VISITORS FIND PARADISE IN OJAI VALLEY : AREA KNOWN FOR TRANQUILLITY, SHOPS.

Byline: Victoria Giraud Special to the Daily News

A view of the Ojai Valley was used long ago as the setting for Shangri-La in Frank Capra's 1937 film classic ``Lost Horizon.''

Today, the community serves as a Shangri-La for tourists of many interests looking for a day trip or overnight vacation close to home.

A town of art galleries, antique shops, historic hotels and a health spa, Ojai is also a place to bike, hike, ride horses, golf and fish. Boasting a fairly temperate climate, the area is a good destination point no matter what the season.

The downtown area is small enough to explore by foot, but the Ojai Trolley, which runs daily and frequently, makes a 3-mile, hour-long circuit of the area for just a quarter. Seniors ride for free.

For the sports-minded, the Ojai Valley bike trail, adjacent to the equestrian trail, runs from Soule Park at Fox Street in Ojai 8.8 miles downhill to Foster Park, not far from Ventura. The ride's an easy one, even coming uphill from Casitas Vista Road, since there are no real steep climbs. A great deal of it is away from the highway, and the views are scenic. The trail was once the easement for the long-gone railroad. Need a bike? See Bicycles of Ojai, 108 Canada St.

An art lover has many options. The Ojai Center for the Arts, 113 S. Montgomery St., has rotating exhibits of local arts and crafts. The Human Arts Gallery, 310 E. Ojai Ave., features contemporary jewelry and crafts. The Primavera Gallery boasts handcrafted glass and jewelry at 214 E. Ojai Ave.

Famous ceramist Beatrice Wood maintains a studio in Upper Ojai that is open by invitation only, [phone], and potter Otto Heino's studio, The Pottery, is open to the public at 971 McAndrew Road.

Heartwarmer's Mercantile in the historic Montgomery home, 310-C E. Matilija St., offers quilts and vintage china for sale with each room displaying a different stage in the quilting process. Gracie's Antique Mall, 238 E. Ojai Ave., has furniture, collectibles and vintage clothing.

Bart's Books at 302 W. Matilija St. is a longtime treasure trove for book hunters. There's an inside courtyard among the oaks beside the store, and outside the store are shelves of books for sale. The store is a throwback to a more honest past - payment for these outside books is strictly on the honor system. Buyers put their money in a special money box.

Outdoor activities in the Ojai Valley include nearby 2,700-acre Lake Casitas on Highway 150, a freshwater lake offering a campground, boat launch or rental, picnic areas and hiking trails. Swimming and water skiing are prohibited on the lake. For off-road sightseeing tours of the nearby Los Padres National Forest, call Pink Moment Jeep Tours at [phone].

Restaurants of all types are plentiful. The famed gourmet Ranch House on Lomita Avenue in nearby Meiners Oaks, with its garden setting and homemade breads and desserts, has been serving diners for more than 30 years. Tottenham Court, 242 E. Ojai Ave. in the Arcade, is ``veddy'' British in a tea-room setting with views of large oil paintings of London's majestic sights. Scones, Devon cream and English beers are featured.

The health-minded may want to visit Wheeler Hot Springs, seven miles north of Ojai on Highway 33, for its mineral spring water hot tubs, massages, facials and body wraps. Call [phone]. Or check out The Oaks at Ojai, a noted health spa featuring gourmet, low-calorie meals, pampering, and fitness classes.

Coming activities in Ojai include the Ojai Shakespeare Festival. Two Shakespeare plays are scheduled for July 27-28, Aug. 2-4 and Aug. 9-11 at the Libbey Bowl. Tickets are $8-$15 per person. For information, call (805) 646-WILL.

A Community Festival will take place in the Arcade Plaza in downtown Ojai the weekend of Aug. 17-18 from noon to 10 p.m. Arts and crafts, live entertainment and food will be featured.

For more information about Ojai, call the chamber of commerce at [phone].

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2 Photos

PHOTO (1 -- color in Conejo only) The Ojai Valley Trailbegins in Foster Park.

(2 -- color in Conejo only) The Arcade on Ojai Avenue, the central shopping area in Ojai, is an oasis of specialty shops, including art galleries and antique shops.

Dusty Locke/Special to the Daily News