Moving to Brentwood with a Family: Schools, Parks, and the Good Life

Families are the backbone of Brentwood's community identity. Unlike the more transient, entertainment-industry-oriented character of West Hollywood or the ultra-private estate culture of Bel Air, Brentwood has a deeply family-oriented character. Children walk to Kenter Canyon Elementary together. Parents meet at the Brentwood Country Mart on Saturday mornings. The community knows each other through schools, Brentwood School athletic events, and the San Vicente Boulevard jogging community.

If you're relocating a family to the Westside of Los Angeles, Brentwood deserves serious consideration — and this guide covers everything you need to know.

Schools: Brentwood's Greatest Asset for Families

Kenter Canyon Elementary School (LAUSD)

645 Hanley Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Kenter Canyon is the jewel of Brentwood's public education landscape. An LAUSD school that consistently performs at private school levels, Kenter Canyon is the reason many families choose Brentwood over Beverly Hills or Pacific Palisades — they can access a high-performing, community-rich public school without the $40,000–$50,000/year private school price tag.

The school's success is not accidental. The Kenter Canyon PTA and parent foundation raise substantial funds annually that supplement LAUSD's per-pupil allocation with enrichment programs, facility improvements, and additional staff. Parents are highly engaged — class coverage programs, enrichment coordination, and school improvement projects are all parent-driven.

The school sits at the base of the upper Brentwood hillside, on Hanley Avenue. The setting is beautiful — trees, quiet streets, and the specific feel of a neighborhood school embedded in its community.

Academic profile: Test scores consistently in the top tier of LAUSD; strong arts integration; technology programs; after-school enrichment.

Enrollment: Determined by address within Kenter Canyon's attendance boundary. Families should confirm their address falls within the zone before finalizing a home purchase.

Paul Revere Charter Middle School (LAUSD)

1450 Allenford Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Paul Revere is the natural progression for Kenter Canyon elementary students. As a charter school operating within LAUSD, it has more autonomy than a standard district school and has built strong academic and arts programs. Well-regarded by Brentwood families.

Brentwood School (Private, K–12)

100 S. Barrington Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Brentwood School sits directly in the heart of Brentwood at one of its most beloved addresses. The school occupies a beautiful campus on Barrington Avenue with modern academic buildings, athletic facilities, and a community culture that many families describe as the definitive Brentwood experience.

Academic profile: Strong college placement (Ivy League and top-tier acceptances annually), competitive athletics (particularly swimming, water polo, and basketball), robust arts programs, and a community culture that values intellectual curiosity alongside athletic achievement.

Enrollment: Application-based admission. The school is competitive, particularly at the elementary level. Families moving to Brentwood should apply early — application deadlines for fall are typically in January.

Annual tuition: Approximately $45,000–$50,000/year.

The Archer School for Girls (Private, 6–12)

11725 Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles, CA 90049

Archer occupies a beautiful campus on Sunset Boulevard in Brentwood. An all-girls school with strong STEM focus, Archer has built a distinctive academic culture that combines rigorous college preparation with genuine community investment. Popular with Brentwood families with daughters who want a different educational environment from coeducational schools.

Annual tuition: Approximately $47,000–$52,000/year.

University High School (LAUSD, Public)

11800 Texas Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90025

The public high school option for Brentwood families in the LAUSD system. University High has strong academic departments and notable alumni (including numerous UCLA and USC graduates); it is a common choice for families who excelled through Kenter Canyon and Paul Revere but prefer public high school.

Parks and Outdoor Activities

Westridge-Canyonback Wilderness Park

Accessed from Westridge Road (off San Vicente Boulevard), this 1,500-acre park is Brentwood's backdoor to the Santa Monica Mountains. Trails range from easy walking paths to challenging mountain bike routes. The Westridge Trail connects to the larger Backbone Trail system, which runs the full length of the Santa Monica Mountains.

Morning hikers from Brentwood use this park daily — it is one of the most accessible wilderness trailheads from any residential LA neighborhood.

Sullivan Canyon

Sullivan Canyon Trail (accessed from Mulholland Drive or the end of Queensferry Road) is a 4-mile out-and-back hike through a beautiful, shaded canyon. Popular with families, it follows a seasonal creek bed through oak canopy and is one of the most pleasant urban-wilderness hikes in LA.

Westwood Recreation Center

1350 S. Sepulveda Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90025

The Westwood Recreation Center (technically in Westwood, accessible from Brentwood) has a public swimming pool, athletic courts, a recreation center, and youth programs. A practical community sports resource for Brentwood families.

Brentwood Country Club

590 N. Burlingame Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90049

A private club with a 9-hole golf course, tennis, pool, and dining. Membership is available and waitlisted; a portion of Brentwood's social life revolves around the club for families who belong.

Rimini Way Mini Park and Gorham Pocket Park

Brentwood has several small, neighborhood-embedded parks on residential streets that serve the immediate surrounding blocks. These are genuinely community spaces — neighbors bring children for afternoon play, dogs run, and the regular cast of neighborhood faces appears regularly.

Community Life and Rhythms

The defining social institution in Brentwood is the Brentwood Country Mart (225 26th Street at Brentwood Palisades border). On Saturday mornings from 9 AM to noon, the Mart is Brentwood's public square — parents and children, joggers from San Vicente, shoppers, and the regular faces of the neighborhood's community all converge. Farmshop, the acclaimed restaurant within the Mart, is the scene's culinary anchor; Blue Star Coffee serves the morning caffeine.

San Vicente Boulevard's coral-tree-shaded median is the neighborhood's other great public space. The boulevard hosts a constant flow of morning runners, dog walkers, and cyclists from first light through mid-morning.

Family life in Brentwood has a particular rhythm: Kenter Canyon drop-off at 8 AM, San Vicente run at 8:30, Country Mart at 10, afternoon athletic pickup, and evenings that are genuinely quiet — dinner at home or one of the neighborhood restaurants, and an early-to-bed schedule that reflects a community that gets up early because it has things to do.

Planning Your Family's Brentwood Move

LuxeMove has helped hundreds of families move into Brentwood. We know the flat streets, the canyon roads, the LADOT permit system, and the access requirements for every corner of this neighborhood.

For families on school-year schedules, we can also advise on move timing relative to LAUSD and private school enrollment deadlines — helping ensure your children start in the right school at the right time.

Contact LuxeMove today to plan your Brentwood family move, or explore our services for the full picture.