July 2017
Our weekend getaway to Ojai was completely rejuvenating. With less than a two hour drive from Los Angeles, it is a hidden gem, filled with history, healing natural hot springs and a great eco-friendly community. Farmers markets, hikes, Rose Valley Falls and Los Padres National Park can also be found in Ojai.
History of Ojai
Ojai was named after the Indian term meaning “Moon.” The Chumash Native Americans originally inhabited the area. Today, the community is comprised of organic farmers and people dedicated to healthy living. It is known as sacred land as well as for its crops such as oranges, olive oil and wine.
Farmers Market
They have farmers markets mainly on Sundays, which sell fresh fruits and veggies, local jam, walnut/olive oil and more. We tried their fresh sprouts, ate them raw with some hummus and chips, which was delicious!
Accomodation
We decided to stay at an AirBnb. The house was beautiful, very welcoming, bright and cozy. We had a private room with a shared bathroom. Very clean and accommodating. There was also a pool, jacuzzi and tv outside on the patio, yes!
Los Padres National Park
Rose Valley Falls can be found in the Los Padres National park and is covered with lush moss. It reminded me a bit of Oneonta Gorge in Oregon. This 300-foot waterfall is located on the west end of the Topatopa Mountains of the national park. Although there wasn’t a lot of water gushing from the falls, it was still, very serene and beautiful to experience. It was a short easy hike to the falls, about 20 minutes more or less. I felt the misty water from the falls, fall onto my face and skin, which was refreshing after soaking in the hot springs.
Ecotopia Natural Hot Springs
Ecotopia natural hot springs are said to have healing powers. If you are lucky enough to find this hidden gem, be sure to explore the community sustainable gardens. The scent of eggs filled the air, that distinct sulphur smell. This scent was much more potent than the blue lagoon in Iceland. The different pools ranged in temperature, from hot to warm.
A cold creek flowed nearby, surrounded by trees. Dipping back and forth from the hot to the cold was both invigorating and relaxing. At the end of the creek was a small waterfall, which provided the zen sound of running, flowing, healing water.
Also don’t be alarmed but there may be naked people at the springs as swimsuits are optional.
FOOD
If you are in the area be sure to check out Hip Vegan for some delicious vegan food!
This bomb BBQ coconut bacon vegan burger was so tasty!! One of the best vegan burgers i’ve ever had!
The vegan reuben sandwich was busting with flavor despite its lack of color lol. One of the best vegan reuben sandwiches as well!
The South Indian Dal soup was also bursting with texture and flavor. This place does really good with making my taste buds dance, so good!
For dessert, this vegan vanilla ice cream affogato topped with cacao nibs was absolutely divine! So we ordered a second one, fattys! lol! All the food that we tried here was amazing!! This doesn’t happen all the time so we were so happy this place exist! A perfect touch for Ojai!
*Be sure to check them out on Yelp or give them a call firs. I recently heard they are temporarily closed as of now.
