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The Valley, slowed down
Flatter, hotter and way more chill than the city side of the hill. Good food, long boulevards and nobody in a hurry.
The San Fernando Valley sits on the other side of the Santa Monica Mountains, and people on both sides love to act like it's another planet. It isn't. Most of it is the City of LA: Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Toluca Lake and a lot more. Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, Calabasas and Hidden Hills are their own cities with their own rules, and Universal City is unincorporated county land.
Ventura Boulevard is the spine on the south side. Lankershim runs the NoHo show. Everything else is wide streets, strip malls and some of the best low-key food in LA.
The vibe on the other side of the hill
The Valley is where LA goes to relax. It's hotter in summer, quieter at night, and nobody's trying to be seen. You come for long dinners, old-school diners and booths that have been there since your parents were dating.
It's also big. Studio City to Encino is one thing, NoHo is another, Van Nuys is another. Pick a zone, stay in it, and don't try to see the whole Valley in one night. You'll spend it all on the 101.
Things to do in the Valley
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Studio City / Hollywood Hills
Mulholland Drive overlooks
7701 Mulholland Dr, Los Angeles, CA 91604Mulholland runs about 12 miles along the ridge, with a string of overlooks along the way. The Universal City Overlook, at the address above on the north side of the road, looks over the Valley and the Verdugo Hills. Farther west, the Johnson and Groves overlooks look down into the heart of the Valley as the lights come on.
Nothing beats seeing the whole grid light up at dusk. Pull over, look, keep it moving.
TipLet someone sober drive. Mulholland curves are no joke.
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Van Nuys
The Japanese Garden (SuihoEn)
6100 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406A 6.5-acre garden designed by Koichi Kawana that opened in 1984 at the Tillman Water Reclamation Plant. It was built to show recycled water could keep a public garden alive, and the lake really is fed by the plant. It reopened on June 8, 2026, after a long restoration, and walk-ins are welcome.
A real lake, paths that wind around it, and no noise. Easily the most peaceful hour in the Valley.
TipWeekday hours only, so plan a day off around it.
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Van Nuys
Lake Balboa Park
6300 Balboa Blvd, Van Nuys, CA 91316A big lake inside the Sepulveda Basin with a 1.3-mile path around it, playgrounds and BBQ pits. The cherry blossoms in spring are the real draw. Locals pack it for the bloom.
TipGo early on a spring weekday for the blossoms.
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Universal City
Universal Studios Hollywood and CityWalk
100 Universal City Plaza, Universal City, CA 91608Technically unincorporated county land, not LA city. CityWalk is the free-to-wander strip out front with 30-plus restaurants, a 19-screen cinema with a six-story IMAX and live music at 5 Towers. The theme park is right behind it.
A ride-heavy theme park day is a whole thing. If that's your plan, go easy on the pre-game. Ask your doctor if you've got questions about mixing anything.
TipTake the B Line to Universal City/Studio City and skip the parking structures.
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NoHo Arts District
El Portal Theatre
5269 Lankershim Blvd, North Hollywood, CA 91601Opened in 1926 as a vaudeville house and later a movie palace. It's a city Historic-Cultural Monument, got wrecked by the 1994 Northridge earthquake, and was rebuilt as a three-theater performing arts complex. The marquee and facade survived.
TipPair a show with dinner on Lankershim.
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North Hollywood
The NoHo Arts District
The blocks around Lankershim, Magnolia and Chandler are full of small theaters, from The Road Theatre Company and the Sherry to El Portal. The Lankershim/Chandler Metro station drops you right in the middle of it. Walk around and catch whatever's on.
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Burbank
Friday night car show at Bob's Big Boy
4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505Bob's Big Boy on Riverside opened in 1949 and is a California Historical Point of Interest. Every Friday night the parking lot fills with hot rods, muscle cars and vintage restorations. It's free to walk around.
Burbank is its own city, not LA. Still one of the best free nights in the Valley.
TipOrder the double-decker and eat in the car lot.
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Studio City
Tujunga Village
A tree-lined, one-block stretch of Tujunga Avenue with small shops and a village feel, with Woodbridge Park as its green. Aroma Coffee and Tea at 4360 Tujunga Ave anchors it.
TipWeekday mornings are the sweet spot.
Where to eat in the Valley
Valley food rewards loyalty. Find a booth and keep coming back.
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Sherman Oaks
Casa Vega
13301 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA 91423Open since 1956 at Ventura and Fulton, a corner the city renamed Vega Square in 2026. Old-school Mexican with a James Beard America's Classics honor from 2022 and a long Hollywood regulars list. Tarantino shot scenes here for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood. In March 2026 it opened its first-ever expansion, a 100-seat covered patio.
Get the tableside Caesar from the roving cart, then go classic: flautas, enchiladas, tamales.
TipAsk for a booth inside. That's the whole point.
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Burbank
The Smoke House
4420 Lakeside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505A Burbank studio-crowd steakhouse since 1946, with old star photos on the walls. The garlic cheese bread is the famous order, a crusty cheese top over soft bread. The prime rib is the main event.
TipOrder the garlic bread first and keep it coming.
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Burbank
Bob's Big Boy
4211 W Riverside Dr, Burbank, CA 91505The 1949 Riverside Drive diner near the studios, a California Historical Point of Interest. Double-decker burgers, booths, coffee. Go on a Friday for the car show.
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Studio City
Fat Sal's Studio City
12265 Ventura Blvd, Suite 111, Studio City, CA 91604Overstuffed, borderline unreasonable sandwiches, and this location stays open later than most of the chain. Exactly what the Valley needs at 1am. Order online and grab it on the way home.
TipThe late window is the reason to come.
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Studio City
Alto
12969 Ventura Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 91604Argentinian cooking over live fire. Get the lamb saddle seared over rosemary branches and the ember-roasted piquillo peppers. Date night money, date night payoff.
TipOrder both of those. Trust it.
A perfect Valley day
Wake up slow and sesh at home base. Late morning, hit the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys on a weekday and let the koi do their thing. Grab a coffee at Aroma in Tujunga Village. In the afternoon, catch a show or just wander the NoHo Arts District off the Lankershim/Chandler stop. Dinner is Casa Vega, booth, tableside Caesar, no arguments. If it's Friday, swing by the Bob's lot in Burbank for the car show. Have your ride take Mulholland on the way back so you get the lights. Late snack at Fat Sal's. Done.
Neighborhoods over the hill
The Valley sits just north of West Hollywood, which is also where the closest licensed lounges are. Head east and you're in Silver Lake and Echo Park. For the full list of areas, see the neighborhoods page, and check where to eat for more.
Questions about The Valley
Is the San Fernando Valley part of the City of Los Angeles?
Mostly. Studio City, Sherman Oaks, Encino, Van Nuys, North Hollywood and many more Valley neighborhoods are inside LA city. Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, Calabasas and Hidden Hills are separate cities, and Universal City is unincorporated county land.
Is the Japanese Garden in Van Nuys open?
Yes. The garden at 6100 Woodley Ave reopened on June 8, 2026, after a long restoration. It's open on weekdays and walk-ins are welcome.
When is the Bob's Big Boy car show in Burbank?
Every Friday night in the parking lot of Bob's Big Boy at 4211 W Riverside Dr in Burbank. It's free to walk around and look at the cars.
Where can I eat late at night in Studio City?
Fat Sal's on Ventura Blvd in Studio City stays open later than most of the chain, so it's the go-to for a late sandwich. For a full sit-down dinner, Casa Vega in Sherman Oaks is the classic.
Can you smoke weed in the Valley?
Not in public. Smoking in parks, at overlooks or on the street can get you a ticket, and LA city has no consumption lounges. Smoke at home or a rental that allows it, or take a ride over the hill to a licensed lounge in West Hollywood.