Santa Nella is in San Joaquin Valley, right off Interstate 5
Santa Nella in rural San Joaquin Valley is between Los Angeles and Sacramento, which are linked by a nearly 400-mile stretch of Interstate 5. In addition to the interstate, Santa Nella has access to state Routes 33 and 152. Businesses off I-5 include lodging establishments, truck stops and other transportation-related services. "It's like a small artery, and so centrally located and convenient with the highways," says Katrina Sousa, a Realtor with PMZ Real Estate.
There also are residential pockets set away from the busy roads. "Santa Nella is very small, with hometown-type living. It's a place to settle down if you are looking for a quiet, family oriented life. There isn't a lot of turnaround out here," Sousa says. The population is approximately 1,700, according to U.S. Census estimates.
A concentration of residential streets away from commercial areas
The residential streets, some of which have sidewalks, are concentrated south of Bayview Road and west of Santa Nella Boulevard, which is a section of SR-33. Many homes, including those with contemporary or Spanish-influenced architecture, were built in the 1990s to 2010s. Prices typically range from about $400,000 to $650,000. Mobile and manufactured homes are $90,000 to $170,000. Among these, the oldest are mobile homes dating to the 1960s; the newest are manufactured homes from the 2020s.
For those seeking more space, there are larger lots south of SR-152. "These 1-acre parcels were developed with the idea of people having beautiful custom homes and even keeping livestock," Sousa says. Properties in proximity to the Delta-Mendota Canal aqueduct, the San Luis Creek and other waterways may be subject to flooding.
Santa Nella is car-dependent, and many people commute
The community is car-dependent and neighboring cities Gustine and Los Banos are within a 12-mile drive. "People here are mostly commuters or truck drivers or have just come to obtain affordable housing. Because of where Santa Nella is located, soon after you go over the hills on the way to the Bay Area, wages go up. I've known chefs who worked in San Franciso but lived in Santa Nella. And that's a commute of two hours or more," Sousa says. Closer cities include Merced, Modesto, Hollister and Gilroy, which are all roughly 40 miles away.
Memorial Hospital Los Banos is one of the closest medical facilities. Though there are airports in Los Banos and Gustine, they are used for general aviation. It's about 45 miles to the Merced Yosemite Regional Airport, where Advanced Air offers passenger flights to Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
The area has history as a travelers' waypoint on El Camino Viejo
The area has been a stopping place for travelers since the 19th century when it was called Rancho de Centinella. The name Santa Nella comes from a mispronunciation of that Spanish name. At the time, the main route was El Camino Viejo, Spanish for "The Old Road." Later, it was replaced by highways. In the 1970s, Vince Evans, a rancher and restauranteur, helped develop Santa Nella into a "service town" to capitalize on the desirable location.
The iconic Pea Soup Andersen's and other Santa Nella businesses
As exit off I-5, Santa Nella has its share of fast food and gas station convenience stores, though there's also a grocery store, the Santa Nella Food Center. A unique dining option is Pea Soup Andersen's, a restaurant opened in 1976 by Evans. It serves over 2 million bowls of pea soup each year and is hard to miss due to the traditional Danish-style architecture, including a 77-foot windmill. The Hotel Mission de Oro, in this case notable for Spanish architecture, has a fine-dining restaurant, The Kitchen at the Mission, which includes the Mission Lounge for drinks. A greenhouse, operated since 2024, provides farm-to-table produce for the restaurant. Live music, movie nights in the courtyard and holiday celebrations are among the events at the Mission.
People go to nearby communities for more shopping and dining. "If you live in Santa Nella, you are going to Los Banos to shop. You have Walmart when you enter town from that side," Sousa says. There are also other big-box stores, supermarkets and a Premiere Cinemas movie theater.
Public education through the Gustine Unified School District
The Gustine Unified School District serves the area with schools like Romero Elementary School, which earns a C-plus grade from Niche. Gustine Middle School earns a C-minus grade, and Gustine High School receives a C-plus. The high school is known for the Gustine Rotary Basketball Tournament, the longest-running high school basketball tournament in California.
Outdoor recreational opportunities in the surrounding areas
Though Santa Nella lacks community parks, there are plenty of options for outdoor recreation in the area. Toward the south, there's a pier on the Delta-Mendota Canal where people go fishing. A couple of miles west of the pier is O'Neill Forebay, a reservoir with a wildlife area, beaches and campgrounds. The adjacent San Luis Reservoir is about twice the size of the forebay. Boating, board sailing, fishing and hiking are common pastimes at the San Luis Reservoir State Recreation Area.
Nearby communities hold well-attended annual festivals
Gustine has annual celebrations like the Our Lady of Miracles Festa, which is inspired by the area's large population of Portuguese Americans. The multiday cultural event attracts approximately 20,000 attendees each September. The Los Banos Tomato Festival in October, which also draws crowds.
Written By
Robin Silberman
