The City of Ojai in California has made a name for itself as a place with magical healing powers. The place has become a Mecca for new age healing, and there are numerous religious retreats, boarding schools and spas that dot its landscape. Whatever the truth in that claim, Ojai is truly a place of spectacular beauty.

Along with a great selection spas and resorts, there are also great restaurants in Ojai, a web of hiking trails and a variety of alternative religion to discover. Restaurants in Ojai have become popular California restaurants, with locals and Hollywood types arriving at 7 p.m., fighting traffic along the way. They visit to enjoy Ojai dining, especially the selection of tapas, gambas, dates, and other more expensive Spanish-inspired food.

Upscale Dining in Ojai Restaurants

If you opt for more upscale dining in Ojai restaurants, there are restaurants in Ojai found along West Ojai Avenue that serve French and Italian cuisine. These Ojai restaurants are known to use only fresh produce that their staff secures from farmers' markets in the area. The ambiance is spectacular if you try having dinner in an Ojai restaurant with covered patios that overlook beautiful scenery. The upscale dining in Ojai restaurants can be a truly romantic experience.

While Ojai may not be known as a bar town, there are also choices for nightlife within close proximity to the tapa bars along East Ojai Avenue. If your mood is for lighter entertainment, there is a jazz and blues bar inside a Spanish style strip along East Ojai Avenue. If you are in the mood for a more lively entertainment, there is a bar offering live country and rock and roll music a few steps away.

Enjoying the View while Dining in Ojai

The area is home to many unique recreational activities due to its proximity to the two- million-acre Los Padres National Forest. There are also other outdoor activity hubs in the area, including Matilija Creek and Lake Casitas Recreational Area, which give the town 100 miles of shoreline.

Ojai is famous for its Pink Moment sunset that occurs when fading sunlight creates a brilliant shade of pink on the Topatopa Bluffs that stand at the east end of the Ojai Valley. When conditions are right and there is light cloud cover, some claim to see a face on Chief Peak. A few times a year, the entire valley and not just the mountains, glows with a pinkish hue.

Ojai enjoys a Mediterranean weather, characterized by hot, dry summers and mild winters, with lows at night sometimes below freezing. The climate is generally mild and temperate. Due to its proximity to Los Angeles, Ojai has long been a magnet for Hollywood stars from its Golden Era up to the current crop of celebrities.

Attractions to Visit while Dining in Ojai

If you want to immerse in local culture and history, there is the Ojai Valley Museum, which is built on an old church. The museum gives an overview of the city from the time the Chumash Indians first settled on the area up to its current transition as the hub of religious eccentric types. The city hosts the Ojai Film Festival, which showcases independent films from around the word. It is also the home of the Ojai Music Festival with performances from some of the world ’s top musicians and composers.

About Ojai

Ojai is a small city of about 8,000 residents located in Ojai Valley in Ventura County, California. Hills and mountains surround the city, approximately 15 miles inland from the Pacific coast. Ojai is a wealthy community known for its spas and resorts but is more like Telluride and Sonoma with a charm that plays down its affluence.