Woodland Hills, CA

Woodland Hills began when one entrepreneur bought almost 3,000 acres in the 1920s and began to install an infrastructure, including planting 120,000 trees. The town, then known as Girard, began to attract residents, and in 1945, the name was changed to Woodland Hills. Three hundred of the pepper trees remain shading Canoga Avenue and have been designated as a historic monument.

Just west of Woodland Hills, you'll find the Leonis Adobe and Plummer Museum. Take a tour to understand what life was like in the San Fernando Valley 130 years ago.

Woodland Hills doesn't have much of a local arts or theater scene, but with all of Los Angeles just a freeway hop away, you can find anything from fine art to experimental theater to opera nearby. In December, head to the Candy Cane lane district to check out block after block of amazing Christmas decorations.

Woodland Hills hosts many chain restaurants and fast-food places, including upscale restaurants such as Ruth's Chris Steak House and The Cheesecake Factory, but you find many unique gems in the neighborhood as well. Most restaurants are clustered along Ventura Boulevard or in the Warner Center commercial area.

Sushi Ichiban Kan serves up spicy tuna rolls and omigoto rolls that locals rave about, all in a spacious and welcoming setting unlike many hole-in-the-wall sushi eateries. With incredibly fresh sashimi, generous portions and reasonable prices for sake, you're likely to make Sushi Ichiban Kan your neighborhood go-to for sushi.

Head to Brandywine for a romantic date or a special occasion. This family-owned French restaurant makes you feel as if you've been invited to dinner in a little village outside Paris. Start with hot, crusty bread and complimentary gravlax, then choose from frog's legs, a melt-in-your-mouth veal chop, chateaubriand for two or a seafood soup with Maine lobster. The staff at this hidden gem of a restaurant goes out of its way to make sure everything is perfect for you.

When you're in a rush in the middle of running errands, grab a quick bite at the Tomato Patch. With choices such as Greek salad, white bean soup, veggie sandwich or caprese salad with tuna, you know you're eating healthy enough to give yourself a treat, so wash it all down with some pomegranate lemonade, or grab a tasty frozen yogurt as you head out.

Many hookah lounges have found a home in Woodland Hills, sharing space along Ventura Boulevard with some notable British pubs. Stop in at O Zone Hookah Lounge, the Magic Hookah Lounge or V Hookah Lounge for the combination of gourmet tobacco and great local bands. If you're not a smoker, check out the White Harte Pub, a British pub that caters to all ages with its dark, traditional atmosphere and friendly vibe. Blues bands on Saturdays, karaoke on Wednesdays, soccer on the outdoor televisions and traditional British pub fare keep locals coming back night after night.

Any native Southern Californian will tell you it's extremely difficult to live in Los Angeles without a car, and Woodland Hills is no exception to this rule. Much of the residential section of the neighborhood can't be reached by public transportation because of its location up in the hills. While you can walk or bike easily in the commercial section of Woodland Hills, distances can be spread out, and the hills prevent easy walking or biking on the south end of town.

Easily available public parking on residential streets makes it easy for those with cars, and metered street parking on the major boulevards adds to the abundant parking lots, which are typically free for shoppers — though office buildings may charge for parking. Highway 101 runs right through Woodland Hills, connecting residents to Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties to the west and to all of Los Angeles to the east. You can take the express Busway from Warner Center all the way to the Metro Link trains in North Hollywood, and public buses also run up and down Ventura and other major thoroughfares. Taxis and limo services are available on call, with Uber also just a phone call away.

Warner Center Park sits right in the heart of Woodland Hills and serves as a community gathering place throughout the year. Come to the park on summer Saturdays to watch movies while lounging on the grass, and come back on Sunday evenings to enjoy free concerts and food vendors. Locals also gather here on the Fourth of July to watch the fireworks. With playgrounds for the kids and running trails for adults, everyone can find a way to stay active at Warner Center Park. Dogs are welcome but must stay on their leashes.

Residents consider Woodland Hills an exceptionally livable area, but its amenities come at a bit of a cost. The cost of living in the neighborhood runs about 16 percent higher than that of Los Angeles overall. If you want to rent a one-bedroom apartment here, expect to pay an average of $1,880 per month, with prices typically edging upward the closer you get to the Santa Monica Mountains.

If you plan to take the bus out of Woodland Hills, expect to pay $1.75 without any transfers, $3.50 with transfers to other routes or $7 for an all-day pass. If you plan to drive, gas runs about 9 percent higher than the national average. Stopping for a beer at a neighborhood bar after work should cost about $6 on tap.

Woodland Hills features plenty of options for shoppers with one major mall as a destination shopping center and a district of big-box stores, including Target, Nordstrom Rack and Crate and Barrel. The Westfield Topanga and Promenade shopping mall presents high-end shops such as Neiman-Marcus, Cartier, Gucci and Louis Vuitton. The mall contains than 250 businesses and plenty of free parking.

Santa Monica Mountains Cyclery provides personalized service for your bicycles in need of repair and refitting. Choose from an excellent selection of middle- to high-end bicycles and gear. Attentive customer service means someone's always available to help you.

Head to Bobbi Rocco when you want cute women's clothing not found at the mall. The experienced staff helps you choose from the high-quality clothing and jewelry offered at reasonable prices.

When you need to do your grocery shopping, Woodland Hills lets you choose from Ralphs, Vons, Sprouts, Trader Joe's and Whole Foods Market, all located near each other. Woodland Hills Market supplies all your needs for Persian and Middle Eastern specialties, including flat breads, olives and hummus. Support educational efforts in the community when you shop at Pierce College Farmers Market, or try other farmers markets in nearby Canoga Park and Calabasas.