Santa Clara University
- Local Atmosphere

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While situated in the vibrant and fast-paced Silicon Valley, Santa Clara remains a pretty lackluster town, consisting mostly of strip malls and small neighborhoods. Because Santa Clara is not considered a "college town," students usually have to venture outside of its limits to find fun things to do. While nearby Franklin Mall has three restaurants and two bars, its limited options motivate students to head to other towns like Palo Alto and Los Gatos for more variety. For shopping and dining outside of Santa Clara, few students choose to brave downtown's famously confusing layout, instead opting for Santana Row, the "Rodeo Drive of San Jose." While most of its stores tend to fall outside of the average student's price range, Santana Row has a wide variety of fun restaurants popular among SCU students, ranging from sushi to Indian food.

Because there's so little to do in Santa Clara and San Jose, many students find having a car imperative for escaping the "Santa Clara bubble" and exploring the more exciting activities the Bay Area has to offer. Hiking trails, beaches, and downtown Palo Alto and Los Gatos are only 20- to 35-minute drives away, and are popular destinations for students looking to blow off some steam on the weekends. While a car is necessary to access most outdoor activities, students can easily take the Caltrain to San Francisco and smaller cities in the Valley. The train stops across the street from campus and runs hourly, making it a popular way for students to explore the city's vibrant culture. Popular activities include Giants games, concerts, shopping, and dining out. A one-way ticket to San Francisco costs between $7 and $8, which is worth avoiding the price of gas and the stress of navigating city traffic.  

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Local Atmosphere at Santa Clara University

oho

'14

Marketing

3.8

B+

Things to Do

SCU is located pretty much in between Santa Clara and San Jose. The freeway entrance is close by so if you have a car you can drive almost anywhere. The ValleyFair mall is just a 10 min bus ride away. There are also good restaurants close to campus that are nice to eat at and are at a walkable distance. Also, on campus there are a lot of activities to take part in, and also sports teams to go to the games.

Dec 16, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at Santa Clara University

HannahM2015

'15

Environmental Studies

3.1

B-

Nice but Average

Unfortunately, SCU is kind of like an oasis because it's such a great campus, but there's not much around it within walking distance. Because freshman aren't allowed to have cars, this makes it hard to find something fun to do locally. That being said, the bus stop is right across the street, and it's so easy to get to Santana Row and Valley Fair. There are a few cute restaurants nearby, and the Rose Garden makes a nice walk or an easy run. The locals seem nice, there's just not a lot of interaction.

Dec 12, 2011

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Local Atmosphere at Santa Clara University

romaniac10

'14

Environmental Sciences

4.2

A-

Comfortable Atmosphere

Santa Clara is a relatively small town, but even still, it has a lot to offer. There is a mall close by, which is equipped with movies, great food, and a large area to hang out. You can also go to the city which only takes a small amount of time. Most activities take place on campus though, but there is nothing wrong with that because it is a great atmosphere.

Aug 22, 2011

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