Ojai is a destination known for its artsy vibe. The town is located in Ventura County of Southern California. There’s plenty to do including hiking, lots of boutique shops to visit, and lovely hotels to stay in. Visitors may not be aware that it’s also one of Southern California’s most haunted small towns. If you’re in search of haunted places in Ventura County, read on for examples of places that make this small town haunted.
Ojai is a smaller town in California that is known for its charm.
Ken Lund/Flickr The fact that it may be one of Southern California’s most haunted small towns is lesser-known.
The Nordhoff Cemetery in Ojai is definitely one of the spookiest places.
Grendl/Flickr It’s especially scary at night.
Visitors have witnessed what appears to be the ghostly apparition of a dog.
Muzik Hounds/Flickr He is known to run around the headstones of this Ojai Cemetery without a sound, and sometimes, you can also hear his growls. But are these the growls of the ghost dog or something more sinister? We may never know.
The Ojai Valley Inn is another haunted location in the town.
Ojai Valley Inn/Facebook There is a ghost that reportedly resides in Room 5.
Visitors claim to hear banging coming from inside the closet doors in that room.
benmillett/Flicker Upon opening the doors, however, no one is there, and a foul odor suddenly appears that wasn’t noticeable before.
Legend has it that a man burned to death on nearby Creek Road.
Patrick Maloney/Flickr His ghost is known as The Char Man.
There are a few variations to the story.
Kasia/Flickr Some claim he was a firefighter who burned to death in a forest fire in 1948. Others say he died in a cabin fire in the 1800s. Still others say he died in an explosive car accident on the road.
Do these ghost stories intrigue you enough to visit?
@andrewghayes/Flickr Check out Nordhoff Cemetery, The Ojai Valley Inn, or Creek Road to get your fill of spooky!
To plan your trip to Ojai, visit the City of Ojai website. You may just see or experience something otherworldly!
Ken Lund/Flickr
The fact that it may be one of Southern California’s most haunted small towns is lesser-known.
Grendl/Flickr
It’s especially scary at night.
Muzik Hounds/Flickr
He is known to run around the headstones of this Ojai Cemetery without a sound, and sometimes, you can also hear his growls. But are these the growls of the ghost dog or something more sinister? We may never know.
Ojai Valley Inn/Facebook
There is a ghost that reportedly resides in Room 5.
benmillett/Flicker
Upon opening the doors, however, no one is there, and a foul odor suddenly appears that wasn’t noticeable before.
Patrick Maloney/Flickr
His ghost is known as The Char Man.
Kasia/Flickr
Some claim he was a firefighter who burned to death in a forest fire in 1948. Others say he died in a cabin fire in the 1800s. Still others say he died in an explosive car accident on the road.
@andrewghayes/Flickr
Check out Nordhoff Cemetery, The Ojai Valley Inn, or Creek Road to get your fill of spooky!
Have you ever been to Ojai? If so, did you encounter anything paranormal? What is another one of Southern California’s most haunted small towns? Tell us your thoughts in the comments!
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article.
Address: Ojai, CA 93023, USA
The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Places in Southern California September 19, 2022 Katie Lawrence Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in SoCal? Did you know there are haunted restaurants in SoCal? One of the most notorious is Beetle House in Los Angeles, where it’s Halloween all year long. This fantastically freaky restaurant draws inspiration from the iconic 1980s film, Beetlejuice, with spooky décor everywhere you look. Even the food has been given a frightening makeover - if you order a steak, it comes with a “blood”-soaked meat cleaver stuck inside! If you’re looking to have a scary good time, make plans to visit this hauntingly fun restaurant in SoCal. You may or may not see an actual ghost, but there are plenty of thrills and chills to go around. What are the creepiest cemeteries in SoCal? Ojai Cemetery isn’t the only spooky graveyard in our neck of the woods. One of the creepiest cemeteries in SoCal is El Campo Santo Cemetery, located in San Diego. Founded way back in 1849, this historic cemetery is one of the oldest in the state, so it only makes sense that it would have a few ghost stories to tell. Unfortunately, some of the graves were paved over to build new roads - an action that caused the dead to feel (rightfully) disrespected. It’s said that the spirits of those who were so carelessly disregarded haunt the cemetery to this day… Are there any haunted hotels in SoCal? Just as there are haunted restaurants and cemeteries, there are also haunted hotels in SoCal. Perhaps the most infamous is the Padre Hotel, a downtown Bakersfield landmark dating to 1928. This luxury 112-room hotel has undergone extensive renovations, but nothing can erase its haunted history. It’s said that a number of deaths have occurred on the property, including several caused by a tragic fire on the seventh floor, as well as a few suicides. While none of these claims can be corroborated, many guests have reported experiencing paranormal activity during their stay. Maybe you’ll be one of them…
The OIYS Visitor Center
Haunted Places in Southern California
September 19, 2022
Katie Lawrence
Are there any haunted restaurants or bars in SoCal? Did you know there are haunted restaurants in SoCal? One of the most notorious is Beetle House in Los Angeles, where it’s Halloween all year long. This fantastically freaky restaurant draws inspiration from the iconic 1980s film, Beetlejuice, with spooky décor everywhere you look. Even the food has been given a frightening makeover - if you order a steak, it comes with a “blood”-soaked meat cleaver stuck inside! If you’re looking to have a scary good time, make plans to visit this hauntingly fun restaurant in SoCal. You may or may not see an actual ghost, but there are plenty of thrills and chills to go around. What are the creepiest cemeteries in SoCal? Ojai Cemetery isn’t the only spooky graveyard in our neck of the woods. One of the creepiest cemeteries in SoCal is El Campo Santo Cemetery, located in San Diego. Founded way back in 1849, this historic cemetery is one of the oldest in the state, so it only makes sense that it would have a few ghost stories to tell. Unfortunately, some of the graves were paved over to build new roads - an action that caused the dead to feel (rightfully) disrespected. It’s said that the spirits of those who were so carelessly disregarded haunt the cemetery to this day… Are there any haunted hotels in SoCal? Just as there are haunted restaurants and cemeteries, there are also haunted hotels in SoCal. Perhaps the most infamous is the Padre Hotel, a downtown Bakersfield landmark dating to 1928. This luxury 112-room hotel has undergone extensive renovations, but nothing can erase its haunted history. It’s said that a number of deaths have occurred on the property, including several caused by a tragic fire on the seventh floor, as well as a few suicides. While none of these claims can be corroborated, many guests have reported experiencing paranormal activity during their stay. Maybe you’ll be one of them…
The OIYS Visitor Center
The OIYS Visitor Center
Did you know there are haunted restaurants in SoCal? One of the most notorious is Beetle House in Los Angeles, where it’s Halloween all year long. This fantastically freaky restaurant draws inspiration from the iconic 1980s film, Beetlejuice, with spooky décor everywhere you look. Even the food has been given a frightening makeover - if you order a steak, it comes with a “blood”-soaked meat cleaver stuck inside! If you’re looking to have a scary good time, make plans to visit this hauntingly fun restaurant in SoCal. You may or may not see an actual ghost, but there are plenty of thrills and chills to go around.
What are the creepiest cemeteries in SoCal?
Ojai Cemetery isn’t the only spooky graveyard in our neck of the woods. One of the creepiest cemeteries in SoCal is El Campo Santo Cemetery, located in San Diego. Founded way back in 1849, this historic cemetery is one of the oldest in the state, so it only makes sense that it would have a few ghost stories to tell. Unfortunately, some of the graves were paved over to build new roads - an action that caused the dead to feel (rightfully) disrespected. It’s said that the spirits of those who were so carelessly disregarded haunt the cemetery to this day…
Are there any haunted hotels in SoCal?
Just as there are haunted restaurants and cemeteries, there are also haunted hotels in SoCal. Perhaps the most infamous is the Padre Hotel, a downtown Bakersfield landmark dating to 1928. This luxury 112-room hotel has undergone extensive renovations, but nothing can erase its haunted history. It’s said that a number of deaths have occurred on the property, including several caused by a tragic fire on the seventh floor, as well as a few suicides. While none of these claims can be corroborated, many guests have reported experiencing paranormal activity during their stay. Maybe you’ll be one of them…
