By Vanessa Vanya
Mention that you just went to Ojai to anyone who lives in LA, and their eyes will glaze over with a faraway dreaminess as if you just said you got back from staying at a private villa in Tuscany. The reality is that the wonderland and spiritual mecca that is Ojai, California, is only about an hour-and-a-half drive from LA and perfect for an overnighter or just a day trip. It’s quite the getaway; all those pink rocky hills surrounding the green-and-Cyprus-tree-freckled valley, the never-ending orange orchards, the shaded and quiet country/suburban streets lined with colorful spiky succulents, and the aging and well-off crystal-necklaced hippie moms who look like they’ve been doing yoga and shopping at Chico’s since birth. Ojai is a sleepy and gorgeous melting pot of families who have lived there forever: artists, health gurus, industry folk, and people who have moved there over the past few years to enjoy the town’s slower pace and low-key vibe. It’s a mix-up of family-owned farms and grocery stores and newer cool-kid shops and cafes. It’s a place where you can get Reiki for your dog, hike Shelf Road for epic views of the valley, order farm-fresh vegetables at a sports bar, and feel like you’re a million miles away from the rest of the world. I’ve put together a list of things to do for the perfect Ojai trip. (I go for the tomato salads.)
Ojai Rancho Inn
615 Ojai Valley Trail
The city kids have indeed arrived. With its modern/rustic look, ample pyramid/triangle/cactus/evil-eye decorations, beautiful wood-centric rooms with record players and ’70s leather couches, tie-dyed curtains, a pool with a nearby teepee, and a cozy bar that offers great wine, beer, incredible lighting fixtures, local pottery, and a crystal-lined mantel, you’ll be in bohemian heaven. It’s also affordable, close to downtown, and run by some very awesome and charming people. Even if you’re not planning to stay there, grab a drink at the bar and hang out with them.
Meditation Mount
10340 Reeves Road
This sprawling spiritual center sits on top of a mountain overlooking the whole valley and is as peaceful as it sounds. They offer programs that “enhance the awakening of the human soul in all aspects of social endeavor” and also just have a beautiful piece of land with gardens and ponds and tree-shaded benches where you can wander around and ponder your connection to the universe or where to grab a beer later.
Boccali’s Pizza & Pasta
3277 Ojai-Santa Paula Road
This little family-owned restaurant is a staple of Ojai. It’s nestled on an oak-tree-lined corner, and its outdoor patio is the perfect place to grab the best tomato salad of your life. The Boccali family, who have their own farm and vineyard, have been serving Ojai since 1986. In addition to the best tomato salad of your life, they also have the best strawberry shortcake of your life, and you can buy the produce from their farm from little stands outside. Tomato salad.
Matilija Canyon
Places to swim in Ojai are few, but they do exist; you just need to work for them a little. While giving an exact location would be too difficult, I can guide you to the general area, and you can channel your inner Indiana Jones and find your own spot. Take the 33 to Matilija Road. You can park along the side of the road after you pass the Packing House at Friend’s Ranch, or you can keep going up the hill until the reservoir and park there. Just walk toward the hills until you reach the water. There are various swimming holes all over. Good luck!
Hip Vegan Cafe
928 East Ojai Avenue
Nothing makes me happier than finding a vegetarian/vegan place that my meat-loving husband enjoys as much as I do. This is that place. They excel at making hearty but healthy wraps and sandwiches, and their greens-and-grains bowl is what vegetarian dreams are made of. Sit outside at one of their picnic tables and watch all the women who just got out of Iyengar Yoga stream in.
Knead
469 East Ojai Avenue
Knead is a tiny, bustling family-owned bakery that uses local ingredients for their delicious sandwiches, tarts, and salads, and they’re extremely passionate about the food they make. They have a great little sunny patio out in front, to boot. Some locals might eye-roll at this place for their prices, but they have the best oatmeal cookies and homemade whole-grain English muffins I’ve ever had.
Bart’s Books
302 West Matilija Street
Bookstore lovers, prepare to want to be buried here. Bart’s is an open-air bookstore that’s been a gem of Ojai since 1964. It’s a maze of aisles and rooms of every category you could ever dream of. From rare first-print editions to eclectic cookbooks to cosmic guides to classic books from your childhood, they have it all, and the people who work there are the finest in town. Don’t ask them what they do when it rains.
The Deer Lodge
2261 Maricopa Highway
A biker bar that serves farm-to-table food is just one example of the brilliant clashing of subcultures that are so prevalent in Ojai. It has recently switched ownership, so the new menu gives you the option of a grilled lentil nutloaf sandwich, which is not something that happens in bars that look like they could just as easily be in the sticks in Alabama. Don’t worry, though; you can still get huge (grass-fed and hormone-free) burgers and good bourbon and sit by the roaring fire while admiring the John Wayne shrine.
Summer Camp
1020 West Ojai Avenue
Summer Camp is an awesome, little couple-run store that has some really great stuff in it. They offer “custom framing and vintage home and lifestyle goods,” which directly translates to neat, old camping supplies; framed California-travel themed artwork, local handmade soaps and lotions; local artist’s jewelry, bags and clothing; and just a really fun space that they put a lot of effort into. They offer fantastic nature-themed childhood nostalgia and the best modern-day gifts and housewares.
Farmer and the Cook
339 West El Roblar Drive
You really can’t find something much better than a grocery store/cafe/restaurant that is almost completely supplied by the farm that the owners have and run. Located in Meiners Oaks, a colorful and eccentric neighborhood, the store offers fresh organic produce at very reasonable prices and a great Mexican cafe that serves sopes, tamales, and enchiladas made with the finest ingredients — and, of course, a great selection of juices and smoothies. Their philosophy is simple, and it translates deliciously. The delightful and story-filled farmer’s name is also Steve Sprinkel, which seals the deal.
