Travel
Here’s some info that will make your travels easier! Let me know if you have any questions.
Visit this page to see our tentative schedule for the retreat.
Location:
Acacia Mansion
205 South Lomita Ave
Ojai, CA 93023
Flights and transportation
Santa Barbara has the closest regional airport to Ojai. Depending on where you’re coming from, you may be able to get a direct flight to Santa Barbara airport (SBA). Denver, Dallas, Phoenix, Portland (OR), San Francisco, Los Angeles and Seattle all have direct flights. Coming from somewhere else, you will have a connecting flight through one of these airports. Here’s the SBA website with info on flights, transportation, etc.
http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/gov/depts/flysba/default.asp
If you fly into SBA, you’ll need to rent a car to get to Ojai. From the airport, it’s about an hour drive, as long as it’s not rush hour. Driving from Santa Barbara to Ojai during rush hour will give you a huge headache. Try to get out of SB by 2:00 or 3:00 at the latest, or after 7:00 p.m.!
Use the Waze app to tell you which is the best route for the time of day you’re coming in. One route stays along the coast and ocean most of the way; the other way takes you along winding roads past Lake Casitas (this is usually the faster route if you don’t mind narrow winding roads).
Just for reference, for those of you outside California, Ojai is about two hours north of Los Angeles.
If you fly into Burbank or LAX, you’ll want to rent a car or take the Road Runner Shuttle to Ojai. Car rental is less expensive, but of course, not having to drive LA freeways and having someone drop you right at your destination is also fantastic!
Getting around Ojai
Make sure you have the Uber or Lyft app on your phone. We do have Uber and Lyft in Ojai, but sometimes there’s a bit of a wait.
There’s also the Ojai Trolley, which goes back and forth from Ojai to our nearby neighborhoods of Meiners Oaks and Oak View. It costs a whole dollar! Here’s the Ojai Trolley site.
FYI, the Acacia Mansion is in the unincorporated community of Meiners Oaks, less than ten minutes from downtown Ojai by car. About 30 minutes on the trolley.
Here’s the Ojai Trolley schedule. For reference, Stop 1 at the Arcade is downtown Ojai, and Stop 6 at El Roblar and Ace Hardware is the closest stop to the Acacia Mansion, just around the corner.
Ojai Weather
The average high temperature in March is 70 degrees and the average low is 41 degrees. Spring in this area can be chilly, breezy or rainy, so be sure to bring a light jacket, sweaters, a scarf, and an umbrella. Plan to wear layers. It can be chilly in the morning, warm in the afternoon and then cold at night, so be prepared.
Dining and Attractions
Here are a couple of restaurants you might want to explore:
The Farmer and the Cook (Vegetarian Mexican + groceries)
Papa Lennon’s (Italian)
Ojai Deer Lodge (Farm-to-table, closed Monday)
Don Lalo’s (Mexican)
Ojai Sports Grill (Bar and restaurant)
TRUBLEND smoothies and acai bowls
And here are some great little shops and businesses to explore:
Enid and Edgar Vintage (look for the tent!)
Réclamé (cute shop of “shabby chic” items made from reclaimed materials)
Greater Goods (live music, workshops, film screenings, etc.)