Weekend Travel Guide: Ojai California
Overall vibe of Ojai, California:
Ojai is a cute, relaxed town in California, about 1 hour and 40 minutes from Los Angelos and 50 minutes from Santa Barbara. It’s in a valley under the Topatopa Mountains is a magical place to slow down, reset, connect with nature and nourish your body with amazing food.
My little sister and I did a trip to Ojai and Santa Barbara for my 28th birthday in February 2020 and it was one of my FAVORITE trips ever. The whole trip was beautifully synchronistic and we flowed and wandered into so many amazing nature spots, restaurants and magical experiences. I’m so excited to share them with you!
Quick Guide to Ojai:
Overall vibe: relaxed, cute, intimate
How long to stay: 2 nights
Where to stay: downtown Ojai (I’m not sure it’s officially called downtown; it’s whatever the main part of town along E Ojai Ave is)
Getting around: you can walk to most places in town but I recommend renting a car so you can adventure to the nearby nature spots
This post may contain affiliate links which means we may receive a commission for purchases made through these links (at no cost to you). All affiliate links are from companies we personally recommend and trust.
Where to stay In Ojai California
Cute, trendy, boutique hotel with a pool and hot tub. Find the best rates here.
If you’re looking for a trendy, unique experience and staying in an airstream sounds fun to you, this might be your spot. Find the best rates here.
A luxury, more resort like hotel with a beautiful pool, 5 restaurants and a spa! Find the best rates here.
This is where my sister and I stayed for our trip. It’s nothing super special but was a good, simple place to stay and we loved the hot tub! Find the best rates here.
Best restaurants in Ojai
Tipple and Ramble (Instagram: @tippleandramble): SUPER cute spot for wine and cheese boards with a great patio
Tipple & Ramble
Nest (Instagram: @thenestojai): amazing food and cocktails on a nice patio! We loved the pizza and kale caesar salad!
Nest
Farmer and The Cook (Instagram: @farmerandthecookojai): great farm to table restaurant with a variety of cuisines and foods!
Ojai Rotie (Instagram: @ojairotie): famous for rotisserie chicken but they also have good Mediterranean snacks, wine and a nice patio
LOVE Social Cafe (Instagram: @lovesocialcafe): cute breakfast cafe!
Best coffee shops
Beacon Coffee (Instagram: @beaconcoffee): the best option for going out for coffee in Ojai.
Beacon Coffee
Best things to do Ojai CA
This was an absolutely MAGICAL experience. There’s several HOT hot springs and a beautiful cold stream you can also get in if you want to alternate between the hot and cold. Clothes/bathing suits are optional and talking isn’t allowed.
Shop/walk around downtown
The main street has tons of cute shops and restaurants! We loved the Elemental Apothecary!
Go To A Winery
We went to Topa Mountain Winery. The views were beautiful and the wine was good!
Topa Mountain Winery
Watch Sunset
Ojai is famous for the “pink moment” because the sunsets create a magical pink sky! Meditation Mount is a great place to watch and you can also do a guided yoga or meditation class!
You can also book a virtual meditation experience with me here for you and or your group.
Byron is an enlightened, spiritual teacher who’s written several amazing books including 2 of my favorites, Loving What Is and I Need Your Love - Is That True?. She has a center in Ojai and sometimes hosts events here.
Go Hiking
Pratt, Foothill, and Fox Canyon Trails Loop
Distance: 3.1 miles
Elevation: 731 ft
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 2.8 miles
Elevation: 816 ft
Route type: Out & back
Difficulty: Moderate
Fox Canyon Trail
Distance: 1.1 miles
Elevation: 213 ft
Route type: Out & back
Difficulty: Easy
Distance: 3.6 miles
Elevation: 1,187 ft
Route type: Loop
Difficulty: Moderate
Where Else To Visit On Your Ojai Trip
I recommend spending a few days in Santa Barbara! It was the perfect addition to the trip. Check out the Santa Barbara travel guide here!
Google Map of All Ojai Recommendations
I saved all of my recommendations for you in the map below to make it super easy to get around! Here’s the full link so you can save it: https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/4/edit?mid=1yAhO2e3I3Loc4JJIQ02BN6Ba0lQLkq4&usp=sharing.
Pin It For Later
