Mar Vista is a neighborhood in western Los Angeles. It is bordered by Santa Monica on the west, West Los Angeles on the north, Palms on the northeast, Culver City on the east, Marina del Rey on the south, and Venice on the southwest. The district's main thoroughfares are National, Venice, Washington, and Sawtelle Boulevards and Centinela and Barrington Avenues. The Santa Monica and San Diego freeways run along its northern and eastern boundaries, respectively. The northeastern portions of the district are sometimes referred to as Westdale.
Mar Vista is a largely working-class neighborhood of apartment buildings and small post-World War II ranches and bungalows, although the hilly areas near its border with Santa Monica (whose spectacular ocean views give it its name) are somewhat more upscale. In recent years, the escalating cost of real estate (even a 1500 square foot house may go for upwards of $800,000) has led to a phenomenal rise in the number of newly constructed Spanish-inspired homes on Mar Vista Hill. Its proximity to bohemian Venice adds a slightly artsy flavor to the neighborhood. Nearby UCLA maintains a large graduate student housing complex along Sawtelle Boulevard near National Boulevard. UCLA also maintains a smaller housing complex for graduate students on Venice Boulevard near Centinela Avenue.