Escape to Ojai

The highlight of Ojai is the Ojai Valley Inn and Spa. It is a truly luxurious resort and offers the option of doing a variety of activities or doing nothing at all. After a weekend here, you feel like you a new person--totally relaxed and rejuvenated. The golf is terrific, and the spa is one of the best I've ever been to. The food is great, too, so if you're feeling lazy, you never have to leave the resort.

Quick Tips:

1. Make your spa treatment appointments in advance. Weekends book far in advance. If they're already booked, be sure to check for cancellations when you arrive.

2. If you hate to leave your pet behind, the inn welcomes pets!

Best Way To Get Around:

Once you park your car at the resort, you may not need it again. If you do plan to tear yourself from the inn, you can opt for complimentary bike rentals. The bike path goes right into the charming little town, as well as all through Ojai. There's also a trolley that circles the town and stops at the resort.

After a major renovation, the accommodations at the Ojai Valley Inn are better than ever! In the last 6 months, we stayed in the Casa Blanca wing twice, and we were thrilled both times. The white, Spanish-style building surrounds a center courtyard beautifully landscaped with white flowers (hence the name). Our spacious room (#514) had a gas fireplace (powered by a remote!), plasma TV, huge, beautiful bathroom, and a private balcony overlooking the golf course. There was also a lovely sectional sofa with lots of pillows, and the bed was wonderful!

Although you may not want to leave your room, the spa, golf course, and restaurants are a very short walk away, and you'll want to spend lots of time at all of these places. There is an adult pool by the spa (ages 16 and older) that has underwated speakers and another pool area specifically for families. (There is also a children's camp, which we've never taken advantage of.) We also took some complimentary exercise classes (which range from yoga and tai chi to spinning and dance), worked out in the gym, and went horseback riding. (We didn't have time for the art classes or nature walks/hikes.) If you feel like shopping, a lovely gift shop has cute clothes, shoes, jewelry, and skin-care products.

Evenings at the inn are magical, starting with the pink sunset over the verdant mountains and ending with a star-studded sky that you never get in Los Angeles. The summer months allow for alfresco dining at the Oak Grill. You won't want to miss a dinner here.

A weekend at the Ojai Valley Inn is definitely worth the splurge. You will be pampering your mind, body, and soul.

The golf course at the Ojai Valley Inn is a classic. While it's challenging, it is accommodating to all skill levels. It was built in the 1920s by the famous architect George Thomas. Number 18 is a very difficult, beautiful finishing hole (par 4,440 yards). Head pro Jeff Johnson is an exceptional golf instructor who can work with adults and children of all ability levels. This course is considered a gem of Southern California golf.

A shuttle takes you over to the Ojai Valley Inn's private ranch. Young children enjoy the baby goats, chickens, pigs, and other farm animals in the petting corral. They can also take a pony ride around the corral, although if you have more than one child, children can only go one at a time.

The trail ride take adults and kids aged 8 and older through the Los Padres National Forest. It's definitely a single-file trail ride, which might be boring for some. But the scenery is very nice, the guides are friendly and helpful, and the horses were beautiful and easygoing.

A visit to Ojai is not complete without some time spent at the very popular spa at the Ojai Valley Inn. Whether you're staying at the inn or not, you can visit the spa and be pampered to your heart's content.

The facility itself is breathtaking, with Spanish tiles and fountains, gorgeous chaises, and luxury amenities. The women's section has a steam room, sauna, and indoor and outdoor whirlpols. The showers have three showerheads each and delicious-smelling shampoo/conditioner/shower gel. The men's section has all this, plus a cold plunge pool and a TV in the locker area. The robes are thick, white, plush... trust me, you'll want to take them home with you.

Now, about treatments: I'll tell you about a few I've had. Last weekend, I had the SEASONAL BODY MASK ($120 for 50 minutes). After having my entire body massaged with an oatmeal/avocado exfoliating scrub, my feet were wrapped in hot towels, a heating pad was placed on my stomach, and I was wrapped in a blanket. Meanwhile, I received a hot oil treatment and scalp massage. Ahh... It was heavenly. After a rinse-off shower, my entire body was massaged again with a finishing citrus oil. You can imagine how soft my skin felt afterwards. Ask for Ismael; he was amazing!

I've also had several massages here, and they really vary according to the therapist. Don't be shy to let them know what you like and what you don't like. And I would actually recommend the golfer's massage or the aromatherapy massage. ($110 for 50 min)

There is an extensive menu of treatments, so everyone can find something simple or spectacular to enjoy at this spa. Indulge yourself! You're worth it!

Wow! This is the kind of bike path every neighborhood wishes it had. Although it crosses streets, it is completely car-free: just bikers and walkers. The Inn has complimentary bikes and its own bike path that heads out to the main Ojai bike path. You feel like you're in the country, and if you're heading to the main part of town from the Inn, you'll pass houses that have horses who hang out right by the path. You can practically reach out and pet them.

Take the path until you get to Libby Park. Libby Park has tennis courts and an amphitheater for summer concerts and plays, but your kids will want to head straight for the playground. There are lots of trees, so this is a nice spot to relax on a hot, summer afternoon.

Across from the park is the main drag of Ojai. There are antiques shops, two bookshops, a cute English shop that has a tea room, clothing boutiques, and (best of all after a bike ride) an ice cream shop. There's also a small-townish department store called RAINS, a pharmacy, a movie theater, and a toy store. All this in one block! (You might also be interested in checking to see when the local/weekly farmer's market occurs.)

After some snacks and shopping (the Inn will provide you with bike locks), you can head back to the Inn (it's about a 15-minute leisurely ride) and take a dip in the pool. Summertime, and the livin' is easy...