Fuel your wanderlust and blow up your Instagram: We've uncovered the most jaw-dropping views, picturesque hidden gems, and Insta-worthy spots across The San Fernando Valley in Los Angeles. LA Today's guide to the SFV's most breathtaking locations will make your followers green with envy. 📸
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Your 15 Must-Visit Instagram Spots in The San Fernando Valley: (Hidden Gems for Photos)
1. Super Nintendo World
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 $$
Forget the Mushroom Kingdom, Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Hollywood is a pixelated paradise. This February 2023 newbie is already a total hit, bringing back 90s nostalgia for adults and pure joy for the little ones. Race through augmented reality tracks against Bowser in Mario Kart: Bowser's Challenge, snap pics with Mario and Luigi, collect virtual coins with the interactive Power-Up Band, and eat at at the Toadstool Cafe for tasty food (pics).
🪄 Insider Tip: Snap a pic with Chef Toad at the entrance to the Toadstool Cafe.
2. Lake Balboa Park
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
This lush oasis, that is Lake Balboa Park in Van Nuys, is a photographer's dream with cherry blossom trees framing a shimmering lake. Glide across the water in a swan boat for a serene escape, or capture the perfect shot of the blossoms reflecting on the lake's surface. Just across the street, the Balboa Golf Course offers a scenic backdrop of a leisurely game, while the nearby Japanese Garden invites you to explore its stunning architecture and tranquil paths.
🪄 Insider Tip: Head to the lake during golden hour (just after sunrise or before sunset) for stunning photos.
3. Valley Relics Museum
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 $
Ditch the filters – the Valley Relics Museum is a time machine where the past is already picture-perfect. Inside a pair of vintage airplane hangars at the Van Nuys Airport (see our #13 pick), this isn't your stuffy history lesson. Think vintage Valley vibes, classic cars gleaming under the California sun, and a playable retro arcade that'll have you channeling your inner 80s kid.
🪄 Insider Tip: The neon sign wall is the museum's most Instagrammable spot, hands down.
4. O'Melveny Park
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
This 672-acre park boasts some of the most stunning views of the San Fernando Valley, with trails that wind through rolling hills, oak woodlands, and even a picturesque creek. Great for nature lovers, photography enthusiasts, or those just looking for a new spot to get your hike on, O'Melveny Park is a great destination in the SFV.
🪄 Insider Tip: At the top of Mission Point is an unhindered, panoramic view of the entire San Fernando Valley.
5. The Warner Bros. Studio Tour
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 $$
Calling all movie buffs and aspiring directors! The Warner Bros. Studio Tour in Burbank is a pilgrimage for any true cinephile with a camera (iPhone!). Explore the hallowed grounds where iconic films and TV shows were born, including legendary sets like Central Perk from Friends. There's also original costumes and props from the Batman movies and Harry Potter series. Trust us, your Instagram feed will thank you.
🪄 Insider Tip: Visit early in the morning and you might catch a famous actor rehearsing on the lot.
6. The Sepulveda Dam
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
Visit the most scenic concrete jungle of the San Fernando Valley, the Sepulveda Dam, an important flood control structure from the 1940's. You can capture the contrast between urban engineering and natural landscapes, especially during golden hour for stunning light effects, and the adjacent Sepulveda Basin Wildlife Reserve allows for some natural animal, wildlife photography.
🪄 Insider Tip: Stay safe and travel with a partner, as this area does attract homeless. Follow the laws.
7. Universal CityWalk
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
This very "Hollywood" entertainment complex in Universal City is a feast for the senses, with dazzling lights, live music, and a smorgasbord of dining and shopping options. Strut your stuff past the towering CityWalk Arch or strike a pose at the Dancing Water Fountain, and don't forget to take a photo with the iconic Universal Globe.
🪄 Insider Tip: Snap a twilight shot with the beautiful LED sign lights illuminating the promenade.
8. Sherman Oaks Castle Park
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 $
Who said mini-golf, arcade games, and batting cages couldn't be the backdrop for stunning photography? Sherman Oaks Castle Park is an Instagram-worthy, retro-style venue in the San Fernando Valley, exuding medieval magic vibes. Here you can capture the perfect blend of old-school charm and fairy-tale enchantment in every shot.
🪄 Insider Tip: There are 3 areas you can book a private party to snap some memorable selfies.
9. The Great Wall of Los Angeles
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
The Great Wall of Los Angeles isn't your typical tourist trap - it's a sprawling, half-mile-long outdoor mural that tells the story of California's history through art. This epic masterpiece, painted by artist Judy Baca, is one of the largest murals in the world at 2,754 feet. The mural sprawls through Valley Glen with many eye-catching artistic designs.
🪄 Insider Tip: The in-progress (2024) Green Bridge will be a fantastic new spot for photography at the Wall.
10. Stoney Point Park
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
Epic desert rock formations? Stoney Point Park in Chatsworth offers gram-worthy geological drama right in LA's backyard. This hidden gem is a photographer's playground, where massive sandstone boulders contrast strikingly against the San Fernando Valley skyline. Take pictures of daring rock climbers scaling the craggy faces, frame the golden light during magic hour, or use the unique rock formations for otherworldly silhouettes at sunset.
🪄 Insider Tip: It's the best spot for photographing bouldering (all levels) in the San Fernando Valley.
11. The Americana
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
The Americana at Brand is like if Disneyland's Main Street USA had a love child with a luxury mall, complete with a dancing fountain (of course!) – it's the kind of place where you half expect to see Mickey Mouse sporting Gucci loafers or where riding the trolley makes you feel like you're in a Hallmark movie.
🪄 Insider Tip: The Americana is known for its over-the-top seasonal displays, which are always worth the pictures.
12. Ventura Boulevard
📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
From Sherman Oaks to Calabasas, this 18-mile stretch is now a hotspot for artisanal coffee shops, indie boutiques, and eateries perfect for taking that foodie pic of plant-based gourmet donuts (if that's your thing). Nearby, the Encino Velodrome, a popular outdoor cycling track, is great for photos of cyclists riding the track. There's also the famous duck pond at Los Encinos State Historic Park, just a couple blocks north of the Boulevard.
🪄 Insider Tip: There are some amazing views of the valley from the top of many parking lots in the area.
13. The Van Nuys Airport
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
Van Nuys Airport, a hidden gem in the San Fernando Valley for both aviation enthusiasts, photographers, and influencers. The airport offers a front-row seat to the high-flying world of private jets and vintage aircraft. The "old-school" hangars, planes and jets taking off and landing, and the overall long runway angles make for some seriously cool photos.
🪄 Insider Tip: There's a public observation area at 16398 Waterman, getting you a closer view of the takeoffs/landings.
14. Topanga Village
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
The Village at Westfield Topanga: yeah, it's a mall, but hear us out, you can actually find some pretty solid backdrops for your next photo op. Think clean lines, modern architecture, and even a few unexpected outdoor spaces. The Village is like someone dropped a slice of Beverly Hills into Woodland Hills. The whole place screams "I have a lifestyle blog," but in a way that's actually pretty fun to photograph.
🪄 Insider Tip: Visit the nearby Topanga Social, a luxury food court, for a new scene.
15. CSUN
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
Cal State University Northridge (CSUN) isn't just a campus, it's a low-key influencer's playground masquerading as a place of higher learning. This sprawling green oasis in the heart of the Valley is where students come to flex their brain cells and their photo editing skills in equal measure.
🪄 Insider Tip: The Oviatt Library's iconic steps and columns are the undisputed champ of CSUN's Instagram game.
16. Holiday: Candy Cane Lane
🌐 WEBSITE | 📍 DIRECTIONS | 💰 FREE
The San Fernando Valley comes alive with holiday magic during December, and Candy Cane Lane in Woodland Hills is a must-see spectacle. This world-famous location is an enchanting neighborhood that transforms into a winter wonderland during the Christmas season, with nearly every yard adorned in a dazzling display of twinkling lights and festive decorations. FYI: Remember, Candy Cane Lane is a residential area, not a theme park.
🪄 Insider Tip: Lubao and Oxnard Street is where the holiday lights and decorations are most concentrated.
🗺️ Map of the Best Instagram Spots in San Fernando Valley
The SFV's Most Insta-Worthy Spot?
Super Nintendo World
Lake Balboa Park
Valley Relics Museum
O'Melveny Park
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