Update, 2025:
The Oaks still tells a story — but a lot has happened since I first wrote this.
→ Click here for my updated guide to The Oaks in 2025And if you’re dreaming of buying a home here, I’d love to show you what’s possible.
Sitting right on the edge of Griffith Park on the hilly outskirts of Los Angeles is one of the city's most beautiful and quiet neighborhoods. On a map each of the streets in the Oaks looks like a winding snake lying on the edge of the green park. Each street has the word “Oak” in the name: Spreading Oak, Hill Oak and Alto Oak.
In a city famous for its gray concrete and buildings, the Oaks is a verdant, green oasis. The hills are covered with flowers, palm trees, creosote bushes and, of course, beautiful, stately oak trees.
A Diversity of Homes
The Oaks is a quiet vacation from the bustle of the big city. The homes in the Oaks range from 1920's Spanish Revival style to 1960's ranches to ultra-modern hillside homes. The homes all have balconies, verandas and huge windows to take in the views of the ocean, the city and the canyon. Two of the homes in the Oaks were designed by Frank Lloyd Wright and another by Richard Neutra.
A Neighborhood with Actual Neighbors
People who live in the Oaks can live their lives exactly as they wish. All the plants and trees create natural barriers for privacy, but the roads and streets are so quiet that neighbors can walk to and from each other's homes, something you can't do in most of Los Angeles.
The Rich, the Famous, the Neither
The Oaks has been home to lots of Hollywood stars, famous musicians and some of California's entertainment elite. Today, the Oaks has quickly become home to a new generation of Los Angeles “mover and shakers” looking for a refuge from the traffic, smog and bustle. Because home prices in the Hills is not out of reach for many Angelinos, there are many families and couples moving in, keeping the area vibrant and fun.
Driving Through Tells the Story
A drive through the Hills can tell you a lot about the people who live there. There are huge in-ground swimming pools and lots of plastic kiddie pools. There are Porsches in the driveways and trampolines in the back yard. Most of all, you can see people out for a walk on a sunny day, just to enjoy the sounds of birds, the smells of the flowers and the breathtaking views of the city, the canyon and the ocean.
Never Far from the World
Only minutes from the center of Los Feliz, the Hills is close to restaurants and nightlife, without having to be in the middle of it. There are famous landmarks, museums and the Griffith Observatory all within a few minutes.
But really, why would you ever leave home with a pool in the yard, birds in the trees and a long distance view of the rest of the world rushing everywhere?
There is a lot going on the Hills, none of it requires you to do anything more than what you want to.
