Top 5 Reasons to Live in Topanga Canyon

 If you’re considering a move to the Los Angeles area and you love small communities with a relaxed, hippie vibe, you might fall in love with the eclectic community of Topanga Canyon, CA. Nestled between LA and Malibu Beach, Topanga Canyon prides itself on being the “wild side of LA” and is an enclave for the artistic at heart—a favorite escape for the urban-tired to find a little respite.

Topanga lovers would probably ask the question, “What’s not to love?” about their beloved community, but for those uncertain about where to plant some roots in the LA area, we’ve come up with a list of the Top 5 reasons to set your sights on Topanga Canyon, CA.

Reason #1: Topanga Canyon is a Sight for Sore Eyes

Residents of Topanga say turning off the PCH and heading up the canyon toward Topanga is an eye-soothing sight for the LA-weary, a welcome change from city lights, concrete, and glass-windowed skyscrapers. Offering an expanse of cliffs, trees, and views of the blue-green Pacific, Topanga’s open landscape takes visitors and residents to a real-life “happy place” of relaxation-inducing views.

Topanga State Park, located in the Santa Monica Mountains, has over 35 miles of trails for walking, hiking, horseback riding, mountain biking, and taking in the views of the Pacific. Buying a home in Topanga means breathtaking views are right in your backyard—everyday life becomes a sightseeing vacation.

Need a impressive place to host an event in your new hometown? Moonfire Ranch stands over 1600 feet above sea level with 60 acres of panoramic views of LA. Your out-of-town friends and family will enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Topanga, too.

Reason #2: You’ll Never Go Hungry in Topanga Canyon

When it comes to mouth-watering cuisine, Topanga does not disappoint. Just because Topanga Canyon has an out-of-the-way vibe, does not mean that you must go without the to-die-for dishes you find downtown.  How about some Scallop Crudo or Pork and Lobster Tortelloni while dining Creekside at the Inn of the Seventh Ray?

For a little more casual fare, pop over to Pat’s Topanga Grill for a Killer Burger or sip some Margarita’s at Abuelitas Mexican Restaurant. If you like to do your own cooking, you can check out the Topanga local farmers’ market every Friday and find locally-grown organic fruits, veggies, and various homemade specialties. Wine lover? Topanga Vineyards produces distinctly Californian styles of Rhone-inspired wines.

Reason #3: Topanga Canyon is Rich in the Arts

Topanga’s artistic roots go back to the McCarthy era. A blacklisted actor and botanist named Will Geer left Hollywood, purchasing a piece of property in Topanga. Geer and his family established a large garden and an open-air theater. Arlo Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott performed in Geer’s original theatre and many years later (after gaining fame on the TV show The Waltons as Grandpa) Geer and his family created Theatricum Botanicum, now a venue for performances and workshops.

Another venue in Topanga, Horseshoe Bend, burned to the ground in 1988, but its musical history has grown mythic. In the hippie heyday, the local band Canned Heat played “Going Up the Country” there, as well as Neil Young, Taj Mahal, and The Flying Burrito Brothers.

Topanga Canyon also has what may be the only existing drive-thru art gallery, otherwise known as “The Great Wall ofTopanga.” For fine art, Topanga Canyon Gallery offers visitors monthly showings of well-known and emerging LA artists. And for those who enjoy both participating and viewing the performing arts, Corazon Performing Arts offers classes and performances in Topanga. 

Reason #4: You can Live Your Own Style in Topanga Canyon’s Many Unique Homes

Thinking about giving Topanga a try? The options are plentiful to spend some time looking around and feeling things out a bit—a day, a week, a month, whatever time you have available to get familiar with Topanga there is sure to be a hospitable host with open doors and a comfortable space to put up your feet at the end of the day. Try one of Topanga’s Mid-century retreats or a romantic Magical Dome Treehouse.

What you’ll find when you explore Topanga is not your typical cookie-cutter community of look-alike houses. Like its residents, Topanga homes veer to the creative side of life, all different expressions of life lived courageously and artistically. Like Topanga’s Off-the-grid treehouse at Wild Sage Ranch, you’ll find 20 acres of open space and a whopping dose of character for what you would spend to purchase a small postage-stamp-sized lot downtown.

Topanga Canyon’s homes go beyond the new and different to encompassing the rich history of the area.  One such bed and breakfast, The Mountain Mermaid, was built in 1930 as the Silvia Park Country Club. By the 40’s, this home was a gambling house, then a gay club in the 50’s and 60’s, and eventually made infamous in the 70’s as the Mermaid Tavern where wild parties wrecked the home by the 80’s. Now restored, The Mermaid of today has a serenity to it that contrasts its checkered past. Lush gardens and sweeping mountain views make this beautiful home a restful retreat away from the hustle and bustle of the city.

Reason #5: You’ll Share Space with a Vibrant Community of Neighbors

It’s no secret that some of LA’s well-known artists, actors, photographers, and models seek out Topanga, giving it the nickname “Hollywood Hideaway”. When you become a Topanga resident, you can get neighborly with like-minded free thinkers who crave a little space to get in the flow and let loose their creative sides.

One characteristic of Topanga that attracts many is the balance between a mutual enjoyment of the company of other creatives while maintaining a deep respect for the solace-seeking nature that is often intrinsic to the artistic soul. Topanga is not so much a place to “be seen” as it is a place to see—to get in touch with both the beauty of nature and one’s own inner world.

   

Trust Your Senses: Topanga Canyon, CA is a Delight

Many people who come to Topanga Canyon, CA fall in love and never want to leave…there is just a special something that captures the hearts of those for whom Topanga feels like home. Spend a little time in this soul-soothing place and you’ll be more than ready to trade in your heels for flip-flops, set up camp, and take in a long deep breath of laid back living.