List #16: Things to See and Do in My Hometown
Because I've grown up in Santa Clarita/Valencia my whole life, I've often been that person that moans and groans that there is "nothing" to do here. Santa Clarita is somewhat of a bedroom community, where most residents tend to commute to the San Fernando Valley or Los Angeles to work, but it's an affluent place, so there are tons of stay-at-home moms and their children gadding about. We are home to pretty much every chain-restaurant and chain-store you can think of. SCV is also a "master-planned" community, so all the houses look the same. But upon reflection, I do realize that we do have some super cool "claims to fame," that non-residents tend to get a kick out of.
The history of Santa Clarita is closely tied to the Western film industry. The desert landscape, scrubby bushes, and unique rock formations that surround our valley were perfect backdrops for classic Western films. William S. Hart made his home here in Santa Clarita, and upon his death, his home became a museum and park. Santa Clarita makes a big deal out of this connection. In Santa Clarita, you can:
- Visit Hart Park--they have animals, you can walk through his home, you can see where his trusty horse was buried, etc.
- Check out the names on the "Western Walk of Stars"
- Attend our annual "Cowboy Poetry Festival"
- Make the short drive over to Vasquez Rocks. Many films have been shot here--it's also a great location for hiking and rock climbing
- Visit the "Oak of the Golden Dream" where gold was first discovered in Santa Clarita
- Check out/hike through Beale's Cut
Like I said, Santa Claritians love themselves some tract-homes. We also love our paseos. What's a paseo you ask? It's like a pedestrian/bike path that runs through and between neighborhoods. Santa Clarita basically invented them, from what I understand. All the newer neighborhoods have them. One in particular, called "Bridgeport" has a really lovely one. Bridgeport is a neighborhood made entirely out of Cape Cod style houses. You may ask yourself, "Why are people in a desert town living in Cape Cod houses?" Well, some people got it in their head that they wanted lake front property in Santa Clarita, so they BUILT A LAKE so they could then build houses around it. We're talking million dollar homes. Therefore, the paseo in their 'hood is one of the best. So, in Santa Clarita you can:
- Take a walk or ride your bike just about anywhere
- Feed the ducks at Bridgeport Marketplace (across the street from Bridgeport)
- Check out the annual migration of Canadian geese that have made Bridgeport their Springtime nesting grounds
- Amgen typically arranges for Santa Clarita to be a finish line spot for their annual "Tour of California." It's a major spectator event for those of the SCV
Valencia is the most affluent area of the Santa Clarita Valley. They are a bit uppity about their status. That's where the mall is located. It also has named itself "Awesometown." No. Joke. So, in Valencia you can:
- Shop at the Westfield Valencia Town Center (it's pretty nice with indoor and outdoor parts)
- Join a walking group that does laps around the interior of the mall
- Eat at any of our wonderful chain restaurants
- Visit the Valencia Library (the biggest library in town)
- Go see a show at the College of the Canyon's Performing Arts Center
- Go to the Farmer's Market that is held in the COC parking lot
- See a football game at the COC stadium
Santa Clarita loves it's Parks and Recreation. We have a ton of parks that offer classes, athletics, and other fun events. Our "Concerts in the Parks" series during the summer draws crowds of 1000s. In Santa Clarita, you can:
- Join a softball team
- Go jogging in any of the parks
- Go skateboarding in our skate park
- Take swimming lessons at many of our parks
- Check out a free concert in the park
- Splash and play at the new Aquatics Center, which has several pools for many different ages and sports
Finally, and probably most importantly, Santa Clarita is home to Six Flags Magic Mountain and Hurricane Harbor. In Santa Clarita, you can:
- Ride more thrill rides than any other amusement park in the world (Two two rides are opening this year, FYI)
- Hang out with your kids at Bugs Bunny World
- Order funnel cake from Suzette's Bakery
- In the summer, you can go next door to Hurricane Harbor and ride their fun water attractions
- During the month of October, you can get scared silly at Fright Fest inside Magic Mountain
~LOVE~
