Van Nuys is a prominent neighborhood in the middle of the San Fernando Valley, a part of the city of Los Angeles in Southern California. Although there are few tourist attractions here, Van Nuys serves as a civic and commercial center for the Valley.

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Map of Van Nuys

Van Nuys sits north of U.S. Route 101 and straddles Interstate 405, which runs north–south through the middle of Van Nuys. To the immediate south is Sherman Oaks, while to north are North Hills and Panorama City. Like the rest of the Valley, the major streets are laid out in a grid pattern.

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See also: Rail travel in the United States

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  • 2 Van Nuys Airport (VNY IATA) (located within the neighborhood). Is strictly general aviation only. The airport is noted for being one of the busiest general aviation airports in the world, often used by Hollywood celebrities looking to arrive in the city away from prying eyes.    

The nearest airport offering commercial service is Bob Hope Airport (BUR IATA) in Burbank, due east of Van Nuys. By public transit, you can take the Metrolink or Amtrak directly from the airport, or take a free shuttle [dead link] to the Metro Rail station in North Hollywood, where you can connect to the Metro Orange Line.

More distant is the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX IATA), a major airport served by many international airlines; LAX FlyAway offers a direct shuttle service from the LAX terminals to Van Nuys, stopping at the 3 FlyAway Bus Terminal at 7610 Woodley Ave (at the NE corner of Woodley Ave and Saticoy, next to the Van Nuys Airport), with service every 30 minutes for 24 hours a day. A second FlyAway stop is on the south side of Victory Boulevard just east of Woodley Avenue, near the Woodley station on the Metro Orange Line bus route; FlyAway buses serve this stop hourly from 4:45am to 11pm. FlyAway buses cost $9.75 each way; cash not accepted, credit/debit cards only.

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Public transit is offered by the city-wide Metro service, with bus service on every major street in Van Nuys. A prominent Metro service through Van Nuys is the Orange Line, a busway that runs east–west across the Valley from North Hollywood to Chatsworth. In North Hollywood, the Orange Line connects to the Metro Rail system.

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The Japanese Garden
  • 1 The Japanese Garden, 6100 Woodley Avenue, +1 818 756-8166. M-Th 11AM-4PM, Su 10AM-4PM. A tranquil and gorgeous Japanese garden with a dry Zen meditation garden, a tea garden, and a wet garden with lakes, waterfalls, and streams which uses reclaimed water from the adjacent water treatment plant. $5 adults, $3 seniors 62+/children 12 and under.    

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  • 1 Van Nuys Golf Course, 6550 Odessa St, +1 818 785-8871. This small park boasts an 18-hole, par 3 course for beginners as well as a driving range.
  • 2 Sky Zone Trampoline Park.
  • 3 Iceland Ice Skating Center, 14318 Calvert St, +1 818 785-2171. This indoor ice skating rink offers bumper cars, "easy skaters" (or, walkers for new skaters), and three party rooms. Also a recognizable landmark for fans of the 2005 film Me and You and Everyone We Know.
  • 4 Woodley Lakes Golf Course, 6331 Woodley Ave, +1 818 780-6886. Woodley Lakes has tournament-like greens with flat, wide, and forgiving holes that are great for beginners.

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Van Nuys isn't exactly known for its nightlife, but there are a few local spots that offer a laid-back neighborhood atmosphere as well as live music.

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Travelers should be wary of staying at any "motel" or "motor inn" in the area. Most of the "motels" cater to the many prostitutes found along Sepulveda Boulevard. There are only a few legitimate hotels in Van Nuys:

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Routes through Van Nuys
ENDNorth Valley  N   S  Sherman OaksWest Los Angeles
Santa BarbaraChatsworth  N   S  BurbankLos Angeles
ChatsworthSouth Valley  W    E  North HollywoodEND



This city travel guide to Van Nuys is a usable article. It has information on how to get there and on restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this article, but please feel free to improve it by editing the page.