Campbell - Los Gatos
Situated at the base of the Sierra Azules, Los Gatos offers a delightful mix of Victorian-era cottages, chic shops, and tasty restaurants. Indulge in a stroll around the Commercial District, and admire its collection of architecture styles and antique shops. Then, relax in front of Town Plaza park’s water fountain. Savor the town’s agricultural flavors at one of its five wineries.
Cupertino
Back in the days of ranches and vineyards, Cupertino’s blossoms earned it the nickname “Valley of the heart’s delight.” It makes sense that Apple Inc. now calls the city home. Filled with tech industry and ample green space, the city’s attractions include the 64-acre Cupertino Square Shopping Center, the celestial Minolta Planetarium at De Anza College, and the annual Cherry Blossom Festival.
Fremont
Bay Area Rapid Transit rail connects San Francisco and Oakland with Fremont, once a filming location for Charlie Chaplin comedies. This sun-kissed city’s attractions include its 450-acre Central Park; the 1-million-square-foot Pacific Commons shops; and the collector’s haven of Niles Main Street District. The Kite Runner novel is set in Fremont, home to America’s largest Afghan population.
Milpitas
This diverse southern Bay Area city thrives on tech and retail business, including its colossal Great Mall of the Bay Area. At Milpitas Square shopping center, taste a variety of Asian cuisine, including dim sum, Taiwanese, and Cantonese dishes. For a hike or picnic, try the historic, 5.5-acre Higuera Adobe Park; Ed R. Levin County Park offers spectacular views from its Monument Peak.
Morgan Hill
Located in southern Santa Clara Valley, Morgan Hill features everything from microbreweries to an annual Mushroom Mardi Gras—the town is famous for its fungi harvest. To the south, Gillroy’s residents celebrate its “Garlic Capital” title at the annual Garlic Festival. Gillroy is also home to primo deal shopping at the 145-store Gillroy Premium Outlets.
Mountain View
This area’s resident tech giants include Google, AOL, and Mozilla. In the Old Mountain View District, Castro Street’s sidewalk cafés, independent bookstores, and ethnic restaurants evoke an ageless charm. Shoreline Amphitheatre at Mountain View seats up to 22,000 for its big-name events. To the northwest, the 9,000-square-foot NASA Ames Research Center hosts a constellation of tours and exhibits.
Palo Alto - Menlo Park
Originally named by two Irishmen in 1853, Menlo Park has earned Tree City USA recognition for its 10,400 street trees. Visitors find a mix of shops, cafés, and artists’ studios at the serene Allied Arts Guild, a garden oasis. More greenery awaits at Burgess Park, Seminary Oaks Park, and Bayview Park, host to Annual Kite Day. In Palo Alto, south of Menlo Park, take some time to walk the grounds of the prestigious Stanford University.
San Jose
Basking in 300 sunny days a year, San Jose offers stylish, old-time streetscapes in its lively downtown historic district. Its vibrant arts scene explores the innovative and the traditional with galleries, museums, public works, and performances. Indie-film lovers flock to its Cinequest Film Festival each year. For shopping, visit Japantown; Santana Row mall; and Valley Fair, home to 366 stores.
Santa Clara
Upon entering Mission Santa Clara de Asís, visitors marvel at its painted ceilings, gold accents, and carved wooden statues. The mission is in the heart of Santa Clara University, California’s oldest university. Located minutes from the Mineta San Jose International Airport, Santa Clara also hosts the Intel Museum, the Triton Museum of Art, and California’s Great America amusement park.
Sunnyvale
This bicyclist-friendly town just south of San Jose has been nicknamed “Garden of the World” for its abundance of orchards. Learn about its once-booming defense industry at the Iron Man Museum, a one-time factory. Admire Sunnyvale’s softer side at the Lace Museum, home to U.S. lace handiworks. Downtown’s historic Murphy Avenue offers an eclectic collection of cafés, breweries, and ethnic cuisine.
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