Upper Ojai is situated on beautifully between the East End of Ojai and the City of Santa Paula. Just a short drive from downtown Ojai, this country community holds sprawling estates and some of Ojai’s largest and most opulent ranches. This bucolic paradise defines country living at its finest, and most newcomers are surprised to learn that they are only 90 miles north of the Los Angeles area. Surrounded by nature and breathing the clean country air of Upper Ojai, yet conveniently located for an inspiring weekend retreat.
Most of the homes and ranches in Upper Ojai are approximately 20-acres parcels, but smaller and larger properties are also available. There are a variety of properties to choose from, each with their own charm and desirability. This community is best known for its horse property, and equestrian lover’s paradise, if you will. Many residents who choose this area love the simplicity for a relaxing country retreat, allowing an escape from it all. One take in the sunsets and wait for Ojai’s famous Pink Moment, which happens when the setting sun hits the Topa Topa Mountains, illuminating the sky in glorious shades of pink.
Aside from being an equestrian paradise and a nature lovers dream, Upper Ojai is also home to The Ojai Foundation, The Beatrice Wood Center for the Arts, the Summit Café, a general store, and a Christmas tree and pumpkin farm. While the closest public elementary school is on the East End of Ojai, Upper Ojai, Upper Ojai is the home of two private schools: Happy Valley School and the Besant Hill School.
When driving up Dennison Grade to view homes for sale in Upper Ojai, be sure to stop at the scenic lookout to take in the view of the Ojai Valley made famous by the 1937 film, Lost Horizon, in which a shot of the picturesque valley below was used to represent the mystical valley of Shangri-La. When the fictional utopia of Shangri-La was first introduced in the 1933 novel on which the film was based, it was depicted as a blissful paradise where residents enjoyed a harmonious life unencumbered by the stresses of the outside world. Using the view of the Ojai Valley was a fitting choice to symbolize this ideal world, since current residents would certainly attest to Ojai being a modern-day Shangri-La.
Contact Alison if you would like to learn more about Upper Ojai, or are interested in scheduling a viewing of properties on the market.
