Ojai Valley Trail

The Ojai Valley Trail is a 9 to 10 mile trail that parallels Highway 33 from Foster Park on the outskirts of west Ventura, to Soule Park in Ojai. One side of the trail is paved for bicyclists, walkers, joggers and people exercising their pets. Post-and-rail wood fence separates the paved path from a dirt bridle path for horseback riders. Sections wind through wooded areas and past riverbeds. While most of the path is offset from Highway 33 (the main thoroughfare in Ojai), it does have a number of street crossings. If staying in Ojai and you run or bike, you will no doubt cross paths with this path!

Libbey Bowl and Libbey Park in Ojai

Libbey Bowl and Libbey Park are located in the heart of Ojai near the corner of Ojai Avenue and Signal Street. Libbey Bowl was originally built in 1957 and has been used for the annual Ojai Music Festival, Storytelling Festival, Ojai Day event, holiday celebrations and many other community events through the years. Beginning in 2008, the bowl was renovated and in 2011 was reopened in 2011 with a new look and design. It accomodates 1,300 people. Learn more about Libbey Bowl at www.libbeybowl.org.

One view of Libbey Bowl

Both Libbey Bowl and Libbey Park are named after Ojai's greatest benefactor, Edward Libbey, a glass manufacturer from Toledo, Ohio. Libbey donated the park to the city in 1917. In front of the park is a shaded pergola along the main "arcade" section of Downtown Ojai. Inside the park is a decent sized kids play area. This is not one of the newer play areas around the county but it gets the job done.

There are also plenty of benches and seating areas, restrooms, shade trees and tennis courts at Libbey Park. Learn more on the City of Ojai website at www.ci.ojai.ca.us/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC={A4144216-56D9-4D93-A5FA-50FEAD57E3E8}

Over 150 Movie Theater Screens Around Ventura County!

Here's a handy list of 17 movie theaters with over 150 screens throughout Ventura County and  adjacent areas. Click the links for theater websites and/or showtimes.

Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village, Agoura

Regency Janss Marketplace 9, 255 North Moorpark Road, Thousand Oaks (805.374.9656). This Regency theater offers up birthday party packages ranging from $20 to $25 per child. Packages include movie, party room for an hour, lunch or snack and arcade tokens. CLICK HERE for more information.

Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas at The Promenade at Westlake (100 Promenade Way, Westlake Village) opened in September 2012 (8 screens)

Muvico 14 Theaters Thousand Oaks, 166 West Hillcrest Drive. Tickets online at www.muvico.com/Thousand-Oaks-14-and-MuviXL (805.496.5487)

Regency Agoura Hills 8, 29045 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills (818.707.9966)

Regency Westlake Village Twin, 4711 Lakeview Canyon Road, Westlake Village (818.889.8061)

Camarillo/Oxnard/Ventura

Century Downtown 10, 555 East Main Street, Ventura (800.326.3264)

Century Riverpark 16 at 2766 Seaglass Way, Oxnard opened on October 26, 2012 (800.326.3264). The Century Stadium 16 on Elba St in Ventura is closed.

Century Riverpark 16 at The Collection at Riverpark, opened in October 2012Edwards Camarillo Palace 12 and IMAX, 680 Ventura Boulevard, Camarillo (805.383.8879) (Located between the main Camarillo Premium Outlets and The Promenade section of the outlets.

Plaza Stadium Cinemas 14, 255 West Fifth Street, Oxnard (805.487.8380)

Plaza Stadium Cinemas 14 in Downtown Oxnard

Regency Buenaventura 6, 1440 Eastman Avenue, Ventura (805.658.6544)

Regency Paseo Camarillo Cinemas (3 theaters), 390 North Lantana Street, Camarillo (805.383.2267)

Roxy Stadium 11, 5001 Verdugo Way, Camarillo (805.388.0532)

Roxy Stadium 11 theaters on Verdugo Way in Camarillo

Simi Valley/Moorpark

Regal Civic Center Plaza 16 & IMAX, 2751 Tapo Canyon Road, Simi Valley (805.526.0232)

Simi Valley 10 Cinemas, 1457 E. Los Angeles Avenue (805.526.4329) Facebook Page

Other Local Theaters

Edwards Grand Palace Stadium 6, 4767 Commons Way, Calabasas (818.223.0223)

Regency Santa Paula 7, 550 West Main Street, Santa Paula (805.933.6707)

Hollywood Theaters Malibu Cinema at 3822 Cross Creek Road, Malibu (310.456.6990) (2 screens)

Ojai Playhouse at 145 East Ojai Avenue (805.646.1011) (1 screen)

Hollywood Theaters Malibu Cinema has 2 screens.

Ojai Valley Museum

Founded in 1966, the Ojai Valley Museum at 130 West Ojai Avenue has an extensive collection of art, Native American baskets, pioneer tools and photographs of early days in Ojai.

The Ojai Valley Museum Research Library houses archives including historical journals that chronicle the events of early to contemporary Ojai Valley activities.

Admission as of March 2013 is $4 for adults, $1 for kids 6 to 18 and 5 and under free. Open Tuesday through Sunday with guided tours. FREE admission the first Friday of each month!

For more information, visit www.ojaivalleymuseum.org or call 805.640.1390.

Ojai Playhouse

The Ojai Playhouse is located in the heart of Ojai at 145 East Ojai Avenue (at the Signal Street intersection). This landmark originated as a single screen theater called The Isis in 1914 and has changed hands numerous times since then. The theater has also changed names over the years but is now called the Ojai Playhouse. It has been restored to its original deco-style look inside and upgraded and now shows first run movies in a theater that seats over 200 people.

The Ojai Film Society hosts eclectic, independently produced movies here every Sunday afternoon at 4:30pm. Visit www.ojaifilmsociety.org for more information.

The theater is also available for birthday parties, events, private bookings and other special occasions. Visit www.ojaiplayhouse.com or call 805.646.1011 for more information and movie showtimes.

Ventura County Wine Trail

Ventura County Wine Trail offers 14 family-owned, award winning wineries right here in Ventura County! Unique wine tasting tours, five star restaurants, luxury hotels, wine events and attractions, make an amazing wine country destination get-away.

Visit www.venturacountywinetrail.com or call 805.983.1560.

Here are the 14 wineries (updated March 2013) that are part of this trail, which covers Malibu, Agoura, Thousand Oaks, Camarillo, Oxnard, Ventura and Ojai.

Malibu Wines www.malibuwines.com

Malibu Sundowner in Westlake Village www.malibusundownerwines.com

Four Brix Winery in Thousand Oaks www.fourbrixwine.com

Los Robles Hills in Thosuand Oaks www.losrobleshillswinery.com

Camarillo Custom Crush Winery www.camarillocustomcrush.com

Bella Victorian Vineyard in Camarillo www.bellavictorianvineyard.com

Cantara Cellars in Camarillo www.cantaracellars.com

Herzog Wine Cellars in Oxnard www.herzogwinecellars.com

Magnavino Cellars in Oxnard www.magnavino.com

Rancho Ventano Cellars in Oxnard www.ranchoventavo.com

Old Creek Ranch Winery in Ventura www.oldcreekranch.com

Casa Barranca Organic Winery in Ojai www.casabarranca.com

The Ojai Vineyard www.ojaivineyard.com

Boccali Vineyards and Winery www.boccalivineyards.com

Ojai Art Center

The Ojai Art Center (formerly Ojai Center for the Arts) is the oldest multi-purpose, non-profit art center in California.  Its mission since 1939 has been to support and advance the interest of the arts within the Ojai community.

The center offers seven branches: art, theater, music, literary, photography, film and dance.  Monthly art and photography shows feature local juried exhibits as well as artists from around the country.  The theater branch puts on eight yearly productions, including a popular children's show and musical.  Chamber music concerts are offered through the music branch, monthly literary events and a variety of classes and workshops in the visual and performing arts. 

For more information, visit www.ojaiartcenter.org or call 805.646.0117.  Located at 113 S. Montgomery Street in Ojai, right next to Libbey Park.

Ojai Trolley Service

The City of Ojai has run the Ojai Trolley Service since 1989. It provide transportion service on a fixed route schedule throughout Ojai, Meiners Oaks and Mira Monte via about 45 stops (though typically they only stop at about a third of the stops on a given route, based on if there are people waiting at each stop). Roughly 5 mile route one way (eastbound or westbound).

It costs $1 cents to ride the trolley (as of February 2013), 50 cents for 65+ and ages 2 to 5, 25 cents for ADA and Medicare cardholders and free for kids 5 and under. Day passes are available for twice the standard admission cost.

The trolley runs 7 days a week,  every day of the year except Easter, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day.

For more information and a detailed schedule, visit www.ojaitrolley.com. Or call 805.646.5581 x207.

Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts in Ojai

The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts at 8560 Ojai-Santa Paula Road in Ojai celebrates the life and work of Beatrice Wood while presenting exhibitions of contemporary art, workshops and events. The Center, housed in the Happy Valley homes once occupied by Beatrice Wood and her good friend Rosalind Rajagopal, features a permanent exhibition sharing Beatrice Wood's life story with memorabilia, her collection of folk art and wonderful examples of her ceramic art. Changing exhibitions feature work by contemporary artists.

Beatrice Wood was an important contemporary artist, craftperson and writer. Her life ran the course of the 20th century and included many of the figures that shaped it. Ultimately, her genius was in the marriage of wide-ranging influences in her work. The spirit of Dadaism, impact of Modernism, embrace of Eastern philosophy, influence of folk art and even the ornament of ethnic jewelry were all combined in her ceramics. Her work reveals a mastery of form, combined with a preference for the naïveté of folk art. Ultimately, it is impossible to separate her life experiences from the work she created, as she truly mastered the art of a life.  More bio on Beatrice here.

The Center is open to the public Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from 11:00 am - 5:00 pm. Visit www.beatricewood.com or call 805.646.3381 for more information.

City of Ojai Recreation Department Programs and Activities

The Ojai Recreation Department provides many activities to residents of the Ojai Valley. Programs and activities include: youth day camps, youth and adult activity classes, youth and adult volleyball, softball, flag football, basketball, soccer, tennis; teen fitness center and boxing program, a downtown skateboard park, a comprehensive gymnastics program, summer aquatics programs, lifeguard training class, sports tournament throughout the year, youth excursions, horse shows and more. For more information and the latest recreation class brochure, visit www.ojairec.com or call 805.646.1872.