Glendale is a suburban city of 205,000 people (2019) in the southeastern corner of the San Fernando Valley of Southern California between Burbank and Downtown Los Angeles. Glendale has one of the largest communities of Armenian descent in the United States. In addition to central Glendale, this article covers the Crescenta Valley communities of La Crescenta, Montrose, Verdugo City, and the part of Glendale in the Crescenta Valley.
Understand
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Glendale was first platted in 1887 and incorporated in 1906. The city grew rapidly in the 1910s and 1920s, thanks to boosters such as Leslie Brand, and the presence of the Southern Pacific and Pacific Electric railways. Glendale once had a small airport called Grand Central Airport, but now that area is home to animation studios. In the 1980s, Glendale experienced redevelopment and a rise in its immigrant population, especially from Armenia.
- Glendale tourism website
Get in
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By car
[edit]Glendale is along Interstate 5 between Downtown Los Angeles and neighboring Burbank. CA-134 passes east-west through Glendale, between Burbank and Pasadena directly to the east. CA-2 offers a fast connection to the neighborhoods of Northwest L.A., particularly Silver Lake and Echo Park. I-210 passes through the extreme north of town.
By plane and train
[edit]Bob Hope Airport, in neighboring Burbank, is the closest airport to Glendale. Metrolink trains connect Glendale to Bob Hope Airport and Los Angeles Union Station in Downtown L.A. Additionally, Amtrak's Pacific Surfliner train makes a stop in Glendale.
By bus
[edit]Metro runs service into Glendale. The 780 rapid bus runs to Hollywood and Pasadena. The 501 runs an express service to North Hollywood and Memorial Park station.
Get around
[edit]Glendale's Beeline bus service connects with the Los Angeles Metro line. You can purchase a 31-day pass for $36 or a ten-ride pass for $9. Many of the Beeline lines originate or terminate at the Glendale Amtrak station, in Downtown Glendale, or at Glendale Community College
See
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- 1 Brand Library & Art Center, 1601 West Mountain St., ☏ +1 818-548-2051. Tu Th noon-8PM, W noon-6PM, F Sa 10AM-5PM. Brand Library & Art Center sponsors many events that are free and open to the public, including art exhibitions, concerts, art and music lectures, dance events, and films. Free.
- 2 Forest Lawn Memorial Park, 1712 S. Glendale Ave., ☏ +1 323 254-3131 (International calls), toll-free: +1-888-204-3131. 8AM-5PM (6PM during daylight savings time) 7 days a week. Forest Lawn-Glendale is both a cemetery and a tourist destination. It contains the world's largest collection of final resting places of Hollywood stars and other celebrities, many of which are accessible to the public. Visiting these sites is not encouraged, however, and they can be difficult to locate within the park's more than 300 acres. However, Forest Lawn-Glendale also has many other attractions that make it worth seeing. Among these are its art museum, its collection of approximately 1,500 statues, including reproductions of all of Michelangelo's works, a reproduction of Leonardo da Vinci's "Last Supper" in stained glass, and a mosaic of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. There are also multiple chapels that are exact replicas of famous European churches.
- 3 Museum of Neon Art (MONA), 216 S. Brand Blvd, ☏ +1 213-489-9918, [email protected]. Hours vary by season.. A museum devoted exclusively to art in electric media. The collection includes electric and kinetic fine art and outstanding examples of historic neon signs. The museum also arranges neon cruises (neon-themed tours around the Los Angeles area) and neon classes. Adults $10, seniors 65+ $8, Glendale residents $5, children under 12 free.
- 4 Alex Theatre (THE ALEX), 216 N Brand Blvd (134 exit Brand, 1/2 mile south), ☏ +1 818-254-8458. Historic vaudeville and movie palace that now presents a variety of music, dance, cinema, & comedy.
Do
[edit]- 1 Arcave Room, 3725 Foothill Blvd, Unit O, toll-free: +1-888-505-2283, [email protected]. Retro gaming adult and kids birthday party venue. 1980s music, classic games, Xbox, Nintendo Switch.
Buy
[edit]- 1 Glendale Galleria, 100 W. Broadway, ☏ +1 818-246-6737. One of the largest retail shopping malls in Southern California.
- 2 Americana at Brand, 889 Americana Way, ☏ +1 818-637-8982. M-Th 10AM-9PM, F Sa 10AM-10PM, Su 11AM-8PM. Nice megacomplex for shopping and dining.
Books
[edit]- Abril Bookstore.
Eat
[edit]Being home to a large number of recent immigrants of Armenian, Middle Eastern, and Korean backgrounds, Glendale has some of the finest authentic restaurants.
Armenian
[edit]- 1 Sevan Chicken, 601 W Glenoaks Blvd (134 exit Pacific, north to Glenoaks, left, one block west), ☏ +1 818-244-1424. Daily 11AM-8PM. Rotisserie chicken, pita, rice, beans, salad. $10-20.
- 2 Zankou Chicken, 1415 E Colorado St (Colorado and Verdugo, near Glendale HS and 2-134 interchange), ☏ +1 818-244-2237. Daily 10:30AM-10PM. The classic rotisserie chicken and great shawerma sandwiches. $10.
Chinese
[edit]- 3 House of Joy, 3220 Foothill Blvd, La Crescenta-Montrose (Foothill Blvd 1/2 block west of Pennsylvania Avenue), ☏ +1 818-248-5884. Daily 11:30AM-8:30PM. Chinese and Korean food. Try the Mongolian beef here. Great lunch specials. $20-30.
Cuban
[edit]- 4 Porto's Bakery, 315 N Brand Blvd, Glendale, CA 91203 (between Broadway and the 134), ☏ +18189565996. Cuban bakery beloved by locals for its wonderful breads, pastries, and Cuban sandwiches. 10-20 USD.
Deli
[edit]- Mario's Italian Deli, Market, and Catering. Wide variety of imported Italian products including salamis, gelatos, olive oil, and burrata cheese. Consistently voted one of the best Italian delis in the Glendale/Los Angeles area.
Filipino
[edit]- Original Barrio Fiesta of Manila. Authentic Filipino Cuisine.
Iranian
[edit]- 5 Raffi's Place, 211 E Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205 (One block east of Brand), ☏ +18182407411. Sun-Thu 11:30 AM-9 PM, Fri & Sat 11:30 AM-10 PM. Indoor and outdoor, atrium-style seating. Serves Middle Eastern and Iranian food.
- Shamshiri. Also great.
Korean
[edit]Paris Bakery a fusion between Korean-French style pastries. They are really beautiful pastries and cheap too. One of the top bakeries in Glendale.
Lebanese
[edit]- 6 Carousel, ☏ +1 818-246-7775. Tu-Sa 11:30AM-9PM, Su 11:30AM-8:30PM. Serving Middle Eastern cuisine since 1983.
- 7 Phoenicia, 343 N Central Ave, ☏ +1 818-956-7800. Daily 11AM-midnight. Authentic Lebanese cuisine. Serves beef, lamb, chicken and fish.
Mexican
[edit]- 8 La Cabañita, 3445 N Verdugo Rd, ☏ +18189572711. Mexico City-style cuisine. Excellent mole sauces. 20-30 USD.
Peruvian
[edit]- 9 Mamita Peruvian Restaurant, 714 South Brand Blvd (Exit Brand Blvd from the 134 Freeway, 1¼ mile south), ☏ +1 818-243-5121. M-Th 11:30AM-9:30PM; F Sa 11:30AM-10PM; Su 11:30AM-9PM. low.
Spanish
[edit]- 10 Casa Córdoba, 2331 Honolulu Ave, Montrose (Honolulu just west of Ocean View), ☏ +1 818-937-4445. Tu-Th 11:30AM-8PM, F Sa 11:30AM-9PM, Su 11:30AM-8PM. Andalusian Spanish cuisine. Serves tapas and Paella. LBGTQ+ friendly. $30-50.
Drink
[edit]Sleep
[edit]- 1 Hilton Los Angeles North/Glendale & Executive Meeting Center, 100 West Glenoaks Blvd (Glenoaks 1/2 block west of Brand, a few blocks north of the 134), ☏ +1 818-956-5466, fax: +1 818-956-5490. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $209.
- 2 Embassy Suites by Hilton Los Angeles Glendale, 800 N Central Ave (Central Ave one block north of the 134 Freeway), ☏ +1 818-550-0828. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. $209.
- 3 Vagabond Inn Glendale, 120 W. Colorado St, ☏ +1 818-240-1700, fax: +1 818-548-8428. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $90.
- 4 Days Inn by Wyndham Glendale Los Angeles, 450 W Pioneer Dr (134 exit Pacific, 1 block south to Pioneer, 1/2 block east), ☏ +1 818-956-0202. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $187.
- 5 Glendale Express Hotel, 450 W Pioneer Dr (134 exit Pacific, 1 block south to Pioneer, 1/2 block east), ☏ +1 747-609-2222, fax: +1 747 609-2200. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $100.
- 6 Glenridge Inn, 1437 E Colorado St (on Colorado Street a few blocks west of the 2 Freeway), ☏ +1 818-246-8367. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM.
- 7 Hampton Inn and Suites Los Angeles - Glendale, 114 W Colorado St (On Colorado Street just west of Brand), ☏ +1 818-291-5700. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. $180.
Go next
[edit]Burbank, home to Warner Bros. and Disney, is right next to Glendale.
| Routes through Glendale |
| Sacramento ← Burbank ← | N  S
|
→ Northwest L.A. → Downtown L.A. |
| Northwest L.A. ← Northeast L.A. ← | S  N
|
→ La Cañada Flintridge → Wrightwood |
| North Hollywood ← Griffith Park ← | W  E
|
→ Northeast L.A. → Pasadena |
| Santa Barbara ← Burbank ← | N  S
|
→ Los Angeles → San Diego |