Welcome to Palo Alto
Historic streets and luxury estates in a central location that’s home to technology giants and Stanford
Palo Alto is the nucleus of Silicon Valley, an influential center for other technology start-ups. It’s considered one of the country’s most affluent neighborhoods and an idyllic bedroom community. The residential areas are quiet and peaceful, and the abundance of green spaces (36 city-owned public parks) helps provide a healthy work-life balance. Historic streets are lined with ancient redwoods and sprawling estates (including Mark Zuckerberg’s century-old, five-bedroom home, an English country manor formerly owned by Steve Jobs, and a custom-built eco-mansion where Google founder Larry Page lives).
University Avenue was the first urban area centered around Stanford University. It became known as Downtown Palo Alto, and it’s filled with unique boutique stores, vintage shops, and mom-and-pop eateries, as well as chic outdoor cafes, independent bookstores, and art galleries. When the neighboring town of Mayfield was incorporated into Palo Alto in 1925, a smaller downtown came about, with shops and restaurants lining California Avenue.
What to Love
- Home to technology giants and countless start-ups
- Custom-built estates in luxury neighborhoods
- Plenty of parks and outdoor recreation
- An ultra-exclusive and private country club
- Top schools, including Stanford University
Local Lifestyle
Palo Alto gives a mix of quiet suburban and bustling urban vibes. It’s filled with innovative and technology-driven professionals. Distinctive neighborhoods have a close-knit community appeal. There are enough independent and locally-owned businesses to make it feel like a charming small town.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
Palo Alto offers world-class dining and shopping. Sundance the Steakhouse has prime cuts, fresh seafood, and a wine list to pair. Using locally-sourced ingredients, Bird Dog serves California-Japanese fusion cuisine. Telefèric Barcelona specializes in authentic Spanish tapas and dishes. La Boheme serves traditional and modern French cuisine, and they have a covered and heated patio. Il Fornaio is an upmarket chain with homemade pasta and an in-house bakery.
For fine dining, Protégé offers a seven-course prix-fixe menu, and The Sea by Alexander’s Steakhouse specializes in fresh seafood and steakhouse classics fused with Japanese cuisine. Taverna serves traditional Greek dishes, grills, and small plates in a casual setting, and Terún has gourmet pizza, pasta, and wine.
For shopping, Stanford Shopping Center is an upscale open-air plaza. Here, you’ll find a long list of well-known brands and luxury storefronts, including Cartier, Burberry, and Hermès. The Downtown Palo Alto Farmers’ Market has seasonal fruits and vegetables, artisanal vendors, global plates, snacks, baked goods, and flowers on Saturdays. Then, on Sundays, the California Avenue Farmers’ Market has breakfast items, fresh produce, specialty foods, and live music.
Things to Do
Palo Alto has plenty of green spaces to help provide a healthy life-work balance. Cornelis Bol Park is a 13-acre city park with multi-use trails and a natural plant garden. Mitchell Park has several sports facilities and recreational activities.
Live performances are enjoyed at Palo Alto Players, where they have plays and musicals at the Lucie Stern Theater. Not to be missed is the annual Palo Alto Festival of the Arts. It features over 250 artists in an open-air gallery setting and draws over 100,000 attendees from over the Bay area.
Schools