Ok, I admit it: I’m a sucker for a great view. It’s one of the things I love about being in real estate on the Westside – you get to see some amazing homes with even more amazing views.

I’ve been fortunate to travel to places with spectacular views, including the top of  Sacre Coeur Cathedral in Paris, the Marin side of the Golden Gate Bridge looking back towards San Francisco, the rim of the Grand Canyon, and my personal favorite, the view of Yosemite Valley as you exit the tunnel from Highway 41.

There’s something peaceful and sublime about a great view, and I’m always looking for the next great vista point. Locally, there are some wonderful spots which should not be missed. Here are my top 5 views on the Westside:

1) The Getty Center – Perched high above the 405 in the Sepulveda Pass, the Getty Center offers a panorama of Los Angeles unmatched by any other location. From the San Bernardino Mountains to the east and Santa Barbara Island to the west, this incredible vista is even more astonishing on those clear days following a good rain. Los Angeles is a city of almost 4 million residents – and a county of several million more – yet from up here it all looks so peaceful. The Getty Restaurant offers wonderful outdoor dining from the spring through fall. In addition to the views, the Getty offers stunning architecture, beautiful gardens, and of course, a world class art collection.

2) The Pacific Wheel at the Santa Monica Pier – Rising 130 feet above the  Santa Monica Pier, the Pacific Wheel is the world’s only solar powered ferris wheel. The current wheel was installed in 2008 and includes over 160,000 LED lights which offer a nearly endless array of designs and patterns which can be seen from Malibu to the South Bay. If you’re not a fan of ferris wheels, the pier has plenty of other excellent vista points for that perfect Kodak moment. And this summer marks the 26^th year of the Twilight Dance Series, offering an eclectic array of live music on the pier every Thursday night.

3) Encounter at LAX – I particularly like this place because it combines two of my favorite things: views and airliners. Built in 1961 and designed by a team of Disney Imagineers in the Jet Age era, the Encounter Building is one of Los Angeles’ most recognizable landmarks and one of the first things travelers are greeted to upon their arrival to L.A. (Although it’s been covered in scaffolding for the better part of three years as part of a retrofit project.) It’s a great place to kick back, have a beer, and watch planes of all shapes and sizes begin or end their journeys. If you’re lucky, you might even catch a glimpse of the enormous A380 double-decker aircraft.

4) Temescal Canyon Loop – The view from the top of the Temescal Canyon loop is great not only for the panorama of the Pacific coast, but you get a good workout as well!   The nearly 4-mile loop begins at the trailhead off Temescal Canyon Road just north of Sunset Blvd. You can begin the loop in either direction, but I prefer to head into the canyon and up towards the waterfall. This way, the wonderful views of the city and ocean are straight ahead as you make your way back down the hill. The loop is of moderate difficulty and takes about two hours. The “jetliner” views stretch from the southern Channel Islands to Downtown L.A.  Just note that the path gets crowded on weekends, so I recommend going in the morning or late afternoon. Parking is $7 within the park, or if you’re a cheapskate like me, you can often find free parking on Sunset.

5) Top of Franklin St, between Montana Ave and Wilshire Blvd – Just south of the Brentwood Country Club at the crest of Franklin St is Santa Monica’s highest point. Known to locals as Mt. Olivette, it offers not only a unique perspective of the Westside, it’s also the site of one of four reservoirs that provide water to Santa Monica. I particularly like this spot because it offers a nearly 360-degree panorama. To the south, I can watch planes take off to from LAX. I can see the ocean to the West, the Santa Monica Mountains to the North, and from Brentwood to downtown looking east.

There are plenty more great vista sites which didn’t make my Top 5. The Penthouse atop the Huntley Hotel in Santa Monica, the top of Janss Steps at UCLA, and the top of the Angeleno Hotel in Brentwood come to mind. And one view I wanted to include but no longer exists is that from the old Monty’s Restaurant in Westwood Village.

What’s your favorite special spot with a view on the Westside? I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Image courtesy of cnynfreelancer