Saugus

In the late 1980s, Saugus and three neighboring communities merged to form the City of Santa Clarita. Named after Saugus, Massachusetts, this SoCal area maintains an identity that’s entirely its own. “It’s a great little neighborhood tucked into the mountains,” says Georgia Rios, communications specialist with the City of Santa Clarita. “The schools are great, we have many beautiful parks and a lot of people who work in the community also live here.”

The houses in Saugus are much more architecturally varied than those found closer to Los Angeles, and range from bungalows, ranches, and colonial homes in older sections, to the larger tract homes found in newer developments — many of which trade yard space for square footage. You’ll see four-bedroom craftsman-style homes priced around $900,000 and Spanish-style estate homes that are going for $1.1 million and higher. There are also a few gated communities with homes fetching $1.6 million.

Saugus Union School District, which has a B+ rating from Niche, serves the elementary population with a total of 15 schools. Mountainview Elementary School is a California Distinguished School and a National Blue Ribbon School with a focus on rigorous academics and civic learning. Seventh- and eighth-grade students can attend Arroyo Seco Junior High School where their well rounded educational experience includes technology and culinary courses as well as improv and robotics clubs. Saugus High School, rated A by Niche, offers students a wide range of vocational, college-prep, AP and honors courses. Students and staff also benefit from an active parent-teacher organization that supports school programs and sponsors a senior scholarship.

Saugus is home to more than a dozen parks, ranging from small but scenic playgrounds and dog walking spots like Bouquet Canyon Park, to large city parks with hiking trails, like Haskell Open Space or Central Park. “Central Park is a big pull for our area with lots of places to walk,” Rios says. “The space is often used for concerts in the park and festivals such as the Boots & Brews Country Music Festival.” If you want an all-day outdoor experience, nearby Placerita Canyon State Park has a nature center with regular events for kids, fantastic views of the valley, and dozens of miles of hiking trails that extend into Angeles National Forest.

Wherever you live in Saugus, just about every house is within a few minutes of an Albertsons, Ralphs, or Smart & Final. There are also a number of specialty supermarkets nearby, including Sprouts, Trader Joes, and Filipino chain Seafood City. General retail is more centralized, mostly on either side of the Santa Clara River Basin, where you can find big box department stores like Walmart, Home Depot, and Ross Dress for Less, as well as Westfield Valencia Town Center, a large mall with a variety of smaller shops and boutiques.

The area’s restaurant scene includes a few mid-range chains like Islands restaurant and Stonefire Grill, a few breweries — Pocock is the local standout — and Mexican restaurants ranging from take-out joints like Guanatos Tacos to more upscale places like Sabor Cocina Mexicana. “The Original Saugus Café is a true community staple,” Rios says. “It was the first restaurant in LA County and still has an old-timey vibe.” Here you can order omelets, Belgian waffles and a variety of lunch specials.

Saugus is home to a number of small local events each year, ranging from outdoor concerts in Central Park to community Easter egg hunts. “Saugus has a strong community vibe, and a lot of our teachers and first responders are also residents,” Rios says. There are also a couple of events that draw people to Saugus from out of town. The annual Boots & Brews Country Music Festival celebrates Santa Clarita’s country history (once upon a time, the area was mostly ranches), and regularly brings in major talents such as Brad Paisley. Each winter, tourists come from all over L.A. to visit the Christmas decorations in north Saugus, particularly those at Wakefield Winter Wonderland — a small enclave of houses on Wakefield Court that take holiday spirit to a whole new level.
For everyday fun, there are also a number of entertainment options in Saugus. The Cube skating rink hosts youth and adult hockey leagues while MB2 entertainment, a pocket-sized amusement park, offers mini golf, go karts, laser tag, and duckpin bowling. If you’re looking for a full-size amusement park, Six Flags Magic Mountain is just down the road in west Santa Clarita.

Residents of Saugus can access the 5 to the west and the 14 to the east. There are also bus stops, operated by the City of Santa Clarita transit, peppered throughout the area. If you’re looking for a SoCal suburban lifestyle where neighbors often become friends, Saugus might be your ideal.

Written By

Andrew Moreno

Photography Contributed By

Joseph Choo

Video By

Tyler Newbold