Topanga, California Travel Guide

Topanga is the name given to the area by the Native American indigenous Tongva tribe, and may mean a place above. It was the western border of their territory, abutting the Chumash tribe that occupied the coast from Malibu northwards.

Topanga was first settled by Europeans in 1839. In the 1920s, Topanga Canyon became a weekend getaway for Hollywood stars with several cottages built for that purpose. The rolling hills and ample vegetation served to provide both privacy and attractive surroundings for the rich and famous.

During the 1960s, Topanga Canyon became a magnet to many new artists. In 1965 Wallace Berman settled in the area. For a time, Neil Young lived in Topanga, first living with producer David Briggs then later buying his own house. He recorded most of his After the Gold Rush album in his basement studio in 1970. Charles Manson had previously been living in Topanga, where he had briefly befriended both Neil Young and Dennis Wilson of The Beach Boys.

The Topanga Corral was a nightclub that featured an eclectic mix of performers, including then-locals Canned Heat, Spirit, Little Feat, Spanky and Our Gang, Taj Mahal, Emmylou Harris, Bob Denver, Neil Diamond and Russ Tamblyn, Etta James, Windance, Neil Young, and Crazy Horse, Geronimo Black, and many others. It is rumored that Jim Morrison was inspired to write Roadhouse Blues about the drive up Topanga Canyon Boulevard to The Corral. Later in the 1970s, after being destroyed by fire and rebuilt, the club featured many up and coming bands from the L.A. punk scene. In 1986, the Corral again burned to the ground and was not rebuilt. Today, many musicians, artists and actors continue to make Topanga their home.

Things to Do in Topanga, California

Topanga State Park

This is a California state park located in the Santa Monica Mountains, within Los Angeles County, California. It is part of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.The park is located adjacent to the community of Topanga, within the City of Los Angeles. Covering 11,000 acres (45 km²), with thirty-six miles of trails and unimproved roads, the park's boundaries stretch from Topanga Canyon to Pacific Palisades and Mullholland Drive. There are more than 60 trail entrances. Topanga State Park is not only the largest park in the Santa Monica Mountains, but it's also considered to be the largest park located in the limits of a city.

The Getty Villa

This is one of the two locations of the J. Paul Getty Museum. It is located at the easterly end of the Malibu coast in the Pacific Palisades neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, United States. The Getty Villa is an educational center and museum dedicated to the study of the arts and cultures of ancient Greece, Rome, and Etruria. The collection has 44,000 Greek, Roman, and Etruscan antiquities dating from 6,500 BC to 400 AD, including the Lansdowne Heracles and the Victorious Youth.

Best Places to Stay in Topanga, California

Of the several options you should consider in Topanga, on your itinerary should be Topanga Canyon Inn Bed and Breakfast, Heaven's Best Kept Secret (which is 3 Min From The Sea), Pacific Palisades (Near Topanga), Ranch Guest House, Oceanfront Malibu Beach House, Malibu Luxury Retreat Villa, Saddle Peak House, and Shabby Chic Malibu Beach House. As you can tell the options for accommodations in Topanga range from rustic beach bungalows to all-out resorts. You won't be short on options, that's for sure.

Best Time to Visit Topanga, California

The clear, rainless days in Topanga are almost perfect with temperatures between 75°F and 90°F. Based on this score, the best time of year to visit Topanga for hot-weather activities is from late July to mid September, with the last week of August being the most ideal.