Atherton

North Fair Oaks is located in California’s South Bay region. It has top-rated schools, an inviting community and access to shopping, dining and public transportation. “North Fair Oaks is a family-oriented neighborhood. It’s more for people with young kids,” says Lee Jones, a Realtor for Quick Real Estate & Loans with more than 25 years of experience. While it gives the qualities of a classic, family-friendly suburban hub, it also uniquely stands out. Despite having some of the grandest area estates and only minutes from the heart of Silicon Valley, North Fair Oaks's established, culturally diverse community welcomes with its eclectic custom-made neighborhood signs. It’s the kind of place where murals, not just mansions, make for an alluring first impression. An eclectic collection of housing can be found along the streets of North Fair Oaks, which are dotted with mature trees that add to its neighborhood feel. Spanish-style homes, quaint bungalow-style properties and early 20th-century estates are an architectural glimpse into the community’s traditional roots. Ranch-style homes on spacious lots highlight the neighborhood’s midcentury construction, while newer contemporary multi-level homes and sleek, modern-style construction hint at the inevitable residential changes within the area. However, the community is set up to remain in its established nature. “It’s a neighborhood where the lot sizes are all different, and it’s not zoned for mixed-use,” says Jones. “So I think it’s going to stay a residential neighborhood. I don’t see much changing as far as redevelopment.” Prices range from $900,000 for a small original bungalow home to $8 million for a 5,000-square-foot modern, luxury property in a gated community. Students may attend Encinal Elementary School, which gets an A-plus-rating by Niche or the C-plus-rated Garfield Community School, Kindergarten through 8th grade institution. Menlo-Atherton High School is rated at an A-plus and offers extensive AP course and college and technical career courses. North Fair Oaks Community Park is a small neighborhood green space that provides play spaces for the community’s children. Andrew Spinas Park offers even more recreational space, with train engine-themed playscapes, picnic areas and shaded lawn sections. Dining options are concentrated along Middlefield Road, which bisects the neighborhood. Other options can be found along the El Camino Real corridor. Mexican eateries are prominent along both roadways, but the options overall are diverse. Popular eateries include Tacos El Jarochito and Cuco’s Burritos for authentic Mexican food and Martin’s Kitchen, which serves up diner-style favorites. Brew Coffee and Bakery is a local favorite, while Chavez Supermarket provides grocery staples. There’s also a Mi Rancho Market adjacent to the nearby Woodside Central shopping mall, which is anchored by a Target. El Camino Real, technically known as California State Route 82, is dotted with bus stops for residents who need or prefer public transportation for work and other commutes throughout the South Bay. The thoroughfare also provides quick and easy access via car to Silicon Valley, which is less than three miles away. A commuter rail line runs through North Fair Oaks, and residents can hop on the train at the neighborhood’s Atherton BART Station. SportsHouse is located within the neighborhood and is a popular indoor recreational center. It also hosts numerous community events throughout the year, including public skate nights, where its volleyball courts are transformed into skating rinks.

An exclusive neighborhood in one of the United States’ most expensive ZIP codes, the lavish homes of Lindenwood are in a world of their own. With curving streets that transport residents through tunnels of tall oak trees, this upscale Atherton community is home to some of Silicon Valley’s most affluent residents. “It’s very secluded and has the feel of a gated community,” says Realtor Rich Bassin of Compass Real Estate, who used to live in the neighborhood before moving to nearby Menlo Park. “It’s very safe, clean and family-oriented. Our kids could ride their bikes and skateboards up and down the street.” The neighborhood was named after the Linden Towers, the opulent castle of businessman James C. Flood who made his fortune during the Nevada silver rush. The sprawling, 44-room mansion has since been demolished to make way for newer homes, but remnants of the estate can still be found by passerby, including a glimmering, 20-foot-tall fountain and iron arched gates emblazoned with the initials “JCF.” These days, Lindenwood features a mix of spacious homes on sprawling, one-acre lots. Lush, oak tree canopies adorn the streets, giving the neighborhood a park-like, natural setting. And although its namesake castle is gone, lavish homes have remained the status quo. Luxury estates with up to five and six bedrooms sit alongside upscale, midcentury ranch homes. Some dwellings feature accoutrements like wine cellars, humidor cigar drawers and living rooms with dark wood interiors and stately fireplaces. In others, there are amenities like personal fitness rooms, dry saunas, swimming pools and home movie theatres. Home prices can range from $5 million to upwards of $15 million depending on size and accessories. Atherton schools have been a longstanding draw for homebuyers. There are three highly desirable public schools within the neighborhood, within walking distance of many homes. Students can attend Encinal Elementary School or Laurel Elementary School, both of which earn A-plus ratings from Niche. Laurel Elementary School received the National Blue Ribbon Award in 2016. Students graduate on to A-rated Hillview Middle School, and A-plus-rated Menlo-Atherton High School. Students who want to take center stage in the performing arts will find plenty of opportunities for success at Menlo-Atherton — it has a professional, 492-seat theater for school plays, musicals and concerts. Stanford University’s campus is less than a mile away. There’s an array of parks and community amenities for residents to enjoy in Lindenwood. Locals can get outside and enjoy the sunshine at Burgess Park, a large public space with a skatepark, athletic fields, tennis courts and a swimming pool. This busy little park is right next to Menlo Park’s City Hall, the Arrillaga Family Recreation Center and Menlo Park Library. At the opposite end of the neighborhood is Flood Park, a community space known for its large, native Oak and Bay trees. Holbrook Palmer Park features wide open greenery and hosts community events like a weekly international folk-dance class. Lindenwood is just minutes from downtown Menlo Park, a vibrant, six-block commercial corridor with shops and restaurants. Residents fill up their grocery baskets at Trader Joe’s and Draeger’s Market, a high-end, family-owned supermarket. It’s also home to critically acclaimed eateries like Camper, a contemporary restaurant with a lantern-lit dining room. Downtown Palo Alto, also close by, is a bustling cultural hub brimming with high-end restaurants, cafes and shops. For everything else, it’s just a few minutes to Stanford Shopping Center, an open-air mall with major retailers and department stores. Commuters have it easy in Lindenwood. The neighborhood is home to two Caltrain stations — the Atherton Station and the Menlo Park Station. The train takes residents as far north as San Francisco and south to San Jose. It’s also just 2 miles to the nearest on-ramp for Route 101, which offers a connection to both those cities. Bus lines run along several of Lindenwood’s busier thoroughfares, offering public transit to local destinations. The neighborhood is about 20 miles from the San Francisco International Airport.