Westville North, as the name suggests, lies in the northern region of the leafy suburb of Durban, Westville, which was named after Sir Martin West Lieutenant Governor of natal in the mid 19th century. Westville North is bordered by the suburbs of Cowies Hill, New Germany and Reservoir hills and lies adjacent to the M19 highway, providing easy access to the nearby town of Pinetown in the west, and the city of Durban to the east. Westville North is home to a number of shops, stores and petrol stations, and includes a Spar, Caltex, a library and a newly built centre which houses green grocer amongst others.

The Westville North area is home to a number of senior and pre-primary schools as well as the Westville Campus of the University if KwaZulu-Natal, formerly known as the University of Durban Westville. The Westville campus of UKZN was built in the 1970's, and was initially established as an institution for Indian students during the apartheid era, as there weren't many universities that admitted non-white students. As a result, the university was the stage for a large number of student anit-apartheid political rallies. Today the University of KwaZulu-Natal's Westville campus offers courses in various sciences, engineering, humanities, social sciences, law and many others.

Aside from educational facilities, the university also features an indoor sports centre, tennis and squash courts, swimming pool, jogging areas a gymnasium and an Olympic-size swimming pool. The following sports are offered on the Westville campus: athletics, aerobics, badminton, basketball, boxing, ballroom dancing, chess, cricket, gymnastics, golf, hockey, karate, netball, soccer, softball, squash, swimming, table tennis, tenniquoite, volleyball and weightlifting.

Other facilities featured at the UKZN Westville campus include a Hindu temple and an Islamic place of worship, catering for the spiritual needs of students.

Attractions in and around Westville North include the impressive Pavillion shopping centre situated about ten minutes away, the Palmiet and New Germany Nature reserves which provide excellent hiking and bird watching opportunities, and Durban's beaches and many other attractions a mere twenty minutes away via the M19.