When you picture Westlake Village, images of lake views, tree-lined streets and a laid back suburban lifestyle probably come to mind. It is, in my opinion, one of the most livable communities you’ll find in SoCal.
And what’s more SoCal than being able to step out your front door on a warm summer evening and take a stroll through the greenbelts to your local park and hit the Stonehaus Winery on the way home?
Westlake Village is unique in that way. Of our 5 Conejo Valley towns, Westlake Village offers more walkability to restaurants, shopping and cafes than you’ll find in our other neighborhoods making it a top choice for people looking to relocate to the area.
What does walkability in Westlake Village look like?
When it comes to walkability, Westlake Village can’t compete with a major city like NYC or even Santa Monica. This is after all, suburbia which makes us a mostly car driving community. But that doesn’t mean walkability doesn’t exist here. You just have to know where to look.
Most of Westlake Village is walkable on some level. Every neighborhood has sidewalks, many have greenbelts, and the city has done a great job in recent years adding beautifully landscaped sidewalks up and down our major boulevards framed by miles of bike lanes.
But there are a few neighborhoods where running to the store, grabbing dinner, or taking a morning coffee stroll can actually be done on foot more easily than others. These are the top choices.
Learn more about what it’s really like to live in Westlake Village with these posts next:
When it comes to walkability, it’s tough to compete with First Neighborhood. Built in the late 60s as Westlake’s very first neighborhood (obviously), it was designed with walking in mind.
First off, it’s very flat making it age and stroller friendly. Step out your front door and you’ll often find yourself on a cul-de-sac with plenty of sidewalks and well lit greenbelts to lead you to Bennett Park (which lies in the middle of First Neighborhood), the community pool, or to White Oak Elementary school for those of you with little ones.
First Neighborhood is big with well over 300 homes. Depending on which section you live, walkability may look a little different when you decide to venture outside the neighborhood.
The north side of First Neighborhood is closer to Westlake Plaza that has everything from counter service dining like Sea Casa, to full sit down restaurants like Crawford’s, or my favorite, Finney’s. You’ll also find several coffee shops, grocery stores, a yoga studio and even the Sunday Farmer’s Market.
Stonehaus Winery
As far as social spots go, nothing compares to the Stonehaus Winery. Nestled in the heart of Westlake Village, Stonehaus Winery is a top spot for an evening of fine wine and casual outdoor dining. It has a distinct European charm that’s right up my alley, and even celebrates European cultural festivals like Oktoberfest and Bastille Day. This is my usual first stop with out-of-towners and First Neighborhood is right across the street.
The South side sits closer to the Westlake Lake and offers quick access to The Landing with 3 lakeside dining options like Zin Bistro plus Bonibi Coffee – a top lakeside coffee and pastries spot. A trip around the lake is about 4 miles on foot with some stunning views of the water and surrounding hills.
No matter which section you live, the best of Westlake Village is easily accessible on foot or bike often less than a mile away.
Just west of Westlake Lake sits Foxmoor & Village Homes – two distinct neighborhoods that border each other and have the same classic Westlake Village vibe with wide tree-lined streets and abundant parks & greenbelts.
While the housing differs slightly (Village Homes tend to be slightly more affordable than Foxmoor), I’m grouping them together since they’re close neighbors and are similar from a walkability standpoint.
If you visit Foxmoor & Village Homes after going through First Neighborhood, it’s going to feel familiar. All these homes were built around the same time and even share many of the same floor plans.
Side Note: First Neighborhood is in LA County while Foxmoor & Village Homes are in Ventura County. While that has nothing to do with walkability, it does affect the school district (amongst some other things you can read here.) So if you have your eye on a certain school or prefer one district over the other, keep that in mind as you continue your search.
Much like First Neighborhood, Foxmoor & Village Homes offer similar walkability to Westlake Plaza and the Stonehaus Winery with Village Homes being geographically closer and Foxmoor residing not far behind.
Westlake Lake is still just a quick jaunt away, but if you want to get to the Landing (the area with the 3 lakeside restaurants and coffee), it will take a couple mile walk to get there.
What makes Foxmoor & Village Homes especially appealing is the balance: you get a peaceful residential setting with community pools, greenbelts, plus the ability to walk to dining, groceries, and the lake without feeling too far removed from it all. There’s a special sense of community here that doesn’t exist in other neighborhoods.
Shifting to the other side of the freeway is Westlake Hills. A neighborhood made up of concentric circles (think the Pentagon) with greenbelts connecting the outer rings to the centrally located Russell Park and Westlake Hills Elementary School.
Heading out of the neighborhood comes with many shopping options including my personal favorite – The Westlake Promenade. One of our premier centers that offers lots of dining including both sit down and counter service options.
Barnes and Noble and Cinepolis (a first class dinner/movie theater) round out the center, plus a wide variety of other stores and eateries.
The other side of the boulevard is the North Ranch Shopping Center with lots of stores and restaurants and the ever-popular Trader Joe’s. And the stores and restaurants continue all around you as you venture out further.
Compared to the south side, the north side of Westlake Village is often considered the more commercial side vs the lake side which some say feels a little more residential.
Westlake Hills checks a lot of the boxes for a lot of home shoppers, especially those looking for a single story home or more affordable housing choices that’s still just a short walk to our popular town centers.
Westlake Village may be suburban, but we do have neighborhoods that make it easy to leave the car at home. You won’t find city-style walkability here, but you will find neighborhoods where grabbing coffee, heading to dinner, or taking an evening stroll actually feels part of daily life.
If you got this far, you’re probably thinking Westlake Village could be your future home! Let’s find the neighborhood that fits your walkable lifestyle.
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