Little Breaks: Ojai Edition
daytripping is good for the soul
Apologies for the unplanned hiatus— I needed a personal break, and then a cold/flu swept through my house and took me out for almost a week. But we’re back, baby… and to celebrate the importance of little breaks, I’m kicking off a new series on the substack: Little Breaks. I’ll share some ideas on how to give yourself a nice lil break either by getting out of town or treating yourself to something good for the soul.
This is the mantra of the season as we enter summer, which comes with longer days, and a child who only has three weeks worth of camp (pray for me).
Last weekend I headed to Ojai, which is the perfect place for some rest and relaxation. Ojai is a little artists’ town in Ventura County, about an hour and a half outside of L.A. proper. Its main street is lined with cute shops from local honey and wines, to fancy art and fancy clothes. It has amazing food and amazing views, and even a few hours in this charming little town is a salve for the soul.
Here are some of my favorite things to do (with a six-year-old and dog in tow):
Cafe Bōku: This is such a great first stop when you get to Ojai. Not only do they have delicious and healthy smoothies, which is perfect after a long(ish) drive, but they also have an adorable outdoor eating area complete with a trail for the dog, and a playground for the child. Bonus: they have a great bathroom, as well! I got the “Super Human” (felt appropriate).
Bart’s Books: My favorite place in Ojai (and maybe the world?) It’s an outdoor bookstore filled with rare finds and first editions. I always forget it’s not dog-friendly (and secretly always hope that they’ll forget, too), so it does make the experience less than ideal. Thankfully, everyone in Ojai is super chill and doesn’t mind my dog and I hanging out in the doorway watching my kid navigate the children’s section (which is conveniently right in front of that doorway). We both left with a book and happy hearts.
Main Street: Sorry to get all valley-girl on you, but Ojai has incredible shops. Even if you don’t purchase anything, there’s something whimsical about walking along the main street filled with toy stores, boutiques, ice cream shops, and wineries. The ice cream and honey shop and must-stops. We also did some damage at Serendipity Toys, which has current picks and nostalgic ones. I also got this dress and I’m obsessed. We also had to stop by Crystal Corner. Everything is super dog-friendly, too!
Libbey Park: After dragging your kid to boutiques, you can let them run around at the playground at Libbey Park. There’s always almost live music playing, too.
Pinyon Ojai: There are so many good options for food in Ojai, and it really came down to what my son and I were in the mood for that didn’t have a huge wait. Fortunately, Pinyon checked all the boxes (food, wine, dog-friendly), and we had a really yummy lunch with a caesar salad, pizza, and lots of people-watching.
The Ojai Vineyard: This is the first place I ever went wine tasting, so it holds a special place in my heart. It was nice to be able to sit on their adorable patio and sip wine, while my son and dog relaxed with me. Tastings are $20-30 but waived with the purchase of two bottles of wine.
Shelf Road Trail: It’s hard to go to Ojai and not spend some time outdoors. Shelf Road is a relatively easy hike, that’s also relatively easy to turn around after your son starts complaining that he’s tired and hot and pretty sure he saw a snake and just got attacked by a butterfly and is close to ruining all your chill. Not that I would know, or anything.
Hope everyone has a happy long weekend and you find time for your own little break!