Palo Alto

 

Palo Alto is one of the most vibrant cities in Silicon Valley. The city is home to Stanford University and major tech companies such as HP, Tesla, and Skype. Palo Alto also boasts world-class shopping and dining. The Stanford Shopping Center features many premium fashion brands, while the bustling streets of California Avenue and University Avenue are lined with Michelin-starred restaurants and other eclectic eateries.

 

Palo Alto has a variety of distinctive neighborhoods with a wide-ranging real estate mix. Housing options include historic properties dating back to the 19th century, striking mid-century Eichler homes, and spectacular mansions inspired by classic East Coast and European styles.

 

Palo Alto has been a hub of innovation since Stanford University was founded here in 1891. The city has a stellar reputation as a start-up incubator and has played an essential role in the development of tech giants such as Apple, Google, Facebook, and PayPal. Residents of this exciting city include Nobel Prize-winning academics, tech workers, and venture capitalists. Palo Alto offers a charming lifestyle, balancing exceptional downtown amenities with an abundance of outdoor recreation.

 

California Avenue boasts some of Silicon Valley’s finest restaurants. Protégé has been recognized with a Michelin star for its unforgettable five-course tasting menu and impeccable hospitality. Baumé is another standout that has been awarded two Michelin stars for its lavish nine-course offering of inventive cuisine paired with premium French wines. 

 

Other California Avenue dining highlights include flavorful Portuguese chicken at The Port of Peri Peri, sophisticated French-Californian dining at Bistro Elan, traditional and modern French fare at La Boheme, and authentic Kurdish and Turkish dishes at Anatolian Kitchen. 

 

University Avenue is also lined with an eclectic array of excellent eateries. Il Fornaio offers upscale Italian dining with in-house baked bread. Other standouts along University Avenue include exotic Burmese cuisine and tiki cocktails at Rangoon Ruby, traditional Thai fare at Thaiphoon Restaurant and Siam Royal Authentic Thai, creative Vietnamese cooking at Tamarine, classic Greek dishes at Evvia Estiatorio, and tasty sweet and savory crepes at Crepevine.

 

The open-air Stanford Shopping Center features more than 150 retailers and restaurants anchored by Bloomingdale’s, Macy’s, Neiman Marcus, and Nordstrom department stores. Other retailers at Stanford Shopping Center include premium brands such as All Saints, Boss, Burberry, Coach, Ermenegildo Zegna, Kate Spade New York, Louis Vuitton, and Tiffany & Co.

 

Palo Alto hosts a variety of signature events throughout the year. In August, the three-day Palo Alto Festival of the Arts features hundreds of exhibitors and scores of street entertainers. The festival’s centerpiece is an Italian Street Painting Expo showcasing the incredible creations of 60 world-class chalk artists.

 

The May Fete Parade in early May sees colorful floats parading through Palo Alto in a tradition dating back to the 1920s. The city also hosts two weekly farmers’ markets, with the Downtown Palo Alto Farmers’ Market taking place on Saturdays and California Avenue Farmers’ Market is held on Sundays. 

 

Palo Alto also offers lots of parks and greenspace. The city’s largest park is 22-acre Greer Park, where amenities include barbecue pits, a playground, sports fields, a dog park, and a skate park. Along Palo Alto’s SF Bay shoreline, 15 miles of trails run through the unspoiled tidal habitat of 1,940-acre Palo Alto Baylands Nature Preserve.

 

Palo Alto operates its own Palo Alto Unified school district.