Lake Casitas - 4 Things to Know Before Visiting

A famous surf spot in California, known around the world for its well-formed waves and long rides. It is home to the Rincon Classic surf championship scheduled for January each year.

Los Padres National Forest is a United States national forest in southern and central California. The forest is approximately 1,950,000 acres in area, of which 1,762,400 acres or about 88% are public lands; the rest are privately owned inholdings.This is a very popular area for hiking, with 323 miles (520 km) of hiking trails and 11 campgrounds.

A beautiful reserve sprawled over 58-acres of lush wetlands and counts bobcats, rabbits, and over 40 bird species as residents. The project is actually a restoration led by a local conservation group, which runs environmental education programs and guided tours year-round. If you come on your own, there's an accessible trail that makes for a low-key, 30-minute hike.

Emma Wood State Beach is a beautiful beach located on the Santa Barbara Channel on the west side of the Ventura River estuary and south of the railroad tracks of the Coast Line. Its campground has 90 beach-front primitive campsites and all have beautiful views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands. At the eastern edge of the beach, the Ventura River estuary attracts a variety of wildlife, including great blue herons. A total of 300 plant species and 233 species of birds.

Ojai is a tourism destination known for its boutique hotels, recreation opportunities, hiking, and farmers' market of local organic agriculture. It has small businesses specializing in local and ecologically friendly art, design, and home improvement. Chain stores are prohibited by city ordinance to encourage local small business development and keep the town unique.

The Ojai Valley Museum, located downtown in the historic Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church houses an extensive collection of art, Native American artifacts, and photographs of early Ojai.The museum also has in-depth temporary exhibits. It has a permanent exhibition about Ojai's history, a diorama of the Sespe Wilderness, and a Museum Store in the Sanctuary Gallery. Rotating & original art, history, and culture exhibits are mounted year round and change every 6 to 10 weeks.