.

[ehcsrop]

Areas of Camarillo are really beautiful and a lot greener than TO. There are active farms in C, snakes and brush in TO.

[daddywa]

Thanks for all the wonderful replies...it does seem Camarillo may be better for us. I'll continue to review the school information out there. We lived in West LA before the kiddos came along and loved the temperate climate as well!

Both of us work from a home office. However, both of our employers have an office in the Westlake Village area. Even though we don't technically have to live near an office, we both prefer it in case we want to pursue other jobs within our companies.

[RatherBeInCabo]

Westlake Village would even be nicer! Also consider Dos Vientos area of Newbury Park.

[jkbatca]

Originally Posted by daddywa

My wife and I have an opportunity to move, with our two young children, to the area with our current employers from TX.

Our initial leaning is to move to Camarillo for the proximity to the ocean and overall less summer heat (coming from the brutal TX summers!).

Camarillo is about on average 10-15 degrees cooler, although when we get a heat wave, everyone is hot.

Originally Posted by daddywa

We also want to have a somewhat down to earth area (I know, hard to achieve anymore).

Both areas have a mixed bag of types of people. There are many down-to-earth people in both places, but probably more not-so-down-to-earth in the whole area vs. Texas due to (a) the proximity to L.A. and all that it brings and (b) many people who have moved from other places into here and bringing their own culture with them.

Originally Posted by daddywa

I have read a bit about a potential new HS in Camarillo though. Should I be concerned about the school situation?

My family likes Adolfo Camarillo High (ACHS). They did pretty well compared to schools in the Conejo valley and eastwards. Some Camarillo people send their kids to Newbury Park High for various reasons, but I didn't see the need to do so. ACHS has a great staff. Conejo Valley school district is great also.

I wouldn't hold my breath for Oxnard building a new school in Camarillo. They've been saying this since my wife went to ACHS, and that was about 20 years ago. Furthermore, you are probably aware that CA is going through some REALLY BAD financial times and schools all around have already and will continue to take major budget hits. I have some long term concerns about many school districts in CA.

Originally Posted by daddywa

Or, is my main concern really the commute to work?

Nobody I ever spoke to liked commuting over the Conejo Grade (hill on 101 between Camarillo and Newbury Park). I would avoid 101 in general, depending upon which way you are going. Don't know where your work is at so that's all the advice I can give. Would have to know that to give more specific advice.

Originally Posted by daddywa

Any other thoughts on Camarillo v TO are appreciated. We'll be out there late October to take a closer look than our work trips have allowed.

Both are great. Someone else mentioned the Dos Vientos area; I like that area due to the proximity to the state park + Newbury Park high. Depends upon what you want out of the area. For example, I like TO because it has a lot more mountain bike / hiking trails integrated into the area.

[Winston Smith]

My vote: Camarillo. It's superior than T.O. on the weather front, to be sure. Camarillo is (mostly) more laid back than T.O. And, you can take Metrolink to your job in L.A. Where is the job, BTW?