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Palo Alto has five chain drugstores with pharmacies, spread along University Avenue, Middlefield Road and El Camino Real. Two hospital pharmacies on the Stanford medical campus serve their own patients. Store hours run late, but pharmacy counters close earlier and none of the stores lists 24-hour service. This guide sorts the options by area and explains what each store page says about hours, drive-through service and vaccines.
Each drugstore below links to its page in our business directory, where we record the hours and services each chain published in October 2026. Pharmacy hours change more often than store hours, especially on holidays, so check the store's own page before you go. This guide does not give medical advice. Ask a pharmacist or your doctor about your own prescriptions.
At a glance
| Store | Area | Store hours | Weekday pharmacy hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| CVS, 352 University Avenue | Downtown | 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sunday from 8 a.m.) | 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed 1:30 to 2 p.m. |
| CVS, 855 El Camino Real | Town & Country Village | 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sunday from 8 a.m.) | 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., closed 12:30 to 1 p.m. |
| CVS, 2701 Middlefield Road | Midtown | 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. (Sunday from 8 a.m.) | 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., closed 12:30 to 1 p.m. |
| Walgreens, 2605 Middlefield Road | Midtown | 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily | 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
| Walgreens, 4170 El Camino Real | South El Camino | 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily | 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. |
Both Walgreens stores list weekend pharmacy hours of 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours come from each chain's store page in October 2026.
Downtown
- CVS Pharmacy University Avenue, 352 University Avenue. Downtown's only chain drugstore, store 9915, with a pharmacy, photo counter, ATM and drug disposal. The store stays open until 11 p.m.
Downtown is also a short walk from the Palo Alto Caltrain station and the Stanford medical campus is a quick ride on the free Marguerite shuttle. Our downtown guide covers parking.
Town & Country Village
- CVS Pharmacy El Camino Real, 855 El Camino Real. Store 3935 at the shopping center across from Palo Alto High School, with a pharmacy, photo counter, ATM and a UPS Access Point for package drop-off.
The center has free time-limited parking. See our Town & Country Village guide for the layout.
Midtown
Midtown has two drugstores almost side by side on Middlefield Road, which makes it the easiest place in town to compare.
- CVS Pharmacy Middlefield Road, 2701 Middlefield Road. Store 9984 has the latest weekday pharmacy hours of the three CVS stores, plus drug disposal and a UPS Access Point.
- Walgreens Middlefield Road, 2605 Middlefield Road. Store 6869 at the corner of Moreno Avenue, open 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily, with a pharmacy, photo and FedEx drop-off.
Our Midtown guide covers the rest of the shopping strip.
South El Camino Real
- Walgreens El Camino Real, 4170 El Camino Real. Store 3344 at Maybelle Avenue, the only Palo Alto drugstore that lists a drive-through pharmacy. It also lists travel health consultations and FedEx drop-off.
Hospital and clinic pharmacies
Two pharmacies on the Stanford medical campus serve patients of their own health systems rather than walk-in shoppers.
- Stanford Health Care Pharmacy, 875 Blake Wilbur Drive, inside the Stanford Cancer Center. Its page describes medication support for Stanford Health Care patients, including specialty medications, refill coordination and help with prior authorizations. It is a no-cash location.
- Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Outpatient Pharmacy, 725 Welch Road. The hospital's location page lists Prescription Pick-Up on the second floor of the West building. The pharmacy's page says it serves clinic patients and patients discharged from the hospital. It lists pickup hours of 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekdays and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekends, closed from noon to 1 p.m.
If you are visiting someone in the hospital, our guide to visiting Stanford Hospital covers parking and the campus layout.
Independent pharmacies
This guide lists only pharmacies we could confirm on their own websites in October 2026. We could not confirm an independent retail pharmacy inside city limits with its own current site. If you prefer an independent store, ask your doctor's office which local pharmacies it works with, or check your insurance plan's pharmacy finder. Many plans also offer mail-order pharmacy for maintenance medications.
After hours and 24-hour options
None of the Palo Alto stores lists 24-hour service. The CVS stores keep their front doors open until 11 p.m., but the pharmacy counter closes hours earlier. If you need a prescription filled late at night, use the CVS or Walgreens store locator to check for a 24-hour location in a neighboring city. Call ahead to confirm the pharmacy itself is open.
Kaiser Permanente members have another option. Kaiser lists a 24-hour outpatient pharmacy for members at its Santa Clara Medical Center, 408-851-5500. Our guide to Kaiser Permanente near Palo Alto covers its closest offices and hospitals.
For a health problem after hours, Stanford Health Care lists an advice nurse line at 650-723-4000 for help deciding where to get care. Veterans enrolled in VA care can call VA Health Connect at 833-983-0487. For a life-threatening emergency, call 911. Our urgent care and emergency room guide lists what is open evenings and weekends.
Vaccines at the pharmacy
Both chains offer vaccines at their Palo Alto stores. The store pages list flu shots, COVID-19 vaccines and other immunizations. The El Camino Real Walgreens also lists travel health consultations. Booking works through each chain's website or app.
A few general points apply. Vaccine supply at any one store can vary, so book ahead. Pharmacies may have age limits for some vaccines, so families with young children often get shots at the pediatrician's office. Bring your insurance card, since many vaccines are billed to medical or pharmacy coverage. Which vaccines you need is a question for your doctor or pharmacist.
Other services at the drugstores
Palo Alto's drugstores double as errand stops. Each store page lists a slightly different mix of services.
- Package drop-off. The CVS stores on El Camino Real and Middlefield Road list UPS Access Points. Both Walgreens stores list FedEx drop-off.
- Photo printing. The University Avenue CVS, the El Camino Real CVS and the Middlefield Road Walgreens list photo services.
- Travel health. The El Camino Real Walgreens lists travel health consultations and travel vaccines. Book well before your trip.
- Blood pressure. The El Camino Real Walgreens also lists blood pressure services.
- Walk-in clinics. CVS does not list a MinuteClinic at any of its three Palo Alto stores.
Practical tips
- Check your network. Insurance plans have preferred pharmacies. Confirm with your plan which stores are in network before you transfer prescriptions.
- Transfer early. If you are new to Palo Alto, ask your new pharmacy to transfer refills from your old one a few days before you run out.
- Use the app. CVS and Walgreens let you refill prescriptions and check when an order is ready online.
- Dispose safely. The University Avenue and Middlefield Road CVS stores list drug disposal kiosks for unwanted medicines.
- Older adults can get help with Medicare drug plans through the groups in our resources for older adults guide.
Good to know
- No Palo Alto drugstore lists 24-hour service. Kaiser members can use the 24-hour pharmacy at Kaiser Santa Clara.
- Walgreens pharmacy counters stay open latest on weekdays, until 9 p.m.
- The only drive-through pharmacy is at Walgreens, 4170 El Camino Real.
- Stanford's hospital pharmacies serve their own patients.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a 24-hour pharmacy in Palo Alto?
None of the five chain drugstores in Palo Alto lists 24-hour service on its store page. The three CVS stores list store hours until 11 p.m. but their pharmacy counters close earlier. Use the CVS and Walgreens store locators to check for a 24-hour location elsewhere in the area. Kaiser members can use the 24-hour outpatient pharmacy Kaiser lists at its Santa Clara Medical Center (408-851-5500).
Which Palo Alto pharmacy is open latest?
The two Walgreens stores list pharmacy hours until 9 p.m. on weekdays. The CVS on Middlefield Road lists weekday pharmacy hours until 8 p.m. Weekend pharmacy hours are shorter at every store, so check the store page before you go.
Is there a drive-through pharmacy in Palo Alto?
Yes. Walgreens lists a drive-through at its store at 4170 El Camino Real, at Maybelle Avenue in south Palo Alto. The other Walgreens and the three CVS stores do not list one.
Where can I get a flu shot in Palo Alto?
The CVS and Walgreens store pages list flu shots and other vaccines, with booking through each chain's website or app. Your doctor's office may also offer vaccines. Ask your pharmacist or doctor which vaccines are right for you.
Where can I dispose of old medications in Palo Alto?
The CVS stores at 352 University Avenue and 2701 Middlefield Road list drug disposal among their services. Ask at the pharmacy counter about what the kiosk accepts.