Menlo Park, California

What is it like to live in Menlo Park, CA?

Depends on your personality, what you value, etc. I had lived in cities (NYC, DC, Chicago, Boston) then landed in Menlo Park as a single person not in the start-up world (am a physician).

Initially it was tough (but that was about California in general I think) - after about 6-8 months I grew really fond of it. Strangely, as soon as I got married, I moved to San Francisco. Things I value/miss about Menlo Park:

Weather. The weather is excellent there - more reliably sunny/warmer than SF. When I first moved to CA, I really missed autumn - apple picking, leaves changing color, etc. There were a few streets in Menlo that were absolutely stunning with vibrant colors during the season change.

Culture. Juxtaposed to the culture of SF I guess. Menlo is quieter of course, since it's a suburb. The nice thing about that is it was much easier for my mind to be calm/clear. I do feel slightly more restless in the city (though I've been like that in all cities). In Menlo, I felt the most calm/at ease than any other place I've lived.

Safe. Menlo Park is very safe and I had no worries walking home at night by myself. I do in SF. Also, the roads in Menlo are quite wide, which makes it convenient to bike everywhere. There aren't the hills you have in SF, and the roads and drivers are safe. I felt comfortable biking from Menlo to Mountain View for groceries, etc. Really loved that… and with the weather, it meant that year round you could bike everywhere just about, safely.

Active. If you're a runner, the Stanford Dish, Wunderlick, Windy Hills, Portola, etc. are nearby. I'm not a cyclist, but cyclists seem to love Alpine, Old LaHonda, etc. which are also nearby. I loved the Burgess swimming pool (they have a good Masters program). Menlo isn't the best for night life - it's great if you're an active early-bird that wakes up and sleeps when the sun does.

Location. Strangely, it only took me 30 min to Potrero Hill in SF. If outside of rush hour, it's not too bad. You're also between SF and San Jose, and all in between. There are lots of VCs (Sand Hill Rd), good medical care (Stanford and Lucile Packard are nearby) and the school system is pretty solid. With proximity to Stanford, you also have lots of students/grad students and faculty nearby. Downtown Palo Alto is close, and the small strip of downtown Menlo is quaint (I still do most of my errands there, though I live in SF)

Some cons: It's not the most ethnically or socio-economically diverse, which is unfortunate. Also, there aren't as many events going on as SF. But that's never bothered me much - I tend to not be bored, even if I'm holed up in a room by myself for a few days… but I also love books and friends.

I think it's a wonderful place to raise a family/kids, though I'd want to make sure they were exposed to more socio-economic and ethnic diversity, but that's just bc it's quite important to me.

What is it like to live in Menlo Park, CA?

My reasons are many but I'll just give you the highlights. I have a small son and there is a real sense of community in and around Menlo Park. We live within walking distance of the small downtown and we've gotten to know the shopkeepers and some of the local residents making it a very friendly place to live. There are also a ton of parks within walking distance and it's quiet at night. It is sometimes difficult to get things done in the evening because many things close early. I would say that two of the downsides (for some people -- not me) are that there is very little nightlife and the cost of living is quite high. All in all, a great place to live and I've enjoyed it here more than I did living in Palo Alto.

What is it like to live in Menlo Park, CA?

Menlo Park is very family-oriented. The schools are terrific. The neighborhoods are all different depending on where you are. There are great online communities for the neighborhoods that foster connections (mom lists, community watch lists, area lists, etc). It seems like everyone has a dog, and you'll see the sidewalks busy with people walking dogs before or after work. It has great weather and is conveniently located to San Francisco, San Jose, and the Easy Bay via the Dumbarton Bridge. It's almost exactly 20 miles from SFO and SJC airports. It has a cute downtown, but for many neighborhoods downtown Palo Alto or Redwood City are more convenient. Because of the Caltrain tracks it can take quite a while to "wiggle" from one end of Menlo Park to another which can be annoying for some school pick-up and drop off and other activities. You can't park on the street overnight in residential areas which keeps the city streets clean and spacious (rather than practically one lane like much of Palo Alto). There are a lot of parks and easy access to tons of beautiful walks, hikes and activities.
k is very family-oriented. The schools are terrific. The neighborhoods are all different depending on where you are. There are great online communities for the neighborhoods that foster connections (mom lists, community watch lists, area lists, etc). It seems like everyone has a dog, and you'll see the sidewalks busy with people walking dogs before or after work. It has great weather and is conveniently located to San Francisco, San Jose, and the Easy Bay via the Dumbarton Bridge. It's almost exactly 20 miles from SFO and SJC airports. It has a cute downtown, but for many neighborhoods downtown Palo Alto or Redwood City are more convenient. Because of the Caltrain tracks it can take quite a while to "wiggle" from one end of Menlo Park to another which can be annoying for some school pick-up and drop off and other activities. You can't park on the street overnight in residential areas which keeps the city streets clean and spacious (rather than practically one lane like much of Palo Alto). There are a lot of parks and easy access to tons of beautiful walks, hikes and activities.

Living in Palo Alto vs. Menlo Park?

I assume when you say Palo Alto and Stanford that you really mean north palo alto (north of Oregon Expressway).

Menlo park = quiet, slow/quiet downtown, cant park on the streets at night (2am - 5am) without a special daily permit for visitors….so if you have two cars, its kind of a pain in the ass unless you have two spots.

That being said, Menlo Park allows you to commute into stanford easily from Alameda De Las Pulgas. You cant get across el camino from palo alto without going to embarcadero or up university ave which can have more traffic (but youre close enough to bike).

Downtown Palo Alto is a lot livelier than menlo park. I have lived at Oak Creek and its nice but very quiet and you cant walk to much (i mean Stanford shopping mall is somewhat close…but meh).

Palo Alto Central is near northern california ave which is like a small quiet downtown (probably similar to menlo park's santa cruz ave), but if you can be closer to downtown I'd recommend it.

Of the ones you listed though, I'd go with Palo Alto Central depending on the unit. Yes the train does run by but depending on where you are its not bad. It has a grocery store within walking distance (mollie stones) and several other places. Oak Creek just doesnt have much walking distance and Park Plaza is just a bit further and in more of a historically industrial area.

Living in Menlo Park, CA