OJAI TRAVEL GUIDE: & The Art of Slowing Down
If you’re looking for a sleepy alternative to Palm Springs, and by sleepy, I do mean sleeeeeeepy, look no further than Ojai. Ojai has always been on my list of places I wanted to go for a weekend getaway, but couldn’t ever convince my hubs to go. Every time I suggested it, his response was, “What in the hell do you do in Ojai??”, and “There’s no surf, so I’m not going.” And to his defense, I had no clue what to do in Ojai either. But when a girlfriend of mine and I decided to get away for a few days, and discussed options on where to go, we both settled on this sleepy little town. 1. because neither of us had ever been and 2. because we both had been dying to find out what all the hype was about. After spending a few days there, we concluded that the beauty of Ojai is slowing down and embracing the art of doing nothing. Yes, there is plenty you can do, but we found that by really leaning into the relaxed pace of this beautiful little mountain town, you’ll start to see why so many Angelenos are buying up homes left and right.
STAY
Capri Hotel Ojai - approx $230 per night
Ojai Rancho Inn - approx $240 per night
Both hotels are reasonably priced and part of the Shelter Social Club, a hotel group that has several beautifully renovated properties in the Santa Barbara area. The Capri doesn’t have a restaurant or bar, and the Ojai Rancho doesn’t have a restaurant either, but at least it has a bar, the Chief’s Peak , open weekends only. So if you’re staying at Capri, definitely BYOB.
We booked two nights at the Capri Hotel, an adorable 1963 motel that was recently acquired by the hotel group Shelter Social Club and renovated by Manola Studio. The property was bursting with design inspo, and gave me total Palm Springs vibes, with its 70’s inspired lobby, lush bamboo lined pathways, retro lounge chairs, cozy mid-century fire pit, and beyond chill lounge-all-day-pool. We instantly felt transported back in time, but with an effortlessly modern touch.
Our room overlooked the pool and a lush grassy yard, with strung lights and scattered lounge chairs, a perfect spot for an uber-chic and laid back wedding, or skipping around and gazing at the stars. I loved the color story: light terra cotta, rust, creams and sage greens. The rooms were simple but the design was impeccable. I especially loved the light fixtures and tile choices in the bathrooms.
Everything is so simple and effortless, but makes me want to run home immediately and re-design my entire bathroom.
The tetris tile in mixed shades of sage green in the pool bathroom might be my favorite. I didn’t even notice the tetris pattern until I looked back at my photos, but it’s so clever!
The lobby has an incredible curated boutique of oils, lotions, candles and gifts. I discovered my new favorite body oil from Wonder Valley. The most intoxicating woodsy scent with Hinoki Oil that leaves your skin moisturized and glowing. Perfect for that dry mountain air.
This giant suspended Staghorn Fern has to be one of my favorite statement pieces. It hangs like a chandelier at the base of the steps and right at golden hour when the sun is setting, the light pokes through and as it sways back and forth, giving you the most beautiful flickers of sunlight.
The hotel has multiple lounge areas, and I love their use of my favorite rolly polly chairs in this sitting area adjacent to the pool. The fire pit lights up every night and is the perfect spot for closing out the evening with a glass of wine while the sun sets.
And then back to the pool the following day:)
If all you desire is some peace and quiet and a good book or magazine poolside, then this is the place for you.
For me, I love planning little excursions during the week. My son Coyote is in school all day, and my husband only has to handle the morning drop off and evening pick up. Easy peasy. Plus, you can typically get lower rates on hotels, they’re way less crowded, and dinner reservations are easier to come by. However, my plan backfired on this trip. Basically the entire town shuts down the first half of the week, and we were there Tuesday - Thursday, which left very limited dining options. I think there was one dinner spot open Tuesday night, and one of the restaurants we really wanted to try didn’t open until Thursday. So when I go back, I would definitely head back on a weekend.
EAT
BREAKFAST:
Love Social Cafe: A great spot to head to just off the main road with an adorable outdoor patio and walk up window. Healthy light breakfast such as avocado toast and egg dishes.
Beacon Coffee: By far the best coffee, and house baked pastries
Bonnie Lu’s: A bomb little diner which we didn’t hit up, but it’s supposed to be good.
Love Social Cafe
Beacon Coffee
LUNCH:
Farmer and the Cook: We loved this little mini grocery store/farm to table restaurant. Tons of healthy options such as goat cheese veggie tacos and yummy salads. Plus there’s ample outdoor seating, as well as garden seating.
Ojai Tortilla House: An adorable little hole in the wall taco spot right off the main road. We arrived right before opening and minutes later turned back to see a line behind us wrapped around the block. It’s a one in, one out, tiny Mexican spot with about six items on the menu. I opted for the Veggie Burrito which I ended up crushing, even though I vowed I would only eat half.
The Nest: We didn’t make it here, but we’ve heard great things.
Ojai Tortilla House
DINNER:
Ojai Rotie: House baked bread, rotisserie chicken and farm to table sides. It’s nestled under a beautiful golden flowering tree with picnic tables, tin plates, and phenominal food. Plus the Wine Box is right there so you can walk over and grab a glass of local wine to enjoy with your meal.
Ojai Deer Lodge: Sadly we didn’t get to eat here, as it doesn’t open until Thursdays, but everyone we’ve spoken to said it’s amazing. Farm to table with live music, fireplace and outdoor seating.
Hakane Sushi: Another one we didn’t get to try, but if you’re planning a trip, make this reservation ahead of time. I believe they only have 6 seatings per night and they were completely booked every night we were there.
Ojai Rotie
Ojai Rotie
Ojai Rotie
DO:
Lay by the Pool: I mean, I could do this every day all day
Read: By the pool of course.
Ride Bikes: Capri Hotel has cruisers you can check out if you’re a guest. Every day, we rode bikes to get coffee, lunch and dinner, and explored the neighborhoods. Such a better experience than driving.
Shop: There are cute boutiques in town, just be prepared for limited hours. Most are closed Monday and Tuesday and don’t open until noon and close anywhere from 3pm-5pm. So if you want to shop, just a heads up. We did check out BLUE, a new boutique next to Beacon Coffee, which is super cute and opens at 10am:) She has a great mix of coffee table books, homewares, art, kids gifts and women’s apparel.
Hike: Ojai is surrounded by the beautiful Topa Topa mountains, and while hiking wasn’t on our agenda this trip, I would love to come back and check a few out.
Yoga & Meditation: We rode our bikes several times by Light & Space, a beautiful yoga and meditation center. I also read about Mediation Mount which was built in the 70’s and looks out over the mountains, a spot I’ll definitely have to check out next time.
Drink: If you’re there early in the week, I’d say BYOB. But there’s also Chief’s Peak Bar, Tipple & Ramble, and Topa Mountain Winery.
I’m sure there’s things I’m missing on this list, so if there are, please share and comment below. I know business and staffing has been incredibly hard for placed this year, so I totally understand the limited hours. As long as you know that ahead of time, you can plan accordingly. My advice would be to plan your trip anytime between Thursday - Sunday so everything is a bit more lively and open:)
All in all, it was a great little trip to re-charge and re-set. And I can finally say I understand the allure of Ojai. Living in Los Angeles for the past ten years, you get used to the crazy fast pace of life. Ojai forces you to slow down, take a leisurely bike ride, read that book you’ve been wanting to read, and put down your damn phone.
I’d love to go back again on a weekend and check out everything we missed. And if anything I’m still reeling from all of the design inspo at The Capri.
Until next time, Ojai!
