CULVER CITY

 

Culver City is an exciting, up-and-coming tech town, but it didn’t start out that way. The city, named after Harry Culver, was a movie town with deep roots in the entertainment industry. It was known as the “heart of screenland” and gained its movie industry fame by being home to MGM Studios and Culver Studios. Many famous movies were produced here, including Gone With the Wind, The Wizard of Oz, and King Kong. Famous stars have graced its streets, including Clark Gable and Greta Garbo.

 

Culver City is a thriving area, home to Sony Pictures Studios and the Disney Digital Network. The economy is booming, and arts and culture are still a mainstay with many famous theaters, museums, and dozens of art galleries. Parks and open green spaces are also important to residents and help balance modern city living. Urban living blends together with a feel of small-town charm due to quiet, tree-lined streets that are walkable and engaging. The housing includes impossibly fabulous mansions and villas, traditional and older Spanish-style homes, modern and spacious single-family dwellings, luxury condominiums, and posh townhouses.

 

• Year-round warm and sunny weather with mild winters
• An art lover’s paradise with dozens of art galleries
• Excellent public transportation and good schools
• Many fine dining restaurants, delis, boutiques, and specialty stores
• A plethora of parks, open green spaces, and recreation centers
• Several hiking, biking, and horseback riding trails

 

While the silver screen is still important in Culver City, life for locals is immersed in culture and art. The streets are tree-lined and walkable, and public transportation is great. It doesn’t hurt that some of California’s most famous beaches are only a couple of miles away. When not sunbathing or surfing, residents can often be found in Downtown Culver City or the Culver City Arts District. 

 

For coastal Mediterranean cuisine, the rooftop restaurant known simply as Margot offers breathtaking 360° views. Try their Duck Confit with a Summer Love cocktail. For simple American cafe-style food, it’s hard to beat Cafe Vida and their Blackened Salmon Fish Tacos. “Wood-fire cookery” and excellent, old-fashioned American food await at Hatchet Hall; make sure you try the Wood-Grilled Lamb Sirloin. It might initially sound strict, but over at Father’s Office, you’ll be spoiled with the Prime Hanger Steak and a beer list that will bring tears of joy to your eyes.

 

Platform is a community shopping center dedicated to independent brands with clothing stores, a spa, and several restaurants. The Culver Hotel's fabulous 1920s architecture offers excellent dining experiences, nightly live music, a bar and lounge, a garden patio, and an in-house gallery space. Sony Pictures Studios offers tours to let you “step back into a legendary time.” Enjoy being part of a real working studio, experience old movie and modern TV show sets, check out the Hall of Fame, and dive into the Sony Pictures Museum.

 

The Baldwin Hills Scenic Overlook offers gorgeous views from its 500-foot peak in a 58-acre park. There are hiking trails, picnic areas, and a Visitor Center with a theater. Enjoy some birdwatching, native wildflowers, and a relaxing picnic on the weekend. If you’re a history nerd, you’ll love immersing yourself in the Lower Jurassic Period at The Museum of Jurassic Technology. You’ll be amazed by the “specialized repository of relics and artifacts from the Lower Jurassic, with an emphasis on those that demonstrate unusual or curious technological qualities.”

 

Culver City is served by the Culver City Unified School District and is notable for the following schools.