Whittier

Understand

Whittier was founded by Quakers in 1887 and incorporated in 1898. Many early settlers espoused the Quaker faith. As the city grew, the citizens named it after John Greenleaf Whittier, a respected Quaker poet. Whittier wrote a dedication poem and is honored today with statues and a small exhibit at the Whittier Museum; a statue of him sits in Whittier's Central Park, and another representing his poem "The Barefoot Boy" sits in front of the main library. Many of the streets in Uptown Whittier bear the names of Quaker settlers of Whittier or other prominent Quakers, such as Greenleaf Avenue (for Whittier), Bailey Street, Pickering Avenue, Penn Street (for William Penn), Hadley Street and Washington Avenue (both for Washington Hadley), and Painter Avenue (for John Hunt Painter).

Get in

Although bordered on the west and north by freeways, Whittier is harder to get to by car than most of the Gateway Cities. This gives parts of the city a secluded feel, but what residents gain in peace and quiet they pay for in long commutes.

By plane

The nearest airports to Whittier are Long Beach Airport, Los Angeles International Airport and John Wayne Orange County Airport.

By car

From Downtown L.A. take the Pomona Freeway (60) east. Merge onto the San Gabriel River Freeway (605) south. The three exits on the 605 that serve Whittier are Beverly, Whittier and Washington Blvds; in each case, the city of Whittier is east of the 605.

From the south, travel north on I-5, and take it to either Carmenita Road or the 605. Turn right (north) on Carmenita, and stay on it as it becomes Painter in Whittier, six miles north of the freeway.

By bus

Whittier can be reached by Montebello Bus Lines 10, 40 and 50 from the West, Norwalk Transit Line 7, Foothill Transit lines 274 and 285 from the North, and Metro Line 120 and Norwalk 7 from the South.

By rail

Whittier is fairly distant from light and heavy rail. The nearest Metro Rail stations are Norwalk (C Line) and Atlantic (E Line). The nearest Metrolink stations are in Norwalk (Orange County & 91 Lines) and Montebello (Riverside Line). The nearest Amtrak stations are Los Angeles Union Station, Fullerton (Southwest Chief, Pacific Surfliner) and Pomona (Sunset Limited).

Get around

By car

To get to Uptown Whittier, the city's historic business district, turn left onto Hadley Street and then right onto Greenleaf Avenue. The majority of Uptown's small businesses are on Greenleaf between Hadley and Mar Vista Streets, but you'll find other shops and restaurants a few blocks east and west of Greenleaf.

If locally owned small businesses aren't your thing, continue to head south on Greenleaf and turn left onto Whittier Boulevard. At the corner of Whittier Boulevard and Painter Avenue, you'll find The Quad, a formerly indoor mall. After years of being a ghost town, it was completely redone after the 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake. It's now like every other strip mall in suburbia, which means there's plenty of parking and chain restaurants.

Still haven't had your fill of cookie-cutter corporate America? Continue southeast on Whittier Boulevard until you come to the Whittwood Town Center, formerly known as the Whittwood Mall, which has been redeveloped several times over the years and (as of 2026) has a JCPenney's, a Target, a Vons supermarket, and numerous other stores and restaurants.

If you are travelling from Whittier to Hacienda Heights or other communities over there, the only roads connecting Whittier to there are Colima and Turnbull Canyon, the latter of which is ancient, narrow and windy. Two of the busiest intersections in town are where Whittier Boulevard meets Colima Road in East Whittier, and "Five Points" in southwest Whittier, where Whittier, Washington, Pickering, Santa Fe Springs Road and the Greenway Trail all meet.

By public transportation

Whittier is poorly served by Metro Bus, but Norwalk 7, Montebello 10 and Montebello 50 serve uptown Whittier. Norwalk 1 runs along Norwalk Blvd between Rio Hondo College and Bellflower; Norwalk 7 runs between the El Monte Bus station, Rio Hondo College, Uptown Whittier, PIH Hospital, and the Norwalk C line Metro Rail Station; Montebello 10 runs between CSULA, East LA College, Montebello, Uptown Whittier and Whitwood Mall. In Whittier, it runs along Whittier Blvd, Philadelphia St, Painter Avenue and Whittier Blvd; Montebello 40 runs along Beverly Blvd between Downtown LA and Northwest Whittier (Beverly and Norwalk); Montebello 50 runs along Washington Blvd between Downtown LA, PIH Hospital, Uptown Whittier and La Mirada. In Whittier, it runs along Pickering Avenue, Philadelphia Street, Painter Ave and Mulberry Drive.

The Whittier Cruiser is a microbus/rideshare operating within a service area that includes the Uptown Business District, the College, the Groves, the Quad, PIH, the hiking trails, and all the residential neighborhoods in between. LA County's Sunshine Shuttles connect unincorporated South and West Whittier (and Los Nietos) with Whitwood, PIH and the Groves.

By bike

There are several designated bike lanes and bike routes in Whittier, most notably the Greenway Trail.

On foot

If you are walking to Uptown from adjacent neighborhoods, it can be difficult to cross Hadley, Painter, Mar Vista or Pickering, as these streets carry a lot of traffic.