Ojai, California – Laid Back Family Luxury
June 6, 2011 No Comments
- We loved the green rolling hills of Ojai
Not so far from the hustle and bustle of a Los Angeles morning, just off the busy 101 Freeway a hundred minutes away, you’ll find the charming community of Ojai, with its grand, grassy vistas, small town vibe, and elegant resorts.It’s a great place for small children to roam flower filled hills and fields, enjoy a family friendly pool at a luxurious spa, and try some organic locally grown produce. Ojai is well known as an art colony too, and a spiritual retreat. Ready for artful peace, quiet, and fun for the kids too? Then head to Ojai Located in Ventura County California, the lush Ojai valley was depicted as Shangri-La in Frank Capra’s idyllic 1940′s classic film Lost Horizon. And its beauty does have a mystical feel, the softly misty green hills, the smell of fresh sage, a small stream to splash through – particularly at sunset.
What brought us to Ojai was not the beauty of the place, we confess, but a special on-line deal (look for them – they show up!) at the spectacularly coddling Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. The inn features red tile roofs on beautiful Spanish style buildings that rise a crisp white against the rolling green lawns and flower gardens of the resort. All ages loved the welcoming, warm, hacienda feel of the place and the large family pool, with very good food service offered from 11 to 5. The adults also enjoyed slipping away to enjoy the spa’s sauna, steam room, and hot tub as well as taking a little adult time at the quiet spa pool; admission to the spa itself is free with spa services, certain room packages, or available for a reasonable additional fee per day.
Our kids loved roaming the large grounds – there are metal sculptures of horses and other animals lending an air of fairy tale enchantment to the property, an herb garden, lavender plants, kumquat and Pixie tangerine trees – and picking the fruit is acceptable. There’s also a very entertaining outdoor bird cage with exotic parrots, mynah birds and the like. There’s a small putting green and croquet court as well for the kids; and parents can check out the impressive resort golf course. Our kids also loved free cookies at the reception desk, apples and tangerines in large bowls around the property and the “special” water with cucumber slices or fruit flavoring. A Thursday evening manager’s reception offers wine tasting for parents and plenty of tasty fruit, cheese, crackers and a pianist to accompany some somersaulting out on the grassy lawn. At sunset, the so-called “Pink Moment” is truly spectacular from the grounds. On a clear night you’ll find the Topa Topa Mountains that ring Ojai Valley bathed in a luminous pink light. Be sure to face East, not West at the Inn, another great view point is in the Meditation Mount garden on Reeves Road about fifteen minutes from downtown Ojai. The Mount is a destination in its own right, a serene spot known for meditation, with large flat rocks offering awe inspiring contemplative sight lines of the entire valley.
The rooms at the Inn are large and lovely, many of patios or private balconies; the suites have a separate sitting area, wrap around balcony, and fireplace. Do seek out those special deals on discount web sites off season for an economical approach to luxury. But at any price, the inn is a great, relaxing place to visit in a beautiful setting. While we found it hard to leave the resort, there’s plenty to do around the peaceful community.
- Everyone enjoyed exploring the expansive grounds at Ojai Valley Inn
Try Knead Baking Company, on Ojai‘s main street for delicious bagels; and if you’re in town on a Sunday morning check out the farmer’s market with plenty of locally grown produce and locally baked goods. Another fun food option: take a tour and a tasting at Ojai Olive Oil farm, where our kids were fascinated by the workings of the olive press. They also enjoyed the sweet retro treats at Kingston’s Candy (805-646-1500) in the heart of town, featuring everything from those little wax bottles of syrup called Nickle Nips (now $1) and Atomic Fire Balls, too.
You can watch potters at work while browsing the art of Firehouse Pottery, or enjoy an organic, locally sourced meal at Suzanne’s Cuisine. The pastas and heirloom tomato salad were delicious.
At Bart’s Books, you’ll find plenty to occupy all ages with an afternoon of browsing. Bart’s is also located in downtown Ojai and is arguably the largest independent AND outdoor bookstore in the U.S. It began with an overflowing collection of books by owner Richard Bartinsdale in 1964, and now contains almost a million books with an outdoor patio garden and a spreading oak tree housing a good portion of the library.
Ojai is fifteen minutes from Ventura and the ocean, keeping the town warm even if the coast is foggy. Bike trails lead all the way to the water though, and if you are heading to the sea, try McGrath State Beach for a wide, usually uncrowded stretch of sand.
For an inland hike, try all or a portion of the two mile Matilija Camp Trail which runs along and sometimes crosses the very tame Matilija Creek in Los Padres National Forest. It’s an easy, gentle trail that passes through three fun-to-splash through creek crossings, with plenty of shade from the large oak trees that line the verdant path. At the end of the trail there’s a swimming hole and picnic area.
As for us, you’ll find us lazily crunching an apple by the Ojai Valley Inn pool…
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