Sunshine Sober Living sits at 5650 Donna Avenue in Tarzana, about five and a half miles east of Canoga Park. The surface route runs east on Sherman Way to Tampa Avenue, south to Burbank Boulevard, then north on Donna Avenue, and takes fifteen to twenty-two minutes in ordinary traffic.
These are the directions to Sunshine Sober Living from Canoga Park, and the short version is one road and two turns. Start at Sherman Way and Topanga Canyon Boulevard, in the middle of the old downtown. Head east on Sherman Way about three miles to Tampa Avenue, south to Burbank Boulevard, then north onto Donna Avenue.
No freeway runs through the middle of the district, so Sherman Way, Vanowen Street and Roscoe Boulevard carry the cross-valley traffic, slowly at the wrong hour. If the trip is to see the men’s house or the women’s house, allow a few extra minutes at either end.
Sherman Way runs straight from downtown Canoga Park to within a mile of the house, which makes the whole trip a matter of one road and two turns.
Sometimes, by a few minutes. The freeway alternative runs south on Topanga Canyon Boulevard to US-101 east and off at the Tampa Avenue exit: about seven miles against five and a half on surface streets, and thirteen to twenty minutes against fifteen to twenty-two. US-101 also has exits at Shoup Avenue, De Soto Avenue and Winnetka Avenue. In the evening peak the surface route frequently wins.
Donna Avenue is a residential street of single-storey houses between Wilbur Avenue and Vanalden Avenue, two blocks from the Tarzana Recreation Center. Park on the street and read the posted signs. There is no lot and no reception desk, because the house is simply a house, which is the point of recovery housing rather than a facility.
Yes, with one transfer. The Metro G Line station at Sherman Way sits in downtown Canoga Park on Canoga Avenue, and Line 162 runs the length of Sherman Way. Chatsworth is the nearest Metrolink station. Sorting transit out early is worth the effort: in an eighteen-month study of sober living residents, twelve-step involvement predicted very nearly every outcome measured, and involvement means physically reaching the room. Living alongside other people in recovery makes those trips shared.
Photo identification, any current prescriptions in their original packaging, discharge paperwork if you are coming straight from a treatment program, and insurance details if you have them. The intake form and the insurance verification page can both be filled in beforehand. Bring a written list of questions too, because most people forget half of what they meant to ask once they are standing in the kitchen.
Canoga Park is not the only West Valley district that feeds into this house. West Hills lies to the west, and Reseda sits closer still along Sherman Way, which makes it the shortest run of the three. Families often drive over from two or three directions before deciding anything, and that is a sensible way to spend an afternoon.
The three ways to cover the same five and a half miles, side by side.
| Route | Distance | Typical time |
|---|---|---|
| Sherman Way, Tampa Avenue, Burbank Boulevard | About 5.5 miles | 15 to 22 minutes |
| Topanga Canyon Boulevard south, US-101 east, Tampa Avenue exit | About 7 miles | 13 to 20 minutes |
| Metro G Line from Sherman Way station, then a connection | Four stations on Canoga Avenue | Longer, but no parking |
Either way, the directions to Sunshine Sober Living from Canoga Park end on the same quiet block north of Burbank Boulevard.
From Sherman Way at Topanga Canyon Boulevard, head east on Sherman Way about three miles to Tampa Avenue, south on Tampa Avenue to Burbank Boulevard, east on Burbank Boulevard, then north on Donna Avenue. The freeway alternative runs south on Topanga Canyon Boulevard to US-101 east and off at the Tampa Avenue exit. That is about 5.5 miles by surface streets, about 7 miles via US-101, roughly 15-22 minutes on surface streets, 13-20 minutes via the freeway.
Sunshine Sober LivingFifteen to twenty-two minutes on surface streets, and thirteen to twenty by way of US-101, depending on the hour. Sherman Way is a signalled arterial, so most of the variation comes from lights rather than congestion. Mid-morning and early afternoon are the easiest windows; in the evening peak, allow the upper end of both ranges.
There is street parking on Donna Avenue, a quiet residential block between Wilbur Avenue and Vanalden Avenue, north of Burbank Boulevard. Read the posted signs before leaving a car for an hour or two. There is no parking lot, because this is a home on a residential street rather than a facility with a forecourt.
Tampa Avenue on US-101 is the closest exit, and the run north from there to Burbank Boulevard is short. From the Canoga Park side, the nearest onramps are at Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Shoup Avenue, De Soto Avenue and Winnetka Avenue. SR-118 crosses the north of the district with exits at Topanga Canyon Boulevard and De Soto Avenue.
Ask when you call, because transport depends on the day and on who is free, and admissions will answer plainly rather than leaving it vague. Travelling by transit, the Metro G Line serves Canoga Avenue and Line 162 serves Sherman Way. The SAMHSA National Helpline, 1-800-662-HELP, also answers referral questions around the clock.
What we run is recovery housing: a substance-free address with rules, accountability and peer support. Clinical treatment belongs with licensed providers, and admissions can arrange that referral. Nobody, including us, can guarantee how any individual recovery will go. If you or someone you love needs immediate help, the SAMHSA National Helpline is free and confidential on 1-800-662-4357, 24 hours a day.
The drive over from Canoga Park is short, and a first visit is meant to be low pressure: look at the house, ask what a week involves, and leave without deciding anything on the spot. Call 866-216-9789 to schedule a confidential assessment, reach admissions through the contact page, or compare routes from other neighborhoods first. The directions to Sunshine Sober Living from Canoga Park are simple enough that most people find it first time.