Thousand Oaks

Thousand Oaks is a great neighborhood for middle class professionals who want a safe, convenient neighborhood without the flashiness of some of the more expensive parts of the city.
Two-thirds of the households in this area make between $30,000 and $149,000 annually. In terms of age, there’s a pretty even spread among residents, with the number of middle aged residents edging out the other categories by a hair.

Thousand Oaks is a great place to live if you’re not big on cooking. The neighborhood is located conveniently close to a number of fast food and full service restaurants. If you don’t want to stray too far from home, you’ve got Sonic, Dairy Queen, China Garden, Nick’s Authentic Chicago Style Hot Dogs, and Antony’s Pool Side Pizza all nearly at your doorstep.

If you’re willing to travel a little farther for your dinner, you’ll find a number of full service restaurants, including Chuy’s (good Mexican food with a great atmosphere), Pei Wei Asian Diner, Saltgrass Steak House, and Red Lobster. These are all clustered in the North Park Mall area at the intersection of 1604 and 281.

For nightlife, there are a few nearby venues that offer entertainment beyond the dinner hour. Jack’s Bar and Restaurant, located south of the neighborhood on Thousand Oaks Drive, books local bands and offers a ‘local bar’ atmosphere. In the North Park Mall area, Sherlock’s Baker St Pub and Grill offers a full service restaurant and bar, bands, music, and dancing. For a big night out, Downtown San Antonio is easily accessed by taking 281 South to 37.

Thousand Oaks offers a number of very nice rental properties with rents that won’t break the bank. Rents for a one bedroom apartment in this area run from $549 to $749. Two bedroom apartments carry a monthly cost of $675 to $865, and a three bedroom apartment will run you about $1000.

The quality of neighborhood that you get for the price makes Thousand Oaks an excellent pick for a renter. The complexes in this area are neither very old nor very new, but they all seem to be well kept up, with decent amenities and good curb appeal.

The VIA transit system services this area with two bus routes- #648 and #502. The 648 runs along Henderson Pass, and travels up to the North Park Mall area and into Stone Oak, as well as south towards 281 and the San Antonio International Airport. Route #502 runs along Thousand Oaks Drive to the Randolph Park and Ride center on 35, and also runs the length of 281 towards the airport.

As this neighborhood isn’t in a downtown or congested area, parking shouldn’t ever be an issue.

If your schedule allows, try to move to this neighborhood during the slow season (October-April). Rental activity is stunted during this time, and you’ll be able to get some great move in specials as a result.

Make sure to do your homework and take advantage of the variety available to you, as there is a good selection of complexes and many unique floorplans to choose from. Also, look for private town homes rentals in this area using Craigslist, realtors, and the classifieds.

MacAllister Park, the largest park in San Antonio, is located only a short drive from the Thousand Oaks neighborhood. MacAllister Park has over 25 miles of walking and jogging trails, some of which are paved. Leashed pets are welcome, and the park boasts several picnic areas as well. This is a great place to bring your large dog to run out all their energy!

Two much smaller parks, Oakhaven Park and Blossom Park, are also located within a short drive of the neighborhood.

Thousand Oaks is close to a large shopping complex, North Park Mall, which is located at the intersection of Loop 1604 and 281. The Santikos Embassy 14 Theater is located close by, and there is a billiards and pool hall called Cigar located right in the neighborhood. Triton Sports Center is located in the heart of Thousand Oaks, and offers a venue to play racquetball and swim.

Directly south of Thousand Oaks is McAllister Park, which is the largest park in San Antonio. McAllister Park offers plenty in the way of recreation on its 25 miles of trails. This park is a favorite place for San Antonian biking, hiking, and running enthusiasts.

Thousand Oak residents are only minutes away from such popular San Antonio attractions as Sea World, Fiesta Texas, and the tourist attractions of Downtown.

If you’re interested in owning a new construction home, this neighborhood isn’t a great bet for you. For newer homes, check out the Reserves at Thousand Oaks, which is a small area with more recently built homes. As long as you don’t mind a little older home, however, there isn’t one area of Thousand Oaks which is ‘less desirable’ than the rest.

For renters, paying a little more monthly will buy you a prettier exterior or more amenities, but the neighborhood is essentially the same for all the complexes in the area. Most of the apartment communities in Thousand Oaks are located along the same stretch of Henderson Pass.

The closest grocery store is the HEB located on Thousand Oaks Drive, just a short distance to the south and west of this neighborhood. You can also get your groceries at the Wal-Mart Super Center located a short drive away at the intersection of 1604 and 281.

Most of the nearby banks are located south of Thousand Oaks neighborhood, clustered near the intersection of Jones Maltsberger and Thousand Oaks Drive. These include Bank of America, Chase Bank, Citi Financial, and Guaranty Bank. Branches of Security Service Federal Credit Union and Wachovia ban are also located within easy driving distance.

A Curves gym is located right in the neighborhood, and Anytime Fitness is located off Thousand Oaks Drive further south. If you are willing to travel a little farther, there is a Bally Total Fitness and a Spectrum Health Club off of 281 to the West.

The Thousand Oaks neighborhood is located within the North East Independent School District (NEISD). Kids in this neighborhood attend Thousand Oaks Elementary School, Bradley Middle School, and MacArthur High School. Thousand Oaks Elementary is located right in the neighborhood, off Henderson Pass, and has a reputation for academic excellence and high test scores. There is also a small alternative school called Radiance Academy located in the neighborhood, which has an enrollment of less than 150 students. There are no institutes of higher learning associated with this neighborhood.