| Weather | | How much crime? | | What are the neighborhoods like? | | What are the people like? |
| Hollister boasts year round mild temperatures. It is situated in a valley so it is protected from extreme weather. Summers days are hot but the cool marine air blows over the mountain every night to cool things off...everyday. Winters do bring a few weeks when temperatures dip to freezing during several night but that is tempered by the sunny, sunny days. The majority of the days are sunny and clear. Even in the rainy season the clouds gather only long enough to drench the thirsty ground then give way to the sun for the rest of the day. Nothing more than a spring coat or heavy sweater is required during the winter. | | Crime isn't a major problem here. There is gang activity in Salinas thirty miles from here but it rarely spills over into Hollister. There are the typical teenage antics that result in vandalism but the police are vigilant and tough on crime or gang activity. There is a very active neighborhood watch with an online presence. Burglary seems to be the main crime I have read about. I have lived here for six years and have not been a victim of any crime. The state and local police set up regular drunk driving screening roadblocks. | | The areas east of Airline Highway from the hospital to past Fairview are by far the most extravagant with large and very expensive new homes there. McMansions abound. A new subdivision recently opened west of Target and Nob Hill that has homes starting at half a million. It is not gated and the huge houses are packed very close together but they are really nice homes. Most of the homes in the actual town proper are working class but there are many actual Victorian mansions peppered throughout the city. South Street is the main crime area. | | Hollister is mostly Hispanic. Businesses cater to Hispanics and other groups will not feel comfortable or welcome to live here but visitors are treated well. There are many people who have moved here as a bedroom community to the far more expensive areas of Gilroy, Morgan Hill and even Silicon Valley, hence the McMansions but they seem to do their "cultural" stuff where they work. There is not much to do here other than attend high school sporting events or bars. There is a Freedom Rally every Independence Day that draws a hundred thousand bikers. Bikers are welcomed and there is a local club. Pretty much if you didn't grow up here you will be welcome or fit in well here. |
| Downtown Area | | Restaurants | | Schools | | Single life |
| The downtown area just refuses to be revived. There are a lot of nice old buildings. Small shops come and go. The downtown area is well kept and hosts an outdoor market that is more like a small fair ever Wednesday from May to September. | | For special occasions, people go to restaurants in San Jose or San Francisco. There are no longer any special occasion restaurants here. There are many tacquerias and Mexican restaurants. There is a Burger King, two McDonald's, a Starbucks, and several small local cafes. There are several sports bars. In San Juan Bautista, a fifteen minute drive from here, there are three very lovely, very expensive restaurants. The nicest being Jardin's which offers year round outdoor Mexican dining in a lovely garden. | | The elementary schools are safe and friendly. There is one high school. The scores have been steadily improving and the voters are inclined to vote for reasonable bond issues. The schools are old but are kept up. | | There are very, very few opportunities for singles. There are no gatherings or clubs and none of the churches offer singles groups. |
| Noise | | town comparison vs. | | Best hospital | | Tourist attractions |
| There is a small airport so there is some infrequent overhead air noise as small planes buzz about but nothing very irritating. There is a lot of loud Mexican music in almost every neighborhood almost every weekend. It usually starts blasting around noon but usually ends around eleven at night. | | Hollister is near Gilroy, which touts itself as the garlic and outlet capital of the world and Salinas. Both are right on Hwy 101 on the way to San Jose and San Francisco. You can go to either cities for the nearest Walmart, Costco, Michael's, Petsmart or Johhny Carino's or Outback. Gilroy has a huge outlet mall that brings lots of tourists. Hollister is far more boring than the other cities but also has far less crime. Schools in Gilroy have higher scores than Hollister. Young people do not tend to stay in any of these towns if they can help it. If you are looking for a quiet Hispanic farm town, Hollister is a better choice to loive in but if you want shopping and more action Gilroy is the better choice. | | Hazel Hawkins Hospital is a well equipped, full service hospital, with an emergency room, clinic, and nursing home. Complicated or challenging cases are transferred San Jose or San Francisco. | | The Pinnacles offer world class climbing and adventures in hiking. San Juan Bautista is about 15 minutes away offering a tour of the oldest continuously operating mission in California, along with a state park museum and dozens of tiny shops. Gilroy Premium Outlets offers world class shopping at a discount. The Pacific ocean is a 45 minute drive and the Santa Cruz Boardwalk is worth the trip for some family fun. |
| General comments | | | | | | |
| It's a rather small town on the way to nowhere so it although it's boring it is relatively safe. It is very much a "closed society". Businesses come and go with regularity and there are a lot of empty storefronts. Hollister feels like it is just waiting for something to happen on one hand and terrified that things will change on the other. It's relatively quiet town supported by agriculture but weekends are filled with loud and often live Mexican music in all areas of the city except east of the hospital. | | | | | | |
