Welcome to Palo Alto
Home to the world-renowned Stanford University, Palo Alto is the vibrant, innovative, and thriving tech hub at the heart of Silicon Valley.
Palo Alto holds a reputation for being one of the most expensive cities in the country and a globally recognized leader in cutting-edge technology. Palo Alto hosts the headquarters of several major tech companies, such as HP, SSL, VMware, and PARC. It has also been the birthplace or early headquarters for many other tech giants, including Apple, Google, Facebook, Logitech, Tesla, Intuit, IDEO, Pinterest, and PayPal. Palo Alto boasts a diverse, innovative business community and sophisticated, politically minded, and well-educated residents.
Apart from its abundance of start-up businesses and tech-based companies, Palo Alto is a surprisingly beautiful and eco-friendly location with a highly walkable downtown area and several historic residential and commercial areas. The city government takes care to protect Palo Alto’s miles of parkland and open space and counts 30 city-owned parks among its sprawling open spaces and tree-lined avenues.
What to Love
- One of the best park systems in Silicon Valley
- Stanford University
- Vibrant, walkable downtown
- High quality of life
- Excellent schools
- Culturally diverse
People & Lifestyle
At the epicenter of Silicon Valley is the affluent, vibrant Palo Alto, a city home to one of the world's most renowned universities, tech giants and start-ups, and a diverse downtown area. Palo Alto is attractive to just about everyone, from professionals to creatives to empty nesters to students and beyond. The downtown area, which mostly consists of the tree-lined University Avenue, is teeming with high-end boutiques and restaurants, along with several bars and nightlife spots.
Stanford University is the centerpiece of Palo Alto — the powerhouse university drives the surrounding tech scene. Beyond the Stanford campus and commercialized district, Palo Alto is primarily residential and suburban with several quiet, neat neighborhoods spread throughout. Housing options range from mansions to single-family homes, although regardless of what you choose, you'll likely be spending upwards of $2 million.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Even if you aren't a student, Stanford University has lots to do during the day and makes for a nice way to spend a weekend. If you can't make it out to San Francisco on the weekend and want to walk around the techie area surrounding Stanford, you'll find the 3.5-mile hiking trail The Dish, the Palo Alto Farmers Market, and several restaurants and shops along University Avenue.
Madera is a swanky eatery for fine-dining located inside the Rosewood Sand Hill Hotel. Housed inside a warm interior surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, Madera serves seasonal American fare.
Tamarine is a Palo Alto staple thanks to its authentic, sophisticated take on Vietnamese food. It's great for corporate lunches in the private dining room or just a nice evening out for a romantic dinner or family meal. At Tamarine, diners are encouraged to share dishes family-style, making it easy to sample a range of their creative small and large plates.
For upscale Greek dining and special occasions, there’s no better spot in the city than Evvia. This warm and inviting restaurant is renowned for its delicious grilled fish and lamb chops. It tends to get busy fast, so book ahead if you're planning to spend an evening out here.
Things to Do
There are lots of things to do near Stanford University, including shopping and dining on University Avenue. You'll find the Cantor Arts Center, which boasts a sizable collection of American and international art, near the main campus. The Stanford Theater regularly shows classic films like Psycho and Casablanca.
It's worth taking time to drive by the Stanford Hospital, which was the site of the country's first successful human heart transplant and the first combined heart-lung transplant in the world.
The Filoli Historic House & Garden is surrounded by more than 23,000 acres of protected Peninsula watershed. Filoli's mission is to showcase the area's rich history through nature, beauty, and shared experiences. The sprawling country house is set on immaculate, expansive formal gardens.
If you're an outdoor enthusiast, you'll want to visit Wunderlich Park in Woodside. Dotted with redwood trees, open meadows, and a gorgeous trail system, the large open space is great for exercise and exploration. There are also stables nearby for equestrians.
Schools
Most school-aged children in Palo Alto are served by the Palo Alto Unified School District, including Palo Alto High School. There are several private schools nearby, as well. Palo Alto is also home to the private research university Stanford University.
