Sherman Oaks · Los Angeles

Quiet hillside. Ventura Boulevard below.

Vista Villa sits on a quiet residential hillside in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles (91403), in LA's San Fernando Valley. Ventura Boulevard is about a 7-minute walk down neighborhood stairways, with restaurants, coffee and groceries; the walk back is uphill. Universal Studios Hollywood is about 10 minutes by car.

Exact address shared after booking. We keep the location at neighborhood level here for our neighbors' privacy. Updated September 2026.

Valley and mountain view over palm trees from an upstairs bedroom window

Walking to the Boulevard.

Ventura Boulevard is about a 7-minute walk (0.3 mi) down neighborhood stairways and a path. The walk back is uphill, and the street itself has no sidewalk.

Most guests use Uber or their own car; the 2-car garage has a free EV charger.

Typical drive times

  • Universal Studios Hollywood (15–18 in typical traffic, 25 or more at rush hour)10min
  • Warner Bros. Studio Tour Hollywood (25 or more at rush hour)15min
  • Burbank Airport (BUR) (about 15 with clear roads)20min
  • Hollywood Walk of Fame (30 or more at rush hour)20min
  • Hollywood Bowl (allow much longer on concert nights)20min
  • UCLA (Westwood) (30–60 at rush hour)20min
  • The Getty Center / Beverly Hills (45 or more at rush hour over the 405)25min
  • CSUN (Northridge) (35 or more at rush hour)25min
  • Santa Monica & Venice Beach (an hour or more in heavy traffic)30min
  • Griffith Observatory (parking fills on weekends and evenings)30min
  • USC (up to an hour in heavy traffic)35min
  • Loyola Marymount (LMU) (an hour or more at rush hour)35min
  • LAX (an hour or more at rush hour)40min
  • Six Flags Magic Mountain (an hour or more in traffic)45min
  • Malibu beaches (Zuma and western Malibu closer to an hour)45min
  • Disneyland (often 90 or more in traffic)60min

Typical drive times without heavy traffic; LA traffic varies, so allow extra time at rush hour. Flying in? Burbank (BUR) is much closer than LAX.

Eat, drink & stock up.

Tim's short list, most of it on or near Ventura Blvd. Opening hours change, so check before you go.

  • Dinner

    • Anajak Thai: arrive around 4:00 PM, before opening, for the best walk-in odds
    • Casa Vega: classic Mexican
    • BLVD Steak
    • Bacari
    • Petit Trois (French)
    • Taisho
    • Medici Pizza (Neapolitan-style, kid-friendly)
    • Casita (modern Mexican)

  • Coffee & breakfast

    • The Boy & The Bear: excellent coffee
    • Borekas Sephardic Pastries: standout breakfast pastries
    • Tortoni Caffe: coffee and pastries
    • Marmalade Café
    • Front Yard (Studio City, about 10 minutes by car): patio brunch

  • Groceries & pharmacy

    • Pavilions (closest, walkable)
    • Whole Foods Market (two nearby)
    • Gelson's
    • Trader Joe's (about 5 minutes by car)
    • CVS pharmacy

  • Outings

    • The Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge (Studio City): coffee, food and shopping; a good stop if you arrive before check-in
    • Mulholland Drive overlooks: Valley and city views
    • Sherman Oaks Galleria
    • Sherman Oaks Castle Park: mini-golf and arcade for kids
    • Verse (Toluca Lake): live music most nights
Universal Studios Hollywood guide Los Angeles with kids Graduation weekends
French doors from the family room open to the stone terrace and palm trees

Pet-friendly

Bringing the dog.

Vista Villa is pet-friendly: well-behaved dogs are welcome with advance notice for $30 per pet, per night, shown at checkout. Pets stay on the first floor and off furniture and beds, and bathroom breaks happen off the property, not on the decks.

Dog-friendly nearby

  • Sepulveda Basin Off-Leash Dog Park (Encino). City of LA off-leash dog park, about 15 minutes west by car. Open sunrise to sunset (closed Fridays 6–11 AM for maintenance); dogs must be vaccinated and licensed, with collars and tags.
  • Laurel Canyon Dog Park (Laurel Canyon, on Mulholland Drive). Popular City of LA off-leash dog park in the hills, about 15 minutes by car. Open sunrise to sunset (closed Fridays 6–11 AM).
  • Fryman Canyon Park (Studio City, on Mulholland Drive). Leashed hiking on the Betty B. Dearing Trail from the Mulholland overlook, with Valley views; about 15 minutes by car.
  • Ventura Boulevard patios (Sherman Oaks). Many cafés have outdoor seating; ask each one about dogs.

Planning a Universal day? Ask Tim about plans for your pet before you book, and check Universal Studios Hollywood's official site for its policy on pets and service animals. Rules and hours at parks and trails change, so check before you go.

Pet rules Ask Tim about your pet

Is Sherman Oaks safe?

Vista Villa is on a quiet residential hillside street above Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks, Los Angeles. We don't rank neighborhoods or make safety promises. For current, official numbers near any address, use the LAPD's crime mapping and COMPSTAT page. The house has exterior security cameras (front entry, driveway, pool and backyard) and self check-in. LAPD crime mapping & COMPSTAT (opens in a new tab)

Practical: urgent care, ER, pharmacy, vet.

In an emergency, call 911 first, then message Tim. Hours change, so check each place's official page before you go.

Approximate drive times from the house without traffic.

Sherman Oaks vs Studio City.

Studio City is the next neighborhood east along Ventura Boulevard. It's a little closer to Universal Studios Hollywood, and its stretch of the Boulevard is busy with restaurants, cafés and shops, including the Shops at Sportsmen's Lodge.

Sherman Oaks, where Vista Villa is, sits where the 101 meets the 405, so it's quicker for the Westside: UCLA about 20 minutes, the Getty Center about 25 and Santa Monica about 30 without traffic, with Universal Studios Hollywood about 10 minutes away when the roads are clear. The house is in Sherman Oaks, not Studio City: a quiet hillside street a 7-minute walk above Ventura Blvd.

Where to stay near Universal

Hollywood Bowl Park & Ride.

Going to a concert at the Hollywood Bowl? The Bowl runs Park & Ride buses from a lot it calls “Sherman Oaks” (at Los Angeles Valley College in Valley Glen) and a Bowl Shuttle stop on Ventura Blvd in Studio City, each about 15 minutes' drive from the house. Buy bus tickets ahead (sales close at 10 AM the day before the concert), and check your concert's page, because stops vary by show. Hollywood Bowl Park & Ride locations (opens in a new tab)

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