Some Southland residents may not realize that Glendale is the 4th largest city in Los Angeles County. The city’s hillside neighborhoods overlook four major freeways offering easy access to downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood, Universal City, and Pasadena. Glendale has a number of neighborhoods with appealing single-family homes ranging from classic California bungalows to executive homes and estates perched on a Verdugo hillside. The city has been named “LA’s Neighborhood of the Year” by Curbed.com. Glendale is home to the world-famous and meticulously-maintained Forest Lawn Memorial Park, the final resting place of Humphrey Bogart, Lauren Bacall, and other noted celebrities.
The mountainous hills above Glendale are the Verdugos. Although adjacent to the San Gabriel Mountains, they are part of the Transverse range, not the San Gabriels. Some of Glendale’s neighborhoods are within the San Gabriels and offer mountain vistas within or near the Angeles National Forest. One of Glendale’s most charming neighborhoods is Montrose-Verdugo City. Nestled in the foothills near the Oakmont Country Club and beautiful Descanso Gardens, Montrose-Verdugo City has a charming “downtown” street and laid-back, retro vibe. Crescenta Highlands includes several gated communities with executive and estate homes that include many amenities and larger floor plans than a number of other gated communities in the Southland.
Glendale has a strong public school system with a number of highly-ranked schools, from Clark Magnet High School to Mann, Franklin, and Keppel Elementary Schools. The city’s historic airport had a number of “firsts” including Charles Lindbergh’s first commercial transcontinental flight and Lauran Ingalls’ first solo female transcontinental flight. Disney’s Grand Central Creative Complex includes the Air Terminal which has been renovated to its 20s-era glamour that attracted Howard Hughes and Amelia Earhart.
Glendale’s location in the Verdugo foothills lends itself to over 50 parks and hiking trails. As to shopping and dining, the city’s Americana at Brand shopping center is a regional destination for shopping, dining, and entertainment. Weather is also excellent, with a year-round Mediterranean climate and comfortable temperatures in summer and winter. There are many reasons Glendale has been selected as a location for corporate headquarters for major companies ranging from Nestle to Disney’s Creative Complex. The city is one of a select few in the Southland to preserve its early 20th-century heritage homes in significant numbers. From Spanish tile on floors, patios and roofs, and exotic neighborhoods like El Miradero, Glendale has its own liveable vibe.
