48 Hours in Ojai.

At the end of May we went out to California to meet our two, new nieces, and to baby moon it just the two of us, on our last real vacation before our family expands. While our travels took us to different parts of LA and the surrounding area, I wanted to share just how lovely our two days in Ojai were and how it’s such a perfect place for both a baby moon, weekend getaway, or even just to spend the day if time is limited. Basically, if you find yourself in the area, I definitely recommend traveling inland to this quiet mountain/desert town for views, food, and relaxation.

Stay: While Ojai has plenty of accommodation options, some with full spas and luxury amenities on site, that’s not really our vibe. We’re more laid back and chill, so with only 17 guest rooms and a private, outdoor pool, the Ojai Rancho Inn was absolutely perfect for us. This updated vintage hotel boasts itself as being like going to adult summer camp, and they couldn’t be more accurate with that description. With each guest room being it’s own little cabin, and endless outside space to hang - complete with picnic tables, lawn games and hammocks we found ourselves spending a lot of our stay lounging around on the property. Just a couple blocks from downtown, it’s easily walkable, but they also have bikes on site you can borrow to ride in and out of town. While I clearly wasn’t drinking on this trip, we were a little disappointed we didn’t get to step inside the mini, on the property bar, Chief’s Peak for a better look as it was closed the days we were there.

Eat: I’m not entirely sure if it was from still being on pandemic time or if this is standard for Ojai in general, but we were visiting earlier in the week, and a lot of businesses in the city were only open Wednesday-Sunday. That being said, even with some restaurants closed during our trip, we didn’t eat a single bad meal, and honestly, I would recommend all the places we did eat, because everything was so good! Our top spot was definitely Sama Sama - an order at the counter spot located inside Topa Topa Brewing Co. This Southeast-Asian inspired restaurant is great for lunch and dinner when you’re hanging inside or out at Topa Topa. Their surprisingly expansive menu has so many unique offerings and the signature wings, popcorn cauliflower, nachos (trust me) and bim bim bap we tried were all delicious. We enjoyed Italian two times during our visit; one night we ended up at Ojai Pizza and while it’s basic, family centric, sports bar vibe may have left something to be desired their pizza was very tasty and after a long day traveling into town really hit the spot. Italian again on our last night; we drove a little outside of town to dine on the patio at Boccali’s, which for us felt like both being somewhere totally new but also gave the nostalgia of a neighborhood Italian restaurant back where we’re from in Youngstown, Ohio. Honestly still regretting not trying their signature (and extremely large) strawberry shortcake, but after bread, appetizers and a big ole plate of pasta we didn’t have it in us! It’s hard to say what meal was our favorite but our take out from the Ojai Tortilla House was pretty top notch. We ordered our food and walked it over to eat in the park; my oversized burrito (which at the time may have been larger than my growing baby) was jam packed with all the goods. For a heartier breakfast head to Bonnie Lu’s or grab a coffee at Ojai Coffee Roasters and walk down the block to the Ojai Donut Shoppe for a sweet, buttermilk donut. Don’t forget to end one of your days with gelato from Sanders & Sons.

Things to Do: Ojai is known for being a place to zen out and relax so if that’s on the agenda for you head to the Ojai Spa at the Ojai Valley Inn for ultimate indulgence. Or just take in the sites of the city and mountains with a drive up to this scenic overlook or with some hiking on one of these popular trails. In town, be sure to mosey around Bart’s Books, the largest outdoor bookstore, and spend some time in Libbey Park (once again great place to enjoy a picnic lunch). There are a good handful of thrift shops around town if you catch em on days when they’re open, and some beautiful boutiques like Canyon Supply and In the Field for men’s and women’s clothing, and Summer Camp for home goods.

What reminded me of a little Santa Barbara, was a quaint mountain town, that left us feeling like locals while also giving us enough to do to keep us busy, as well as leaving us feeling refreshed from stepping outside the hustle of Southern California. 10/10 would recommend a visit to Ojai, California.