As much as I enjoy being at Stanford, sometimes it’s nice to get out of the Stanford bubble. Before college, I often visited my relatives in the Bay Area, so it’s nice to learn even more about the area during my college years.

Since I have a car on campus, I’ve made many trips on the local freeways. My favorite is I-280, which leads to San Francisco in the north and Mountain View and San Jose in the south. Here are some of the things I love about the 280 freeway.

Gorgeous scenery

If you ride along 280, especially 280 North, you’ll see green hills and beautiful skies. A couple times, I’ve been tempted to drive on 280 not to go anywhere, but just to see the sights. It’s a breath of fresh air (both literally and figuratively) when you’re on a long commute.  

Less traffic

For the most part, 280 seems to have less traffic overall than the 101. 280 South gets crowded during rush hour, but 280 North is almost always light. I can drive without stopping for a good portion of my trek from Palo Alto to San Francisco.

The places where it takes me

I’ll take 280 North to visit my cousins in SF, or 280 South to try a restaurant in Sunnyvale. Last winter quarter, my friend and I went to an avocado-themed food truck festival in SF, even though it was finals week. I don’t usually go on excursions during the end of the quarter, but my finals were manageable and we wanted to treat ourselves.

280 takes me to new opportunities, whether it’s a job interview or a night out with friends. It also reminds me of the things I’m grateful for, like family, friends and nature. Even if I don’t have time to get off campus, I know that I-280 is always there for me, leading me to my latest adventure.

Contact Kristen Lee at klee23 ‘at’ stanford.edu.