Not that it’s a contest, but Santa Clarita did it first.
It was Hollywood before Hollywood. It had its own gold rush years before riches were found at Sutter’s Mill. And men were pulling oil from the ground there two decades before Texas dug its first well.
Get to know Los Angeles through the places that bring it to life. From restaurants to shops to outdoor spaces, here’s what to discover now.
Yet the rugged Santa Clarita Valley and the four communities it comprises — Newhall, Valencia, Canyon County and Saugus — are still something of a mystery to many who don’t live there. Or worse, the area remains misunderstood thanks to “The Santa Clarita Diet” and other pop culture portrayals.
The truth is far more interesting, if evasive. For decades, the Newhall Pass formed a natural barrier separating the valley from the Los Angeles Basin, allowing Santa Clarita to cultivate its own unique culture, one that’s woven into the fabric of Southern California.
“This was truly the Old Wild West out here,” said Alan Pollack, a doctor of internal medicine who moved to the valley in 1991 and quickly became steeped in its history. “There were gunfights, there were stagecoaches, all that sort of stuff.”
Santa Clarita was where many of the early westerns were shot, with real cowboys driving herds of cattle down the town’s dusty main street. Since then, the valley has become home to more than a dozen movie ranches, from the 22-acre Melody Ranch to the 400-acre Rancho Maria and Sable Ranch, as well as dozens of soundstages, earning the city the title “Hollywood North.”
“You can get any kind of look in Santa Clarita,” says Carol Rock, marketing director for the Santa Clarita Valley Historical Society. “Just drive around. You’re looking at the Amazon. You’re looking at the forest in different kinds of trees. And then you’ve got palm trees.” Pay attention and you’ll notice that the hills and canyons have provided the backdrop for everything from “The Lone Ranger” and “Gunsmoke” to “Oppenheimer,” “Star Trek” and “The Office.”
The city is also home to the sprawling Magic Mountain theme park, whose 19 roller coasters are the most in a single amusement park in the world. It holds more than 80 miles of some of Southern California’s best public hiking trails, fed by a 30-mile system of biking paths, walkways and bridges. (On one of those trails, you can view the site of the St. Francis Dam built by William Mulholland, whose aqueduct made Southern California’s suburban sprawl possible. The dam’s 1928 collapse that killed hundreds is still remembered as one of the worst U.S. civil engineering disasters of the 20th century.)
And then there’s CalArts, a private visual and performing school whose graduates — including filmmaker Tim Burton, Pixar’s John Lasseter and jazz musician Ravi Coltrane — have had an outsized influence on modern animation and pop music.
Through it all, Old Town Newhall, the core of what once was a railroad and ranching hub, remains the beating heart and soul of the area. You’ll find echos of the past on Main Street — the historic district is still lined with hitching posts, though they’re mainly decorative nowadays, and embedded with bronze stars and terrazzo tiles honoring the legends of western film, television and radio. And all over the community, the legacy of William S. Hart, Newhall’s original silent screen cowboy, lives on in the streets, schools, museums and parks that bear his name.
To see where it all began, spend a day in Santa Clarita, a place where you can discover cowboy history and sip a sophisticated Chardonnay at a wine bar all on an afternoon stroll.
What's included in this guide
Anyone who’s lived in a major metropolis can tell you that neighborhoods are a tricky thing. They’re eternally malleable and evoke sociological questions around how we place our homes, our neighbors and our communities within a wider tapestry. In the name of neighborly generosity, we may include gems that linger outside of technical parameters. Instead of leaning into stark definitions, we hope to celebrate all of the places that make us love where we live.
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What L.A. neighborhood should we check out next? Send ideas to guides@latimes.com.
Get a good egg (and a lot more) at Egg Plantation
Santa Clarita Breakfast
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
With 101 omelets on offer, this quaint Main Street institution, which opened in 1973, can satisfy the most finicky omnivore. But the menu, as thick and entertaining as a magazine, includes everything from eight-ounce flat-iron steaks and biscuits and gravy to Belgian waffles and French toast.
There are also specialty coffee and espresso drinks as well as a full bar serving the restaurant’s signature Bloody Marys, which are made from a closely guarded secret recipe.
As one might expect from a restaurant with the word “egg” in its title, the paint scheme is a cheery yolk-hued yellow and tables (there are no booths) in the breezy plant-lined — and pet-friendly — patio are covered by umbrellas. Inside, the decor matches the neighborhood’s Old West roots with wood floors and heavy dark-wood chairs and tables.
The restaurant is open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and short waits for a table are common but well worth it.
There are also specialty coffee and espresso drinks as well as a full bar serving the restaurant’s signature Bloody Marys, which are made from a closely guarded secret recipe.
As one might expect from a restaurant with the word “egg” in its title, the paint scheme is a cheery yolk-hued yellow and tables (there are no booths) in the breezy plant-lined — and pet-friendly — patio are covered by umbrellas. Inside, the decor matches the neighborhood’s Old West roots with wood floors and heavy dark-wood chairs and tables.
The restaurant is open daily from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. and short waits for a table are common but well worth it.
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Get a serving of nostalgia at Saugus Cafe, L.A.’s oldest restaurant
Santa Clarita Breakfast
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
President Teddy Roosevelt once called the New York steak “splendid.” Clark Gable, John Wayne, Frank Sinatra and Marlene Dietrich dined there too.
You can feel the history at Saugus Cafe, the oldest still-operating restaurant in Los Angeles County. Originally opened as a railroad eating house at the Saugus train station in 1888, the cafe took its name 10 years later and was moved to its current location near a bend in the Southern Pacific tracks in 1916.
The building that houses the cafe, with its long, low profile, even suggests a rail car in its construction. And though the restaurant’s heyday has long-since gone, its deep-green vinyl booths and ruffled curtains and the artifacts and newspaper clippings dotting the walls attest to a once-glorious past.
Saugus Cafe is now mainly a breakfast joint steeped with comfort foods such as three-egg omelets, country-fired steak and chicken and waffles. Specials are listed daily on chalkboards hanging behind the counter.
The restaurant, which struggled to survive the pandemic, is run by Alfredo Mercado, a former employee who bought the place from his old boss in 1998. Although there have been recurring rumors that the historic eatery is on the verge of closing or being sold, the Mercado family has publicly pledged to keep the lights on as new owners are sought.
You can feel the history at Saugus Cafe, the oldest still-operating restaurant in Los Angeles County. Originally opened as a railroad eating house at the Saugus train station in 1888, the cafe took its name 10 years later and was moved to its current location near a bend in the Southern Pacific tracks in 1916.
The building that houses the cafe, with its long, low profile, even suggests a rail car in its construction. And though the restaurant’s heyday has long-since gone, its deep-green vinyl booths and ruffled curtains and the artifacts and newspaper clippings dotting the walls attest to a once-glorious past.
Saugus Cafe is now mainly a breakfast joint steeped with comfort foods such as three-egg omelets, country-fired steak and chicken and waffles. Specials are listed daily on chalkboards hanging behind the counter.
The restaurant, which struggled to survive the pandemic, is run by Alfredo Mercado, a former employee who bought the place from his old boss in 1998. Although there have been recurring rumors that the historic eatery is on the verge of closing or being sold, the Mercado family has publicly pledged to keep the lights on as new owners are sought.
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The play’s the thing at Canyon Theatre
Santa Clarita Theater
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Main Street’s makeover from a nearly abandoned collection of small stores and auto repair shops into a dynamic culture hub started with the Canyon Theatre Guild.
The CTG was born in the spring of 1970, after the Newhall Signal newspaper published a notice about a community meeting to explore the formation of a local theater company. Four months later, the guild put on its first production, performing John Kirkpatrick’s comedy, “Vacancy in Paradise,” for a “crowd” of about 20 at the Hart High School Auditorium.
It moved to its present location in 2000 and more than half a century after that first show, CTG, a 501(c) nonprofit, draws more than 30,000 people each season to its intimate 288-seat home. And as the area around the theater building has matured, so has the guild, the largest and oldest live theater company in the valley. CTG produces at least nine full-scale productions each season with the fare heavy in well-worn Broadway shows, along with some surprises. (The 2026 season includes “South Pacific” but also “The SpongeBob Musical” and “Driving Miss Daisy.”)
The guild is volunteer-driven, with all that entails. More than 500 people donate their time and talent each season, which allows CTG to bring live theater to the valley at reasonable prices; individual tickets start at $20 and season tickets begin at $110. But that also means the talent can be a bit uneven — which, frankly, is one of the most charming things about community theater.
The CTG was born in the spring of 1970, after the Newhall Signal newspaper published a notice about a community meeting to explore the formation of a local theater company. Four months later, the guild put on its first production, performing John Kirkpatrick’s comedy, “Vacancy in Paradise,” for a “crowd” of about 20 at the Hart High School Auditorium.
It moved to its present location in 2000 and more than half a century after that first show, CTG, a 501(c) nonprofit, draws more than 30,000 people each season to its intimate 288-seat home. And as the area around the theater building has matured, so has the guild, the largest and oldest live theater company in the valley. CTG produces at least nine full-scale productions each season with the fare heavy in well-worn Broadway shows, along with some surprises. (The 2026 season includes “South Pacific” but also “The SpongeBob Musical” and “Driving Miss Daisy.”)
The guild is volunteer-driven, with all that entails. More than 500 people donate their time and talent each season, which allows CTG to bring live theater to the valley at reasonable prices; individual tickets start at $20 and season tickets begin at $110. But that also means the talent can be a bit uneven — which, frankly, is one of the most charming things about community theater.
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Feel like family at valley institution La Cocina
Santa Clarita Mexican Food
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Clearly good news travels: In my journeys as a journalist, I’ve had people on two continents reference La Cocina in conversation when they learned I’m from Santa Clarita. The family business started 31 years ago with one location and has grown into a beloved valley institution while expanding to three sites.
The original location, with its faux Mexican pueblo decor, opened in 1994 and remains the best, which is why 45-minute waits for one of the 16 red-vinyl booths are common on weekends; the tiny bar is almost always standing-room only. But the food, drinks and unfailingly friendly staff — many of whom have worked for La Cocina for years — more than make up for the wait. “When you’re at La Cocina, you feel like family,” said Heather Chapas, a frequent visitor. “The food is fresh, comes out fast and the drinks are superb.”
The menu is typical of most Mexican restaurants in SoCal: enchiladas, fajitas, burritos and tacos are among the specialties. But the taste is not. The enchiladas are excellent, the carnitas savory and the shrimp dishes — from arroz con camarones and camarones al ajo to the enchilada Vallarta — creative. Just how well-loved the restaurant is was proven during the pandemic when La Cocina opened for takeout orders and the line of customers snaked out the door and into the parking lot.
Pro tip: While the food portions are large, the margaritas are even larger.
The original location, with its faux Mexican pueblo decor, opened in 1994 and remains the best, which is why 45-minute waits for one of the 16 red-vinyl booths are common on weekends; the tiny bar is almost always standing-room only. But the food, drinks and unfailingly friendly staff — many of whom have worked for La Cocina for years — more than make up for the wait. “When you’re at La Cocina, you feel like family,” said Heather Chapas, a frequent visitor. “The food is fresh, comes out fast and the drinks are superb.”
The menu is typical of most Mexican restaurants in SoCal: enchiladas, fajitas, burritos and tacos are among the specialties. But the taste is not. The enchiladas are excellent, the carnitas savory and the shrimp dishes — from arroz con camarones and camarones al ajo to the enchilada Vallarta — creative. Just how well-loved the restaurant is was proven during the pandemic when La Cocina opened for takeout orders and the line of customers snaked out the door and into the parking lot.
Pro tip: While the food portions are large, the margaritas are even larger.
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Discover two of the nation's most historic sites, Mentryville and Oak of the Golden Dream
Unincorporated Santa Susana Mountains Historic Landmark
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
It’s not hyperbole to say two of the most historic sites in the U.S. are in the Santa Clarita Valley. Just off the 5 Freeway above Stevenson Ranch, not far from the Nike clearance store, are the remains of Mentryville (marked on this map), an 1880s oil boom town located in Pico Canyon, on the northern edge of the Santa Clarita Woodlands Park.
The first commercially successful oil well in the Western U.S., was built there, supporting a thriving community of more than 100 families. Pico No. 4 was still in operation more than 100 years later, making it the longest continually operating oil well in the world. By then Mentryville was gone but some buildings, such as the town’s one-room schoolhouse and the grand 13-room mansion that belonged to Charles Alexander Mentry, once the superintendent of the company that would become Chevron, remain and are worth a visit — though it’s a bit of a hike from the parking lot to get there.
Not far away, off State Route 14 in Placerita Canyon State Oak, stands the Oak of the Golden Dream, site of the first authenticated discovery of gold in California. That was made by Francisco López, foreman of the Rancho San Francisco, on March 9, 1842, when he found gold particles clinging to the roots of the onion bulbs he was gathering. That was six years before a sawmill operator named James Marshall struck gold at Sutter’s Mill, in present-day Coloma, triggering the California Gold Rush. Today the site is located within the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.
The first commercially successful oil well in the Western U.S., was built there, supporting a thriving community of more than 100 families. Pico No. 4 was still in operation more than 100 years later, making it the longest continually operating oil well in the world. By then Mentryville was gone but some buildings, such as the town’s one-room schoolhouse and the grand 13-room mansion that belonged to Charles Alexander Mentry, once the superintendent of the company that would become Chevron, remain and are worth a visit — though it’s a bit of a hike from the parking lot to get there.
Not far away, off State Route 14 in Placerita Canyon State Oak, stands the Oak of the Golden Dream, site of the first authenticated discovery of gold in California. That was made by Francisco López, foreman of the Rancho San Francisco, on March 9, 1842, when he found gold particles clinging to the roots of the onion bulbs he was gathering. That was six years before a sawmill operator named James Marshall struck gold at Sutter’s Mill, in present-day Coloma, triggering the California Gold Rush. Today the site is located within the Placerita Canyon Nature Center.
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Pull the veil back on the movie magic at Melody Ranch
Santa Clarita Filming Location
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Melody Ranch is the best-known and probably most recognized of the more than a dozen movie ranches in the valley. Once known as Monogram Studios, its name was changed by Gene Autry, who bought the property in 1952, renamed it after one of his films and owned it for nearly 40 years before selling to former actor and stuntman Rene Veluzat.
The Veluzat family expanded the ranch and restored its famous Main Street. The 22-acre site, which now features a massive western town with a saloon, bank, jail, general store, hotel and church, provided the backdrop for countless movies and TV westerns from “The Lone Ranger” and “Gunsmoke” to “The Magnificent Seven” and “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
When filming and production schedules allow, Newhallywood Tours (a mash-up of Newhall and Hollywood) offer two-hour guided tours of the ranch. Visits can also be scheduled to the Santa Clarita Movie Studio.
I know, I know. Southern California is full of movie studios, which means it is full of movie studio tours. But this isn’t a soulless soundstage or creaky mechanical shark. This is location filming — part Universal Studios and part Old West ghost town.
The tours are a bit pricey at $99 a person, but the guides, longtime Santa Clarita residents E.J. and Kimi Stephens (and self-described geeks who together have written more than a dozen film-history books) are excellent hosts. You’ll need to call to schedule a tour. Join their mailing list for information and updates.
The Veluzat family expanded the ranch and restored its famous Main Street. The 22-acre site, which now features a massive western town with a saloon, bank, jail, general store, hotel and church, provided the backdrop for countless movies and TV westerns from “The Lone Ranger” and “Gunsmoke” to “The Magnificent Seven” and “Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood.”
When filming and production schedules allow, Newhallywood Tours (a mash-up of Newhall and Hollywood) offer two-hour guided tours of the ranch. Visits can also be scheduled to the Santa Clarita Movie Studio.
I know, I know. Southern California is full of movie studios, which means it is full of movie studio tours. But this isn’t a soulless soundstage or creaky mechanical shark. This is location filming — part Universal Studios and part Old West ghost town.
The tours are a bit pricey at $99 a person, but the guides, longtime Santa Clarita residents E.J. and Kimi Stephens (and self-described geeks who together have written more than a dozen film-history books) are excellent hosts. You’ll need to call to schedule a tour. Join their mailing list for information and updates.
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Find a touch of Southern hospitality at the Smokehouse
Santa Clarita BBQ
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Near the roundabout that marks the end of Main Street are a pair of simple, century-old white wooden bungalows that are among the last reminders of the area’s western movie origins. But the real attraction is the contemporary brick-wall tavern next door. Cherie McGraham, a valley resident for more than three decades, bought a barbecue and brewhouse on the site in 2018 and completely remade it as the Smokehouse on Main, and now it’s thriving with a menu of Southern-style slow-smoked meats topped with a wide array of sauces from hot and spicy to sweet and tangy.
You’ll find all the staples: brisket, pulled pork, ribs, pork links, seafood and free-range chicken. Can’t decide? Try to the meat sampler. Just don’t forget the comfort-food side dishes, which include roasted corn, mac and cheese, collard greens, cole slaw and bake beans. There are also salads and vegetarian dishes available.
The restaurant has indoor and outdoor tables, but the best seats are at the bar, where there are 24 craft beers on tap. There is live music most nights and karaoke on Wednesdays.
You’ll find all the staples: brisket, pulled pork, ribs, pork links, seafood and free-range chicken. Can’t decide? Try to the meat sampler. Just don’t forget the comfort-food side dishes, which include roasted corn, mac and cheese, collard greens, cole slaw and bake beans. There are also salads and vegetarian dishes available.
The restaurant has indoor and outdoor tables, but the best seats are at the bar, where there are 24 craft beers on tap. There is live music most nights and karaoke on Wednesdays.
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Swing by Double Trouble Wine Room, where everybody knows your name
Santa Clarita Wine Bar
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Back on Main Street, many of the storefronts will probably look familiar since they’ve appeared regularly in TV shows such as “Sons of Anarchy,” “NCIS,” “Criminal Minds” and “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” (Movie buffs might also recognize the area from Charlie Chaplin’s 1923 silent film “The Pilgrim” and Frank Sinatra’s 1954 thriller “Suddenly.”)
About halfway up the block is the Double Trouble Wine Room, which stood in as the Acosta family’s Mexican restaurant in the 2020 reboot of “Party of Five.” Featuring artisan wines from Paso Robles, Santa Ynez and Sonoma made by two local winemakers, Hoi Polloi and Pagter wineries, it’s the best — and friendliest — tasting room in the valley. There’s just one rule: no snobs allowed.
The wine room, a cozy space with wood paneling and black and white photography, features live music on some nights and open-mic comedy on others. Dogs are welcome.
About halfway up the block is the Double Trouble Wine Room, which stood in as the Acosta family’s Mexican restaurant in the 2020 reboot of “Party of Five.” Featuring artisan wines from Paso Robles, Santa Ynez and Sonoma made by two local winemakers, Hoi Polloi and Pagter wineries, it’s the best — and friendliest — tasting room in the valley. There’s just one rule: no snobs allowed.
The wine room, a cozy space with wood paneling and black and white photography, features live music on some nights and open-mic comedy on others. Dogs are welcome.
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Ride all the thrilling coasters you can handle at Magic Mountain
Unincorporated Santa Susana Mountains Amusement Park
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
The Santa Clarita Valley isn’t all about living in the past. Six Flags Magic Mountain, which sprawls away from the 5 Freeway into the foothills of the Santa Susana Mountains, is the self-proclaimed “thrill capital of the world” with a record 19 roller coasters among its 100 rides, games and attractions.
Roller coasters set the 260-acre amusement park apart from Southern California rivals such as Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm from the start — the debut of Great American Revolution in 1976 made it the first in the world to have a 360-degree looping steel coaster. At the time, the park seemed isolated, surrounded mostly by open land, but it has since been swallowed by urban sprawl. With more than 3,000 people on its payroll, it’s the largest employer in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The rides have gotten progressively faster and frightening as well, with a wide array of styles from wooden and loop-based rides to single-rail coasters and ones with seats that rotate 360 degrees. The park is more than just thrill rides though. There are a number of tamer attractions for kids and families as well as live entertainment and the Hurricane Harbor water park next door.
Roller coasters set the 260-acre amusement park apart from Southern California rivals such as Disneyland and Knott’s Berry Farm from the start — the debut of Great American Revolution in 1976 made it the first in the world to have a 360-degree looping steel coaster. At the time, the park seemed isolated, surrounded mostly by open land, but it has since been swallowed by urban sprawl. With more than 3,000 people on its payroll, it’s the largest employer in the Santa Clarita Valley.
The rides have gotten progressively faster and frightening as well, with a wide array of styles from wooden and loop-based rides to single-rail coasters and ones with seats that rotate 360 degrees. The park is more than just thrill rides though. There are a number of tamer attractions for kids and families as well as live entertainment and the Hurricane Harbor water park next door.
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See how the West was fun at the city's beloved annual cowboy festival
Santa Clarita Festival
(The city of Santa Clarita)
Given Santa Clarita’s long ties to western movies and cowboy stars, it’s probably no surprise the valley’s largest annual community event is a paean to both. The City of Santa Clarita Cowboy Festival
is more than a premier western music festival. The two-day event, staged just steps from Newhall’s Walk of Western Stars, is a celebration of all things cowboy and cowgirl with past festivals packing in everything from swing dancing and hatchet throwing to panning for gold and cowboy grub from a chuck wagon.
The fest takes place each April in Hart Park, named after William S. Hart, the original silent screen cowboy, who once lived nearby. (The dates for 2026 are April 18-19.) It’s truly a step back in time with camps showcasing Old West life, craftsmanship and frontier traditions including blacksmiths, candle makers and wool spinners. And yes, everyone wears a cowboy hat and it’s nearly required that you do too.
is more than a premier western music festival. The two-day event, staged just steps from Newhall’s Walk of Western Stars, is a celebration of all things cowboy and cowgirl with past festivals packing in everything from swing dancing and hatchet throwing to panning for gold and cowboy grub from a chuck wagon.
The fest takes place each April in Hart Park, named after William S. Hart, the original silent screen cowboy, who once lived nearby. (The dates for 2026 are April 18-19.) It’s truly a step back in time with camps showcasing Old West life, craftsmanship and frontier traditions including blacksmiths, candle makers and wool spinners. And yes, everyone wears a cowboy hat and it’s nearly required that you do too.
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Walk along the otherworldly Vasquez Rocks
Agua Dulce Mountain Trail
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Santa Clarita boasts scenic and well-maintained trails for hikers of every level. The most otherworldly destination? Vasquez Rocks, named for the Mexican outlaw Tiburcio Vásquez, who hid there among the maze of shallow caves, deep crevices and numerous overhangs. Its sharp, jutting rock formations, the result of sedimentary layering and seismic uplift that began more than 25 million years ago, have made it a favorite of filmmakers and earned it a spot on the National Register of Historic Places. The area has stood in for alien landscapes in both the “Star Trek” TV series and in several of the “Star Trek” movies.
Of course, there are other ways to explore Santa Clarita’s great outdoors beyond those big, famous rocks. Whitney Canyon is a 442-acre park that has hiking, biking and equestrian trails through oak woods and along a creek and waterfall. The Placerita Canyon Natural Area has eight trails that network over 12 miles, the most challenging of which is the 4.7-mile out-and-back Los Pinetos Trail, a steep trek route beneath oak trees, chaparral-covered slopes and alongside a seasonal stream that rewards hikers with amazing views of the San Fernando Valley, downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. And the popular (and sometimes crowded) Towsley Canyon trailhead tucked just off the 5 Freeway in the Santa Susana Mountains offers two main trails, the 5.1-mile Towsley View Loop and the 2-mile Short Loop. The longer of the two features steep hills in the middle, climbing to 2,450 feet, and runs along a stream and natural oil seeps.
Of course, there are other ways to explore Santa Clarita’s great outdoors beyond those big, famous rocks. Whitney Canyon is a 442-acre park that has hiking, biking and equestrian trails through oak woods and along a creek and waterfall. The Placerita Canyon Natural Area has eight trails that network over 12 miles, the most challenging of which is the 4.7-mile out-and-back Los Pinetos Trail, a steep trek route beneath oak trees, chaparral-covered slopes and alongside a seasonal stream that rewards hikers with amazing views of the San Fernando Valley, downtown Los Angeles and the Pacific Ocean. And the popular (and sometimes crowded) Towsley Canyon trailhead tucked just off the 5 Freeway in the Santa Susana Mountains offers two main trails, the 5.1-mile Towsley View Loop and the 2-mile Short Loop. The longer of the two features steep hills in the middle, climbing to 2,450 feet, and runs along a stream and natural oil seeps.
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Have a pint while listening to live music at Pocock Brewing Co.
Santa Clarita Brewery
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Every good community needs its own microbrewery and Santa Clarita has one in Pocock Brewing Co., which began its life 10 years ago in a warren of warehouses and soundstages less than three miles from Magic Mountain’s front gate.
The family-run establishment is where you’ll find neighbors gathering for weekly events: trivia on Wednesdays, bingo on Thursdays and live music on Saturdays (be warned, it can get more than a little loud there). On the menu are more than two dozen beers, wines and ciders, from light Japanese rice lagers to oatmeal brown ales to creations like Emma’s Clown Car, a banana cream pie Hefeweizen. For food, opt for one of the wood-fired artisan pizzas, each of which begins with 90-hour-fermented pizza dough. Enjoy it all with old and new friends in a bright, open tasting room with longer, family-sized tables inside and smaller patio tables outside.
Pocock has a second, larger “public house” location along downtown Newhall’s historic Main Street that also hosts midweek trivia tournaments and has rooftop dining. It offers a fuller food menu but the same beer, wine and cider. The folks at Pocock have apparently found a winning formula: Several bars and restaurants in the Santa Clarita Valley proudly offer their brews on tap.
The family-run establishment is where you’ll find neighbors gathering for weekly events: trivia on Wednesdays, bingo on Thursdays and live music on Saturdays (be warned, it can get more than a little loud there). On the menu are more than two dozen beers, wines and ciders, from light Japanese rice lagers to oatmeal brown ales to creations like Emma’s Clown Car, a banana cream pie Hefeweizen. For food, opt for one of the wood-fired artisan pizzas, each of which begins with 90-hour-fermented pizza dough. Enjoy it all with old and new friends in a bright, open tasting room with longer, family-sized tables inside and smaller patio tables outside.
Pocock has a second, larger “public house” location along downtown Newhall’s historic Main Street that also hosts midweek trivia tournaments and has rooftop dining. It offers a fuller food menu but the same beer, wine and cider. The folks at Pocock have apparently found a winning formula: Several bars and restaurants in the Santa Clarita Valley proudly offer their brews on tap.
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Catch a show at the intimate Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center
Santa Clarita Theater
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Before the $18.3 million center opened in 2004, Santa Claritans had to fight freeway traffic into Los Angeles, the San Fernando Valley or Ventura County to see big-name entertainers. Folks like Karen Schmidt, the center’s original director, argued that the community needed a performing arts venue of its own, saying it would allow residents to integrate music, theater and comedy into their lives.
They made it happen. The Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center on the campus of College of the Canyons is now the largest performance space in the valley. The 47,000-square-foot facility has both a main stage with 886 seats and a smaller black-box theater for new or experimental productions.
The center has attracted musical artists including Travis Tritt, LeAnn Rimes, Los Lobos and Judy Collins, comedians Kathleen Madigan and Jay Leno and musical productions including “The Wizard of Oz” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” What makes even the main venue stand out, however, is its intimacy; no seat is more than 100 feet from the large stage.
They made it happen. The Santa Clarita Performing Arts Center on the campus of College of the Canyons is now the largest performance space in the valley. The 47,000-square-foot facility has both a main stage with 886 seats and a smaller black-box theater for new or experimental productions.
The center has attracted musical artists including Travis Tritt, LeAnn Rimes, Los Lobos and Judy Collins, comedians Kathleen Madigan and Jay Leno and musical productions including “The Wizard of Oz” and “Fiddler on the Roof.” What makes even the main venue stand out, however, is its intimacy; no seat is more than 100 feet from the large stage.
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Have some old-school fun with go-kart racing and bumper boats at MB2 Entertainment
Santa Clarita Family
(Lexi Wimberly / For The Times)
Sure, you can find go-kart racing, laser tag, VR games and bumper boats around Southern California. But how many places offer all of it in one spot?
MB2 Entertainment’s 7-acre park has those activities and more — the “more” of which includes ax throwing, scenic 36-hole mini golf course with waterfalls and caverns, duck-pin bowling, batting cages for sluggers of all levels and dozens of arcade games.
Mountasia Family Fun Center previously occupied the space on the edge of a sprawling industrial park and shopping center, but closed during the pandemic in 2021. Two Santa Clarita couples, Will Miller and Chris Brooks, cousins by marriage, along with their wives Stefanee and Martine (their surnames make up the M and the B in MB2), purchased the facility and reopened it in April 2022 with new attractions.
The park also has a restaurant, an outdoor beer garden and private rooms to host parties. Be warned, it gets crowded on the weekends. Your best bet might be to opt for the two-hour weekday all-you-can-play pass for $50.
MB2 Entertainment’s 7-acre park has those activities and more — the “more” of which includes ax throwing, scenic 36-hole mini golf course with waterfalls and caverns, duck-pin bowling, batting cages for sluggers of all levels and dozens of arcade games.
Mountasia Family Fun Center previously occupied the space on the edge of a sprawling industrial park and shopping center, but closed during the pandemic in 2021. Two Santa Clarita couples, Will Miller and Chris Brooks, cousins by marriage, along with their wives Stefanee and Martine (their surnames make up the M and the B in MB2), purchased the facility and reopened it in April 2022 with new attractions.
The park also has a restaurant, an outdoor beer garden and private rooms to host parties. Be warned, it gets crowded on the weekends. Your best bet might be to opt for the two-hour weekday all-you-can-play pass for $50.
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