LAX (Los Angeles Airport)
If you're coming from abroad or across the country, we recommend that you fly into LAX and drive up. It takes about two hours.
Tip: Rent a car at the airport.
Ojai, California
Getting to Ojai
Ojai is a small valley two hours up the coast from Los Angeles. It's pretty adorable.
Flying in
SBA (Santa Barbara Airport)
SBA is only 45 minutes from Ojai and it's a lovely little airport. But almost everything into it is a connection, so it might not save you time.
Tip: check your total travel times before booking to SBA
Where to stay
Ojai is cute because folks actually live here! They've kept Ojai very local by prohibiting Airbnbs. So hotels are probably your best bet.
You may still see Airbnb listings online. Some are legal room-shares, some are grandfathered historic houses, and some are simply operating illegally — and you can't always tell which from the listing. Illegal ones do get shut down, sometimes between when you book and when you arrive.
The county ban runs from Lake Casitas to the Dennison Grade, so “somewhere just outside town” doesn't get you around it:
| Somewhere you might try | From the house | Whole-house rental? |
|---|---|---|
| Ojai | — | No — city ban, no exceptions |
| Meiners Oaks | 5 min | No — inside the county overlay |
| Mira Monte | 7 min | No — inside the county overlay |
| Oak View | 10 min | No — inside the county overlay |
| Casitas Springs | 12 min | No — inside the county overlay |
| Upper Ojai | 15 min | No — inside the county overlay |
| Ventura | 25 min | Yes — with a city permit |
| Santa Paula | 25 min | Yes — past the Dennison Grade |
| Carpinteria | 40 min | Yes |
If you want to share a whole house — look in Ventura. It's 25 minutes down Highway 33 and rentals there are legal with a city permit.
One trick: a legitimate Ventura listing is required to print its permit number in the ad, as “Ventura Permit No. ____”.
High-End Stays
| Where | Roughly / night | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Ojai Valley Inn | ~$1,035 | The resort — spa, golf, the full production. The splurge. |
| The Capri Hotel | ~$348 | Midcentury motel reborn as a design hotel. Walk to the village. |
| Su Nido Inn | ~$348 | All-suite, fireplaces and kitchenettes. Only nine rooms — book far ahead. |
Mid-Range Inns
| Where | Roughly / night | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| Ojai Rancho Inn | ~$251 | Ranch feel, firepits, a good bar. Often called the best in town. |
| Blue Iguana Inn | ~$172 | Arty and boutique, good with families. Best value in Ojai. |
| Emerald Iguana Inn | — | Blue Iguana's fancier sister property. |
| Lavender Inn | — | Historic B&B in the village. Small and charming. |
| Casa Ojai Inn | ~$410 | Straightforward, comfortable, reliable. |
More Affordable Options
| Where | Roughly / night | Drive to the house |
|---|---|---|
| Hummingbird Inn, Ojai | in town | |
| Oak View hotels | from ~$170 | 10 minutes |
| Santa Paula Inn | ~$140 | 20 minutes |
| Motel 6 Ventura Beach | ~$180 | 25 minutes — and it's on the ocean |
| White Caps Motel, Ventura | ~$250 | 25 minutes, walk to the beach |
Our honest advice: Ventura is the value play. It's cheaper, it's on the beach, and the 25-minute drive up Highway 33 through the orchards is a scenic commute. Prices above are current estimates and will climb for a June weekend.