Valentine's Day in Palo Alto

Palo Alto handles Valentine's Day the way it handles most evenings out: with a good dinner, a short walk and an early night. There is no big public celebration. What the town does offer is a dense cluster of serious restaurants, a 1925 movie palace that shows classic romances on the big screen, a handful of chocolate makers and a marsh at sunset. With a little planning, that adds up to a very pleasant day for two.

The calendar helps in 2027. Valentine's Day falls on Sunday, February 14. Presidents' Day follows on Monday, February 15. Many couples will treat it as a long weekend, which spreads demand across three nights but also means the best tables go early. This guide covers when to book, where to eat, what to do before and after dinner and what changes in town over the holiday weekend. For the rest of the month, see our February guide.

Dates and the long weekend

Valentine's Day is not a public holiday, so nothing closes for it. The day after is a different story. Presidents' Day is a city holiday most years. The city closed its offices on Presidents' Day 2026. Palo Alto had not posted its 2027 holiday list when we checked in fall 2026, so confirm Monday, February 15 on the city's holiday closures page before planning errands.

• Caltrain. Caltrain ran a modified schedule on Presidents' Day 2026. Its holiday service page listed only 2026 dates in the fall, so check it for the 2027 plan. Sunday the 14th runs the normal weekend timetable. Fares rise on January 1, 2027, when a two-zone ride goes to $6.50.
• Farmers market. The California Avenue market runs every Sunday year-round, so Valentine's morning is a market morning. Flowers and citrus are easy finds in February.
• Hotels. Weekends around Valentine's Day and Presidents' Day draw couples and families. If you are visiting, book early.

Where to book dinner

Valentine's dinner is the main event, so start here. Most restaurants open reservations two to four weeks ahead. The special menus usually appear in late January. A few rules of thumb: book the minute your date opens, ask whether the night is a set menu only and be ready for a higher price than usual.

Big-occasion tables

• Protégé at 250 California Avenue holds the only Michelin star in Palo Alto in the 2026 guide. The dining room serves a tasting menu Tuesday to Saturday, with Tock reservations 30 days ahead. Because February 14, 2027 is a Sunday, check whether the restaurant adds a special service. Its lounge is the easier way in.
• Zola on Bryant Street is a French bistro and cocktail bar listed in the Michelin Guide, with steak frites and several private rooms.
• Jin Sho on California Avenue comes from two former Nobu chefs. It has offered a multi-course Valentine's prix fixe for dine-in only in past years and recommends reservations. Its regular schedule is closed on Sundays, so watch for a weekend menu.
• Evvia on Emerson Street, Ettan on Bryant and Vina Enoteca in the old Stanford Barn round out the Michelin-listed choices.

Smaller and quieter

Not every couple wants a tasting menu. Bistro Elan on Birch Street is a small California French bistro with a patio. La Boheme on California Avenue is a French bistro with a wine list guided by its owner. Saint Michael's Alley on Homer Avenue started as a coffee house in 1959 and now serves seasonal California dinners, Tuesday to Sunday. Sekoya on California Avenue pairs a seasonal menu with a cocktail lounge, though it lists Sunday as closed. Our romantic restaurants guide compares these and more.

Prefer daytime? A Valentine's brunch on a Sunday is an easy alternative, with shorter waits for a table and better light. Our brunch guide lists the weekend spots.

Before and after dinner

A classic film

The Stanford Theatre at 221 University Avenue opened in 1925 and shows classic Hollywood films, from the silent era to about 1970. Programs change every few days. In February 2026 a new run began on February 12, two days before Valentine's Day. Tickets are sold at the box office on the day of the show. Look at the calendar in January to see what is playing on the weekend of the 14th.

A sunset walk

Sunset in mid-February comes at about 5:45 p.m. The boardwalk and levees at the Baylands Nature Preserve face open water and marsh. Winter is peak season for shorebirds. The preserve closes at sunset, so time the walk for late afternoon and then head to dinner.

Dessert and a nightcap

Downtown keeps a few sweet stops open late. Salt & Straw on University Avenue scoops until 11 p.m. daily. For a drink, the wine bars and cocktail bars on Ramona and Emerson stay open past dinner. Our date night guide lists where to go after the meal.

Local events in recent years

Palo Alto's own Valentine's events have been small and community-run. Here is what ran in 2026, as a guide to what may return:

• Valentine's Day DIY Dance. The Teen Arts Council, an initiative of Palo Alto Children's Theatre, held a free dance for ages 13 through high school on Friday, February 13, 2026, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Teen Center, 445 Bryant Street. The city called it the council's first dance in years.
• Hearts and Harmony. The city's February 2026 roundup also named a second annual Hearts and Harmony Valentine's Day Dance, without posting details in that article.
• Family craft. Mitchell Park Library ran a craft hour on Valentine's afternoon in 2026, making small paper and pom-pom gifts.

Organizers had not posted any 2027 events as of November 1, 2026. Check the city calendar and the library events page in late January.

Two other February dates fit a romantic trip. The Stanford Viennese Ball, a formal student-run dance founded in 1978, takes place on Friday, February 19, 2027, at the San Francisco Marriott Marquis. Lunar New Year arrives a week before Valentine's Day, on Saturday, February 6, 2027.

Chocolate, flowers and gifts

Palo Alto has more chocolate shops than a town this size needs. A short list:

1. Timothy Adams Chocolates on Bryant Street makes small-batch truffles with silk-screened designs and runs chocolate workshops.
2. Alegio Chocolate, also on Bryant, sells bars made from cacao grown on São Tomé and Príncipe. It is open Wednesday to Saturday only.
3. Läderach and See's Candies have shops at Stanford Shopping Center. See's notes that holiday hours can differ, so check its page before February 14.
4. Sweet 55 at Town & Country Village sells small-batch chocolates and gift boxes.

Florists get busiest in the week before Valentine's Day. Order early, or pick up a bunch at the Sunday farmers market. Our flowers and plants guide lists local florists.

A night away

With Monday off for many people, Valentine's weekend 2027 works well for a short trip. Wine country is about 90 minutes north. February brings mustard flowers to the vineyards. If you would rather not drive back after a tasting, you can book a guided wine country day tour. Closer to home, a night at a downtown hotel lets you walk to dinner and the Stanford Theatre. Downtown hotels fill on Valentine's weekend, so book well ahead.

A simple plan

If you want a ready-made itinerary, try this. Start at the California Avenue farmers market for flowers and coffee. Spend the early afternoon at the Cantor Arts Center on campus, which is free and open on Sundays. Walk the Baylands boardwalk at sunset. Then book dinner downtown for 7 p.m., followed by a film at the Stanford Theatre or a scoop on University Avenue. Every stop after the market is within a short drive or a long walk of the next. The whole day costs little beyond dinner.

Frequently asked questions