cafe
The Rock Store
A famous biker bar and cafe in Cornell, California on Mulholland Highway, where celebrity riders and car enthusiasts congregate on weekend mornings.
20 km · about 25 min drive
North AmericaUnited StatesCalifornia
Santa Susana
California, United States · North America
About Santa Susana
Santa Susana works well as a base: 10 minutes from Chatsworth, 26km from Mulholland Drive.
Santa Susana is in California, United States, with about 1,000 people. You drive on the right here. The nearest town is Chatsworth, about 6 km away.
Santa Susana (Spanish for "St. Susan") is a former railroad town located mostly within the City of Simi Valley. A small portion of the community, outside the Simi Valley city limits to the south of the Ventura County Metrolink rail line, is an unincorporated area and census-designated place (CDP). The community is inRead more
the eastern part of the Simi Valley.
The town by the Santa Susana Mountains in the Simi Valley was founded in 1903, shortly after the Southern Pacific Company built the Santa Susana Depot. It is also spelled Santa Susanna, while it is currently more commonly referred to as the Santa Susana Knolls, which is the officially designated name, or the Simi Knolls. The name of Santa Susana is now more generally applied to a larger area at the very east end of the Simi Valley (often called east of East Simi Valley) in easternmost Ventura County, which was the name of the early settlement located at Tapo Street and East Los Angeles Avenue that is now within the city limits. The historic Santa Susana Depot was located there before being moved farther east along the coast route railroad and made into a museum. The Simi Valley train station opened in 1993 about midway between the historic site and the museum location next to Santa Susana Knolls. As of the 2020 census, Santa Susana had a population of 1,160. It is a sparsely populated rural area with rustic housing and no set-houses, in a hilly and relatively forested part of the valley.
The area was inhabited by the Chumash Indians as early as 500 AD and there have been numerous Chumash artifacts found in the area, in addition to the pictographs in Burro Flats Painted Cave. In the 1920s, the Knolls became home to brothels and also a religious cult. During the late 1960s Charles Manson and the Manson Family partially lived at Spahn's Movie Ranch. During the 1950s and '60s, the Corriganville Movie Ranch and other areas was utilized as movie sets for Western movies. Films and TV-series filmed here includes Gunsmoke, Bonanza, The Lone Ranger, Adventures of Superman, The Adventures of Robin Hood (1938), The Three Musketeers, Tales of the Texas Rangers, Billy the Kid Versus Dracula, Fort Apache, Star Trek, Wagon Train, and hundreds of other mostly Western-inspired movies and TV-shows.
The rural Santa Susana is home to numerous species of native wildlife, including large amounts of snakes, coyotes, hawks and mountain lions.
Where to Stay in Santa Susana
Compare prices across Booking.com, Airbnb, Expedia, and more. Select your dates to see availability.
Filter presets
Pick your must-haves once: provider links open pre-filtered. Each filter lists which sites it applies to.
Compare before you book!
Prices can vary significantly between platforms. We recommend checking at least 2-3 sites to find the best deal for your stay in Santa Susana.
Explore the Area
Discover famous landmarks, scenic roads, and more near Santa Susana.
Loading map...
Frequently Asked Questions
What is there to see near Santa Susana?
Within an hour or so of Santa Susana: The Rock Store (20 km), Six Flags Magic Mountain (20 km), Nethercutt Collection (20 km), Mulholland Drive (26 km).
Are there any good drives near Santa Susana?
The nearest famous roads are Mulholland Drive and Route 66 - Santa Monica End.
Where is Santa Susana?
Santa Susana is in California, United States, about 6 km from Chatsworth.
Road trip
Drive to Santa Susana
Add it as a stop and the planner works out the driving, the nights and what's worth seeing on the way.
Start planningWhat's nearby?
Swipe through places to go
Places within a drive of Santa Susana. Keep the ones you like and add them to your trip.
Explore now
Quick Information
- Population
- 1,037
- Continent
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Region
- California
- Timezone
- America/Los_Angeles
- Coordinates
- 34.2570, -118.6690
Emergency & Services
Essential numbers in United States
AAA roadside assistance: 1-800-222-4357. Right turn on red is legal in most states unless signed otherwise.
Full driving guide for United StatesTags
Worth the detour from Santa Susana
8 notable places within an hour's drive.
landmark
Six Flags Magic Mountain
Thrill capital of the world near Los Angeles boasting more roller coasters than any other park on the planet.
20 km · about 25 min drive
museum
Nethercutt Collection
Lavish free museum showcasing meticulously restored antique and classic cars alongside mechanical musical instruments.
20 km · about 25 min drive
famous road
Mulholland Drive
Winding road through the Santa Monica Mountains with LA city views
26 km · about 30 min drive
museum
The Getty Center
A hilltop campus by Richard Meier with world-class European paintings, sculptures, and panoramic views of Los Angeles.
27 km · about 30 min drive
beach
Santa Monica Beach
A quintessential Southern California beach anchored by its famous pier, Ferris wheel, and wide golden sand stretching for miles.
32 km · about 35 min drive
landmark
Universal Studios Hollywood
The original Universal theme park and working film studio offering studio tours and movie-based attractions.
32 km · about 35 min drive
historic highway
Route 66 - Santa Monica End
The 'End of the Trail' sign on Santa Monica Pier marks Route 66's symbolic Pacific terminus, 2,448 miles from Chicago, beside the pier's vintage carousel and Ferris wheel.
32 km · about 35 min drive
Driving roads near Santa Susana
- 26 kmMulholland DriveWinding road through the Santa Monica Mountains with LA city views
- 32 kmRoute 66 - Santa Monica EndThe 'End of the Trail' sign on Santa Monica Pier marks Route 66's symbolic Pacific terminus, 2,448 miles from Chicago, beside the pier's vintage carousel and Ferris wheel.
Nearby Destinations
Other places to explore near Santa Susana.
Plan a trip around Santa Susana
Your trip starts here
Plan a road trip from Santa Susana.
Pick the days, drop in the stops, and share it with whoever's coming.