You won’t find a single corporate chain within city limits, but you will find homegrown food, an outdoor bookstore, and the famed “pink moment”
It’s not often you can grab coffee and craft supplies under one roof. Perk up with a perfect pour-over or yummy pastry, including vegan and gluten-free options, at Beacon Coffee Company. Then head next door for a Pinterest paradise of fabrics, plant dyes, ceramics, macramé supplies, and knitting goods at Cattywampus Crafts. Housed in a former Carrows restaurant, it doesn’t hurt that both spaces are super stylish.
The all-Airstream oasis of Caravan Outpost means shacking up in one of their 11 tricked-out trailers, not that you’ll be roughing it. Campers come with kitchenettes, cozy beds topped with colorful Mexican blankets, Juniper Ridge bath amenities, and outlets for charging all your gadgets. Morning coffee, nightly s’mores roasting, bicycles for borrowing, a gorgeous gift shop, and all the surrounding greenery enable you to glamp it up even more.
There’s no better place to outfit your vintage trailer or add kitschy touches to your home than the beloved outpost of Summer Camp. Housed in a mid-century gas station, the light and airy shop is a treasure trove of unique finds, like old-school camping gear, earthy ceramics, vintage clothing, and stuff you didn’t even know you needed until you walked in—like that made-in-Ojai tie-dye bandana.
Ojai weather is made for al fresco eating, and The Nest of Ojai is a prime place for patio noshing and people watching. Open by Ojai native Kiona Wachter in 2017, the order-at-the-window restaurant has a casual, breezy vibe with food to match—think colorful salads, pizzas, and tacos made with local ingredients and creative herb-infused cocktails.
Bart’s Books has every book under the sun—literally! A true Ojai institution, what started in 1964 as Richard Bartinsdale’s collection of books along the sidewalk where people could leave payment in cans, has expanded to be the largest independently-owned and -operated outdoor bookstore in the United States—and the honor system still exists for the 50-cent titles out front.
Kate Pepper didn’t start out as a baker; the hobby-turned-business was born out of a breakup. Several years later, Kate’s Bread turns out in-demand sourdough loaves, croissants, and scones from a pizza oven in a converted woodshop out of her parents’ house. There’s no storefront yet, but you can get her goods at Farmer and the Cook on Friday or at her house on Sundays. Best to order online ahead—her baked goods go fast.
With its winding roads and miles of bike paths, Ojai is a town built for biking. Not only does The Mob Shop offer a full roster of two-wheelers for rent, from mountain to electric bikes, but also they have some sweet (and steep!) guided tours—including a 10-mile ride down Sulphur Mountain and a 16-mile pedal to the Pacific that includes tacos on the pier.
Ah, the pink moment, that magic and mysterious time when the sun goes down and Ojai’s Topatopa Mountains take on tones of pink, peach, and lavender, bathing the valley in rosy revelry. It’s so serene, and best taken in from Shelf Road Trail, a 3.5-mile out-and-back hike with dramatic valley views.