San Bruno

With a history dating from pre-World War II, Mills Park stands as one of San Bruno's hallmark neighborhoods. First conceived as an entry-level suburb for people wanting to get out of San Francisco, its early construction was halted by the war, resuming post-war to create affordable housing for returning veterans. Today, Debbie Wong, a San Bruno native and Realtor with Wong Real Estate Group, describes Mills Park as "sunny and cheerful." She says, "You can walk to parks and schools, you're out of the fog and you have easy access to every part of the Peninsula." Framed by major freeways and near public transportation, Mills Park provides mobility for commuters, but it's also a family-filled suburb characterized by peaceful, hilly streets and well-kept homes. Mills Park primarily reflects the post-war model of one-story houses with 1,000 to 1,500 square feet, three bedrooms and an attached garage. Over time, however, some homes have been expanded or rebuilt, resulting in options with up to 3,000 square feet and four or five bedrooms. Often painted in colorful pastels, homes have strong Spanish, colonial and contemporary influences. True to the vision of its original developers, Mills Park serves as an entry point for today's homebuyers, even with a median price hovering around $1.3 million. Wong says, "Three things add value to real estate — good weather, strong schools and the ability to get places. Mills Park has it all. The Bay Area is expensive, and dollar for dollar, you get more for your money here." Locals cross San Bruno Avenue to the north to find coffee shops, restaurants and health, wellness and beauty services at the Bay Hill Shopping Center. Big Mouth Burgers is popular for burgers and beers, and Mollie Stone's provides groceries near a full-service CVS. El Camino Real has small, well-established shopping centers, restaurants and the Work San Bruno Hospital. But for city flavor, Mills Park residents frequent San Mateo Avenue to the east. The area hums with creative energy at locally owned restaurants, quirky boutiques and exotic spice markets and buzzes with nightlight at the laid-back, Fiji-themed Kava Bar or the divey but friendly Newell's Cocktail Lounge. "San Mateo Avenue is so fun and super eclectic," says Wong. "You can have Vietnamese, Chinese or Japanese restaurants, then turn around and find one that's Russian." San Bruno sponsors year-round events, including flea markets, movies in the park and concert series. But Wong says, "What's so great about Mills Park is that you can live in this nice, less expensive neighborhood but easily take advantage of things happening nearby. For example, San Carlos is just a few miles away and is absolutely adorable. It offers a farmer's market, live music and community events all the time." For young learners, St. Robert Catholic School provides a walkable, private school option through eighth grade. Families choosing public schools through the San Bruno Park School District enjoy walkable neighborhood schools like Allen Elementary and Parkside Intermediate. Allen Elementary earns a C-minus from Niche and Parkside Intermediate earns a B-minus with strong performing arts programs, including theatre, band, orchestra, choir and ukelele. Teens attend Capuchino High School, part of the San Mateo Union High School District. Capuchino boasts an A-minus rating and is an IB World and California Gold Ribbon school. Mills Park's almost always sunny weather keeps residents outside walking, jogging or frequenting the centrally located Grundy Park. This dog-friendly green space finds families and friends enjoying two large playgrounds, a walking path and a basketball court or hosting celebrations at the reservable picnic pavilion. On the other side of Mills Park's southern edge, San Bruno City Park, the city's biggest park attracts crowds with two large playgrounds, athletic fields, a walking track, 13 picnic sites and two playgrounds. Construction is currently underway for a new recreation and aquatic center. Mills Park is surrounded by Interstates 280 and 380 and Route 101 for easy, although sometimes congested, car travel. SamTrans buses also run through the neighborhood, or folks catch Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) or Caltrain trains at their respective stations on Huntington Avenue, both less than a mile away. San Francisco International Airport is less than 2 miles away for those traveling long distances. Naturally, residents can hear noise from the freeways and airport but usually find it unintrusive. Mills Park residents also currently shop at The Shops at Tanforan, a large-scale mall housing major retailers, restaurants, a Target and a Cinemark Century movie theater just a mile or so north on El Camino Real. However, in 2022, the space was sold to developers who plan to replace the mall with a 2 million-square-foot innovative life science campus, 1,000 housing units and retail space. Plans include upgrading the current Target and movie theater. However, dates have yet to be announced for the commencement of the project.