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Neighborhood Guide: The Alameda

Explore the district “where history meets art” that boasts a 200-year history within the great 408.

The outside of Hop & Vine on The Alameda.

Hop & Vine is a small wine bar that also serves beer + tapas.

Photo via @hopandvinesj

Table of Contents

Arguably one of the best hidden gems in town is The Alameda.

This historic district has a 200-year history, yet still remains a lively atmosphere with artistic corridors, street festivals, longtime establishments, and of course, the SAP Center. Discover why so many residents call this part of the great 408 “home.”

A vintage photo of a horse-drawn carriage riding through a tree-lined street.

This horse-drawn carriage is seen riding through West Santa Clara Street.

Photo via History San José

Its early days...

The Alameda, located west of downtown San Jose, was once the road of all roads.

Its name derives from the Spanish translation for “tree-lined street,” which is what it served as for pueblo residents traveling to Mission Santa Clara in the late 1700s.

It then became the street for the West Coast’s first horsecar railroad — which made its inaugural 45-minute journey via The Alameda to Santa Clara in 1868.

As years passed and carriages turned to trolleys, and trolleys to buses, The Alameda welcomed more + more residents who populated the area with Victorian mansions, large gardens, and bustling businesses — some of which, still remain there today.

The outside wall of Crema Coffee.

Crema Coffee sits along Race Street.

Photo by Jessica Te

Eat + drink

In this district, you’ll find many small, family-owned establishments — like Greenlee’s Bakery — with offerings unlike anywhere else in town.

The inside of Art Boutiki during a Drink & Draw event.

Step into the creative corner that is Art Boutiki.

Photo via @artboutiki

Explore

This is the place to flex your creative muscles. In fact, The Alameda is known as the neighborhood “where history meets art.”

Live in The Alameda

Does this sound like the place you’d thrive in? If you’re sold, here are some housing options available in the area:

Which neighborhood should we explore next time? Let us know.

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