Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford

About the hospital

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford is the children's and maternity hospital of Stanford Medicine Children's Health. It sits at 725 Welch Road, on the Stanford medical campus. The hospital opened in 1991 and doubled in size in December 2017 with a new building. It has 361 beds and is devoted entirely to pediatrics and obstetrics.

The hospital highlights six centers of excellence: brain and behavior, cancer, heart, pregnancy and newborn, pulmonary and transplant. The Johnson Center for Pregnancy and Newborn Services handles labor, delivery and maternity care. In a September 22, 2026 release, the hospital announced that the American College of Surgeons had reverified it as a Level I pediatric trauma center, valid through May 14, 2029.

This page focuses on visitor information. In an emergency, call 911. For questions about a patient's care, contact the care team directly.

Arriving and checking in

The hospital has two connected buildings, Main and West. Since February 1, 2026, the West building lobby has been closed for about two years of construction. All patients and visitors now enter through the Main building lobby, where Welcome Desk staff help with directions. The hospital asks visitors to allow an extra 5 to 10 minutes.

• Admissions, visits to a child and maternity check-in all start at the Main building lobby.
• Children having x-rays, ultrasound or fluoroscopy check in at the Main lobby, then go to Radiology in the West building, first floor, Suite 184.
• Prescription Pick-Up is on the second floor of the West building.
• Every visitor must check in to get an identification badge.

Inside the Main building, signs follow a nature theme, with each floor dedicated to a region of the California ecosystem. Maps are available at the Welcome Desk. The hospital's mobile app also has an interactive map.

Parking

The hospital recommends the Main building garage, closest to the entrance. It has reserved spaces for laboring mothers and for guests with limited mobility. If the Main garage is full, park in the West garage. A shuttle runs 24 hours a day, 7 days a week from the West garage to the Main building.

Posted visitor rates start with a free first hour. After that, parking costs $2 for one to two hours, $3 for two to three hours and up to $12 for 8 to 24 hours, which is also the lost-ticket charge. The Welcome Desk validates tickets for patients, parents and legal guardians. Admitted patients receive one validated pass, good for seven days with in-and-out privileges. Parking Services is at 650-736-8000.

Visiting rules

General visiting hours run from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Quiet hours run from 9 p.m. to 8 a.m. Rules can vary by unit and by a patient's medical needs. Families may swap visitors as long as no more than two caregivers or visitors are at the bedside at once. Newborns and breastfeeding children do not count toward the limit. Caregivers and visitors must not have respiratory symptoms. Children who are sick or were recently exposed to measles or chickenpox should not visit.

From November 1 through March 31, respiratory season policies apply. Masks are strongly recommended for staff, patients and visitors. Report anything suspicious to Security at 650-723-7222.

Food, gifts and family spaces

The Harvest Cafe is on the first floor of the Main building next to the Dunlevie Garden. It offers indoor and outdoor seating plus a pizza oven and grill. Snacks, grab-and-go food and drinks are available around the clock. The gift shop is also on the first floor, to the left of the piano, at 650-497-8596. A sanctuary and healing garden lie past the gift shop.

Family lounges on the second through fifth floors of the Main building have a microwave and sink for food brought from home. Food must be covered and labeled with the patient's name, record number and a date. Ask a nurse for a free family food bag if you need one.

Useful numbers and nearby pages

• Main hospital line: 650-497-8000
• Admitting: 650-497-8229
• Clinic registration: 800-381-2155
• Social Services: 650-497-8303
• Patient Experience: 650-498-4847

Visiting an adult relative too? Our Stanford Hospital visitor guide covers Stanford Health Care's adult hospital on Pasteur Drive. For parking and shuttles across campus, see Stanford parking and transit. Families staying several nights can compare options in our guide to staying near Stanford.

Location and getting there

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford is at 725 Welch Road, Palo Alto, CA 94304, in the Stanford Shopping Center area of Palo Alto. Our Stanford Shopping Center guide covers what else is around.

The nearest train stop is the Palo Alto Caltrain station, about 0.7 miles away. That is roughly a 18 minute walk or a short bike ride.

Parking: the center's own free surface lots.

What is nearby

• Tootsie's at the Stanford Barn, cafe, under 0.1 mi
• Vina Enoteca, restaurant, 0.1 mi
• Market Square Cafeteria, quick-service spot, 0.2 mi
• The Container Store, store, 0.2 mi
• Stanford Health Care Gift Shop, shop, 0.2 mi
• Arizona Cactus Garden, 0.2 mi
• Stanford Mausoleum, 0.2 mi
• McMurtry Building, 0.3 mi

Other health and medical nearby: Stanford Comprehensive ENT Clinic (0.1 mi); Stanford Hospital (0.2 mi); Hoover Pavilion (0.5 mi); Sunglass Hut (0.5 mi). Browse the full health and medical list.

Before you go

• Call ahead to confirm the practice accepts your insurance and is taking new patients.
• Bring a photo ID, your insurance card and a list of current medications to a first visit.
• For emergencies call 911. Stanford Hospital's emergency department is the closest major emergency room for most of Palo Alto.

About this listing

Checked October 30, 2026 against Hospital location page; Visiting information; Finding your way and parking; West building lobby closure; Food and gift shop; Level I trauma center news release, Sept. 22, 2026. How our listings work. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Frequently asked questions