If you’ve ever watched a movie set in Los Angeles, you’ve seen it. Maybe it was the sprawling suburban heat of Boogie Nights, the strip malls of Clueless, or the iconic hills in The Karate Kid. People call it "The Valley" like there is only one valley in the entire world. To locals, there kinda is. But if you’re trying to pin down what is the valley in LA, you’re actually looking at a massive, sun-drenched basin known geographically as the San Fernando Valley. It’s not just a neighborhood. It’s a world.
It’s huge. Honestly, the scale of the place messes with people who aren’t from Southern California. We’re talking about 260 square miles. It’s home to nearly 1.8 million people. If the San Fernando Valley were its own city, it would be the fifth-largest in the United States, sitting right up there with Phoenix or Philadelphia. Yet, for decades, it’s lived in the cultural shadow of "the basin"—that area over the hill where Hollywood and Santa Monica live.
Why Everyone Calls it "The Valley"
Geographically, the San Fernando Valley is a natural basin defined by mountains. You’ve got the Santa Monicas to the south, the Verdugos to the east, and the Santa Susanas to the north. It’s a literal bowl. Because of this, it gets hot. Like, ten degrees hotter than the beach on any given Tuesday. When someone asks what is the valley in LA, they are usually asking about the vibe just as much as the map.
The "Valley Girl" trope from the 80s—think Moon Unit Zappa and pink leg warmers—cemented a specific image of the area as a vapid, suburban wasteland. That’s mostly nonsense now. Today, the Valley is one of the most ethnically diverse places on the planet. You can find incredible Armenian food in Glendale, world-class Thai in North Hollywood, and some of the best sushi on the "Sushi Row" stretch of Ventura Boulevard in Studio City.
It’s a patchwork. Most of it is actually part of the City of Los Angeles, though there are independent cities tucked inside like Burbank and San Fernando. When you cross the Sepulveda Pass or drive through the Cahuenga Pass on the 101, you are entering a different ecosystem. The air feels different. The streets get wider.
Breaking Down the Neighborhoods
The Valley isn't a monolith. It’s a collection of distinct "villages" that all hate being lumped together.
The South Valley: The "Fancy" Side
Areas like Sherman Oaks, Encino, and Tarzana run along the base of the Santa Monica Mountains. This is where the money is. You’ll see sprawling estates and high-end boutiques. If you’re a celebrity who wants a backyard big enough for a guest house and a pool without the paparazzi of Beverly Hills, you move to Hidden Hills or Calabasas. This is where the Kardashians live, though technically Calabasas is just on the western edge of the Valley.
The East Valley: The Industry Hub
Burbank and North Hollywood (NoHo) are the beating heart of the entertainment industry. It’s not just actors; it’s the grips, the editors, and the animators. Disney, Warner Bros., and Universal are all right here. When people ask what is the valley in LA in a professional context, they’re usually talking about this media-heavy corridor. NoHo has a burgeoning Arts District with small theaters and dance studios that feel much more "urban" than the rest of the suburbs.
The Deep Valley: Real Life
Then you have places like Van Nuys, Reseda, and Canoga Park. These are the gritty, sun-bleached hearts of the Valley. This is where Magnolia was filmed. It’s honest. It’s where most of the people actually live and work. It’s less about red carpets and more about the best taco trucks you’ll ever find in a gas station parking lot.
The Weather Reality
You can’t talk about the Valley without talking about the heat. Because it’s walled in by mountains, the cool ocean breezes from the Pacific get trapped or blocked entirely. In the summer, 100-degree days are the norm, not the exception.
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I remember a few years back when it hit 121 degrees in Woodland Hills. That’s not a typo. 121. While people in Santa Monica were wearing light sweaters, people in the Valley were literally watching their succulents melt. This microclimate is a huge part of the identity here. It’s why almost every house has a pool, or at least a very hardworking AC unit.
The Cultural Shift: From Suburb to Foodie Mecca
For a long time, the Valley was the punchline of every joke. It was seen as the place where dreams go to die—or at least where you go when you decide to have kids and buy a minivan. But something changed in the last decade.
The "Basin" (the rest of LA) got too expensive.
Young creatives and chefs started moving over the hill for cheaper rent. Now, the Valley is arguably the best food destination in the city.
- Ventura Boulevard: It’s the longest primary thoroughfare in the world, and it’s lined with some of the highest-rated restaurants in California.
- The Great Wall of Los Angeles: A half-mile long mural in Valley Glen that depicts the history of California. It’s a massive cultural monument that many tourists never even see.
- The Japanese Garden: Located in Van Nuys, right next to a water reclamation plant. It’s surreal and beautiful.
Surprising Facts About the Valley
Most people don't realize that the Valley was the birthplace of the modern porn industry. In the 70s and 80s, the "San Fernando Valley" was synonymous with adult film production, mostly because the suburban houses provided cheap, non-descript filming locations. Most of that has moved out of state now due to changing laws, but the history remains part of the local lore.
Also, the Valley was once just a massive agricultural hub. It was full of orange groves and walnut trees. After World War II, the groves were ripped up to make way for the "American Dream"—thousands of single-family homes for returning vets. That’s why the Valley looks the way it does: endless grids of mid-century modern ranch houses.
Understanding the "Over the Hill" Mentality
In LA, "The Hill" refers to the Santa Monica Mountains.
If you live in the Valley, you go "over the hill" to get to the city.
If you live in the city, you rarely go "over the hill" to the Valley unless you have to.
There is a weird snobbery about it. People in West Hollywood talk about the Valley like it’s another state. But honestly? The Valley has better parking. The streets are cleaner. The people are slightly less stressed. When you ask what is the valley in LA, you’re asking about the part of Los Angeles that actually functions like a community rather than a series of tourist traps.
How to Navigate It
If you’re visiting, don’t just stick to the 101 freeway. Take Mulholland Drive along the ridgeline. You can look down on one side and see the glittering lights of the Los Angeles basin, then turn around and see the vast, glowing grid of the Valley. It’s the best way to understand the scale.
Actionable Steps for Exploring the Valley
If you really want to see what this place is about, don't go to a mall.
- Start with Breakfast in Studio City. Hit up a spot like Aroma Coffee & Tea. It’s quintessential Valley—repurposed house, massive patio, lots of people "writing scripts" on MacBooks.
- Drive the length of Ventura Boulevard. From North Hollywood all the way to Calabasas. You will see the entire socioeconomic spectrum of Los Angeles in a 40-minute drive.
- Visit the Valley Relics Museum. It’s near the Van Nuys airport. It’s full of old neon signs, fast food memorabilia, and stuff from the old movie sets. It’s the only place that truly captures the weird, kitschy soul of the area.
- Eat in the San Fernando Mall. It’s an outdoor pedestrian mall in the city of San Fernando. It feels like a different era and has some of the best Mexican bakeries (panaderias) in the county.
The Valley isn't just a suburb. It’s a massive, complicated, hot, beautiful, and sometimes frustrating part of the Los Angeles identity. It’s the engine room of the city. Without the Valley, LA wouldn't have the space for the studios, the workers, or the incredible diversity of food that makes it a world-class destination. It’s not just a place "over the hill"—it’s the heart of the whole thing.
To get the most out of your visit, avoid the 405 freeway during rush hour (3:00 PM to 7:00 PM) at all costs. The "Sepulveda Pass" is a legendary bottleneck that can turn a 10-minute drive into a 90-minute ordeal. Plan your transit to stay on one side of the hill or the other during these windows. If you're looking for hiking, skip the crowded trails in Hollywood and head to Wildwood Canyon or O'Melveny Park in the North Valley for a much more rugged, authentic experience of the California landscape.