Downtown Culver City 

There is something strange about driving around downtown Culver City. Streets intersect at perpendicular lines almost like the city planners threw pick-up sticks in the air and used what fell as a blueprint for its streets. In all actuality, this was from when the Pacific Railways used this city as a trolley connection point. Instead of making new streets, it seems they paved over old trolley lines. 

Because driving in this area is hard, Downtown Culver City is a pedestrian paradise with tons of restaurants and shops. Recently new initiative by the city to make dedicated bike and bus lanes in the downtown area has been completed. The city is served by the Expo Line with the Ivy Station two long blocks away. Not only that, but since Culver City is its own city, it has its own bus line of green buses. You can definitely leave the car at home. 

Some COVID-19 regulations are still in effect. Check out this page to learn more. 

The Heart of Screenland

Culver City is the heart of movie making in Los Angeles. In the early 1900s, a real estate man from Nebraska named Harry Culver set on a mission to lure movie studios to the middle of nowhere. Seeing it now, it is hard to believe that Culver City was once that place. It was a land of vast barley fields and flowing creeks. It was the perfect setting for the Wizard of Oz, which was filmed at Culver Studios a few years after the city was incorporated.

In 1924 the iconic MGM Studios–which brought you, Ben Hur, Singing in the Rain, and more films than I can ever mention–set up shop in Culver City. Between Culver Studios, MGM, and outposts for RKO and Pathé, it was actually Culver City, not Hollywood, that was the heart of screenland. What was once MGM now sits Sony Picture Studios. Gone with the Wind was filmed at Culver Studios which has become Amazon Studios. So the heart of screenland has come full circle. 

A tour of Sony was part of my Awards Ceremony Itinerary which you can read here.

What this neighborhood is like

It is a great mixture of going out culture and families. A lot of Los Angeles seems to cater to the young and beautiful crowd–you will find some of that here as well–but I do see a lot of families out and about in Downtown Culver getting ice cream, going to Wild Child, and eating on patios.

So with that information, I am going to introduce you to the Downtown Culver City of today. This wouldn’t be This Ugly Beautiful City if I didn’t point out some history along the way. 

NEXT up…. Where to eat in Culver City.

Already intrigued by this neighborhood? It is part of two itineraries that you can buy on my Etsy shop.

Los Angeles Bingo: Tourist Edition–$4

Los Angeles Bingo: Hidden Gems–$5