From my experience visiting this beautiful destination, I have created this ultimate guide to Ojai sharing the best places to stay, where to eat and drink, and the top activities in and around the city. Enjoy!<\/p>\n
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Top 10 Things To Do In Ojai<\/h2>\n
There are an array of things to do in Ojai! With so many options, where should you begin? Here are 10 things to do in Ojai that are great for first-time visitors to the area.<\/span><\/p>\n This 1.1-mile trail is located within the Los Padres National Forest, just a 40-minute drive from downtown Ojai. On the trail, you will pass streams, canyons, and enjoy picturesque views of the mountain range. Along the trail, you will reach a waterfall where you can stop and take a dip or climb inside the waterfall into a cave!<\/p>\n Ojai is not the place to visit if you are looking to shop at chained stores or for your favorite brands. Instead, Ojai offers something different, with an abundance of independent and locally family-run stores.<\/span><\/p>\n In Ojai, you will find independent stores filled with garden furniture, jewelry, soap, vintage clothing, pottery, and unique trinkets and souvenirs. <\/p>\n Ojai is home to 150-year old olive tree farms many within a 5-mile radius of the city. These tours offer tastings, information on how the olives are grown, the extraction process, blending, the bottling process, and all the different varieties of olive oil and balsamic vinegar.<\/span><\/p>\n With more than 130,000 books both new and old, Bart’s Book<\/a> store has been selling books since 1964. Here you can find every book you can ever think of and in a large variety of genres.<\/span><\/p>\n The Ojai Valley Bike Trails is a 9-mile trail that stretches from Foster Park to the heart of Ojai. <\/span>The bike trail also goes straight from Ojai Valley Inn<\/a> to downtown Ojai and they offer free bike rentals! <\/span>If biking isn’t your thing the trail is also a great place to run or take a walk.<\/span><\/p>\n With mountains, rivers and beaches the Los Padres National Forest<\/a> is the second-largest national forest in the state of California. The park has an abundance of walking trails, over 468 species of wildlife and is a great place to explore nature.<\/span><\/p>\n Located in downtown Ojai The Valley View Preserve<\/a> is a 195-acre park of “saved land” that is in a land conservancy and has a lot of great hiking trails including Fox Canyon Trail, Foothill Trail, US Forest Service Trail, Luci’s Trail and Pratt Trailhead.<\/span><\/p>\n There are great wineries in Ojai! Spend a day visiting local wineries and discover a variety of local, delicious wines!<\/p>\n Located within the Matilija Canyon, the Ecotopia Hot Springs<\/a> is a collection of sulfur pools surrounded by nothing but nature. You can visit the hot springs during the day or at night. If you visit during the night you will be blessed with a great stargazing opportunity.<\/span><\/p>\n If you love hot springs you can check out our guide to the best hot springs in California<\/a>!<\/p>\n After exploring the city or going on a long hike, it will surely be time for a relaxing spa day. Ojai has some great five-star spas to relax and rejuvenate. My favorite is at the Ojai Valley Inn<\/a>!<\/span><\/p>\n Looking for a guided tour to book during your trip to Ojai? Here are a few of the best tours near Ojai!<\/p>\n Head down to the beach in nearby Ventura and book yourself a private surf lesson! The beach town of Ventura is just a 30-minute drive away from Ojai and has excellent surfing year-round making it very accessible and a great way to spend the afternoon during your Ojai trip. <\/p>\n Book This Tour: <\/strong>1.5 Hour Private Beginner Surf Lesson<\/a><\/p>\n Santa Barbara<\/a> is just a 45-minute drive from Ojai so during your weekend there why not go wine tasting in one of the best wine regions in California? This tour is a seven-hour wine tasting adventure for a small group of up to 14 people. During this tour, you will visit three top-notch local wineries in Santa Ynez Valley!<\/p>\n Book This Tour: <\/strong>Santa Barbara Wine Tasting Tour<\/a><\/p>\n Spend the day kayaking, swimming, and exploring the Santa Barbara coastline with this four-hour kayaking adventure. The Santa Barbara coastline is home to more than 1,500 species of plants and animals. This tour is the perfect way to spend an afternoon disconnecting and reconnecting with nature in a gorgeous, peaceful setting. <\/p>\n Book This Tour: <\/strong>Santa Barbara Kayaking Trip<\/a><\/p>\n On this chic tour, you’ll sample a dozen mini cupcakes and while spending a fun day wine tasting in Santa Ynez Valley. This wine-themed cupcake tasting and wine tour is perfect for a girls day or a bachelorette party!<\/p>\n Book This Tour: <\/strong>Santa Barbara Cupcake & Wine Tour<\/a><\/p>\n My favorite hotel is on Ojai is the Ojai Valley Inn<\/a>. <\/span>Ojai Valley Inn is a beautiful, luxury resort nestled on a golf course on 220 oak-studded acres, surrounded by the Topatopa Mountains. Recently I went on a little family getaway to the small, rural town of Ojai and stayed at the Ojai Valley Inn. <\/p>\n Highlights from our stay included dining under the oak trees at their signature restaurant, The Oak, roasting smores at their firepit tables under the stars, riding bikes along the beautiful bike path from the resort to downtown Ojai, and enjoying cocktails, lunch and swimming at one of their four pools.<\/p>\n Ojai Valley Inn<\/a> is by far the best hotel in Ojai but it can be pricey. If you are looking for budget-friendly accommodation here are <\/span>8 mid-range and budget Ojai hotels<\/strong>:<\/p>\n Ojai has recently become known as a foodie destination. With everything from five-star dining, to the oldest tavernas in the city, Ojai has a restaurant for everyone’s culinary desires.<\/span><\/p>\n Here are <\/span>10 of the top-rated restaurants<\/b> in Ojai:<\/span><\/p>\n Ojai has a very relaxed vibe and so do all its watering holes. But don’t be fooled, you can still get your hands (and mouth) on a great craft cocktail in Ojai! <\/span>Here are a few of the best bars in Ojai<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n Ojai is filled with little, quirky shops. Whether you are looking to purchase something unique for your home, bring back a souvenir, find cool jewelry, or vintage clothing, you’ll surely find some treasures on your shopping adventure here. <\/span>Here are a few cool places to shop in Ojai<\/strong>:<\/span><\/p>\n With an average year-round temperature in the 70s Fahrenheit, there isn’t a bad time of year to visit Ojai.<\/span><\/p>\n Hotel rates are slightly higher in the summer months between June and August, but you can find some good deals in the spring and the fall.<\/span><\/p>\n Throughout the year, the city has a large number of festivals and outdoor events. Some great events not to check out are:<\/span><\/p>\n Related Post: <\/strong>Ultimate Guide To The Best Festivals Around The World<\/a><\/p>\n Ojai is located just southeast of Santa Barbara<\/a>. <\/span>Santa Barbara has a small, local, stress-free airport, Santa Barbara Airport (SBA)<\/a><\/span>, which serves a number of domestic routes via Southwest, Delta, American Airlines, United, and Alaska Airlines.<\/span><\/p>\n The closest international airport to Ojai is the <\/span>Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).<\/span><\/a> You can fly into LA, rent a car, and take a scenic 80 miles (about 2 hours depending on traffic) drive up to Ojai. <\/span><\/p>\n I hope you found this Ojai guide helpful. There are so many cute towns across California but Ojai is a special little town that is well worth spending a long weekend in. <\/span><\/p>\n It’s a great place to visit if you want to relax, unwind and slow down. <\/span>And if you’re interested in visiting other areas in California, you can check out all our<\/span> Californian articles<\/span><\/a> for inspiration. <\/span><\/p>\n We hope that this article has inspired you to visit Ojai! If you have any questions about the destination or have your own travel tips to share please leave these in the comments below.<\/b><\/i><\/i><\/b><\/p>\n1) Hike The Rose Valley Falls Trail<\/h3>\n
2) Shop At An Independent And Locally Owned Store<\/h3>\n
3) Take An Olive Oil Farm Tour<\/h3>\n
4) Visit The World’s Largest Outdoor Bookstore<\/h3>\n
5) Cycle The Ojai Valley Bike Trail<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\n6) Explore The Los Padres National Forest<\/h3>\n
7) Visit The Valley View Preserve<\/h3>\n
8) Go On A Wine Tasting Tour<\/h3>\n
9) Escape To The Ecotopia Hot Springs<\/h3>\n
10) Head To A Spa<\/h3>\n
Other Things To See & Do In Ojai:<\/h3>\n
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![\"Ojai](\"https:\/\/wearetravelgirls.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/08\/ojai-valley-inn.jpg\")
<\/p>\nTours To Book Around Ojai<\/h2>\n
1) Private Surf Lessons In Ventura<\/h3>\n
2) Wine Tasting In Santa Barbara<\/h3>\n
3) Santa Barbara Kayaking Trip<\/h3>\n
4) Santa Barbara Cupcake & Wine Tour<\/h3>\n
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<\/p>\nWhere To Stay In Ojai<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWhere To Eat In Ojai<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nThe Best Bars In Ojai<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWhere to Shop In Ojai<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nWhen Should I Visit Ojai?<\/h2>\n
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<\/div>\nHow To Get To Ojai<\/h2>\n
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<\/p>\nOjai Ultimate Guide Wrap Up<\/h2>\n
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