Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto The tall tree town where Silicon Valley began
Your local guide to Stanford, the Baylands, University Avenue and the garages that changed the world. Find things to do, places to stay, great food and the stories behind it all.
Welcome
A small city with a very long reach
Palo Alto sits on the San Francisco Peninsula about 35 miles south of San Francisco and 15 miles north of San Jose. It covers just over 24 square miles of land between the salt marshes of the bay and the oak-studded foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Fewer than 70,000 people live here. On a weekday that number swells as engineers, students, doctors and founders pour in from all over the Bay Area.
The city takes its name from a single coast redwood. El Palo Alto, Spanish for "tall stick," still stands beside San Francisquito Creek at the northern edge of town. Members of the Portolá expedition camped near it in November 1769. The tree is more than a thousand years old. It appears on the city seal and on the seal of Stanford University.
Most visitors come because of Stanford or because of Silicon Valley. Both stories start here. Leland and Jane Stanford founded their university in memory of their only son. A temperance town grew up beside it to house professors and staff. Decades later two young Stanford graduates built an audio oscillator in a rented garage on Addison Avenue. That garage is now known as the Birthplace of Silicon Valley.
What surprises people is how green and walkable the place feels. Old oaks and sycamores shade the streets of Professorville and Crescent Park. University Avenue fills with diners on warm evenings. You can watch egrets in the Baylands in the morning and hike through golden grass to the Stanford Dish in the afternoon. Then you can finish with dinner on California Avenue. This guide exists to help you do all of it well.
Photos: Memorial Church by King of Hearts (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); University Avenue by Brian Sterling (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0).
Explore by interest
Everything Palo Alto, in one place
Whether you have a free afternoon between meetings or a whole week with the kids, start with the part of town that matches your mood. Each section is written by people who know these streets well.
Things to Do
Museums, hikes, kid favorites, classic movies and free campus tours.
ExploreTop Attractions
Hoover Tower, the Rodin garden, the HP Garage and more must-sees.
ExploreWhere to Stay
Boutique hotels downtown, Stanford stays and smart budget picks.
ExploreFood & Drink
Coffee rituals, farmers markets, date-night tables and late bites.
ExploreOutdoors & Parks
Bay marshes, oak foothills, the Dish loop and bike-friendly streets.
ExploreHistory
From Ohlone villages and Spanish explorers to the garage era.
ExploreArts & Culture
Theater, galleries, public art, festivals and the Stanford Theatre.
ExploreNeighborhoods
Professorville to Barron Park, explained by people who live here.
ExploreStartups
Famous addresses, accelerators, coworking and the founder scene.
ExploreVenture Capital
How Palo Alto and Sand Hill Road fund the future, firm by firm.
ExploreBusiness Directory
Local shops, services and restaurants organized by category.
ExplorePlan a Trip
Airports, Caltrain, cars, eSIMs and a smart first-day plan.
ExploreTop attractions
The places everyone should see once
Stanford's campus could fill a full day on its own. Mix it with downtown, a little tech history and a walk by the water for the classic Palo Alto day.
Stanford Main Quad
Sandstone arcades and red tile roofs at the heart of the Farm.
Hoover Tower
A 285-foot icon with an observation deck and big Peninsula views.
Rodin Sculpture Garden
One of the largest Rodin bronze collections outside Paris. Free.
Baylands Nature Preserve
Boardwalks over tidal marsh and top-tier bay birding.
The Stanford Dish
A paved foothill loop of roughly 3.5 miles with a radio telescope on top.
The HP Garage
Where Hewlett-Packard began in 1939. View it from the sidewalk.
University Avenue
Cafés, bookshops, restaurants and great people watching.
Stanford Memorial Church
Glittering mosaics and stained glass inside the campus centerpiece.
Photos: Stanford Main Quad by King of Hearts (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); Hoover Tower by King of Hearts (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); Rodin Sculpture Garden by GualdimG (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); Baylands Nature Preserve by King of Hearts (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); The Stanford Dish by King of Hearts (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0); The HP Garage by BrokenSphere (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0); University Avenue by Brian Sterling (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0); Stanford Memorial Church by King of Hearts (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0).
Itinerary
One perfect day in Palo Alto
Only have a day? This route covers the redwood, the garage, the campus and a sunset walk. You can do all of it on foot, by bike or with the free shuttle. Scroll to watch the sun move.
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Coffee on University Avenue
Start with a pour-over at Philz or a latte at Coupa Café. Walk the avenue before the shops open and detour onto Ramona Street to see its 1920s Spanish Revival storefronts.
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Meet El Palo Alto
The thousand-year-old redwood that named the city stands in a tiny park at Alma Street and Palo Alto Avenue. It is about a five-minute walk from the Caltrain station.
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Professorville and the HP Garage
Stroll south past shingled 1890s homes to 367 Addison Avenue. Read the landmark plaque and take your photo from the sidewalk, since the house is private.
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Stanford's Main Quad
Hop on the free Marguerite shuttle at the transit center or walk up Palm Drive. Step inside Memorial Church and look up at Hoover Tower. Its observation deck reopens in late January 2027 after renovation.
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Lunch next to campus
Stanford Shopping Center is an open-air mall with plenty of casual lunch spots under the trees. Town & Country Village across Embarcadero Road is a quieter option.
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Cantor Arts Center and the Rodin garden
Admission is free. Give yourself at least an hour for the bronzes and the galleries. The museum closes on some weekdays, so check the hours before you go.
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The Dish or the Baylands
Hikers can take the paved Dish loop through the foothills. Bird lovers can head east to the Baylands boardwalk for golden hour over the marsh.
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Dinner and a classic film
Book a table on California Avenue or University Avenue. If a series is running, finish with an old movie at the Stanford Theatre downtown.
Neighborhoods
Find your corner of Palo Alto
Palo Alto is a patchwork of distinct neighborhoods. Some are full of Victorian-era cottages and some are lined with midcentury glass and post-and-beam. Tap the map to meet them.
Food & drink
Eat like a local
Palo Alto eats well for a town its size. Its diners are well traveled and its farmers markets are stocked straight from the Central Valley and the coast.
Coffee culture
Coffee is serious business here. Coupa Café and Philz are local favorites where you can overhear a pitch meeting before 9 a.m.
Farmers markets
California Avenue hosts a market every Sunday and downtown has one on Saturdays. Both run all year.
Special occasions
Michelin-starred Protégé leads a strong fine dining scene. Evvia, Tamarine and Zola are longtime favorites for a big night out.
Global flavors
Ramen, dim sum, hummus, Burmese and Mexican spots cluster downtown and along El Camino Real. Students keep prices honest.
Where to stay
Pick the right base
Hotel prices follow Stanford's calendar. Expect high rates during graduation, move-in week, big football weekends and major tech conferences. Book early for those dates.
Downtown
Walk to dinner, coffee and Caltrain. Ideal for first-time visitors and anyone here for meetings on University Avenue.
Near Stanford
Stay close to campus, the medical center and Sand Hill Road. Great for parents, patients and visiting faculty.
El Camino Real
The best value in town. Older motor inns and newer midrange hotels line the main road with easy parking.
Homes & long stays
Relocating, interning or staying a month? A furnished rental can cost less than a hotel and feels more like home.
Startups & venture capital
The birthplace of Silicon Valley
No other small city has launched so many companies that changed daily life. Stanford engineering professor Frederick Terman pushed his students to build companies close to campus instead of moving east. Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard listened. Their garage on Addison Avenue led to Stanford Research Park and from there to generations of founders.
Today the startup scene runs on coffee meetings downtown, research labs off Page Mill Road and the venture firms of nearby Sand Hill Road. Our startup and VC guides map it all out for founders, job seekers and the simply curious.
- 1909Channing Avenue at Emerson StreetFederal Telegraph's lab, where Lee de Forest built early vacuum tube amplifiers from 1911 to 1913.
- 1939367 Addison AvenueThe HP Garage. California Historical Landmark No. 976, now private property owned by HP.
- 1970Xerox PARC, Coyote Hill RoadThe research lab behind much of the modern personal computer. It is now part of SRI.
- 1999165 University AvenueThe so-called lucky building. Early offices for Google, PayPal and others.
- 2004471 Emerson StreetFacebook's first Palo Alto office after the young company moved west.
When to visit
Palo Alto through the seasons
The weather here is famously kind. Palo Alto averages about 15 inches of rain a year and almost all of it falls between November and March. The rest of the year is mostly sunshine.
Palo Alto weather by month
- Average high
- Average low
- Rainfall
Swipe sideways to see every month.
See the monthly numbers
| Month | Avg high | Avg low | Rain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57.8°F | 39.0°F | 2.95 in |
| Feb | 60.7°F | 41.3°F | 3.18 in |
| Mar | 65.5°F | 43.6°F | 2.19 in |
| Apr | 69.6°F | 45.3°F | 0.97 in |
| May | 73.3°F | 49.5°F | 0.44 in |
| Jun | 78.5°F | 52.7°F | 0.10 in |
| Jul | 79.4°F | 55.7°F | 0.00 in |
| Aug | 78.7°F | 55.3°F | 0.03 in |
| Sep | 79.6°F | 53.0°F | 0.07 in |
| Oct | 74.0°F | 48.4°F | 0.64 in |
| Nov | 63.7°F | 42.5°F | 1.60 in |
| Dec | 57.6°F | 38.6°F | 2.95 in |
Spring in Palo Alto March to May
Spring is when the foothills look like Ireland. Rains from winter turn the Dish loop and Arastradero bright green and California poppies open along the trails. Days are mild and often in the high 60s.
- Hike the Dish or Arastradero while the hills are green
- Catch the May Fete Parade, a downtown tradition for more than a century
- Tour Stanford before summer crowds arrive
- Look for wildflowers in Foothills Nature Preserve
Summer in Palo Alto June to August
Summer is dry and warm, rarely brutal. Mornings can start cool and gray before the sun burns through. Evenings are made for eating outside.
- See a concert at Frost Amphitheater on campus
- Browse the Palo Alto Festival of the Arts in late summer
- Shop the Saturday farmers market downtown
- Rent a bike and ride the Bay Trail at sunset
Fall in Palo Alto September to November
Locals will tell you fall is the best season. September and October bring the warmest, clearest days of the year. By November the first rains settle the dust.
- Cheer at a Stanford football game
- Watch migrating shorebirds at the Baylands
- Sit outside on California Avenue on a warm October night
- See a classic film at the Stanford Theatre
Winter in Palo Alto December to February
Winters are mild and green with most of the year's rain. Frost is rare and sunny days between storms feel crisp and clean.
- Skate at the Winter Lodge, an outdoor ice rink on Middlefield Road
- Stroll Christmas Tree Lane on Fulton Street in December
- Visit the Cantor Arts Center on a rainy afternoon
- Spot ducks and raptors at the Baylands
Plan your trip
Getting here and getting around
Palo Alto is easy to reach from three international airports. Our guides cover every step, from the airport to your first coffee.
Flights
San Francisco (SFO) and San Jose (SJC) are both about half an hour away by car. Oakland is a backup option.
Airport rides
BART and Caltrain link SFO with Palo Alto. Taxis, shuttles and rideshare cover late arrivals.
Car rental
A car helps for the foothills and Half Moon Bay. Downtown and Stanford are easy without one.
Trains and buses
Caltrain links Palo Alto to San Francisco and San Jose. Free Marguerite shuttles serve Stanford.
Visiting from abroad
Phone data, money, tipping and what to bring for a first trip to the United States.
Day trips
San Francisco, the coast, wine country and the redwoods are all within easy reach.
Concerts and games
Stanford games and Frost Amphitheater shows sell out. Check dates early.
Health while traveling
Know where urgent care and emergency rooms are before you need them.
Car-free visits
Walk, bike and ride the train between downtown, California Avenue and campus.
Good questions
Palo Alto FAQ
Is Palo Alto worth visiting?
Yes, especially if you are interested in technology, universities, art or easy nature. In one day you can tour Stanford, see a world-class Rodin collection for free, stand outside the garage where Silicon Valley began and watch the sunset over the Baylands. It also makes a calm, central base for exploring the wider Bay Area.
How do I get to Palo Alto from SFO or San Jose airport?
From SFO, ride BART to Millbrae and transfer to a southbound Caltrain. The trip usually takes under an hour. From San Jose Mineta International, a taxi or rideshare takes about 25 minutes. SFO is about 23 miles away and SJC is about 17 miles away.
Can you visit Stanford University for free?
Yes. The campus is open to the public and the Cantor Arts Center and Anderson Collection charge no admission. Student-led walking tours are free too, though you should reserve ahead. The Hoover Tower observation deck charges a small fee and is closed for renovation until late January 2027.
What is Palo Alto famous for?
Palo Alto is known as the birthplace of Silicon Valley. Hewlett-Packard started in a garage on Addison Avenue in 1939 and companies such as Google, Facebook, PayPal and Tesla have deep roots here. It is also famous as the home of Stanford University and for El Palo Alto, the ancient redwood that gave the city its name.
Can you go inside the HP Garage?
No. The garage sits behind a house at 367 Addison Avenue on private property owned by HP and it is not open to the public. You can view it from the sidewalk and read the California Historical Landmark plaque out front. Please be respectful of the neighbors.
What is the best time of year to visit Palo Alto?
September and October offer the warmest, clearest weather. Spring is a close second when the hills turn green and wildflowers bloom. Summer is pleasant and dry. Winter is mild but brings most of the year's rain.
Do I need a car in Palo Alto?
Not necessarily. Downtown, California Avenue and Stanford are linked by Caltrain, bike lanes and the free Marguerite shuttle. A car is handy for the foothills, the coast and day trips.
Is Palo Alto the same as East Palo Alto?
No. East Palo Alto is a separate city in San Mateo County on the other side of Highway 101. Palo Alto is in Santa Clara County. The two share a border and a name but have their own governments and histories.