Great Outdoors upcoming events

SBVC - Monthly Meeting September 2026 (Wed, September 09, 2026)

Thu, 10 Sep 2026 01:00:00 GMT

Great Outdoors SBVC
Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties

Monthly Meeting,
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
from 6:00 to 8:00 PM
@ Pepe's in Goleta

Join us as we prepare for our
2026 All-Chapter Conference & Campout
hosted by GO-SBVC at beautiful Cachuma Lake
Into The Woods

This October, we’re heading Into the Woods for a campy adventure-filled weekend of hiking, fun in the sun by the lake, good food, great entertainment, an awards ceremony, and, of course, our business meetings. A great time with friends old and new—and there’s room for everyone around our campfire.

When & Where:
Parking is free in the restaurant lot or across the street
Please RSVP and we'll save you a seat
We meet in the back private dining area next to patio
Pepe's usually limits the total number of separate checks to 4

Find your people. Get out and explore together.
Building community through shared adventures.

Pepe's Mexican Restaurant-Old Town Goleta
254 Orange Avenue

OCLB! Elections! Happy Hour Mixer in Long Beach! (Thu, September 10, 2026)

Fri, 11 Sep 2026 02:00:00 GMT

Election Meeting!

This meeting you will be selecting the following:

Chapter President

Vice President of Outings

Treasurer

Chapter Rep

Must Be present to VOTE!

GO OCLB!

Happy Hour Mixer

Monthly Meeting!

Thursday

September 10!

Come Get Happy!

We hopefully have access to a PRIVATE room with plenty of seating!

Join us in a spacious environment w/o the noise of other patrons.

Special request:

PLEASE Register so we can notify Acapulco the number of attendees.

Start the weekend early!

Acapulco Restaurant Y Cantina

6270 Pacific Coast Hwy, Long Beach

HAPPY HOUR SPECIALS!

3pm – 8pm

7:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Happy Hour!

Grab a drink in the Cantina and bring it to our private room! Ask the hostess for the directions of the Great Outdoors meeting room is you are unfamiliar with the restaurant.

GO OCLB Board meeting will convene at 7:30 pm in the restaurant (along with ordering an optional meal) to conduct their monthly meeting in our private room!

All Members & Core Group can make introductions, snack, socialize, toss around ideas/suggestions and make merry! Each person is responsible for their own beverage and snack ordering and payment. Come and meet your board members and fellow outdoor enthusiasts in a relaxing atmosphere.

Core Group will begin their meeting where the various trip leaders will have a chance to highlight their recent and upcoming trips, and answer any questions. We will continue to focus on future activities of 2026 and how to further engage with our members.

Any and all members are allowed and encouraged to attend and participate! (Please be aware that only Core Group Members are allowed to vote during the Core Group meeting.).

3. Meeting will adjourn upon completion of agenda! Aiming for 8:30 PM.

Photos from past months events:

Evening walk in Costa Mesa at Talbert Park:

Grunion Run at Bolsa Chica (Huntington Beach)

El Morro-Crystal Cove Hike led by Frederick:

Breakfast After Perseid Meteor Shower

in Joshua Tree National Park

at JT's Country Kitchen in Joshua Tree:

Great Outdoors Archive Visit at USC:

We would love to see you at all our events!

Come join us!

If you have any questions please contact:

Robert (Outreach) at: Outreach-OCLB@GreatOutdoors.org

Lance (President) at: President-OCLB@GreatOutdoors.org

SBVC - Flying Club / Primetimers BBQ - SAVE THE DATE (Sat, September 12, 2026)

Sat, 12 Sep 2026 07:00:00 GMT

Flying Club / Primetimers BBQ

Fire up the grill, let's make some noise,
Burgers, dogs, and happy joys!
Good food, good friends, a perfect day,
Come hang with us, don't delay!

WHEN: Sept 12, 2026 @ TBD

WHERE: Goleta Beach Park

*Registration is not open at this time. More info to follow...*

PS - Trip Planning for 2027 (Mon, September 21, 2026)

Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:30:00 GMT

Trip Planning - Overnight Events

Do you have ideas for camping trips and outings? Have you discovered a great adventure or a hidden gem?

Catered dinner provided.

Location will be in email confirmation and reminder.

We'll be taking the results of this meeting with us to the October all-chapter Great Outdoors planning conference, where we'll match up calendars with the other chapters and finalize the 2027 trips for all 5 chapters.

We are also looking for new Trip Leaders. If you are interested let us know. You can work with a Trip Leader as an assistant in planning and leading a trip.

If you are unable to attend please send ideas/plans/suggestions to V.P. Outings Kirk Olsen Click Here.

PS - Elections and Monthly Membership Meeting (Tue, September 22, 2026)

Wed, 23 Sep 2026 01:30:00 GMT

Election of Officers (President, Vice President of Outings, Treasurer) takes place starting at 6:30 pm.

GOPS Monthly Core Group Meetings are usually held on the fourth Tuesday of each month starting at 6:30 pm, subject to change due to holidays and conflicting events. Meetings can be attended online via Zoom each month. Meetings are held simultaneously in-person in January, March, May, July, September and November. In-person meetings are held at the Center, 3rd floor Meeting Room 3, 1301 North Palm Canyon Dr., Palm Springs, CA.

Check the event registration details for the date and the particulars of the meeting.

GOPS members can attend by registering for the meeting. For best results in attending via Zoom, plan to use a computer or tablet equipped with a camera and microphone. Information on how to enter the Zoom meeting will be provided to registrants in their Confirmation and Reminder emails.

PS - Hike / Bike / Day Event Planning Meeting NOTE NEW LOCATION (Thu, September 24, 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 15:00:00 GMT

Hike, bike, and day activities planning meeting. We will eat breakfast, review the calendar and coordinate events through the rest of 2026.

Due to the permanent closure of the Palm Springs IHOP and low attendance at the Rancho Mirage IHOP, we will meet at the Denny's (map here) across the street from the LGBTQ Center of the Desert in Palm Springs.

If you are unable to attend, please submit your hike, bike or other events and we will schedule them.

We are also looking for new Day Event Leaders. If you are interested let us know.

Day Activities to consider other than hiking/biking:

Bird-watching at your favorite wetland
Movie night with an environmental focus
Plan a creative celebration of the equinox or solstice
Organize a docent-led tour of museum or park
Take a docent tour and then lead a similar one yourself for Great Outdoors
Attend a conservation lecture with other members
Organize a service trip to repair or build trails or weed out invasive plants
Set up a potluck brunch organized around a letter-writing campaign
Photography hike and follow-up potluck to review photos
Tour city dump or county watershed
Tour a sewage treatment plant
Tour little known public parks or open space
Mountain biking
Old-fashioned potluck picnic
Special events or exhibits
Ride horses
Planetarium or museum or zoo visit on free day
Anything that broadens our awareness of our environment is a valid outing

Contact VP of Outings click here with your ideas and suggestions.

SBVC - Lake Lopez California: Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival Weekend! (Thu, September 24, 2026)

Thu, 24 Sep 2026 23:00:00 GMT

Lake Lopez - Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival

The Arroyo Grande Harvest Festival is a local favorite event that features everything from entertainment to food, scarecrow and baking contests, games for the kids, movie night, and so much more! This family-friendly event highlights the best of Arroyo Grande and its neighboring communities. Harvest festival not your thing? Lake Lopez has lots to offer as well, with fishing, boating, zip-lining, water slide activities, hiking, and more! Also the Arroyo Grande area has several wonderful wineries minutes from Lake Lopez for touring and tasting! The village of Arroyo Grande is sprinkled with antique shops galore as well!
Your weekend is only limited by your imagination folks!

So come join us for a four day weekend of fun, friends and relaxation!

When: Sept 24 - 27, 2026 @ Lopez Lake Recreation Area-El Jardin Group Site

Thursday-Check-in starts at 3pm-come on in, set up, settle in, meet your fellow campers and enjoy some snacks after all that set up work!

Friday-Harvest Festival starts in the afternoon at 4pm, so that gives you the whole morning to explore Lake Lopez itself, or the surrounding areas.
Saturday-Today's got a lot going on, with the Harvest Festival Parade from 1000-1130AM in town. Followed by the Harvest Festival Wiener Dog Races from 2pm-3pm.

Sunday-A mellow morning of breakfast with your fellow campers and packing up, as check out is at 1100AM.
So come on out to this central coast location and enjoy your Great Outdoors folks!

PARKING LIMIT-As always, there is a limitation of how many vehicles (ANYTHING with a license plate {car, truck, travel trailer, motorhome} counts!) of 10 vehicles for this trip. So please please please, carpool if you can, and if there's any question, please touch base with your trip leader:
Joe D-805-588-1142
email-countryboyjoe1@gmail.com

LA - Hike & Party in West Hollywood (Sat, October 03, 2026)

Sat, 03 Oct 2026 18:00:00 GMT

West Hollywood Urban Hike &

Election/ Volunteer Party

Includes a Free Mediterranean Lunch

We have reserved the community room in Kings Road Park for our election party and to acknowledge our volunteers. Everyone is welcome but you must register and be a Great Outdoors member. A free Mediterranean lunch will be provided after our walk.

Registration: The event is FREE for GOLA members. However, a refundable $20 deposit from members will be required during registration. Refunds will be made in cash when members arrive. This helps to ensure we order the correct amount of food.

Volunteers needed! If you can help with setting up, organizing, serving, and cleaning up please contact: Russell Hammerl

Agenda:

11:00 AM: Pre-Party Hike, Gather in the Park for a walking tour of pocket parks in West Hollywood. These are very interesting little parks with fascinating histories and enchanting designs,
1:00 PM: A delicious Mediterranean buffet lunch with vegan options
1:30 PM: Election results, Volunteer Acknowledgement, Upcoming Events, etc.
2:00 PM: Dessert and socializing
3:30 PM: Put away chairs and tables, cleanup, hugs and goodbyes.

Directions: Kings Road Park, Just south of Gelson's.

Address: 1000 Kings Rd, West Hollywood, CA 90069

Nominations and Voting: Please nominate your officers by clicking here prior to Sep. 15. You must be a member of LA Chapter to vote.

Cancellations: No refunds will be made for cancellations.

Parking: Easiest option is the Kings Road Parking Structure, 8383 Santa Monica Blvd., West Hollywood.

Nominations and Ballots will be emailed before the party.

Congratulate our new officers, thank volunteers, celebrate a new Great Outdoors calendar year with other G.O. members, and make new friends!

Enjoy a delicious Mediterranean buffet of kabobs, hummus, chicken, salads, vegan options and more. Dessert will be after the presentations.

SBVC/CORP - 48th All Chapter Conference and Campout (Fri, October 16, 2026)

Fri, 16 Oct 2026 23:00:00 GMT

~~Into the Woods with the Great Outdoors~~
Join Us for the 48th Annual All Chapter Conference
and Campout Hosted by GO-SBVC

WHEN: Friday, October 16
WHERE: Cachuma Lake, Santa Barbara
TIME: Arrive at 4:00 PM

The Great Outdoors 2026 All-Chapter Conference and Campout
Hosted by GO-SBVC at the beautiful Cachuma Lake

Into The Woods with the Great Outdoors—A Weekend Full of Adventure

Hello and welcome. Our story begins Friday afternoon as we welcome friends from every Great Outdoors chapter to beautiful Lake Cachuma. After settling into camp, join us for a GO-SBVC hosted Tea, a casual opportunity to enjoy light refreshments and to reconnect with old friends and meet new ones. Dinner is on your own. As the evening falls, we'll gather for a special guest presentation in the spirit of celebrating the good nature of the Great Outdoors.

Saturday morning we wake to a hearty breakfast provided by GO-SBVC before the day's adventures begin. Great Outdoors Officers and Core Group members will gather for their annual corporate meetings, where the business of our organization is conducted. Anyone interested in learning more about how Great Outdoors operates or seeing the process firsthand is welcome to attend.

For those not attending the meetings there are several ways to enjoy the day. Local GO-SBVC members will lead you on a scenic guided hike through the beautiful Lake Cachuma area or guide you through an excursion into the nearby Santa Ynez Valley wine country. If you'd rather explore on your own you can visit the beautiful new Chumash Museum and Cultural Center to learn about the rich heritage of the area's original inhabitants or try your luck at the nearby Chumash Casino Resort, both just a short drive away.

Saturday afternoon brings a little friendly competition as the chapters square off in our spirited Horseshoe Tournament. Whether you're aiming for a perfect ringer or simply cheering from the sidelines, it's all about fun, laughter, and chapter pride.

As evening falls, we'll gather once again for one of the weekend's highlights—a fantastic GO-SBVC provided Loaded Baked Potato & Salad Bar accompanied by the Bring & Cook Your Own Meat on the BBQ. We've got two large BBQ grills and we'll be there to help for those unsure around the grill-just be sure and bring your meat. Enjoy a delicious meal while sharing stories around the campground before celebrating together at our annual Awards Ceremony, recognizing the volunteers and chapters that help make Great Outdoors thrive.

Then, as every good fairy tale deserves a musical ending, we'll enjoy a special live musical presentation to include audience participation. Raise your voice around the campfire as we celebrate another memorable year together.

Before everyone heads home on Sunday morning, we'll share a GO-SBVC provided continental breakfast, exchange hugs and goodbyes, and bid farewell until our paths cross again on another trail.

No magic beans are required—just your sense of adventure. We can't wait to welcome you Into the Woods with the Great Outdoors!

We have 6 RV spaces available (no hookups) for our RV travelers, along with parking space for 24 vehicles. RV spaces do not include a towed vehicle and there are no hookups. Whether you're driving, riding along as a passenger, a guest, or simply want to join for part of the weekend adventures, we welcome you to register in advance so that you can be a part of our 2026 All Chapter Conference and Campout.

If you are an RV traveler and require hookups there may be available sites, but you will need to check with the park https://www.countyofsb.org/cachuma-lake.

We have reserved the Lanford Memorial Grove Group Campsite at the north end of the park.

Link to camp map https://content.civicplus.com/api/assets/499e2bb7-b3bb-4a3e-a635-cd4cd5aec544

Not a Great Outdoors Member yet? No problem. Join Here:
https://greatoutdoors.org/join

Don't forget your 10 essentials - The 10 essentials are a collection or system of items that significantly increase your safety on any hike or outdoors trip. This is not an exhaustive list of anything you could ever need. You can visit the link included Here but one version of this list is as follows:
1. Navigation
2. Headlamp
3. Sun Protection
4. First Aid
5. Knife
6. Fire
7. Shelter
8. Extra food
9. Extra water
10. Extra clothes

EVENTS:

FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16
-Meet and Greet
-Raffle tickets
-Afternoon Tea SBVC Provided
-Dinner is on your own
-Entertainment

SATURDAY, OCTOBER 17
-Breakfast SBVC Provided
-Corporate Meetings
-Mid-Day Activities
-Lunch is on your own
-Happy Hour
-Dinner SBVC Provided and Awards
-Entertainment

SUNDAY, OCTOBER 18
-Breakfast SBVC Provided
-Clean-up and pack