Mountain View

 

Mountain View is a thriving city on the shores of the San Francisco Bay, named for its majestic views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Mountain View is known as the birthplace of Silicon Valley—the area’s first semiconductor production facilities were created here in the 1950s. Today, Mountain View is home to many major tech firms, including Google’s sprawling Googleplex headquarters. Other major companies with offices in Mountain View include Amazon, Microsoft, LinkedIn, Samsung, and Symantec.

 

Mountain View also boasts a vibrant downtown area with an eclectic dining scene. Along the SF Bayshore, Shoreline Park offers scenic outdoor recreation space and open-air concerts at the Shoreline Amphitheater.

 

Mountain View has many distinctive neighborhoods with a wide-ranging real estate mix. Housing options include classic mid-century ranches, convenient townhouses and condominiums, and contemporary single-family homes in peaceful residential neighborhoods.

 

Mountain View is one of Silicon Valley’s most important tech hubs. Mountain View’s population of 82,739 swells to a daytime population of more than 100,000 as tech workers commute into the city’s numerous tech offices and facilities. The Googleplex alone provides the city with more than 25,000 jobs. Mountain View offers a great choice of restaurants and retailers catering to residents and tech workers alike. Residents also enjoy an active outdoor lifestyle. The city has several large parks, and many residents commute to work by bike.

 

Mountain View’s downtown area centers on lively Castro Street, which is lined with dozens of restaurants serving an eclectic array of global cuisines. Cascal brings together the cooking of Spain and Latin America for an exotic menu of epicurean delights. These flavorful meals are paired with handcrafted cocktails and an extensive wine list featuring bottles from Spain, Portugal, and South America. Doppio Zero is a refined Italian restaurant serving Neapolitan pizza and delicious pasta dishes steeped in the culinary traditions of Southern Italy. This stylish eatery also offers excellent cocktails. Oren’s Hummus specializes in authentic Israeli street food and other Mediterranean fares. Signature house-made hummus is enjoyed alongside falafel, meats, and other handmade sauces and sides. Steins Beer Garden has 31 craft beers on top, plus a large selection of wines and craft cocktails alongside a menu of hearty pub grub. 

 

Other dining choices along Castro Street include a mix of traditional and inventive Indian fare at Mantra India and Sakoon, gourmet burgers and craft brews at Eureka!, flavorful Thai dishes at Amarin Thai Cuisine, and all-you-can-eat East Asian food at Superhot Hot Pot & Korean BBQ.

 

Shoreline at Mountain View stretches across 750 acres on the shores of the San Francisco Bay. Shoreline’s amenities include a sailing lake, a golf course with a driving range and practice greens, numerous athletic fields with youth sports leagues, and a dog park. The beautiful Victorian Italianate style Rengstorff House at Shoreline Park opens to the public for tours of its manicured gardens and classically furnished interior.

 

Shoreline Amphitheater can accommodate crowds of up to 22,500 people for major concerts from some of the biggest names in music. Named one of the best amphitheaters in the United States by Rolling Stone Magazine, this premier open-air concert venue has hosted big-name performers such as the Grateful Dead, Maroon 5, Radiohead, Neil Young, Bruce Springsteen, Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Elton John, Beck, Pearl Jam, and Metallica.

 

Close to all the restaurants lining Castro Park, Eagle Park is a downtown green space featuring a large sports field, a swimming pool, and a children’s playground. The nearby Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts is a world-class facility for theater, dance, music, and visual arts exhibits.

 

Mountain View is served by several school districts, including the Mountain View Whisman and Mountain View-Los Altos Union High school districts.