Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences
BOUNDARIES: La Cienega Blvd., Wilshire Blvd., Fairfax Ave., Whitworth Dr.
DISTANCE: About 2 miles
DIFFICULTY: Easy
PARKING: Metered parking is available on La Cienega Blvd. and Gregory Way.
This walk explores the neighborhoods of Carthay Circle and South Carthay in the bustling Miracle Mile district, just southeast of Beverly Hills. Although they’re right next to each other, these two neighborhoods—whose houses and apartment buildings have distinct architectural integrity and cohesiveness—have been designated as separate Historic Preservation Overlay Zones by the city of Los Angeles.
Carthay Circle is composed primarily of Spanish Colonial Revival–style homes, with a few Tudor Revival and American Colonial Revival houses. The architecture in South Carthay is a little more cohesive, consisting almost entirely of Spanish Colonial Revivals. Both neighborhoods are well maintained and relatively isolated from the busy surrounding boulevards, making this a peaceful oasis in the middle of one of LA’s thriving business districts.
The first part of this walk covers Carthay Circle, which features a mix of single-family homes and duplexes in an appealing variety of architectural styles, ranging from Spanish Colonial Revival to Tudor. Begin at La Cienega Park, on the east side of La Cienega Boulevard at the corner of Gregory Way. Head east on Gregory along the northern border of the park.
Turn right on Schumacher Drive. At 865 Schumacher is an interesting stone house with a crenellated roofline that gives it the incongruous look of a medieval castle.
Turn left on Moore Drive. Notice the pair of Spanish-style homes on the northeast and southeast corners, each of which is dominated by a squat towerlike structure.
After less than a block, turn left on Santa Ynez Way, a narrow sidewalk alley bordered by a hedge.
Santa Ynez emerges onto Hayes Drive. Turn right and continue about a block.
After crossing Foster Drive, you’ll find yourself on a street named Commodore Sloat Drive.
Look for 
Carthay Circle Park, a narrow greenway between two office buildings, on your left. (Another small parklet on your right features a large boulder with a plaque memorializing a mail-carrying pioneer by the name of Snowshoe Thompson.) Turn left to cut through to San Vicente Boulevard. At the end of the greenway, facing San Vicente, notice the sculpture of Juan Bautista de Anza, who led the first settlers from Sonora, Mexico, to California.
Turn right on San Vicente Boulevard, cross Carrillo Drive, and then take the crosswalk across San Vicente.
Continue straight on the street that is now called McCarthy Vista for two short blocks to Wilshire Boulevard.
Turn left to head west on Wilshire. The museums of the Miracle Mile district are just a couple of blocks to the east.
At La Jolla Avenue, you’ll see an alley cutting between two tall office buildings on your left; turn here. This drab alley turns into Capistrano Way, a peaceful sidewalk trimmed with bougainvillea, ficus, and fruit trees.
As you emerge from Capistrano Way, turn right on Warner Drive.
Warner ends at San Vicente Boulevard. Carefully cross San Vicente; a grassy island dividing this busy street makes it a little easier to cross even though there is no crosswalk.
Once across San Vicente, you’ll see a sign for San Gabriel Way a short distance southeast (to your left); this is yet another sidewalk alley. Turn right to follow San Gabriel Way through to Commodore Sloat Drive. Notice the American Colonial Revival house opposite the alley at 6440 Commodore Sloat.
Turn left on Commodore Sloat and walk about two blocks, briefly retracing your steps from earlier in the walk.
Turn right on Carrillo Drive. Carthay Center Elementary School is on your right.
When you reach the intersection with Olympic Boulevard, cross the street using the crosswalk in front of the entrance to the school. (There is also an underground tunnel for traversing the busy boulevard, but it isn’t always unlocked.)
Now you are in the neighborhood of South Carthay. Continue straight on what is now Crescent Heights Boulevard. This block is distinguished by gorgeous, immaculately maintained, Spanish-style duplexes and small apartment buildings.
Turn right on Whitworth Drive and continue two blocks to La Jolla Avenue.
Turn right on La Jolla. Here the residences are primarily one-story, single-family homes. The predominant architectural style is Spanish Colonial Revival, identified by its low-pitched, red-tile roofs and arched doorways and windows. Notice that many of these Spanish Colonial houses feature stained-glass details in the windows, just one example of the many decorative accents that distinguish this timelessly elegant architectural style. It is obvious why the city chose to designate this as a protected architectural district.
Turn left on Olympic Place, which is prettily lined with magnolia trees, and continue one block to Orlando Avenue.
Turn right on Orlando and walk one block to Olympic Boulevard.
Turn left on Olympic. On the south side of Olympic, you’ll notice several apartment buildings in the châteaulike French Normandy style, which stand out from the other residences in the area.
Turn right on La Cienega Boulevard. You’ll pass the distinctive shield-shaped BEVERLY HILLS sign, letting you know you have entered its glamorous city limits. On your left you’ll pass the impressive Spanish Colonial–style 
Margaret Herrick Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Return to your starting point near the intersection of La Cienega and Gregory Way.
Carthay Circle and South Carthay
Points of Interest
Carthay Circle Park Commodore Sloat Drive north to Wilshire Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90048
Margaret Herrick Library, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences 333 S. La Cienega Blvd., Beverly Hills, CA 90211; 310-247-3020, oscars.org/library
