Kid Friendly Restaurant Review: Pete's Breakfast House

We went Pete's Breakfast House before 9 am on a Wednesday and it was busy, not busy with a line out the door like the weekends, but still plenty of people were filling the booth. We were seated immediately and the waitress offered us some toys for Spencer; we declined because we had brought our own, but it is nice to know the option is there. 

Pete's is a popular Ventura institution because the food is well priced and consistently good. I changed gears at the last second and ordered the special of crunchy french toast with whipped cream and peaches. It was delicious, but would have been just as good with out the whipped creamed. The delightful crunch on the french toast came from crushed corn flakes. Hubs ordered blueberry pancakes with eggs and bacon. Everything arrived as ordered and the pancakes were fruity and fluffy. It is nice to find a place where the fruit is still cooked in to the pancakes.

The biggest delight was the kid's menu, which included many reasonably priced selections under $5. I was especially pleased to find the healthy option of yogurt and a sliced banana for the excellent price of $2.50. Spencer ate the whole thing. He spent his meal flirting with the waitress and a teenager seated by the window.

Pete's is a good, kid friendly place to get breakfast or lunch. Unless crowds are your thing, go early or go on a weekday.

High Chairs Available: Yes
Kids Menu: Yes
Changing Station in Restroom: No

Wings Over Camarillo Air Show

The Wings Over Camarillo Airshow is coming up this weekend, August 21-22 at the Camarillo Airport. Tickets are $10 and admission is free for children under 12.

More information:
Vintage planes to land at Camarillo air show [Ventura County Star]
wingsovercamarillo.com

Hot Weather Activity: Ventura

The fountain at Pacific View Mall in Ventura is a great way to cool off for free in the summer or fall. Located by the Lemon Grove entrance the fountain is open to anyone. It can get crowded on warm Wednesdays during the Farmer's Market (9-1pm). Bring towels, suits, swim diapers if needed and no slip shoes. The fountain is a fun visual for kids to watch without getting wet as well.

Attending the Ventura County Fair with Kids in Tow

The week long Ventura County Fair is held every August at Seaside Park in Ventura with a parade on the first Saturday. While the fair can be tons of fun for young and old alike, it can be stressful for parents. Sun and crowds pose risks for small children and the lure of junk food and the midway can be demanding and expensive for parents of older children. Here are some fair survival tips.

• Bring sunscreen and hats. Shade is at a minimum in the outdoor spaces, the building provide a shade option, but are often crowded and seating is in high demand. Some of the tables in the food court area have umbrellas.
• Bring your own water and healthy snacks. There is no limit to what you can bring to the fair except for what you can carry. Drinking fountains are scarce, but can be used to refill water bottles.
• Hit the fair early. The buildings, the Commercial Building especially, get crowded early and can be hard to navigate for small children or a parent with a stroller. The Home Arts Building is normally less busy and can be a nice respite. Lots of beer is sold at the fair and smoking is allowed it most outdoor areas so that is something to keep in mind when navigating the main thoroughfares. More than one cigarette butt was flicked in the direction of my stroller this year.
•  Breastfeeding is allowed at the fair, as it is allowed in all public spaces in California. There are no nursing rooms, but there are benches in many of the buildings that could be used to nurse in a shady location. The happiest nursing mother I saw at the fair this year was sitting on a shady bench amidst the horticulture displays. 
• A sponsored changing room was available at the fair. It is a popular spot that has two changing stations with cloth covers, so bring your own blanket or changing pad.
• There is a lost children pick-up tent, but it is best to designate a meeting area and time with older children, in the event of separation. Be sure and make it specific.
  

Kid Friendly Restaurant Review: Gloria's Kitchen

Located behind an unassuming storefront on the corner of Loma Vista Road and E Main Street in Ventura, Gloria's Kitchen is some of the best Mexican food in town. Popular with the staff at both nearby hospitals, it can be busy at lunch but is not as busy in the evenings. The wait staff is just attentive enough and are cognisant of children at the table and make an effort to interact with them.

The food is pretty standard Mexican food at really reasonable prices. The menu does include a kids meal which includes rice, beans and a drink with a few entree selections for $4.50, but a better choice would be a selection of a la carte tacos at just $1.10 each. There are a wide variety of a la carte entree selections, including burritos, tacos and sopes for under $5 and combination platters available for $8 and up.

The dining rooms includes booths, two-seater booths and tables. The booths will accommodate a bucket car seat placed sideways next to an adult. A Bumbo seat will also fit in a booth as a booster, but I do not recommend that course of action if you have a squirmy and fidgety baby. Trust me.


High Chairs Available: Yes
Kids Menu: Yes
Changing Station in Restroom: No

Welcome to Ventura County Kids

Welcome to Ventura County Kids, your resource for local information and reviews for things to do in Ventura County. This will be an informative to build a community for shared travel and activity tips and information. The first few posts will be kid friendly restaurant reviews and some lists of resources and links.

Who am I? My name is Amy and I am a Ventura mom of a toddler who is frustrated by the lack of online resources for our corner of the Golden State. Welcome!