Granada Hills South - Granada Hills, CA

Granada Hills was first a farming community, with wheat and beans the profitable crops. In the 1920s, the land known then as Grenada was subdivided and residences slowly but surely began popping up. At first the residential plots were slow to go, but to induce settlers, Granada was introduced as a rabbit raising colony. The area had many starts and stops in terms of development, but the one constant was a very involved community, which persists to this day.

Many will be familiar with Granada Hills' White Oak Ave, lined with priceless Deodar Cedar trees that were made famous with the film ET: the Extra Terrestrial. These trees were the ones used as the background for the famous bike-flying scene.

Local history may be acquired from the Granada Hills library, or in neighboring districts at the Nethercutt Museum in Sylmar or the Sunshine Ranch by Petit Park.

An alphabet soup of stores, restaurants, bars and homes in a college town, there is no shortage of fun activities in this corner of the world.

If you're craving some amazing Mediterranean cuisine such as savory smoked chicken shawarma and beef kebab, JeJe: Chicken should be your destination of choice. Anyone who has never experienced the delectably aromatic flavors of Filipino comfort food may want to take a drive down to House of Grill, where locals rave about the Bangus Sisig and baked halibut. If Thai Food makes your mouth water, then head to Balboa Boulevard and check out Siam Cuisine, which boasts some of the best Pad See Ew and BBQ Chicken this side of Los Angeles.

The Tender Glow bar on San Fernando Mission Blvd has developed a reputation for fantastically friendly service and inexpensive happy hour prices. Fans of the band Iron Maiden may find Sugar Suite hits the right notes, as not many other bars in the area offer metal music on the jukebox. If sports, burgers, wings and cheap beer suit you more, the Jug Jug Sports Bar & Restaurant may be just what you need for a fun Sunday afternoon.

Fans of flavored smoke find 5 Star Hookah an accommodating space with a very chill atmosphere and decent prices. Anyone looking for a divey local hangout with reasonably priced drinks and food will definitely want to check out Lee's 4 Cocktails for a game of pool and darts.

Both the Metro and Commuter Express buses extend from downtown Los Angeles deep into the heart of Granada Hills South, making traveling much less of a headache for locals that need it. The 118 Ronald Reagan Fwy. creates a borderline that sandwiches it between both Granada Hills North and South, and is the main freeway into both districts.

Being from one of the largest, most heavily populated cities in the United States, Lyft and Uber are always ready alternatives to public transit, as public parking lots are typically scarce in residential areas. Taxis may also be another option, but those needing to hail one on the street may find it difficult in a mostly residential community, so it may help to call a cab company to set up a destination beforehand.

Anyone seeking a healthier lifestyle may find bicycle lanes readily available on city streets. Shopping centers and restaurants may be found up to a mile or so in almost any direction.

The local Granada Hills Recreational Center provides almost every type of sport for any parent or child that wants to engage in a healthier lifestyle. Nearby neighborhoods that also accommodate inhabitants searching for healthier activities include the Northridge, Porter Ranch and Sylmar Recreational Centers.

O'Melvany Park possesses bike trails and is also dog and kid-friendly while neighboring Zelzah Park is dog and kid-friendly, but does not have bike trails.

Locals congregate around the Granada Hills Holiday Parade to watch beautifully designed floats. The annual Granada Hills Street Faire also delivers fun and excitement to residents looking for some delicious noms and oddities for sale.

At an average cost of $1,051 for a one bedroom apartment, rent in this area may be around 73 percent lower than the city average. Beer prices hover between $3 to $5 during happy hour, or $4 to $10 normally depending on the venue.

Those that hate public transportation may find discomfort in knowing that gas prices tend to fall around 1 percent higher than the national average, placing California third in rank in highest taxes for petroleum in the United States.

Commuter Express charges its passengers by zones (which can go anywhere between $47 to $140 for a 31 Day Pass, or $30 to $70 for a 20 trip booklet), so be sure to pick the right tickets for your destination. Metro fares change periodically, so be sure to check the website for current rates.

Serious shoppers may want to head over to the Northridge Fashion Center or Plaza del Valle in Panorama City for their favorite brands, but Target and TJ Maxx both offer the convenience right in the neighborhood.

Women wanting something different in their boutique store will find Imageindia in neighboring Northridge a gem, as it carries unique clothing, jewelry and accessories in all sorts of beautiful materials and colors. For a great thrift store, the Opportunity Shop offers a wide selection of vintage and lightly used clothing for a good price.

Those wanting organic will be hard pressed to find better ingredients anywhere else than the Northridge, Forneris Farms (in Mission Hills), and Chatsworth farmers markets for locally grown ingredients.

Local grocers Sprouts and Granada Hills Market also stock their shelves with organic farm fresh produce, beautifully marbled free range meat, and your favorite brand name products.