Ask A Local About Monte Sereno
How long have you lived in the Monte Sereno? 22 years.
What do you like best about it? I love that you’re surrounded by rolling hills, sprawling homes, friendly neighbors, and quiet, winding streets. It’s paradise.
What do you like least? The blowers! Everyone’s gardner is out there constantly blowing for hours and it feels like it’s always one going after the other. But it’s a small price to pay to live in such a beautiful location.
How has it changed since you’ve been living there? Many of the open plots of land have been developed, homes have been expanded and renovated.
What's the neighborhood housing stock like? As you can imagine, paradise does not come cheaply. I live in one of the Bay Area’s priciest residential neighborhoods so there aren’t many home on the market.
Better for buyers or renters? It’s definitely better for buyers. There’s not much for rent in this city.
What’s the public transportation situation like? Being such a small city, Monte Sereno doesn’t have a public transit system. So having a car is a must.
Tell us something we don’t know about your neighborhood: Historically, Monte Sereno didn’t form at a crossroads, so the city is strictly residential. It has an incredibly tiny population compared to the other cities within the boundary of Santa Clara County. Schools, police, parks, and the library are all shared with the town of Los Gatos.
Any hidden gems? Hiking in El Sereno Open Space Preserve. It’s quite underrated actually. It’s very easy to get to, not many people talk about it, and there’s limited parking. But I have to say, it has the best panoramic views of the Santa Cruz Mountains that I’ve ever seen! And an added bonus is that it’s great for horseback riding and mountain biking.
Nearest grocery store? The Safeway in Los Gatos is about an eight minute drive from my house. It’s a nice store with very friendly staff. And while the parking in front of the store is quite limited, I do appreciate the underground parking lot with its’ own entrance.
Good for kids? Yes. The public school system is fantastic, there are lots of nearby parks and outdoor activities, and the city itself is incredibly safe.
Notable Residents: Neal Cassady raised his children out on Bancroft Avenue in the 50’s.
Best place to get a coffee? The home of the Naked Latte of course! Blvd is a cozy little coffee shop, nestled back in the FedEx Kinko’s parking lot in Los Gatos. Locally owned and very welcoming, this place has a wide variety of food and beverages. I’d suggest any of their crepes, especially those filled with Nutella!
Best park? Bachman park is located a few blocks off of downtown Los Gatos. It has a small playground, basketball court, and tables of picnics. I love coming to this park because I can take my dog and the kids, and since it’s small enough I can play fetch while being able to keep my eye on the little ones.
What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend? There’s no better cure for a long work week than hitting up Jack Rose. They’ve got an amazingly delicious house gin and tonic on tap and a fun tap room in the room behind the cocktail bar. Not only that, but they have outdoor seating in the middle of their establishment. So during the summer months, long wooden tables are set in front of a large stage, where live music, corn hole, and ping pong are common sights. The parking lot also opens up to a yearly beer tasting event in which local vendors from all over California participate. And on top of all that, the food is delicious.
How would you describe Monte Sereno to an outsider? It’s a quiet oasis of sprawling homes and families of all ages.