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Santa Clara sits between Palo Alto and San Jose, close enough that many people pass through it daily without noticing. Look closer and it has three very different reasons to visit. Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, hosts NFL games, big concerts and recently a Super Bowl and World Cup matches. Mission Santa Clara de Asís, founded in 1777, stands at the center of Santa Clara University, the oldest university in California. And California's Great America, the region's big theme park, has a confirmed 2027 season but no promises beyond it.
From Palo Alto this is a short trip, more of a half day than a full day unless you are going to a game or the park. This guide covers how to get there by car and by train, then each sight in turn, with notes on what to check before you go.
Getting there from Palo Alto
By car
Levi's Stadium and Great America sit together in north Santa Clara, about 12 miles from Palo Alto down US 101. Take the Great America Parkway exit. In normal traffic the drive takes 20 to 30 minutes. Santa Clara University and the mission are farther south near downtown Santa Clara, about 15 miles away, reached by Central Expressway, El Camino Real or US 101. On event days, traffic around the stadium is very heavy and parking is sold in advance through the stadium, so take transit if you can.
By Caltrain and light rail
Transit works well for both halves of a Santa Clara trip:
- For the university and the mission: ride Caltrain from Palo Alto or California Avenue south to Santa Clara station. The station sits right across from the campus and the mission is a short walk.
- For Levi's Stadium and Great America: ride Caltrain to Mountain View, then take the VTA light rail Orange Line east along Tasman Drive. The Great America station is in the median of Tasman Drive on the north side of the stadium, according to Levi's Stadium.
Caltrain and VTA often add service for big events. Check the Caltrain website and VTA before a game or concert. Our Caltrain guide covers fares and stations and our Mountain View station guide covers the transfer to light rail.
Levi's Stadium
Levi's Stadium opened in July 2014 at 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way. It seats about 68,500 for football and can expand to about 75,000 for big events. The 49ers moved here from Candlestick Park in San Francisco, which is why a team named for San Francisco now plays 40 miles south of the city. The stadium has a large solar array and a green roof on its suite tower.
Big events in recent years:
- Super Bowl 50 on February 7, 2016.
- Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.
- The 2026 FIFA World Cup, when the stadium hosted six matches in June and July under the temporary name San Francisco Bay Area Stadium.
Concerts and college football also fill the calendar. Buy tickets through the official links on the Levi's Stadium website, since different events sell through different platforms.
The 49ers Museum
The 49ers Museum inside the stadium covers the team's history, its five Super Bowl titles and Bay Area football. It now opens on a limited schedule. According to the stadium's museum page, it opens from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the two days before regular season home games and from three hours before kickoff on game days, when you need both a game ticket and a museum ticket. The page listed upcoming open days for the 2026 season, including November 6 and 7, November 27 and 28 and December 11 and 12. Check the same site to see whether stadium tours are running when you plan to visit.
Mission Santa Clara de Asís
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded on January 12, 1777, the eighth of the 21 Spanish missions in California. Floods and earthquakes forced it to move and rebuild several times and the settlement was rebuilt six times in all. After a fire destroyed the old church in 1926, it was rebuilt as a larger concrete version of the 1825 design and rededicated in the late 1920s. That is the church you see today.
The mission is unusual among California missions because it sits inside a university. When the Jesuits took over in 1851, they opened a college here that grew into Santa Clara University. Things to look for:
- The painted church facade, a re-creation of the original, with statues of saints and a bell tower.
- A replacement mission bell donated by King Alfonso XIII of Spain, now displayed in the de Saisset Museum next door.
- The mission gardens, with roses and remnants of old adobe walls from the mission era.
- The large wooden cross in front of the church, which marks the mission's long history on this site.
The church is an active Catholic parish and university chapel, so check service times and step out quietly during Mass. If you enjoy early California history, our pages on the Spanish and Mexican era and the Ohlone tell the story from the Palo Alto side.
Santa Clara University
Santa Clara University was founded in 1851, making it the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. It is a Jesuit university of about 9,000 students, smaller and more compact than Stanford, with Spanish style buildings, palm-lined walks and gardens around the mission. A walk across campus takes about 30 minutes.
The de Saisset Museum, next to the mission church, is the university's art and history museum. It holds a permanent collection on the mission's history, including artifacts from the mission era, alongside changing art exhibitions. Check the university's site for opening days. Families comparing schools can pair this visit with our guide to visiting Stanford as a prospective student.
California's Great America
California's Great America opened in 1976 next to what is now Levi's Stadium. It is the biggest theme park in Northern California, with roller coasters and a water park. It runs on a seasonal schedule and is closed on many weekdays outside summer.
The park's future is uncertain. Cedar Fair sold the land in 2022 and leased it back. After Cedar Fair merged into Six Flags, the company said in 2025 that 2027 is the park's last season without a lease extension. No closing decision has been announced and the 2027 season is confirmed. Local reporting in November 2025 noted that the lease runs to June 2028. If you have always meant to go, 2027 may be the last full season. Our Great America guide tracks what is confirmed. The park's own site has operating days and current tickets.
Where to eat
El Camino Real through Santa Clara is one of the best food streets in the South Bay. It is known for Korean restaurants, barbecue houses and bakeries, along with Vietnamese, Indian and Chinese spots in strip malls. Around the stadium, food is mostly chains and hotel restaurants. Near the university, small cafes and casual places cater to students. Back in Palo Alto, our guide to Korean food covers options closer to home.
Combining Santa Clara with other trips
- With San Jose: downtown San Jose is one Caltrain stop past Santa Clara. Our San Jose guide covers museums and Japantown.
- With Mountain View: the Computer History Museum and Castro Street are on the way home.
- With a tour: visitors without a car can join Silicon Valley tours that stop at tech campuses and Stanford.
- With a game: spend the afternoon at the mission, then ride light rail to the stadium.
For a stay near the stadium or for an early event, you can compare hotels in Santa Clara. Many are within walking distance of Levi's Stadium.
Good to know
- On game days and big concert days, avoid the Tasman Drive and Great America Parkway area unless you are going to the event.
- Levi's Stadium has a clear bag policy. Check the stadium site before you pack.
- Santa Clara is often warmer than Palo Alto in summer. Bring water and sun protection for an afternoon game.
Frequently asked questions
How do you get from Palo Alto to Levi's Stadium?
By car it is about 12 miles down US 101 and takes 20 to 30 minutes, much longer on game days. By transit, take Caltrain to Mountain View and transfer to the VTA light rail Orange Line to the Great America station on Tasman Drive, which Levi's Stadium places on the north side of the stadium. Check VTA and Caltrain for extra event service.
Can you tour Levi's Stadium?
The stadium's 49ers Museum opens on a limited schedule, mostly the two days before regular season home games and on game days, when you need both a game ticket and a museum ticket. Check levisstadium.com for current museum days and whether stadium tours are running.
Can you visit Mission Santa Clara de Asís?
Yes. The mission church stands in the middle of the Santa Clara University campus and is an active Catholic church that welcomes visitors outside of services. The gardens and old adobe walls around it are open to walk. Be respectful during Mass, weddings and funerals.
Is California's Great America closing?
Six Flags said in 2025 that 2027 is the park's last season without a lease extension. No closing decision has been announced and the 2027 season is confirmed. The land was sold in 2022 and the lease runs to June 2028, so check the park's site for the current season calendar.
Did Levi's Stadium host the World Cup?
Yes. During the 2026 FIFA World Cup it hosted six matches under the temporary name San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. It also hosted Super Bowl 50 in 2016 and Super Bowl LX on February 8, 2026.