This Is The Friendliest Small Town In Southern California
In Ojai, the words “discovery” and “location” are bundled in intricate layers of meaning. Visitors discover Ojai at the end of a road that rises from the Pacific coast and winds through an Impressionist landscape of vineyards, citrus groves, and avocado orchards. But many also come to discover themselves, in a magical place where the setting sun casts rays of refracted light onto the town’s mountain backdrop, setting the Topa Topa Bluffs aglow with shades of pink, orange, and red. In such a reflective place, it is not surprising that life moves to a slower, improvisational cadence, and strong and lasting friendships are born.
Activities And Attractions
The concept of location takes on new dimensions of meaning, as well. The town’s location is best described as “centered.” Approximately 82 miles north of Los Angeles and 30 miles east of Santa Barbara, Ojai is centered on a mystical vortex, generations of spiritual pioneers have believed — a portal alive with electromagnetic energy.
With the Los Padres National Forest stretching 200 miles from the town’s northern border to Big Sur, there is plenty of room to explore the beauty of nature and contemplate life’s deepest questions.
There are other subtle clues to its inviting reputation, arrayed like Easter eggs across Ojai’s glorious panorama. The name itself, pronounced Oh-Hi, is a welcoming greeting. And the nickname residents often use to refer to the town, Shangri-La — an allusion to the hidden idyllic valley of Frank Capra’s Lost Horizon — suggests warmhearted tranquility.
Ojai’s population of roughly 7,500 and its strong community bonds contribute to the friendly ethos. Ojai sparkles with festivals, art exhibitions, world-class musical performances, boutiques, cafes, and the imaginative creations of local artisans. Its walkable downtown, anchored by Ojai Avenue, is a center of activity, with visitors sipping cappuccinos at Beacon Coffee, enjoying exhibits and performances at the Ojai Art Center, admiring the magnificent Spanish Revival architecture, savoring original recipes at Nocciola, and relaxing to live jazz at the Vine or concerts at the Libbey Bowl, an outdoor amphitheater.
On every visitor’s list is The Duchess, a Burmese-Californian restaurant that is also a bakery and cafe by day. Constructed in the 1900s, the building was a soda fountain and ice cream parlor in the 1940s. Nearby, shops with names like Summer Camp and In the Field sell ceramics, candles, and clothing. Bart’s Books, the world’s largest outdoor bookstore, draws literary connoisseurs to its endless shelves of new releases and leather-bound classics.
Creative Oasis
The town’s residents are as varied and eclectic as Bart’s Books’ rare editions. Proudly bohemian and often countercultural, Ojai is a magnet for artists, writers, musicians, filmmakers, and dreamers. They are tuned in to nature’s rhythms and live eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyles. Regional family farms enrich the town’s sprawling farmers market with fresh organic fare. The town’s ordinance banning chain stores helps keep Ojai’s shopkeepers prosperous, preserving downtown’s small-scale feel.
Crackling with creativity, Ojai has an artistic festival for every season. June’s Ojai Music Festival, held annually since 1947, features premier musicians such as Esa-Pekka Salonen and Mitsuko Uchida. The Ojai Wine Festival, held at Lake Casitas, typically draws hundreds of visitors to sample wines from dozens of vineyards, with proceeds supporting community charities. Ojai Day, celebrated on the third Saturday in October, features parades, arts and crafts, and locally-sourced food, while the Ojai Film Society screens indie films at the historic Ojai Playhouse. The annual Lavender Festival celebrates farms and farmers with exhibits and musical performances, and the Ojai Playwrights Conference brings theater professionals together for a two-week cultural event.
Natural Beauty
At the end of Ojai’s postcard-perfect streets, nature’s splendor unfurls. Several years of ample rainfall have filled once-dry creek beds with tides of mountain runoff, coloring the landscape brightly in radiant emerald hues. Wine-making thrives in the surrounding countryside, with vineyards such as the Topa Mountain Winery and the Ojai Vineyard serving up well-decanted clarets and burgundies to tourists. Ojai Olive Oil offers a unique tasting experience at its fourth-generation family farm.
The Ojai Valley is an ideal place for outdoor adventure. Hikers enjoy the Rose Valley Falls Trail in the Los Padres National Forest. The Ojai Valley Trail is a converted rail line perfect for biking or walking. Horseback riding with the Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company at Oso Ranch provides scenic tours through grasslands and canyons, while Cloud Climber Jeep Tours features off-road exploration.
A Place To Stay And Belong
The best way to experience the full measure of Ojai’s friendliness is to stay at one of the town’s boutique inns, spas, or bed and breakfasts. The Ojai Valley Inn is a 220-acre resort with a celebrated spa and a championship golf course. The Capri Hotel pairs an abundance of personality with a pool, hot tub, and complimentary bikes for exploring downtown.
Glamping enthusiasts might try the Caravan Outpost, with its fleet of ten luxurious Airstreams. The Ojai Rancho Inn, with its knotty pine cabins and poolside bar, is a popular and affordable option. The Lavender Inn, housed in a beautifully restored 1874 building, is a favorite bed-and-breakfast in the heart of town. It features gourmet breakfasts and imaginatively decorated rooms. The Emerald Iguana Inn is a boutique inn known for its graceful architectural design, artistic decor, and tranquil gardens.
“Ojai is like a dream,” Australian violinist and composer Richard Tognetti once said. As a musician, he heard the beautiful grace notes and savored the relaxing tempo of Southern California’s friendliest small town. Over the years, writers, painters, lovers of nature, and seekers of metaphysical truth have experienced their own versions of Ojai’s dream. As with so many visitors, they awaken with memories of Ojai’s free-spirited and richly gifted people — and the sense that deep in this magical adventure, they discovered something truly extraordinary.
