The City of Good Living
San Carlos aims for a “small town” feel as the City of Good Living. Located on the Peninsula, about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose, San Carlos neighborhoods stretch between Belmont to the north and Redwood City to the south. It is a smallish, affluent residential suburb with a downtown area composed mostly of small shops and restaurants. San Carlos has a population of almost 30,000.
The median sold home price in mid-2023 is $2 million. The median listing price per square foot is $1,200.
Beautiful Parks, Hip Downtown
Real estate competition is fierce in this town, as it remains a highly desired place to live. With beautiful parks, neighborhoods and a hip downtown, many homebuyers flock to San Carlos. It features charming downtown bungalows in the White Oaks area, estates that line upper Eaton Avenue and the beautiful Devonshire Canyon hill-top homes. The town is continuing to grow and develop as more residents remodel their properties.
Every May, the town hosts the “Hometown Days” carnival in Burton Park, the city’s largest park. October 7 and 8th, the Chamber of Commerce will host the San Carlos “Art & Wine Faire”. In addition, every Sunday morning Laurel Street is home to a weekly farmer’s market.
San Carlos Museums
Located downtown, the Museum of San Carlos History is dedicated to the display of the history of the town from early Native American history to the space age. The Hiller Aviation Museum specializes in helicopter and aviation history. It offers interactive exhibits and more than 40 aircraft including a replica of the first aircraft to fly, a spy drone with a 200-foot wingspan, and the nose section of a Boeing 747.
Public Schools
It is the first city in California to open a charter school (San Carlos Charter Learning Center). San Carlos schools rank consistently well in statewide lists. White Oaks Elementary was recently named #5 on the U.S. News Rankings List for Best Elementary Schools in California. You can verify which high school you are assigned to by clicking here.
San Carlos K8 School District
Sequoia Union High School District
Restaurant Recommendations
Hungry? We recommend you check these local restaurants out:
San Carlos Coffee Shops
Mints and Honey
Jaime loves Mints and Honey. LOVES! And who can blame her? Not only is it the prettiest coffee shop in San Carlos, but the drinks and the food are so good. Even better, you can order ahead. They feature a location in Burlingame and they cater too.
Plantation Coffee Roastery
To steal a line or two from a Daily Journal story on the Cheongs a couple of years ago: “There are no trendy seasonal drinks or secret menus filled with colorful, syrupy concoctions. The outside of the shop is fairly nondescript, so much so that it’s easy to miss if you don’t know what to look for.” Doesn’t matter – the coffee is good. Really good. Plantation Coffee Roastery has been a fixture in San Carlos for 42 years!
Christmas Lane in San Carlos on Eucalyptus Ave.
Every house goes crazy with lights, inflatables, and Christmas lights on the 1900 block of Eucalyptus Ave. in San Carlos every evening from Dec. 5th-Dec. 25th. This is the spot to see Christmas lights in the Bay Area! This area of San Carlos is serious about the holidays. A few examples:
- During the month of December, traffic flows one way.
- If you buy a home in this area, you will most likely sign a disclosure stating you will decorate.
- Be on the lookout for Santa Claus at times
- And even some “snowfalls” on some evenings!
Halloween Happenings in San Carlos
San Carlos is the place to be for Halloween on the Peninsula. Check out all the cool things to do this October and more by clicking here.
Haunted Hanger
Hosted by the Hiller Aviation Museum – come in costume and see the Gallery decked out in its spooky Halloween decorations and the “Great Pumpkin” Scavenger Hunt.
Join the excitement with special activities just for kids on the weekends during the Kids’ Carnival and Haunted Hangar Festival & Pumpkin Drop.
Aircraft checkouts, cockpit exploration, glider, and helicopter construction, and more are just some of the activities that will be available. Click here for more information. And click here to buy tickets.
- Check back for 2023 in September of 2023.
Goblin Walk: downtown San Carlos
It’s the spookiest time of the year, when the tiniest ghouls and ghosts haunt Downtown San Carlos in search of CANDY!
Don’t miss the GOBLIN WALK on Laurel Street in Downtown San Carlos — check back for dates in September.
Children 7 years and under, accompanied by an adult, are invited to Trick-or-Treat down Laurel Street in their costume and visit the businesses displaying the Goblin Walk sign.
The first 1,000 Trick-or-Treaters can pick up a Goblin Walk Trick-or-Treat bag at Harrington Park or from any Goblin Walk volunteer.
Contact An Expert at J+J Team Homes
To gain more insight on homes and neighborhoods, contact an expert with J+J Team Homes.
