Sundale - Fremont, CA

Irvington District, the home of Sundale, started as a separate township from Fremont. Irvington residents chose the name “Irving” as the new name of their township. Residents voted to change the name in 1887 after train schedules listed the township of Irving as “Irvington." Irvington and the other districts joined Fremont in 1956, though the district residents still maintain their own identities within Fremont.

Locals can learn more about nature by taking their children to the Children’s Natural History Museum. History buffs prefer the Old Mission San Jose Museum, which displays the mission and shows off historical artifacts.

Art enthusiasts like to go to Color Me Mine for a nice day painting with friends and family, and Bay Frames helps locals frame their valuable art and photographs. Fremont maintains its love for the arts in the summer with the Fremont Festival of the Arts.

Sundale’s location off Fremont Boulevard gives locals a chance to get to many restaurants and cafes quickly. A few bars and eateries in Fremont Hub, as well as other shopping plazas located close to the neighborhood, allows Sundale residents to take a short drive or walk to highly-rated places. Getting to music shows and clubs may be more difficult, however, since those places tend to be more spread out around the city.

In Fremont, locals can find Asian cuisine easily due to the high population of Asian residents opening new places. One of these spots, Aniki’s Sushi, holds a strong reputation in town as one of the better sushi joints. The popular OMG Roll, along with other meals like Japanese nachos, keep sushi lovers coming back. Try the sashimi and nigiri to taste the fresh ingredients.

Some locals like to try fusion restaurants, and Le Moose Crepe Café sets itself apart as one of the more unique places. A Thai crêperie, Le Moose Crepe Café serves up green-curry crepes. Curry fits well in this restaurant's scheme, and locals enjoy the combination of the traditional French bread with Thai staples. Get the peanut-curry crepe if you need a Thai-peanut spin on a savory crepe dish, or order the dessert crepes for something sweet.

Others like to find a good breakfast place they can patronize for years to come. Country Way off Mowry Avenue upholds its status as a restaurant popular with the locals. Busy on the weekends, this restaurant serves a variety of breakfast favorites, such as strawberry pancakes and chicken-fried steak. Order a crispy side of bacon with an omelet and wheat toast for a hearty breakfast that keeps residents going all day.

Sundale’s local bar, Jack’s Brewing Company, serves up brews for beer fans interested in trying something new. Stop by Jack’s for bar bites like a quesadilla, and try the summer wheat beer with the food. For music, residents go to The Mojo Lounge or to The Florence Bar in Niles. Make sure to go to The Florence Bar on the weekends for some dancing. One of Fremont’s only dance clubs, The Saddle Rack features Western-type dancing.

Sundale locals generally drive to get anywhere more than a few miles away from the neighborhood. However, the condensed area proves to be easy to walk around for many residents who like to get to shopping without having to drive. Bicycling has become popular in Fremont as well, and Sundale locals in particular can take their bikes to any place in the neighborhood safely.

Sundale’s proximity to Fremont Boulevard puts its locals close to many bus lines that run through the area. BART has a few stations in Fremont as well, and many people choose to travel with BART to commute to the northern parts of the Bay Area. Drivers can get to the northern and southern ends of the Bay Area by hopping on nearby Interstate 880.

Fremont taxis roam the streets, so Sundale locals can call a cab if they need to get somewhere quickly. Lyft and Uber can also pick up prospective riders who want to pay a little less than the cost of a cab. Drivers find Sundale parking to be plentiful, but nearby malls such as NewPark Mall can become crowded over the weekends.

Just north of Sundale, residents can find Fremont Central Park, also known as Lake Elizabeth. One of Fremont’s oldest and largest parks, Lake Elizabeth houses the Aqua Adventure Waterpark, where kids can play for hours during the summer. Adults and exercise fans take advantage of the 1.5-mile exercise course, as well as the 2-mile walking path. Enter the park for free, and play sports on the athletic fields, or let kids run and play on the playgrounds.

Locals can even bring their dogs to the park to let them off-leash at the dog park. Dogs can socialize with their canine companions. Make sure to keep dogs on-leash outside of the dog park.

Fremomt Central Park puts on various events year-round for locals to attend. Come by the park for holiday celebrations, job fairs, summer concerts and kid-focused festivals, such as the Leprechaun Land in March.

Fremont’s costs continue to hike higher, as does much of the Bay Area. Life in Fremont carries a much higher cost of living than the national average. A one-bedroom apartment in Sundale costs an average of $1,640 in rent per month.

As the southernmost BART station in the Bay Area, Fremont’s BART station takes commuters to San Francisco for a higher cost than closer stations. A one-way ticket to central San Francisco costs $6.

The average price of a tank of gas in Sundale and Irvington costs 10 percent more than the national average. Travelers can go out for a glass of beer in Sundale and expect to pay about $4.

The nearest shopping plaza, Fremont Hub, lies within Sundale and features a few well-known and national retailers. Marshalls, Payless Shoe Source and RadioShack round out some of the mall staples at Fremont Hub. NewPark Mall, the closest large mall to Sundale, houses Macy’s, Sears and other clothing-focused retailers. High-end shoppers visit New York & Company, Lane Bryant and a few other niche shops for designer brands.

Shoppers looking for hole-in-the-wall gift shops enjoy Elaine’s Little Gems. This store specializes in women’s accessories, but residents can get gifts for men and children as well. Get something unique for a birthday or another special event at Elaine’s Little Gems.

Locals can go grocery shopping at Trader Joe’s and Safeway within the Sundale neighborhood. A few local shops and bazaars sell ethnic food as well, such as New India Bazar, which displays traditional Indian cuisine and vegetables. The Irvington Farmers Market, which serves all of Irvington District, gives locals the chance to buy produce ranging from pumpkin to sorrel leaves and more exotic foods.