San Jose Travel Answers

The commute can be brutal during rush hour, and you might want to know that Hwy 17 is also known by some of the locals as 'Blood Alley' because of all the accidents. Living at or near the beach is great, but do you really want to spend so much time driving? I'm guessing that during rush hour it'll take close to 1.5 hours to drive between SV and SC, then add to that the extra distance to your house.

Los Gatos is quite a nice area

I agree. Have a look around Los Gatos and Saratoga, especially in the hills.

Since you're moving your family, the most important factor (along with length of commute) to consider is school districts. There are some great school districts in Californai, but there are also some bad ones. The Aptos/Santa Cruz/Soquel area is a mixed bag. You can do better. Check out this website for performance scores of all the school districts in the state. I know test scores aren't everything, but there is a direct correlation between the API scores and satisfaction with the schools: http://api.cde.ca.gov/reports.asp Living at the ocean on a sunny day really is a treat. However, life at a beach town in California 24/7, 12 months a year, especially in the Bay Area, isn't as fabulous as one would think. We get a lot of fog on the coast - especially in summer. In the winter, there's a lot of rain. I would hate living on the coast for that reason, and I am so glad I live 45 minutes from the coast. So unless you wife loves fog and rain, you'll want to look inland a bit. I agree with the previous posters. You should look at Los Gatos or Saratoga. Great towns. Fun place. Outstanding school district. Karen

I agree with the previous replies - I wouldn't commit to that commute without fully exploring all of the (closer) options. For your consideration I'd also add these areas: Willow Glen, Rose Garden, and Almaden in SJ; and Campbell and Cupertino to the West of SJ. These are, in general, slightly more affordable than Los Gatos or Saratoga, if that is a concern. If you do become set on the coast then you might also consider Half Moon Bay. I think the commute from HMB to Sunnyvale might be better (i.e. easier, more sane roads and even shorter distance/time) than from the Santa Cruz area. Welcome back to the Bay Area.

Hi: Jeremy works in Sunnyvale and we live in SC. He doesn't mind the drive and sometimes takes the 17 Express (bus service) and then light rail into work. The 17 stops in Scotts Valley too before going straight to San Jose, I think. Do you have a flexible work schedule? Jeremy usually leaves after 9am and then it takes 50 minutes (and he doesn't drive fast b/c 17 is not only traffic- but also highway patrol-laden). If you leave anywhere this side (Santa Cruz) of the hill after 9am, and leave Sunnyvale about 6:30pm, you're fine with traffic (except the few accidents when it is really rainy in winter). Personally, I don't like the Sunnyvale area, and think it would be disappointing to live there, but it depends on what options you have. If your wife needs you home, then I think for the five days a week you need to be at work, you should live somewhere close. If an extra hour commute each way isn't a problem, then I would look over the hill. Or even nestled up to the hill: Los Gatos and Saratoga are beau-ti-ful. I like SC and everthing, but on the weekends here, there is a lot of traffic from everyone coming over the hill to the beach. good luck with your move-

Hi, I agree with the popular vote, I have driven 17 many times and I have always found it very stressful....its a nightmare. Los Gatos and Saratoga are really nice quiet neighborhoods, maybe a little expensive to buy property, but veru nice all the same. I agree with the others who have suggested Almaden, Cupertino and Sunnyvale, but these are also pretty expensive places to live given the fact that Apple has its headquarters right there. There are some wonderful areas in and around Silicon Valley and although SC is nice, I certainly wouldnt want to commute it every day. Steve

Too bad the original poster never logged onto VT after he asked the question to get all this helpful information. (Sigh) Oh well.... Hey, I enjoyed reading all the responses!VT is a wealth of information. I know I'd never move any place new without getting the lay of the land from my fellow VTers! Karen