The name “Ojai” comes from the Chumash word for “nest,” a fitting name for a town that’s nestled in the valley of the Topatopa Mountains, where you find yourself in a cozy, warm place that will soothe your mind and soul. Beauty follows you everywhere you go in this picture-perfect getaway, from the art-filled downtown to the scenic hiking trails to everything in between.

Ojai is a haven for those with an artistic side. Whether you could spend hours painting an Ojai sunset, which the city is famous for, or prefer making a ceramic bowl to hold your Ojai Pixie Tangerines, you’ll find yourself being one with the inventive and expressive spirit of this community.

Looking for the best things to do in Ojai? We’ve compiled a list of everything you need to put on your Ojai bucket list, from seeing the famous “pink moment” to shopping at a bookstore like no other. Stick to this list, and you’re bound to have an amazing time in this picturesque California town. 

15 Fun and Unique Things to do in Ojai, CA

1. Pick Up a Book or Two at Bart’s Books

Traveling with someone who always imagined having a library as grand as the one in Beauty and the Beast? Help them start their collection by visiting Bart’s Books, the world’s largest outdoor bookstore! 

This magical place is one of the best Ojai attractions and a community treasure, having been a fixture since 1964. Today, it holds a collection of over 130,000 new and used books, from 35-cent specials lining the outside walls to out-of-print first editions you won’t find anywhere else. 

Inspired by the Parisian book carts by the Seine, this bookstore is built for book lovers. It’s not a bookstore where you can hole up in a coffee shop section typing away on your laptop. You won’t find coffee or outlets here. You’ll just find an endless sea of books. If you could spend your whole day perusing books, Bart’s Books will likely be one of your favorite things to do in Ojai.

2. Go Olive Oil Tasting

We’ll talk about wine tasting in a little bit, but first, let’s talk about a different kind of tasting that’s one of the most unique things to do in Ojai. The Ojai Olive Oil Company is a family-owned business that’s providing takes on olive oil you won’t see or taste anywhere else.

When you visit the Ojai Olive Oil Company, you can learn all about what it takes to make olive oil while you sample your way through the farm’s offerings. Take in the picturesque farm as you taste the samples and talk to the knowledgeable staff about everything olive oil. Whether you’ve got a cooking question or are just curious about the history of olive oil, the farm staff can help you out.

Olive oil tasting is a relaxing way to spend an afternoon, especially when you’re doing it on such lovely grounds. This is one of the most unique activities in Ojai that kids and adults alike will enjoy. Furry friends are also welcome to come along and will be provided a special enclosure to relax and play while you sample and shop. 

You’ll definitely want to stop by the shop on your way out, which features everything from flavor-infused olive oil to olive oil cosmetics. 

3. Ride along the Ojai Valley Bike Trail

Bike culture is a big part of Ojai, and one of the best places to ride is the Ojai Valley Bike Trail. This scenic path runs from the outskirts of Ventura to the heart of Ojai, giving you plenty of opportunities for Ojai sightseeing. 

Along your ride, you’ll see mountains, art installations, and flora of all kinds. Multiple areas, particularly on the Ojai side of the trail, are shaded, which will come in handy if you’re riding under the hot summer sun.

If you didn’t pack your bike on your Ojai vacation, don’t fret. There are many bike rental places in Ojai, with one of the most well-known being The Mob Shop. 

The Mob Shop offers rentals on bikes of all kinds, from mountain bikes to electric bikes to kids’ bikes to trailers for little ones who can’t ride yet and dogs who want to enjoy cruising around too. This shop also offers group rides on select dates, which gives you the ability to travel around with someone who knows the area and can show you the best routes.

4. Meditate with a View

Ojai is a place that’s very in tune with nature, spirituality, and how we connect to the earth around us. So it makes sense that a place that’s all about reflection and rejuvenation among lush natural beauty would be one of the top things to do in Ojai.

Founded in 1971, Meditation Mount is a nonprofit meditation center meant to help you reconnect with yourself and the world. You’ll step through the Peace Portal and enter a new world, one in which you are one with all that you see, from the mountains to the lush greenery to your fellow travelers. 

Meditation Mount offers many different ways to connect with the natural world. Certain times are set up for visitations, in which you can take a meditative walk, listen to a guided audio meditation, or engage in what the center calls Creative Meditation, designed with the belief that meditation can benefit humanity beyond just helping ourselves. 

But the meditation center also has many other offerings, like meditations under the full moon, sound meditation, yoga, and gong meditation. Classes come with incredible views, and many take place at sunset, offering an even more scenic experience.

5. Tour the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts

With art being such a significant part of Ojai’s roots, it should come as no surprise that an art museum falls on the list of the best things to do in Ojai. But the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts is more than a museum. 

Beatrice Wood was born to be a socialite, but that wasn’t the life she envisioned for herself. She found herself drawn to the arts. Throughout her lifetime, she rejected her socialite status and focused on mastering art forms of all kinds. Eventually, her career led her to Ojai, where she became a ceramics teacher and opened her own studio and showroom.

Today, the Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts focuses on teaching the love of art, a love that Wood believed in deeply. The museum, which is open for tours, houses a permanent collection of Wood’s work and her own folk art collection and library. But the center also works with other artists in the local community and international art world, adding new exhibitions all the time. 

But because Beatrice celebrated art of all kinds, from ceramics to theater, the center also hosts live performances, including musical acts that take influence from all over the world. You can also hone your own skills by attending workshops designed to teach everything from China painting to working with clay to fusing glass.

6. Kayak Lake Casitas

Just a few miles from Ojai, you’ll find Lake Casitas, a beautiful blue lake surrounded by the Santa Ynez Mountains. You’ll find wildflowers abound here in the spring, but it’s gorgeous any time you visit. You can enjoy the lake through the Lake Casitas Recreation Area, where you’ll find a snack bar, campgrounds, and boat rentals. 

Though swimming is not allowed at Lake Casitas, you can enjoy the scenic surroundings aboard a kayak, canoe, pontoon boat, or motor boat by renting through Lake Casitas Boat Rentals. 

Kayaking along the water is a great way to spend a day, but keep in mind that the water can get particularly choppy if the conditions aren’t right. If you’re in Ojai during a windy day, you might want to hold off on visiting Lake Casitas until the weather improves.

But what if you want to get in the water? Well, you can’t go swimming at Lake Casitas, but you can go to the Casitas Water Adventure when it opens in the summer months. This water park is a great way to cool off during the hottest parts of the year. There’s a water-filled playground that little ones will love, while everyone is sure to enjoy relaxing on the lazy river.

7. Stroll through the Ojai Meadows Preserve

Spending time in the Ojai Meadows Preserve allows you to see some of the best sights in Ojai, but it wasn’t always the idyllic place you see today. The Ojai Meadows Preserve is a restoration project that saw an overworked and ignored stretch of land return to the beautiful location it is now. 

This wetland area was buried under sediment and fill dirt from construction. The planting of non-native trees resulted in the native habitat struggling to survive. At one point, the wetland was to be destroyed altogether with the idea of building a shopping center and parking lots instead. But the community banded together and worked to return the land to its former glory.

Today, the wildlife has returned to the Ojai Meadows Preserve, making it a great place to spot native creatures. And thanks to the development of the Ojai Saddle Trails, visitors can spend time immersed in the beauty of the land on a relaxing, not-too-strenuous hike. 

Keep your eyes peeled for the many animals that call these lush wetlands home, including rabbits, bobcats, and over 40 different bird species. The conservation group that protects these lands also hosts educational programs and guided tours throughout the year.

8. Hike Los Padres National Forest

The Los Padres National Forest spans over 1.75 million acres and runs from Ventura to Monterey, but some of the best sights to see in the forest can be found in the Ojai area. Inside, you’ll find hiking trails, waterfalls, and much more. There are nearly 200 trails to take inside the park, with plenty around the Ojai area. 

One of the most famous trails is the Santa Paula Canyon and Punch Bowls Trail, which is around 6.5 miles with 895 feet in elevation change. Although it’s a bit challenging and isn’t a great place to start for new hikers, more experienced hikers will love taking this trek, which leads to an incredible waterfall and a place to take a dip.

If you’re a newer hiker, you might find the Rose Valley Falls Trail, which is just over a mile long and a bit easier. It still leads to a scenic waterfall. Keep in mind that trails may close due to conditions, so always look up which ones are open before making the trek over to start your hike. 

9. Take a Pottery Class

Ojai is a place for art lovers. With plenty of art galleries around, you’re bound to fall in love with the works of art throughout the city. But what if you want to create some art yourself? Then, you should visit Firestick Pottery Studio, which offers one of the most fun things to do in Ojai!

This studio is an artist’s playground. With 17 pottery wheels, a hand-building room, an outdoor picnic area, an outdoor glaze room, and a spray booth, you can truly create a stunning work of art. You can get a membership to use these facilities any day of the week, or you can check out the studio at a class or workshop.

Firestick Pottery Studio offers both one-time workshops and recurring classes for adults and kids alike. When you sign up for a class package, you also get the benefit of being able to use the studio for independent practice for a set amount of time. 

But you can also sign up for one Play With Clay workshop, which would be particularly helpful for travelers who may not be sticking around to finish a full class package. These workshops allow you to learn how to “throw” on the wheel so you can make up to five pieces during the class period. 

Keep in mind, though, that your pieces won’t be fired on the same day you make them, so you’ll need to find time during your trip to return and pick them up. They can also hold your pieces for you for up to three months. 

10. Go Wine Tasting

If you’re going to go wine tasting in California, you might imagine that you need to visit Napa Valley or Sonoma Valley. But Ojai is another excellent option for finding incredible wines. Ojai’s tasting rooms are typically more laidback and relaxed than you’ll find in the other major wine regions of California, which is why wine tasting in this artsy city belongs on your Ojai bucket list.

Head to The Ojai Vineyard for a selection of over 300 different wines to enjoy, or visit Casa Barranca, the first certified organic winery in the Santa Barbara region. If you want to make a day of it, head over to Old Creek Ranch Winery, where you can marvel at vineyard views as you sit under twinkling lights and sip a flight around the cozy fire pit. Though it’s over in Ventura, you’ll get one incredible view of the Ojai Valley!

If you’re visiting in the summer, you just might catch the Ojai Wine Festival, the longest-running wine festival in Ventura County. This festival overlooks Lake Casitas, offering an idyllic location to sample award-winning wines and craft beer. Taste your way through over 30 wineries, sip on a selection of everything from ciders to seltzers to spirits, and enjoy live entertainment under the clear blue skies. 

11. Taste Tangerines at Friend’s Ranch

Friend’s Ranch is an institution in this town, and visiting it is one of the must-do things in Ojai. The Friend family has been planting citrus in Ojai since the last 1800s. Today, their descendants live and work on the ranch, and people visit from all over to pick up some of their incredible citrus fruit.

What can you get at Friend’s Ranch? You can pick up oranges, lemons, tangerines, and much more, as well as fresh-squeezed juices. But the real highlight and the thing that everyone wants to get their hands on is the Ojai Pixie Tangerine. These sweet, seedless treats are a local favorite that can be eaten plain or put in everything from tarts to cocktails. 

Friend’s Ranch doesn’t offer u-pick in accordance with local food safety laws, but you can stop by their packinghouse on Tuesday and Friday mornings all year long. What’s available changes with the seasons, so be sure to check the website to make sure those Ojai Pixies are in season when you’re in town.

12. Watch for the “Pink Moment”

If there’s one thing that belongs on your Ojai bucket list, it’s seeing that beloved “pink moment.” Just before sunset, the sun casts a glow atop the Topatopa Mountains, creating pink and purple hues. It’s a moment of peace and tranquility that can only come in the Ojai Valley.

There are plenty of places to see the pink moment, but one of the best is Meditation Mount. You can take a sunset yoga class or simply go and stake out a spot to enjoy the view. 

Outside of Meditation Mount, you can see this phenomenon from anywhere that gives you a good view of the top of the Topatopa Mountains. But this moment is fleeting, so be sure to keep your eye on the mountains as sunset arrives. 

13. Go Horseback Riding

Want to see the pink moment on horseback? The Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company has you covered. Taking a horseback ride through the beauty of this town is one of the most fun things to do in Ojai, especially if you’re in need of a nature fix. 

Based at the scenic Oso Ranch, the Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company offers trail rides through the Ventura River Valley Preserve. Mounted on a trusty steed, you can take in views of the mountain ranges, wildflowers, and wildlife while on a guided one-hour tour. 

The company provides tours both during the day and at sunset, depending on the season. As the ride gives you a stunning view of the Topatopa Mountains, you’ll want to have your camera ready when the pink moment approaches.

14. Get Tickets to the Ojai Music Festival

The Libbey Bowl is an open-air performing arts venue based in Libbey Park, a scenic park where the mountains overlook spaces for play and relaxation. Each year, the Libbey Bowl plays host to the Ojai Music Festival, one of the coolest things to do in Ojai.

Ojai embraces the arts of all kinds, music included. The Ojai Music Festival is a celebration of sound in which creative musical thinkers put on a show that’s always unique. Classical music takes centerstage during this festival, from adventurous music created by contemporary composers to takes on timeless favorites inspired by cultures around the world.

Held each June, the festival also hosts talks with composers and artists, meditation exercises, book readings, and more. You can purchase tickets to single events, or you can pick up a Libbey Bowl Series Pass, which can give you access to all four days of talks and concerts. Some events are also free to attend if you’re looking for budget-friendly things to do in Ojai. 

15. Soak in the Ecotopia Hot Springs

What was once called the Ojai Hot Springs or the Matilija Hot Springs are now Ecotopia Hot Springs, one of the most unique Ojai activities. Nestled in the Los Padres National Forest along the Matilija River, the Ecotopia Hot Springs requires a bit of a hike, but it’s worth the trek to get to this relaxing sanctuary.

Once you reach the hot springs, which require a reservation, you’ll find five rock-bottomed hot springs pools surrounded by picturesque mountains. These clothing-optional hot springs run between 100 to 106 degrees, offering you a peaceful and comfortable place to soak. 

Spending time here is believed to be a healing experience, which makes sense for such a spiritual place as Ojai. If you’re looking for a place to rejuvenate or recuperate, Ecotopia Hot Springs is exactly what you’re looking for.

There you have it! The 15 best things to do in Ojai. What’s your favorite thing to do in Ojai? Let us know in the comments!

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