On a recent trip to California, my wife and I visited our daughter and son in law, and they took us to this quaint little town we’d never heard of called Ojai (pronounced Oh-hi.) Located about 2 hours northwest of Los Angeles or about a half an hour from Ventura Beach, this town has a village like feel to it with boutique hotels, art galleries, cafes, restaurants and specialty shops. Set in the valley of the Topatopa mountains, a place once inhabited by the native Chumash people, it’s an easy day trip if you’re ever in the area. Along with all the other activities this small town has to offer, a trip here would not be complete without a stop in at Bart’s Books. Founded back in 1964, it’s thought to be the world’s largest open-air bookstore. It’s unlike anything I’d seen before. With over 100,000 new and used books in a setting like no other, it’s definitely worth a look.

As you enter, the space gives you the feeling of being in some sort of courtyard. There are some covered areas but there’s still a feeling of openness. The infusion of greenery and other natural elements adds to the overall charm. There are books of every genre to be found and you can easily spend a few hours here. Some reading nooks offer a bit of semi-private space where you can sit and peruse a few of your selections.

This section of the attached house with the kitchen is the perfect location for the selection of cookbooks.

We highly recommend making your way to Ojai, California with a stop in at Bart’s Books. It wasn’t on our planned road trip itinerary, but we’re glad our kids recommended it.