On the Map: Ojai Still Charms After All These Years
By Mark McNease
This is a travelogue, so I’ll skip the history lesson. I lived in Ojai, California, in 1979 after fleeing Indiana three days after my high school graduation. It’s always been a special place for me, an early refuge. My sister Cathy has lived in the same house here for 50 years this month. That’s it for the memoir.
Ojai is a magical town in the mountains about 90 minutes from Los Angeles and 40 minutes from Santa Barbara. It’s not far from Ventura, where I also lived once upon a time. Frank and I have been here a half dozen times over our 20 years together (next December) and we love spending several days and nights here. From this visit’s must-list: the Blue Iguana Inn, where we’re staying. It’s just 50 yards or so from my sister’s house, and it’s a lovely and slightly sprawling boutique hotel; dinner at Rumfish y Vino in Ventura; lunch at The Duchess in Ojai; and coffee-with-a-laptop at Ojai Coffee Roasters, where I’m writing this now. Keep reading for more about Ojai and the area, and if you ever get the chance, come stay a spell. It’s the kind of place where saying ‘stay a spell’ is a good way of putting it.
Two huge highlights for me: I got to reconnect with Lola, a friend from my time living here who I haven’t seen since 1988, and lunch with my other friend Stephen who drove up from L.A. for the afternoon. He’s an important part of my life and a delightful presence. This trip is one for the books, and for the scrapbook. I told the server at The Duchess that I now make scrapbooks of our travels, something I started last year, and he brought me a postcard from the restaurant. Nice guy, great food.
About Ojai, CA
Tucked into a quiet valley and wrapped in a kind the calm you can feel the moment you arrive, Ojai is the rare destination that impresses you without trying. It invites you to slow down and breathe. Just a short drive from the coast, Ojai feels like a world defined by nature, creativity, and an almost spiritual sense of ease. Maybe having the Krishnamurti Center here for so many years is part of that. There’s something mystical about the place.
The town sits cradled by rolling hills and the dramatic Topatopa Mountains, whose jagged peaks frame the valley like a natural amphitheater. Late afternoon brings Ojai’s most famous phenomenon, the “Pink Moment,” when the mountains glow rose and lavender as the sun sets.
The downtown has gotten much trendier than it was when I first came her forty-five years ago. It’s very chic now, which has it benefits and drawbacks, especially for the locals. Spanish-style arcades line the streets, sheltering boutiques, galleries, and cafés. There’s no rush here, although the traffic can be daunting, especially on weekends.
Food in Ojai leans fresh, seasonal, and deeply connected to the land. Citrus groves, olive orchards, and nearby farms influence menus throughout town, whether you’re sitting down for an elegant dinner or grabbing something casual and sun-soaked. Wine tasting is also a highlight for the wine enthusiast, with intimate tasting rooms showcasing local vintages that pair beautifully with the slower pace of the valley.
Nature is never far away in Ojai, and it’s easy to build your days around being outdoors. Hiking trails wind through nearby hills and into Los Padres National Forest. Yesterday Frank and I walked from the Inn to downtown and back, a six mile walk that left me with a blister on my foot but no regrets.
Visiting Ojai isn’t about checking off attractions or packing your schedule. It’s about presence, even if that’s a little cliche these days. It’s about easy mornings at the coffee shop, slow walks, good meals and memories. It’s one of the places I can honestly call a travel destination and recommend that you make it one of yours.
