Ojai, CA

How to spend a day in Ojai. 

Ojai was hands down the most relaxing trip we have ever taken. If you are looking to get away for a bit but want something different other than a spa or mountains/cabins, you should check out the valley of Ojai. This trip is perfect for a group of girlfriends or a couple looking to spend relaxing, quality time together.   

We started our trip with the most important meal of the day: Coffee. 

All jokes aside, breakfast was delicious and started off our trip just right. The Dutchess opens at 7am on the weekends and gets full pretty quick. We got there around 8:30am and there was already a line, but don't let this discourage you - there is a long line for a reason. The place has pretty aesthetics and has self-seating. The front area is the cafe and a bar, but if you pass the hallway, there are pool tables and more space for you to enjoy your breakfast. There is plenty of room for everyone. 

We then went to see the pretty outdoor book store called Barts Books. If you can think of a book, they probably have it! Hubs and I tested this theory out and they had every book we were looking for. Unfortunately, they don't have any restrooms, so after purchasing some books to take home with us, we decided to go looking for the nearest restrooms in the area.

During our quest for the restroom, we stumbled upon the Ojai Valley Museum. It is very small and is free to enter; they only ask that you donate money upon entry. Overall it was nice to see the beautiful works of art. 

We then went to check out the Sunday Farmer's Market. They are located at 300 E Matilija St and had all sorts of goodies and lots of pretty flowers. 

After all the walking, we got hungry again so we decided to head out for lunch. We ended up going to Exotic Thai Restaurant. The location is outside of downtown but was an easy 20 minute walk. They have both indoor and outdoor seating and were across the street from a fun thrift store! 

We then decided to walk the food off by exploring the downtown area. There are many shops and restaurants to check out. 

Across the street from downtown was a pretty park. The part has things for people of all ages (not just kids; but the play area was pretty cool!) and is located - Libbey Park 510 Park Rd. 

At first, the idea of Olive Oil tasting did not sound like fun to my hubby, but when we got there he was happy we did it. Ojai Olive Oil Company tasting was $10, which includes unlimited oil plus bread, and no reservations are required. They give you all the tools necessary and explain everything to you then they let you taste at your own pace. The seating is outdoors with swings and benches, but you are in the shade under large olive trees that are beautiful. It was such a nice way to spend the afternoon chatting away and enjoying the different types of olive oil.

For our last activity of the day, we were able to attend a pottery class with Firestick Pottery! There is plenty of parking along the street and you are greeted with hundreds of examples of beautiful pottery from other students in the garden. Upon checking in, they provide you with an apron and they explain the different types of pottery techniques and styles. They then physically walk you through the whole process and explain all the effort and steps it takes for a clay vase be created before it can make it to your kitchen table.  

You are then assigned a seat and your instructor shows you an example of how to fully make a vase. They make it look so easy! But then, you are given the chance to put your skills to the test and create not one by FIVE (5) works of art. NOT as easy as it looks. But it was so much fun!  

You get to then pick from your best work (or multiple items) that they then glaze and bake for you. It takes about 3 weeks after the class for everything to be complete, and then they reach out to you to come pick up for free, or for a small fee can get your masterpiece(s) shipped to your home. Taking this class made me appreciate the act of pottery so much more and I really enjoyed the experience. I highly recommend Firestick Pottery Studio for those who are trying pottery for the first time, or those who are experts and want to practice more. They offer single day classes or recurring workshops, so there are options for everyone!

Thank you Firestick Pottery Studio for having us! Making our mini bowl and receiving it was such a memorable experience. The finished product is displayed as a trophy in our home. Thank you for such a fun class! We loved it.  

We then hung up our aprons and with sadness said goodbye to Ojai and the wonderful day we had. 

Itinerary for Ojai, CA

• Breakfast at The Dutchess
• Explore Barts Books
• Visit the Museum
• Check out the Farmer's Market
• Lunch at Thai
• Walk around Downtown and park
• Olive Oil Tasting at Ojai Olive Oil
• Pottery class at Firestick Pottery

-Out of Office.

With love, Erica