Where Exactly Is "The Valley" Everyone Talks About in California?

Remember the iconic scene in Clueless where Cher Horowitz (Alicia Silverstone) heads to "The Valley" for a party? Later, she's mugged at gunpoint and insists she doesn't want her Alaïa dress to get ruined. Her half-brother Josh (Paul Rudd) is forced to drive all the way there to pick her up.

The so-called "Valley" is a well-known location for native Californians and the millions who flock there seeking sun and stardom. But for those of us who don't live anywhere near Los Angeles, um, where exactly is this mythical place?

The area of Southern California referred to as "The Valley" is still technically Los Angeles. In fact, "The Valley" is actually San Fernando Valley, and sits about 20 miles northwest of the downtown area of the City of Angels.

This 260-mile sprawl of hills, trees, and arid desert is home to many residential areas constituting the suburbs of L.A.

Those who choose to live in "The Valley" know that during the day, the weather is typically warmer than in the city, while at night, temperatures can dip to several degrees cooler. You are about a 45-minute drive to the Pacific Ocean from there.

Meanwhile, the stereotype of people who live there is, well, a lot like Cher from Clueless: white, rich, privileged, and a little spacey.

Since L.A. and its surrounding areas and culture still fascinate so many people, it won't come as a surprise that a new reality show is set in "The Valley," and aptly called The Valley.

The show chronicles the next step in the lives of cast members from Vanderpump Rules and others as they move from the city to the 'burbs and start families.

While Bravo's show, starring the likes of Brittany Cartwright and Jax Taylor, as well as some new faces, was filmed in the San Fernando Valley, this is far from the first reality show to take place there.

Indeed, The Kardashians, which centers around the lives of the very rich and famous reality star family, is filmed largely in Calabasas, one of the many areas in "The Valley."

Other cities that you may have heard of that sit in the San Fernando Valley include Encino, Sherman Oaks, Van Nuys, North Hollywood, Reseda, Burbank, Glendale, San Fernando, and Hidden Hills, per Bravo's site.

In fact, the area is where major movie studios are located, so celebrities frequent it, well, frequently for work, shopping, dining, and more.

For the cast of The Valley, the setting serves up "the next chapter" for former partiers looking for a more domestic lifestyle away from downtown, and includes kids and backyards, with reality stars who can't seem to install car seats or put furniture together without major drama.

You can watch The Valley on Bravo starting March 19, 2024. The premiere was at 10:30 p.m. EST, but regular episodes will air at 9 p.m. EST, and stream the next day on Peacock.