Topanga Canyon A Day Trip to

Topanga Canyon, located in the Santa Monica Mountains in Southern California, is a stunning destination that offers visitors a chance to escape the hustle and bustle of city life. Known for its breathtaking natural beauty, unique culture, and diverse range of activities, Topanga Canyon is the perfect place for those looking for a relaxing and memorable experience.

Our journey will begin at the intersection of Ventura Boulevard and Topanga Canyon Boulevard (State Highway 27) in the West San Fernando Valley. Head due south on Hwy. 27. As you climb into the Santa Monica Mountains, the urban environment quickly fades, as you will be immersed with a green, peaceful embrace of these lush mountains. As you wind the serpentine curves, you’ll have a final and spectacular view of the valley at the Top of Topanga Overlook.

Turn back south on Topanga Canyon Boulevard and immediately drop into Topanga Canyon. Along the way, you pass several trailheads starting with Summit Valley Park, which connects to a vast web of noteworthy hiking and riding trails suitable for all levels of fitness. You’ll soon pass a lovely wedding venue called the 1909 and the ever popular Café 27. Hidden out of sight is Blackberry Farm at Kelly Gulch. The nine-acre farm produces wool from their Pylori Goats and has been the location of over 200 television and movie shoots. Most recently, it was the family cabin featured in "This Is Us".

Continuing down the canyon, you’ll pass Topanga Living Café, and hidden from sight is Eli’s Bees which sells Topanga-origin honey online at elisbees.com. Soon you’ll see the turn-off for the Topanga

Community Center. The Center is exactly that, the place that hosts numerous events and activities, including Topanga Days, swap meets, a chili cook-off, Food Truck Fridays, seasonal events, and more. The Center has a ball field, playground, and scheduled activities for all ages and interests. Across Highway 27, you’ll find the celebrated Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum. For 50 years, the theater has been home to plays, concerts, and educational events.

Drive slowly as you’ll soon come to The Great Wall of Topanga This 50-foot stretch of retaining wall is festooned with a myriad of eclectic art pieces by owner and artist Rick Denman that puts a smile on every face that passes.

Further on, Entrada Road is the entrance to Topanga State Park: 10,000 acres of trails, the largest Urban Wildland in the western US, a green jewel in a network of state, county, and parks managed by Mountains Recreation Conservation Authority. There are many hiking, biking, and riding opportunities. Trippet Ranch is the headquarters and starting point for park adventures and Sunday docent-led tours. Just before the Entrada turn off, you’ll pass the infamous Backbone Trail crossing, which traverses 67 miles of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Soon you’ll be in the heart of Topanga, where Old Topanga Canyon Road ends at Hwy. 27. One of the most popular attractions in Topanga Canyon is its shopping scene. The area is home to a variety of unique shops and boutiques that offer everything from handcrafted jewelry and clothing to vintage finds and one-of-a-kind home decor. Some of the most popular shopping destinations in the area include Topanga Homegrown and Alkemie Road, which offers a wide range of handcrafted jewelry and finely curated items. Pine Tree Circle is the center that holds Water Lily Café, Canyon Gourmet, and Canyon Bistro, among several other attractive stores. Next to Pine Tree Circle, you’ll find Hidden Treasures, a vintage clothing store that has been a fixture in the community for decades. Just across the safe pedestrian crossing is The Topanga General Store, The Courtyard, and several other shops and restaurants.

Old Topanga Canyon Road is a less traveled route that eventually leads to Calabasas. Just as you get on the Old Topanga, you’ll see the jewel that is Inn Of The Seventh Ray. The Inn was founded by Lucile “Lucy” Yaney and her husband in the mid-1970s. Read more about the inn in our feature article.

About a mile further down the canyon on 27 is a quaint area called Fernwood, home of Café Mimosa, Country Natural Food, and Fernwood Market. A short drive down the canyon, you’ll see Topanga Lumber, and across the highway is a jewel of the canyon — Jalan-Jalan Imports and Topanga Rocks at Owl Falls, our other featured businesses in our Topanga Guide. Read more about Jalan-Jalan and Topanga Rocks in our feature article.

The completion of our 12-mile journey ends at Rosenthal Wine Bar & Patio across Pacific Coast Highway from Topanga State Beach. Rosenthal has a lovely variety of wines complimented with small plates, food trucks, and either live music or DJ. Topanga Guide