Ortega Oaks Candy Store

This little gem on the historic Ortega Highway 74 has been in business, with varying owners, for over 40 years and has been a welcomed retreat for day hikers in the area and motorists driving through. When I went to check out Ortega Falls recently I knew I needed to stop here, partake in the candy and figure out the history of the unique little store.

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Details

  • Lots of candy, sandwiches and snacks
  • Vegan options
  • Mon – Thur 9am-5pm, Friday 9am-6pm, Saturday 8am-6pm, Sunday 8am-5pm

History

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As far as history I have had a hard time really figuring it out. I know the business has been open for over 40 years and has had many owners, the new ones for only the last two years. Other then that the history is a little sketchy and I would love for someone to comment more information for me.

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The Shop

The shop itself is laid out like a old farm house. While not the type of layout you would expect at a candy shop, the style adds to the uniqueness.

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All of the candy is around the edge of the store while the vegan section is located in the old antique hutch drawers in the corner. Everything has a price on the back and it is all fresh candy, with a lot of it even made there.

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The shop is also a great stop for families as it has bathrooms and about 5 benches for kids to families to sit and enjoy their candy on.

The Candy

The candy selection includes a lot of really amazing stuff. Everything from the coffee flavored chocolate covered malt balls to the assortment of rice crispy treats with different toppings makes it so there is a little something for everyone.

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Of course, if you do not want to be adventurous and just like the traditional big brands they have those as well. They are currently expanding to a refrigerated section of cakes and other treats for those with a larger sweet tooth.

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I found the prices to be pretty decent, when I settled on the rice crispy treats and chocolate covered gummy bears my total was around 5 dollars.

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I can honestly say my chocolate covered gummy bears were amazing. It was different the the traditional ones as it was like a bar of chocolate with just a couple gummy bears in it. The rice crispy was good but nothing to write home about.

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All in all this is a great stop on the drive over the 76 or just as an afternoon snack if you are doing some hiking in the area. I would highly recommend it and would love to hear what other candies people have partaken in in the comments.

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  • Traci Lehman

    Behind the store is the Bear Canyon and a link to some excellent hiking. Sitton Peak starts there. Also, good is the Morgan trail. My sis and I always stop back at the candy store and have an ice cream.

    • http://californiathroughmylens.com/ Josh

      Thanks for the recommendation! I hear Sitton Peak is pretty great, some say it may be one of the best hikes in SoCal! :)