By Alex Wilson | Photos by Viktor Budnik
Rancho Grande is certainly one of the most unique, rustic and historic Airbnb accommodations in Ventura County. People who love nature, mountains, adventure and animals might think they found a little slice of heaven in the mountains north of Ojai.
Surrounded by Los Padres National Forest along Howard Creek at an elevation of about 3,500 feet, Rancho Grande was founded as a cattle ranch around 1870. Historic log cabins are still in use, so it’s a bit like taking a trip to the Wild West.
Guests on the 200-acre property on Rose Valley Road are free to interact with numerous animals including alpacas, lambs, horses, ducks, pigs and a camel named Albert, who’s become a social media sensation. Guests are even allowed to borrow some vintage western clothing so they can get the perfect photos to post online. There’s also a year-round creek-fed pond with canoes and local catfish to catch.
Richard Murad bought Rancho Grande nine years ago after successful careers as a trial lawyer in New York and CEO of Murad Skincare for 20 years. He also owns Beach City Baseball Academy in El Segundo, and first acquired Rancho Grande hoping to turn it into a summer baseball camp. That plan, however, struck out with Ventura County government, Murad told Ventana Magazine, and he switched course.
“In an effort to keep something going at the ranch, we opened it up to the Airbnb business just before COVID. It kind of took off because what we have is a really nice formula of interaction with farm animals and farm life and ranch life and wonderful property surrounded by ponds and trees and mountains and nature. So, we’ve just been more and more successful in what we do and we enjoy it.”
Murad lives on the property with his wife, his son, Alex, and his son’s fiancé, Brianne, and they all take care of the ranch and animals together. Rancho Grande has a capacity of 15 people, and it’s frequently rented out by one extended family or a group of friends together. Rates on Airbnb start at around $750 a night for the historic cabin and $500 a night for more modern glamping-style accommodations. The three are listed separately on Airbnb. Two are circular structures with canvas walls called Ojai’s Howard Creek Camp at Rancho Grande and Ojai Fish Camp at Rancho Grande. The third listing is called the Ojai Cowboy Cabin at Rancho Grande, an 1875 building featuring a stone fireplace, rustic wooden interior and a large screened-in porch.
Rancho Grande has also done a great job of marketing on social media, made easier by being surrounded by cute animals and historic buildings framed by Los Padres National Forest, occasionally covered in snow during winter. The business has gotten a boost from Albert, the internet-famous camel who was adopted at four weeks old and bottle-fed gallons of milk every day his first year. Albert first went viral in a video of him excitedly dancing in fresh snowfall.
“One day we found him in our kitchen looking around, and we videotaped that, and it went super viral with about 50 million views over the course of one day,” said Murad of the desert animal he described as having a dog-like personality. “We get calls from Germany asking how Albert is. And like, when it’s raining, people call up and they ask if he’s doing okay. So, he’s the two-year-old camel and he’s really funny and people love to come and play with him, too.”
Rancho Grande
7674 Rose Valley Road, Ojai
212.333.3939
ranchogrande.com
WE ALSO LOVE…
Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company
Seeing the local hillsides from horseback might be one of the best ways to experience them. Ojai Valley Trail Riding Company offers one-hour guided rides through the Ventura River Valley Preserve, allowing participants of all ages and riding abilities to enjoy the beautiful scenery, panoramic views and wildlife. Consider a sunset ride for a particularly memorable outing!
1290 Meyer Road, Ojai, 805.890.9340, www.ojaivalleytrailridingcompany.com.
Wheel Fun Rentals
Sometimes life is more fun on wheels. From beach cruisers to e-bikes to recumbent “chopper” styles to surreys (which can accommodate three to six people plus a few small children, depending on the model), Wheel Fun Rentals has all the rides anyone could want for pedaling about. Locations throughout Oxnard, Port Hueneme and Ventura make it easy to explore some of the most picturesque seaside locations in the county.
4526 Telephone Road, #202, Ventura (central office), 805.650.7770,
wheelfunrentals.com.
Boating at the Harbor
Prefer paddling to pedaling? Rent a kayak at Ventura or Channel Islands Harbor! Other watercraft are available as well, including stand-up paddleboards, electric boats and pedal boats. Lighted boats are available for nighttime trips at Ventura Harbor by appointment.
Hopper Boat Rentals, 2741 Victoria Avenue, Channel Islands Harbor, Oxnard, 805.382.1100, www.hopperboatrentals.com.
Ventura Boat Rentals, 1575 Spinnaker Drive, Dock C-10, Ventura Harbor, 805.642.7753, venturaboatrentals.com.
[…] Story continues […]
Comments are closed.