Santee

People walk, bike and drive from Santee to their destinations

There are a few ways to get around the community. People are a short walk or bike ride from nearby destinations, like Little Saigon or Kelley Park. Bus lines run along Story Road and McLaughlin Avenue, connecting riders to many parts of San Jose. However, most people commute by car and work outside the community, despite Santee's light industrial areas. Drivers use Highway 101 and Interstates 280/680 to reach major job hubs around the city and Silicon Valley. Commuters are also 3 miles from downtown San Jose.

Bustling Vietnamese eateries and retail hubs are next door to the area

Santee borders Kennedy, home of the Little Saigon shopping and dining district. Vietnam Town and Grand Century Shopping Mall are packed with locally-owned Vietnamese restaurants, dessert shops and tea houses. You'll also find many boutiques, jewelry stores and cosmetics shops. "It's pretty busy most days," says Realtor Nancy Reynolds of Loveseat Homes. "It's really the place to go if you're not heading downtown." The shopping centers are surrounded by various supermarkets, like Maxim Market III, Lion Market and Walmart Supercenter.

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Parks, pools and petting zoos are close to the community

The neighborhood itself has limited green space, but several parks are nearby. From June to August, people can enjoy the water at Fair Swim Center, a public pool complex. McLaughlin Park is a typical community park, offering a playground, splash pad and basketball half-court. Across Highway 101, Emma Prusch Farm Park has everything from community gardens to a petting zoo. About 1 mile away, Kelley Park is one of the most well-known parks on this side of San Jose. It has a variety of amenities, including:

• Kelley Park Disc Golf Course, a public 21-hole course
• Kelley Park Amphitheater, an open-air stage for performances and celebrations
• The Japanese Friendship Garden, a lush space with koi ponds and willow trees
• Happy Hollow Park & Zoo, a kid-friendly area offering animal exhibits and carnival rides
• History Park, a historical park filled with landmarks and museums

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Families have multiple school choices in and around Santee

The neighborhood is home to several schools in the Franklin-McKinley School District, and students typically attend Santee Elementary School. Local charter schools, like ACE Esperanza Middle School, are also options. High schoolers are a quick bike or bus ride from Yerba Buena High School, part of the East Side Union High School District.

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Tet celebrations draw crowds to nearby Little Saigon

Since Santee is so close to Little Saigon, the community often attends local celebrations. The district's biggest event is Tet, or Vietnamese Lunar New Year. "It's quite popular because it's a time to focus on being lucky and happy," Vo says. Vietnam Town is decked out in bright red and yellow decorations, savory aromas waft in the air and pop-up vendor tents sell imported Vietnamese fruits and Mai flowers. Crowds watch performers dressed in bejeweled dragon costumes perform acrobatic lion dances.

Congestion and connectivity shape daily life here

Noise is a common concern because the neighborhood borders major highways. Rush hours bring congestion, but most people see this as a fair trade-off for convenient freeway access. "Yeah, you'll hear some noise coming off the highway, but when people are this well-connected, they don't seem to mind," says Realtor Michelle Rico of Epique Realty. A sound wall along Highway 101 helps to dampen some of the noise, and the neighborhood's northern industrial areas buffer residential streets from the interstate.