Menlo Park is ideally situated on the center of the San Francisco
peninsula, benefitting from the bayside's near-perfect weather. In the
late 1800s, the area's temperate climate drew many of San Francisco's
elite to build lavish summer estates in town. During World War I, the
area played host to the Army's Camp Fremont, and when World War II came
to town, Menlo Park was home to Dibble Army Hospital. The city grew up
along El Camino Real, and its downtown retail district centers around
Santa Cruz Avenue. Today, Menlo Park is a suburban oasis of beautiful
homes with a thriving business community that incorporates a number of
leading high-tech companies.