Calamigos Ranch—nestled high in the Santa Monica Mountains—has a story like seemingly everything else related to our wedding. It is, quite simply, a place we would have never seen ourselves choosing when we started hunting for venues a year ago.
With an acreage larger than that of Disneyland’s, a particular part of the ranch left us completely enamored: The Cottage & Pavillion. Even though Calamigos was only the second of several places that we ultimately visited, its charm and beauty never faded from our minds. We hope it’ll have the same effect on you.
Finding the Ranch
The mailing address for Calamigos is not the address you should be following directions to. Instead, the entrance is on another side, which you can get to via Kanan Road. Below is a bird’s eye view of The Pavillion (the white building).
From Los Angeles (the Direct Route)
- Take the Ventura Freeway (101 West) to the City of Agoura
- Exit 36, then left on Kanan Road
- Proceed south for 6 miles and through 2 tunnels
- Right on Mulholland Highway, go ¼th of a mile
- Left on Calamigos Road, right at the fork
Travel time: about 45 minutes from West Los Angeles, not including traffic.
From Pacific Coast Highway (the Scenic Route)
- Pacific Coast Highway (1 West) past Paradise Cove
- Right on Kanan-Dume Road
- Proceed north for 6 miles
- Left on Mulholland Highway, go ¼th of a mile
- Left on Calamigos Road, right at the fork
This route only adds about an extra 10 minutes to the trip, and makes for a much more interesting drive.
You can’t miss Calamigos Road, as it’s adorned by two large bronze horses. Once you enter there will be signs with our names pointing you in the right direction, as long as you follow those you will end up in the right place. The parking area is large, so don’t worry about space!
