Back-to-school season has kicked off, which has us thinking: what is it that actually makes a Westside neighborhood good for a family? It could be the easy access to parks, an art and music teaching studio down the street, an after-school sports program a few blocks away, or even the best place to grab an early family dinner without too much of a production. So, for this season, we've put together a report card for four Westside neighborhoods, each graded on its own terms, covering what shapes the day-to-day life there. Let's get to the grading.
Brentwood: A+ in Neighborhood Livability
Brentwood's easygoing feel makes strollers, scooters, and dog leashes coexist peacefully.
Recess: Barrington Dog Park handles weekend energy for both the two- and four-legged members of the family. The fire roads up toward Kenter Canyon add a nature hike without a road trip.
Snack Time: The Brentwood Country Mart's courtyard, home to Reddi Chick BBQ and Barney’s Burgers, is the closest thing this city has to a town square. Saturday’s San Vicente bagel crawl now includes Layla, families fill Gretna Green Way for the Sunday farmers market, and Jon & Vinny's on San Vicente covers dinner with pizza and pasta the whole table can agree on.
Extracurriculars: Barrington Recreation Center runs youth sports leagues and seasonal camps that keep the calendar full without much legwork.
SBP Brentwood Listings: 411 N Bowling Green Way (Left - For Sale), 901 Kenter Way (Right - For Sale)
Westwood: A+ in Extracurriculars
Westwood earns its stripes as the neighborhood where "enrichment" comes standard.
Recess: UCLA's Franklin D. Murphy Sculpture Garden is free, shaded, and full of art kids can actually touch, an easy default for an afternoon outside. The Westwood Recreation Center's public pool covers summer.
Snack Time: Westwood Village keeps families out of the car for an entire afternoon, especially with a Diddy Riese cookie ice cream sandwich as the finish line. LULU, inside the Hammer Museum's courtyard, is an easy lunch, and the Gayley Avenue In-N-Out is dinner's no-negotiation option. The Thursday farmers market adds its own weekly pull.
Extracurriculars: The Hammer Museum's free family art-making days turn a rainy Sunday into an outing, and the Recreation Center rounds out the sports side with courts and rotating leagues.
SBP Westwood Listings: 251 Tavistock Avenue (Left - Sold), 10727 Wilshire Boulevard, Unit #1002 (Right - Sold)
Santa Monica: A+ in Field Trips
If Santa Monica were a student, it'd be the one who's already been everywhere and has a story about it.
Recess: Palisades Park's bluffs, Tongva Park's splash pad, and the Annenberg Community Beach House's pool and volleyball courts keep "what should we do today" from ever being a hard question. The Marvin Braude bike path turns a ride to the water into an easy errand.
Snack Time: Montana Avenue's Rori's Artisanal Creamery and Back on the Beach Café cover ice cream and post-sand pancakes. Cha Cha Chicken is the standing lunch favorite, and The Cloverfield's garden patio handles pizza night.
Extracurriculars: Santa Monica's Recreation and Arts department runs seasonal classes and camps in sports, dance, and art, and local youth leagues keep the calendar full year-round.
SBP Santa Monica Listings: 528 Marguerita Avenue (Left - For Sale), 401 Ocean Avenue, Unit 2 (Right - Sold)
Venice: A+ in Show & Tell
Venice has never met a form of creative expression it didn't want to try, and that spirit shows up everywhere a kid might look.
Recess: The Venice canals make one of the city's most photogenic stroller loops, and the skate park welcomes every age and skill level.
Snack Time: Abbot Kinney is equal parts design showroom and ice cream crawl, with regulars lining up at Salt & Straw. The Butcher's Daughter's patio covers lunch or an easy family dinner, and the weekly farmers market gives the neighborhood its own Saturday-morning gathering point. Down by the Venice sign, Great White's patio is a reliable breakfast-or-lunch stop before or after a walk on the boardwalk.
Extracurriculars: Oakwood Recreation Center rounds things out with a public pool, sports leagues, and community programs, a reliable home base beyond the boardwalk. The murals on nearly every block mean creativity shows up whether it's scheduled or not.
SBP Venice Listings: 49 Brooks Avenue (Left - For Sale), 503 San Juan Avenue (Middle - For Sale), 232 Carroll Canal (Right - Sold)
The Honor Roll
Brentwood teaches livability, Westwood teaches enrichment, Santa Monica teaches adventure, and Venice teaches creativity. The real assignment is figuring out which subject your family wants to major in. That's the part we actually specialize in. We've walked these blocks, sat in these parks, and had the "which neighborhood, actually?" conversation countless times. We know that the right fit may not be obvious, but we're here to help guide you there.