Have You Heard of Playa Vista? Why I Can't Seem to Move Anywhere Else

Have you ever heard of Playa Vista? This little planned community near LAX may not be on everyone's radar, but it's been home to me for more than 14 years.

So what's it actually like to live here? And what makes a place in Los Angeles feel so hard to leave? Let me tell you why, after all these years, I still can't imagine living anywhere else.

Over the past 7 years, especially after having our 2 boys, my husband and I have spent a lot of time looking for the "perfect" place to move to. We've looked at houses in beautiful neighborhoods with great schools, more space, and everything you would think a growing family should want.

And every time, we just couldn't quite make the decision.

Because as much as Playa Vista has its downsides - and believe me, there are some - the older I get and the more I experience it as a family, the more I realize just how much this little community has to offer.

Even with the high HOA fees and limited middle- and high-school options, we're just not quite ready to give it up.

First, the weather. Obviously.

I've talked about Playa Vista's almost unbeatable weather in another post, so I won't go on about it too much here.

But it really is that good.

We're less than 3 miles from the ocean, but somehow we don't get that sticky, humid beach weather. Most days are just... perfectly cool and pleasant.

If the temperature ever goes above 80 degrees, people here practically panic because it suddenly feels unbearably hot.

If it drops below 60, forget it. Everyone starts dressing like they're visiting Alaska.

Yup. We're completely spoiled.

And honestly, I don't know if I could ever go back to living somewhere with actual seasons.

Everything We Need is Right In The Middle of Town

One of my favorite things about Playa Vista is that it was designed to be walkable.

The commercial center sits almost right in the middle of the community, with a Whole Foods, Starbucks, CVS, Cinemark, urgent care, indoor climbing, dance and Pilates studios, hair and nail salons, and a surprisingly good selection of restaurants. 

It's basically a one-stop shop for everyday life.

And because it sits in the middle of the community, people living on either side can walk or bike there.

I literally walk to Whole Foods almost every day.

And this is one of those little things that I don't think I fully appreciated until I realized how much it has become part of my everyday routine.

For one, it forces me to walk every day. But it also means I can buy just enough fresh produce for the day instead of stocking up on everything for an entire week. 

Need cilantro for dinner? Walk to Whole Foods.

Forgot Milk? Walk to Whole Foods.

Want something for lunch? Walk to Whole Foods.

It sounds like a small thing, but having that convenience within walking distance makes everyday life so much easier.

Back when I commuted to an office, I would stop by Starbucks in the early morning, grab my coffee and something to eat, and then head onto the freeway.

And now, on weekends, my boys and I sometimes ride our scooters to Cinemark to watch a movie.

There's something incredibly liberating about knowing that you don't have to get in the car every time you want to do something.

In fact, if you really wanted to, you could spend an entire day inside our little bubble without ever leaving Playa Vista.

And sometimes, we do.

Parks Everywhere

If you have kids, this is where Playa Vista really starts to shine.

There are parks and playgrounds everywhere, and they're beautifully maintained.

We live in a condo, but it never feels like we're missing a backyard because there's a park so close to us that it practically feels like an extension of our own.

And because there are so many parks scattered throughout the community, no single park feels overwhelmingly crowded most of the time.

There is one exception: the park next to the elementary school. That one naturally gets much busier because of the big playground and all the sports activities.

When our boys were little, my husband and I would stroll around Playa Vista with them ALL THE TIME.

We'd walk until they spotted a playground they wanted to stop at, and that was our afternoon.

There's also a park on the other end of the community with ponds filled with ducks and turtles, a huge grassy area, a playground, soccer fields, and basketball courts.

That park became one of our favorites during COVID.

Our boys were still really little then, and they absolutely loved watching - and trying to feed - the ducks and turtles.

Those were simply outings, but some of my favorite memories from that time.

There is Always Something Going On

But I think what really makes Playa Vista feel different from other neighborhoods is the community.

There's a farmers market every Saturday with live music, local farmers, food vendors, and artists.

During the summer, there are Friday jazz nights and country music nights, along with occasional Sunday concerts and larger concerts at the park.

And then there are ALL the holiday events.

Easter egg hunts.

Halloween parades.

Thanksgiving events.

Pictures with Santa.

New Year's celebrations.

And plenty of other events throughout the year.

This is especially great when you have little kids because you don't have to plan an entire outing around them.

You don't have to find parking. You don't have to drive 30 minutes. You don't have to spend 100 just to have something fun to do. 

You can literally walk out your front door and join the event.

There's even a free beach shuttle during the summer that takes residents to nearby beaches and shops.

And Then There Are The Amenities...

I have to admit, the amenities are another reason I have a hard time imagining leaving.

We have a state-of-the-art fitness center with pretty much every piece of equipment you could think of, along with multiple heated swimming pools.

And when I say heated, I mean actually heated.

There are two pool locations in the community.

One has a lap pool, kiddie pool, and jacuzzi. The other has a lap pool, kiddie pool, wading pool, and jacuzzi.

My family uses the pools at least 2 or 3 times a week, all year long.

We travel quite a bit and have stayed at plenty of resorts that advertise "heated" pools.

I can honestly say I have yet to find one with a more comfortable water temperature than our community pools.

At this point, my boys are spoiled too.

The whole thing can feel a little surreal sometimes.

In fact, some people have compared Playa Vista to the Truman Show.

And honestly?

I don't disagree.

Everything is planned. Everything is manicured. There are parks everywhere. Security patrol around the community 24/7. People walk their dogs. Kids ride scooters. There are community events practically every weekend.

It can feel almost... too perfect.

But you know what?

I really like being in the show.

So, Why Can't I Move?

That's the question I keep coming back to.

We've looked at other neighborhoods. We've found houses that we loved. We've found neighborhoods with schools that were hard to argue with.

And yet, every time we seriously consider leaving, I think about everything we'd be giving up.

The ability to walk to Whole Foods.

Riding scooters with my bots to the movie theater.

Walking kids to school every morning.

Walking to a playground instead of getting in the car.

Swimming in our community pools in the middle of winter.

Going to a farmers market on Saturday morning.

Walking out the door and stumbling into a community event.

Having the beach just a few minutes away.

And, of course, that ridiculous weather!

After 14 years, I think I've become completely spoiled by the convenience of it all.

Maybe someday we'll decide we need more space, a bigger backyard, or a different school situation badly enough to make the move.

But for now, whenever we start talking about leaving, I always find myself thinking the same thing:

Do we really have to??

And so far, the answer has been no.