Santa Clarita
Introduction
Santa Clarita is a suburban city in the Santa Clarita Valley of northwestern Los Angeles County, California, set along the Santa Clara River roughly 30 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles. It is a classic example of an American edge city, satellite city, or boomburb — a place shaped by its relationship to the larger metropolis nearby rather than by a dense urban core of its own.
If you are planning a visit, expect a spread-out valley city where you get around by car, with Los Angeles within reach to the southeast. The source material for this guide is limited, so details on neighbourhoods, sights, and food are best confirmed locally before you go.
Before you go
Santa Clarita sits about 35 miles northwest of downtown Los Angeles, so plan your trip around a suburban base rather than a dense urban core. The city's two anchors for visitors are the western-themed Old Town Newhall district and the Valencia Town Center mall, which is home to numerous upscale shops.
Pack for a climate of contrasts. Summers are hot and dry with cool nights, spring and autumn are mild, and winters are cool and rainy. Snow is extremely rare in the city itself, though it occasionally falls in the outlying hills. Because Santa Clarita is surrounded on three sides by mountains, it offers plenty of opportunities for outdoor recreation, so bring gear suited to time outside.
Getting there
If you're flying in, the closest and most convenient airport is in Burbank, though Los Angeles International, Ontario, and Orange County are also options. From LAX, Prime Time runs shared ride vans: wait under the orange "shared ride vans" sign on the center concrete island outside the terminal, find a representative in a red jacket, and tell them you need a ride to Santa Clarita. If no representative is around, flag down a red van with a "Santa Clarita" placard in the windshield. The trip takes roughly an hour.
The cheapest route from LAX is to combine the FlyAway bus with Metrolink. Stand under the green "FlyAway, Buses and Long-Distance Vans" sign on the center concrete island and board a blue FlyAway bus bound for Union Station; the buses run every half hour around the clock, and if you board at the airport you won't be charged until you reach your destination. At Union Station, follow the Metrolink signs to the Antelope Valley Line — typically platform 4B, but check the signage — and buy your ticket from the automated kiosk inside the terminal. Discounts are available for seniors, students, and people with documented disabilities. The train takes about an hour, which can cut as much as 45 minutes off the drive when traffic is bad. Amtrak's closest full-service station is also Union Station, where you make the same transfer to the Antelope Valley Line.
By car, Interstate 5 runs along the west side of the city and the Antelope Valley Freeway, "the 14," along the east, meeting at the Newhall Pass interchange south of town. Below the interchange are the intersections of San Fernando Road, Sierra Highway, Foothill Boulevard and The Old Road, and just south of it Interstates 210 and 405 branch off I-5. Highway 126 connects Santa Clarita to Fillmore and Ventura. From Los Angeles or other southern cities, take I-5 North — locally "the 5 freeway" — with Santa Clarita beginning at the Lyons Avenue/Pico Canyon exit and ending around the Hasley Canyon exit; from the southwest, the 405 North connects to I-5 North, and from the northeast, the 14 South brings you in at Soledad Canyon. United Taxi of Los Angeles also serves the area.
Getting around
Santa Clarita is spread out and freeway-oriented, so a car, a bus, or a combination of rail and bus works best; walking is practical mainly within individual neighborhoods and districts. Santa Clarita Transit runs bus routes throughout the city, with free transfers and reduced fares for riders over 60 and free rides for children five and under. On weekdays, Routes 501–504 connect to the Metrolink station and link the city to Los Angeles; they are designed for commuters but work well for visitors who want fast access to the city without traffic. Taxis are another option.
For rail, Metrolink's Antelope Valley Line connects Santa Clarita to downtown Los Angeles and Union Station, where you can transfer to other Metrolink lines, LA's subway and bus system, Amtrak, and FlyAway buses to LAX. There are two stations in the city: Jan Heidt Newhall Metrolink Station on Railroad Ave and Santa Clarita Metrolink Station on Soledad Canyon Rd; both offer free parking, and the latter has bike lockers. The trip takes roughly an hour and can cut as much as 45 minutes off driving in traffic. Many bike paths and paseos connect the city, letting you cycle while avoiding waits at traffic lights, and a large equestrian community means horse trails run throughout; maps of both are available online. By car, Interstate 5 runs along the west side and the Antelope Valley Freeway (CA-14) along the east, meeting at the Newhall Pass interchange south of town, with Highway 126 connecting to Fillmore and Ventura.
Where to stay
Lodging in Santa Clarita clusters around two areas: the Stevenson Ranch and Valencia districts near Six Flags Magic Mountain, and the commercial strips off the interstate. In Stevenson Ranch you'll find a Fairfield Inn and a Residence Inn on The Old Road, along with a Comfort Suites positioned near Six Flags Magic Mountain. Valencia, just to the north, has the densest concentration of full-service and upscale options, including a Hyatt Regency on Town Center Drive, an Embassy Suites by Hilton, and a Hilton Garden Inn on The Old Road. An Extended Stay America on Pico Canyon Road suits longer visits.
Elsewhere in the city, a Courtyard by Marriott and an Embassy Suites sit on Westinghouse Place, while a Holiday Inn Express and a Best Western Valencia Inn occupy Wayne Mills Place; the Holiday Inn Express offers well-furnished rooms and a basic breakfast. A Hampton Inn and a Residence Inn serve The Old Road corridor, and a Days Inn by Wyndham in Castaic provides another option near the park. Most properties are geared to interstate travelers and theme-park visitors, so book ahead on summer weekends.
Food & drink
For pizza and Italian food, head to Chi Chi's Pizza on West Soledad Canyon Road, a long-standing local landmark that many residents will tell you serves the best pizza or Italian food in town. If you're after a broader American menu, BJ's Pizza & Brewery on Town Center Drive offers a huge menu with large portions, cozy booths, outdoor seating facing the street, and a full bar with flat-panel televisions usually tuned to sports. Save room for the pizookie, a cookie of your choice baked in a deep-dish pizza pan and topped with ice cream, and beer lovers can sample the custom brews before committing to a pint. The area also has a good selection of wine lounges, with a couple of wineries dotting the landscape. In Old Town Newhall, Pulchella Winery sources high-quality Paso Robles grapes and showcases small vineyards, and you're welcome to bring your own food to the tasting. North of Santa Clarita in Agua Dulce, Agua Dulce Winery is a fully operational winery and vineyard offering wine tasting, tours, a gourmet gift shop, and wine sales, while Reyes Winery sits at elevation in the Sierra Pelona Valley Viticultural Area, with a vineyard planted to Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Chardonnay, and Muscat.What to see and do
Six Flags Magic Mountain is the area's leading attraction and has been drawing crowds since the early 1970s. Film fans may recognise it as the "Wally World" of National Lampoon's Vacation, and coaster enthusiasts know it as the self-styled Thrill Capital of the World, home to more roller coasters than any other theme park. Check the park's website before you go, since buying tickets online often comes with a deal. Next door, Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is the park's tropical-themed sister, with more than twenty slides and water activities to keep you cool during the summer months. For gentler entertainment, MB2 Entertainment off Soledad Canyon Road offers miniature golf, batting cages and go-carts; it tends to be busy with young children during the day and older kids in the evenings, and a AAA membership can get you a discount on a round of mini golf. If you'd rather spend a quiet Sunday with animals, The Gentle Barn is an animal sanctuary where you can hug cows, pet turkeys and rub the bellies of potbellied pigs — reservations are required.When to go
Santa Clarita has a hot-summer Mediterranean climate: summers are hot, dry and sunny, with rain very rare, while winters are cool and rainy. Micro-climates across the area and wide day-to-night temperature swings mean conditions can differ noticeably from one part of the city to another and from afternoon to evening. In summer, daytime heat can be intense, and even during heat waves the arid air lets nights cool down significantly. Dry brush makes wildfire risk significant in summer and fall, so plan around the heat and check conditions before heading into open country.
Winter is the rainy season, with most precipitation falling from December through March. Temperatures are mild to cool rather than severe, and freezing is rare, though most winters bring a few days that stay below the norm. Snowfall is very rare; the most recent was a light dusting in February 2023. If you want dry, sunny weather, summer delivers it at the cost of high temperatures; if you prefer cooler conditions, winter is mild but wet.
Three days in Santa Clarita
Day one: Base yourself in Santa Clarita and get your bearings in the Santa Clarita Valley, which sits within Los Angeles County in California along the Santa Clara River. Start with the historic character of Old Town Newhall, then head to Valencia Town Center for shopping and an easy introduction to the area. If you are arriving by air, Burbank, Los Angeles International, Ontario and Orange County are the regional gateways, and from LAX you can use services such as Prime Time, LAX FlyAway, Metrolink, buses and long distance vans to reach Union Station. At Union Station, the Antelope Valley Line and Amtrak connect you onward, and discounts are often available. By car, take Interstate freeways or the Antelope Valley Freeway through Newhall Pass.
Day two: Use Santa Clarita as your base for a fuller day around the valley. Pack for warm, dry conditions in summer and cooler, sometimes snowy weather in winter, because Santa Clarita sits below the surrounding ranges and can swing between extremes. Spend the morning in Old Town Newhall and the afternoon at Valencia Town Center, keeping travel simple by staying within the valley rather than driving down to Los Angeles. If you prefer public transport, Metrolink and the Antelope Valley Line link the area with Union Station, and buses or long distance vans can fill the gaps.
Day three: Take a slower final day. Revisit the parts of Santa Clarita you liked most, whether that is Old Town Newhall or Valencia Town Center, and use San Fernando Road and the Antelope Valley Freeway for straightforward connections if you are heading out. If you are returning to Los Angeles, Metrolink, Amtrak and the Antelope Valley Line all run toward Union Station, while Burbank, Los Angeles International, Ontario and Orange County remain the nearby airport options. Allow extra time in summer heat or winter snow, and keep your plans flexible around the valley's changeable conditions.