Playa Vista has dramatically transformed from a relatively unknown beachside neighborhood to one of Los Angeles’ top communities to live in—all in just a few years. With its recent influx of new homes, commercial developments, and major tech companies, Playa Vista is attracting a lot of interest from prospective homeowners.

Even though Playa Vista has been making a name for itself over the past few years, there’s still a lot to learn about the neighborhood before moving in. Whether you’re still researching communities or you’ve already secured a home in the neighborhood, here are some details to know before moving to Playa Vista.

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It’s Becoming Pedestrian-Friendly

If you had asked anyone who lived near Playa Vista a couple of years ago whether the neighborhood was pedestrian-friendly, they would have answered with a resounding no. However, the mixed-use development Runway Playa Vista will soon close many of its central arteries to car traffic.

Elsewhere in the community, Playa Vista now has bike lanes, crosswalks, and many pedestrian walkways—perfect for residents who prefer to get around on foot.

The Dining and Entertainment Scene Is Growing

Playa Vista is still a relatively quiet community right now, so if you’re looking for a rambunctious nightlife, it might take a few years until that happens. The current entertainment options here aren’t too shabby, although the entertainment in Playa Vista isn’t much compared to powerhouse communities like West Hollywood or Downtown Los Angeles.

There are several popular breweries in the community—such as Firestone Walker Brewing Company and Gulp—that are great for mingling with both out-of-towners and locals. When it comes to dining options, Playa Vista offers upscale restaurants from elevated burgers at HopDoddy Burger Bar to upscale Baja-style Mexican cuisine at SOL Mexican Cocina. There’s quite a bit of development happening in the neighborhood, so expect a lot more restaurants and entertainment options popping up within the next few years.

It’s Recreation-Friendly

Playa Vista features great recreational areas such as Ballona Wetlands Ecological Reserve as well as Ballona Freshwater Marsh. This reserve and marsh make up a total of 600 acres of wetlands and uplands in the neighborhood, including a salt marsh.

Even with these natural reserves in Playa Vista, the community also has several man-made recreational areas as well. Popular, family-friendly spots in Playa Vista include the Playa Vista Sport Park, The Resort at Playa Vista, and Leaps N Boundz.

New Construction Homes Abound

Playa Vista is truly a hotspot for new developments, especially from heavy-hitting homebuilders such as KB Home, The Irvine Company, Brookfield Residential, and many others. In our November digest, Playa Vista was among the city’s top communities for newly constructed properties, from single-family homes and townhomes to luxurious high-rise and multi-family communities.

Up-and-coming residential developments on their way to Playa Vista include the upscale planned neighborhood Skylar for luxury condos, The Collection for move-in ready homes with private elevators, as well as Seabluff with over 75 one- and two-floor homes.

It’s Near the Beach

It might not seem like it when you’re passing through Playa Vista, but the community is a very short distance from the beach. In fact, Playa Vista is about a 10-minute drive away from Playa del Rey Beach and Toes Beach, and it’s a short 20-minute drive away from Dockweiler Beach and the Venice Boardwalk. It’s easy for Playa Vista residents to experience the best of what Los Angeles has to offer.

It’s Dog-Friendly

Although the Playa Vista neighborhood still has a few kinks to work out in terms of its identity, there’s no question that this community is dog-friendly. Many of the residential communities in Playa Vista feature their own private dog parks, but there are three very new and well-maintained dog parks offered to locals in both the community and the surrounding neighborhoods.

Bluff Creek Dog Park features a dog run with water and seating, Oberreider Dog Park offers soft wood chips that are gentle on dog paws, and the newer Longwood Dog Park is a community favorite. It’s not uncommon to see neighbors walking their dogs on the sidewalks as well.

It’s a Tech Paradise

One of the top reasons why Playa Vista is developing so quickly is due to the rise of Silicon Beach, LA’s version of the tech-fueled Silicon Valley. In just a few years, a heavy influx of tech entrepreneurs and start-ups have migrated over to LA’s westside. Playa Vista’s spacious and newly constructed luxury residences simply add to the appeal for techies.

Although several other westside communities have been experiencing their own tech start-up transformation, it seems Playa Vista sits at the heart of Silicon Beach. Over the past four years, the neighborhood has attracted a number of high-profile tech companies such as Microsoft, Facebook, and Yahoo!