Travel Guide: Ojai, California

Last weekend we spent the most magical 48 hours in Ojai, California and I’ll be honest, if it weren’t so far from my family, I would probably try to move there!

Only about an hour and forty minutes from where I live in LA (and I’d say two hours from everywhere else!), this mountain town is peaceful, beautiful, artsy, and super cute! It’s an absolute retreat from city life and now I know why people rave about it.

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We were lucky enough to stay at the Ojai Valley Inn this visit – a gift from my parents that we decided to use to celebrate our engagement! It is very pricey, I won’t lie, but the service is unreal, the grounds are stunning, and they have everything on property that you could possibly need! We spent time by the pools, walking around, visiting the gym, grabbing food and drinks at a few of their many dining options, and relaxing on the balcony in our spacious room. When we weren’t at the inn, we went hiking, exploring and eating in town!

There is truly so much to do in Ojai and we’ve just only scratched the surface! Here’s a roundup of some of our favorite spots, and as I continue to (hopefully) visit, I’ll add more 🙂

Where to Stay

Ojai Valley Inn – Easily the most notable and also expensive hotel in town, but for a reason! Like I mentioned, this is where we stayed (so grateful!) and if I could, I would go once a month! To save some money, I recommend using a AAA rate if you can, requesting a room without any frills (no bath or balcony), and visiting on a weekday like we did! Thursday was significantly cheaper than Saturday.

Blue Iguana Inn – I haven’t been here myself, but my friend Rachel loves this hotel! It’s a slightly cheaper option, but still beautiful and in a perfect location.

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What to Do

Topa Mountain Winery – The one other time I came to Ojai (for a 30th bday party at an airbnb we rented!), we did a wine tasting here and it was a blast! They have a beautiful outdoor area and you can bring your own food.

Bart’s Books – This is an amazing outdoor bookstore and I fell in love with it! They have an insane selection and I got two hardcover books for $18. It’s also veryyyy instagrammable…

Heavenly Honey – We did a super quick honey tasting here in town, then bought some for ourselves and as gifts! It was all absolutely delicious and the owners are the sweetest.

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Where to Hike

Pratt Foothill Trail – This hike has a few trails and we did the 4-ish mile one! It was challenging, but in a good way, and the views are epic. It’s exposed for the most part, so just wear sunscreen and bring water!

Rose Valley Falls – Though this trail is a bit of a drive (about 30 minutes from town), it couldn’t be more worth it! The drive itself is gorgeous through the mountains, but then you get to a quick and fairly easy trail that leads to a waterfall, depending what time of year you’re there! In April, it was trickling down and so pretty!

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Where to Eat

The Nest – We had lunch here and it was SO GOOD. It’s anything but inexpensive, but worth the splurge just once. I had the poké bowl, which was super filling, and Alex got a salad. We also both got drinks and I can tell you that the Earl Grey Lemonade is fire.

The Wallace Neff Heritage Bar – This is the bar at the Ojai Valley Inn and even if you’re not staying on property, I highly recommend visiting at sunset! You can’t beat the view and while the drinks are pricey, they are delicious. They also have fire pits you can sit around, which is super fun and cozy!

Tipple and Ramble – A spot I’m so sad we didn’t get to visit this time, I’m dyingggg to have an afternoon drink and charcuterie here! It has the cutest outdoor area and I hear it’s amazing.

Libbey’s – This is the café on the Ojai Valley Inn property, but again, even if you’re not staying there or just come for the day to visit the spa, it’s SUCH a cute market! We had breakfast here both days (highly recommend the breakfast sandwiches!) and ice cream (which is McConnell’s). Unlike most other places, the prices here are actually amazing!

Watkins Ranch – We stopped at their butcher shop on the way out of town and they have such an amazing selection! The owner is also incredibly generous and sent us home with a free pound of beef when it was our first time visiting.

So next time you find yourself near LA, or even live in LA and need a retreat, I highly recommend visiting Ojai! And if you’ve been before, please let me know your favorite spots so I can go next time 🙂

xo Jordan