Silver Lake

Known as one of the hippest neighborhoods in LA, Silver Lake is home to some of the best bars, coffee shops and restaurants the City of Angels has to offer. The “Williamsburg of the West” is one of LA’s most walkable ‘hoods with Sunset Boulevard being the epicenter. Hip boutiques, vintage shops, healthy cafes, juice bars and indie stores line up right next to each other and make a day out shopping an enjoyable adventure. Old and new seem to mingle in perfect harmony in this eastside community.

A two-mile stroll around the water gives great views of the bungalows and some of the houses designed by Richard Neutra, the Austrian-born architect known for introducing the International Style into American architecture - Neutra and his family lived in a house he built at 2300 Silver Lake Boulevard. House tours are led by Cal Poly Pomona architecture students every Saturday. The 30-minute tours give an overview of Neutra’s architectural style that promotes rectilinear forms; light, plane surfaces; open interior spaces and the use of glass and steel in his designs.

The vibrant mix of young families, artists, musicians and the long-established community makes Silver Lake so endearing and interesting. According to locals “…people that live here have a lot of respect for the area. The community is good at monitoring change—they’re vocal about what they do and don’t want for their neighborhood.”

If you prefer taking the bike instead of the car to run your errands you will love Silver Lake. The Sunset Boulevard bike lane runs the length of the neighborhood and the sidewalks here have more racks than parking meters. Staying fit and helping the environment made easy!

Unsurprisingly, Silver Lake has been one of Los Angeles’s hottest real estate neighborhoods for a few years now.