Places to Go!

Go to Historic Sites and Landmarks

Go to Attractions

Go to Los Angeles County Parks

Go to Movie Studios

Check our Resources Page for more!

HISTORIC SITES AND LANDMARKS:

The Cascades - California State Historic Landmark 653, this is the terminus of the Los Angeles-Owens River Aqueduct, which brings water 338 miles from the eastern slopes of the Sierra Nevada to the City of Los Angeles. Begun in 1905, the great aqueduct was completed November 5, 1913. The Mono Craters Tunnel project, completed in 1940, extended the system 27 miles to its present northernmost intake near Tioga Pass. Location: 0.1 mi N of intersection of Foothill Blvd and Balboa Blvd, 4 mi NW of San Fernando

Griffith Ranch - California State Historic Landmark 716, originally part of the San Fernando Mission lands, this ranch was purchased by David Wark Griffith, revered pioneer of silent motion pictures, in 1912. It provided the locale for many western thrillers, including Custer's Last Stand, and was the inspiration for the immortal production, Birth of a Nation. In 1948 it was acquired by Fritz B. Burns, who has perpetuated the Griffith name in memory of the great film pioneer. Location: 12685 Foothill Blvd at Vaughn St, San Fernando

Mission Wells and the Settling Basin - L.A. Historic Cultural Monument 50

San Fernando (Pioneer Memorial) Cemetery - California State Historic Landmark 753, registered December 22, 1960 and L.A. Historic Cultural Monument 586, declared: November 30, 1993, earlier known as Morningside Cemetery, this is the oldest nonsectarian cemetery and second oldest cemetery in the San Fernando Valley. It holds the remains of early pioneers, Civil War Veterans, and Mission Indians. It was used from the early 1800s until 1939. It is now owned and maintained by the San Fernando Historical Society. Located @ 14451 Bledsoe Street in Sylmar - SW corner of Foothill & Bledsoe. It is flat, 3.8 acre Sylmar site covered with native grasses and includes a walkway and memorial patio.

Stetson Ranch Equestrian Park featuring the Marge Feinberg Rim of the Valley Trail

Wilson Canyon Trailhead

Mission San Fernando Rey de España - California State Historic Landmark 157, was founded by Father Lasuén in September 8, 1797. A house belonging to Francisco Reyes, on Encino Rancho, furnished temporary shelter for the missionary in charge. An adobe chapel, built and blessed in December 1806, was damaged by the destructive earthquake of 1812 - a new church was completed in 1818. Take a Virtual Tour of the Mission. Located @ 15151 San Fernando Mission Blvd, Mission Hills. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places: NPS-88002147

Lopez Adobe @ 1100 Pico Street, San Fernando, CA 91340 * 818.365.7810. Open the the public 4th Sunday 1pm to 4pm The adobe is operated by the San Fernando Historical Site and Preservation Commission. Click here for an excellent article about the Adobe by LAOkay

Andres Pico Adobe One of the oldest residences in the City of Los Angeles. It represents a bygone era and the rich historical past of the San Fernando Valley. Inside are museum displays of native American beads, Mission and Spanish-Mexican era artifacts, costumes and clothing that span more than a century, and furniture from the Victorian era, when the Adobe was home to members of the Pico family.

San Fernando Museum of Art and History The Old Fire Station * 519 South Brand Blvd., San Fernando, CA 91340 * 818.838.6360 * fax: 818.838-.6860 * Hours: Open Wednesday thru Sunday 11am to 3pm

Brand Park and Memory Garden - California State Historic Landmark 150, was given to the city for a park November 4, 1920. It is a part of the original land grant of Mission San Fernando de Rey de España, and the colorful and picturesque atmosphere of the early California missions is preserved in Memory Garden. Located at 15174 San Fernando Mission Blvd, Los Angeles.

Campo de Cahuenga 3919 Lankershim Blvd., Studio City

Mentryville - California State Historic Landmark 516-2, is California’s First Oil Boom Town. Named after pioneer oil developer Charles Alexander Mentry, who in 1876 drilled the first successful oil well in California. His restored home and barn and Felton School remain here where the Star Oil Company, one of the predecessors of Standard Oil of California, was born. Located @ 27201 Pico Canyon Road, Newhall. For more info visit Friends of Mentryville.

Oil Well CSO-4 (Pico No. 4) - California State Historic Landmark 516. On this site stands CSO-4, California's first commercially productive well. It was spudded in early 1876 under direction of Demetrious G. Scofield who later became the first president of Standard Oil Company of California, and was completed at a depth of 300 feet on September 26, 1876, for an initial flow of 30 barrels of oil a day. Later that year, after the well was deepened to 600 feet with what was perhaps the first steam rig employed in oil well drilling in California, it produced at a rate of 150 barrels a day. It was shut down in 1989 (with production at 1 barrle per day) after producing oil for 113 years, the longest run of any commercial oil well in the world. It was officially abandoned in February of 1990. The success of this well prompted formation of the Pacific Coast Oil Company, a predecessor of Standard Oil Company of California, and led to the construction of the state's first refinery nearby. It was not only the discovery well of the Newhall Field, but was a powerful stimulus to the subsequent development of the California petroleum industry. Nicely documented here by Stan Walker. Located on W Pico Canyon Rd, 3.3 mi W of I-5, Newhall.

Learn about more Los Angeles landmarks here, here and here.

Go to Top

ATTRACTIONS:

Wildlife Learning Center
Life • Science • Education - Visit the Wildlife Learning Center and meet 50 different species of animals from around the world exhibited in a beautiful landscaped setting. Stroll along the paths and enjoy viewing the animals. Location: 16027 Yarnell Street, Sylmar. Check out Wildlife’s wildly popular Zoology Summer Camps for Kids! 818.362.8711. General admission and hours: $5 children, $6 adults, open 7 days a week, 12-5:00 M-F, 11-4:00 Sat-Sun.

The Nethercutt Collection
Features rare collectibles ranging from mechanical musical instruments and antique furniture to the true heart of the collection: over 250 American and European automobiles dating from 1898 to 1997.

San Fernando Museum of Art and History
Located in the Old Fire Station at 519 South Brand Blvd., San Fernando * 818.838.6360

Ballerz Batting Cages - Sylmar

MB2 Raceway - Sylmar

Sylmar Hang Gliding Association - The world capital of hang gliding. Sylmar is one of the most perfect places in the United States to hang glide, due to the excellent condition of the wind drafts and currents.

PDGA Disc Golf Course - Sylmar Veterans Park

El Cariso Golf Course - 13100 Eldridge Avenue

Six Flags Magic Mountain - Valencia
Six Flags Hurricane Harbor is right next door.

Travel Town - 5200 Zoo Drive, Los Angeles

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library - Simi Valley

Rose Bowl Stadium - Pasadena

Angeles National Forest surrounds Sylmar to the north
Adventure Pass - required for use of certain recreation sites and areas in the forest, and for certain facilities and services.

Go to Top

LOS ANGELES COUNTY PARKS:

El Cariso Park

Los Angeles County Arboretum & Botanic Garden

Los Angeles County Golf Club

Descanso Gardens

Devil's Punchbowl - Hikes!

Hansen Dam Aquatic Center, 11798 Foothill Blvd., Lake View Terrace, CA 91342
40-acre water recreation facility consisting of a 9-acre recreation lake and a 1.5-acre swimming lake. Activities available including fishing, boating, picnicking, jogging/walking, bird watching, kayaking and boat lessons and rentals.

Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, 11127 Orcas Avenue, CA 91342-6723 818.896.6514.
Features a fenced oval riding arena, a staging area for those who want to explore the 12 miles of trails in Hansen Dam, restrooms, a play park, picnic tables and lawns. Visitors can drive their trailers up to the park and ride their horses free of charge.

Hollywood Bowl

Hugo Reid Adobe - Located at the Arboretum. More information here.

John Anson Ford Amphitheater

Los Angeles River Kid stuff @ Hansen Dam Equestrian Center, Walks @ Hansen Dam, Horse Back Riding.

Santa Catalina Island Interpretive Center

South Coast Botanic Garden

Virginia Robinson Gardens

Go to Top

MOVIE STUDIOS:

Disney Studios

NBC Studios

Warner Brothers Studios

Universal City Walk

Universal Studios

Go to Top

©2012 Sylmar Chamber of Commerce | info@sylmarchamber.com | sylmarchamber.com
Serving the community of Sylmar and surrounding areas, including small business, hotels, restaurants and non-profits. Privacy Statement: This site does NOT collect personal information.
Chamber web site hosted and maintained courtesy BSR Studios and web goddess Miss Kitty ^..^ bsrstudios.com