The San Fernando Valley is an urbanized valley in Los Angeles County north of downtown Los Angeles. It covers 260 square miles and is home to almost 2 million people. Two thirds of the Valley is part of the City of Los Angeles. The Valley is circled by mountains: The Santa Susana Mountains to the northwest, the Simi Hills to the west, the Santa Monica Mountains and Chalk Hills to the south, the Verdugo Mountains to the east, and the San Gabriel Mountains to the northeast.
Families tend to be drawn to the area for its suburban feel and home pricing that tends to be less expensive than what you’ll find in other parts of the L.A. region. The Valley is mainly laid out in a grid system, with most major streets running East-West or North-South. Most everyone in the Valley drives, so you’ll want a car. The central thoroughfare is Ventura Boulevard, which runs all the way from Universal City to Thousand Oaks. The San Fernando Valley is home to many of the world’s major movie studios.
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