The Westside
The West Side of Los Angeles is much of what the rest of the world thinks of when they think "California". It is among the most prosperous, trendy, glamorous, and interesting locations in the world. Comprised of the cities and neighborhoods west of La Cienega Boulevard to the Pacific Ocean, the northern boundary is the edge of the Santa Monica Mountains, while the southern boundary is considered to be LAX which serves to separate the Westside from the South Bay.
The Westside, comprising some of the most desirable communities in Los Angeles, is a wonderful place to live and do business. It has its own special character, upscale and upbeat, with some very affluent residents, yet centrally located, with easy access to many surrounding attractions and events. Beach close, it boasts some of the best air quality in the greater Los Angeles area. The weather is moderate year round, and sea breezes keep residents cool in summer. There are many inviting green spaces here including parks, playgrounds, country clubs and the 54,000-acre Santa Monica Mountains Recreation Area offers a year round playground only minutes away.
Among the Los Angeles neighborhoods considered to be part of the Westside are Bel Air, Beverlywood, Century City, Brentwood, Cheviot Hills, Pacific Palisades, Palms, Rancho Park, Sawtelle, West Los Angeles, Westwood, Venice, Mar Vista, Playa del Rey, Playa Vista, and Westchester, as well as the incorporated cities of Beverly Hills, Culver City, Santa Monica, and the unincorporated county territory of Marina del Rey.
Points of Interest
- Rodeo Drive
A famous shopping district known for designer labels and haute couture shopping, including Armani, Yves Saint-Laurent, Versace, Jimmy Choo, Gucci, CHANEL, and many others. - The J. Paul Getty Museum
Located in the Getty Center, The J. Paul Getty Museum houses European paintings, drawings, sculpture, illuminated manuscripts, decorative arts, and European and American photographs. The building itself is also one of the most beautiful and innovative pieces of architecture in LA. - UCLA
Comprised of the College of Letters and Science, undergraduate colleges Arts and Architecture, Herb Alpert School of Music, Henry Samueli School of Engineering and Applied Science, Nursing, and Theater, Film, and Television, seven professional schools, and five professional Health Science schools, UCLA has enrolled over 33,000 total students annually since 2001. - Armand Hammer Museum
Created by the former chairman and CEO of Occidental Petroleum, the Hammer Museum is known for its high-profile and often provocative visiting exhibits, including political and experimental art. The permanent collection consists mostly of traditional western Art. - Culver City Arts District
Culver City now features one of the highest concentrations of fine art galleries in Southern California with over twenty galleries located inside the city’s borders and as many just over the border within the City of Los Angeles. Many of the galleries in and adjacent to Culver City are well-established, others are newly established. Although art galleries are located throughout the city, the highest concentration is in the Culver City Art District which includes Washington Boulevard between Helms Avenue and Fairfax Avenue, and La Cienega Boulevard, between Venice Boulevard and Blackwelder St. - The Santa Monica Pier
Located at the end of Broadway and rising above the bike path and the Santa Monica Hippodrome (a National Historic Landmark Carousel featured in the movie, The Sting), the Santa Monica Pier offers amusement park rides and games, an aquarium, live music concerts in the summer and fine dining year round. - The Marina at Marina del Rey
The marina in Marina del Rey offers ample opportunities to the boating enthusiast including ferry service to Catalina Island, kayak and sailboat rentals and a "Fisherman's Village" with restaurants. The marina is known for its annual holiday "Parade of Lights" and its 4th of July fireworks show.
Restaurants
Schools
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Public Schools
Some of the best public and private schools in the LA area can be found in the Westside including summer programs for children, continuing education for adults, and education for those with special needs or interests.
The Los Angeles Unified School District provides education at both the primary and the secondary levels for most of the Westside. Santa Monica is served by the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District; Culver City is served by the Culver City Unified School District
Los Angeles Statistics
- Population: 255,599
- Median Age: 34
- Average Household Size: 2.1 people
- Median Household Income: $79,642
People
- Total Housing Units: 248,139
- Owner Occupied Housing: 235,831
- Renter Occupied Housing: 149,114
Housing
- Democrat: 63.102%
- Republican: 35.598%
- Independent Other: .282%
- Independent Liberal: .409%
- Independent Conservatives: .609%
