Looking for a getaway near Los Angeles? Try Ojai.

This leafy little town, nestled in the mountains of Ventura County, California, has a famous must-see attraction. But many other things about Ojai will make you want to know more.

"But what about the pink moment?"

Despite a mezcal margarita by the pool, I could hear the panic in my voice as I reminded my sisters-in-law of a unique Ojai phenomenon. We only had 36 hours in this leafy little town nestled in the mountains of Ventura County, California, and we were going to miss our only chance to bask in the pink moment - the fleeting few seconds when the setting sun illuminates the valley of 'Ojai in an otherworldly shade of dusty pink. I booked us a room at the Ojai Valley Inn, in part so we could park under the resort's 200-year-old oak tree and have an amazing view of Chief Peak, part of the Topatopa Mountains, which are known, in the right conditions, to shine in a transcendent shade of coral.

There was only one catch: 36 hours is far from be enough to experience all that Ojai—pronounced, lovely, "Oh, hi"—has to offer. To get the most out of our trip, about 80 miles from our homes in Los Angeles, we were going to have to combine some activities, make compromises, and accept that the most rewarding destinations always leave you wanting more.

By The New York Times

I should know that Ojai is exactly that type of place: Since moving to Los Angeles in 2015, I've been there seven times, and each time I discover something new. My inaugural visit to Ojai, in 2017, will be forever remembered for the 50-minute “enlightenment session” I did with Nicola Fiona Behrman, then “Resident Energy Alchemist” of the Ojai Valley Inn who s strove to infuse my “body and soul with nourishing light” by drawing circles around me with a steaming bouquet of sage.

When I told Mrs. Behrman that I was anxious about a novel I had started writing but was putting off, she sprayed me with a homemade "inspiration mist" and said to use it every time I hit a wall. Was I skeptical? Sure. Did the bottle collect dust on my desk? It made. But this novel, "The Goddess Effect", in which Ojai makes a notable appearance, will finally be published in October. (While Ms. Behrman's enlightenment session is no longer offered, Katie Manzella, a Reiki master, and Nancy Furst, a spiritual advisor, offer similar treatments, starting at $260.)

The ImageRooms from the Ojai Valley Inn overlook the valley. Credit...Michelle Groskopf for the New York Times