White Oak Avenue, LA: the street where E.T. flew into the sky on a bicycle

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Children of the 1980s will remember this street from the finale of this beloved classic, when the main character, Elliot, and his friends escape with E.T. from the clutches of government agents on bicycles and fly to safety.

Officially filming in 1981, Steven Spielberg shot many scenes of this cherished movie in suburban areas of Los Angeles county, such as the San Fernando Valley. Porter Ranch and Granada Hills were heavily featured. The flying bicycle scene specifically was filmed with the children riding north and taking flight just before the intersection of White Oak Avenue and Tulsa Street.

Along White Oak Avenue, the just over 100 towering deodar cedar trees, featured in the movie scene, are recognized as a Los Angeles Historic Cultural Monument, declared in 1966. The marker for the trees is located on Chatsworth Street, one street south of Los Alimos Street, where an unassuming local business wears a mural celebrating the movie.

Fans of the movie can snap a picture of a commemorative mural on the intersection of White Oak Avenue and Los Alimos Street. In celebration of the movie's 40th anniversary, Phillip Leonard, legendary valley muralist, and his crew created the art piece, depicting the kid's bicycles flying into the sunset, with Elliot and E.T. leading the way.