Palo Alto, California
Palo Alto is a city of 67,237 people in Santa Clara County, California, founded in 1894.
Why visit Palo Alto
Townapedia lists 59 museums and landmarks, 90 parks and trails, 239 places to eat, 26 places to stay and 16 attractions in and around town.
Highlights include CineArts Palo Alto Square, Palo Alto University, Los Altos History Museum and Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover House.
September is the warmest month, with average highs of 80°F; December lows average 39°F.
Weather in Palo Alto
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Palo Alto
Palo Alto ( PAL-oh AL-toh; Spanish for 'tall stick') is a charter city in northwestern Santa Clara County, California, United States. Part of the San Francisco Bay Area, it is named after a coastal redwood tree known as El Palo Alto. The population was 68,572 as of the 2020 United States census.
From the Wikipedia article Palo Alto, California (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Things to do16
Palo Alto University
School · 2.7 mi
Private university located in Palo Alto, California, United States
1791 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto
Frost Amphitheater
Cinema and theater · 2.7 mi
Open-air theater at Stanford University in California
Shoreline Amphitheatre
Cinema and theater · 4.0 mi
Concert venue in Mountain View, California, United States of America
Stanford University
School · 2.6 mi
Private research university in Stanford, California, USA
4 more on the map.
Museums and landmarks59
Los Altos History Museum
Museum · 2.0 mi
Los Altos History Museum
51 South San Antonio Road, Los Altos
Lou Henry and Herbert Hoover House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in Stanford, California
623 Mirada Avenue
MacFarland House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.0 mi
Historic house in California, United States
775 Santa Ynez Street, Stanford
Paul Shoup House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic house in California, United States
500 University Avenue, Los Altos
Pedro de Lemos House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.5 mi
Historic house located in Palo Alto, California, United States
100 Waverley Oaks, Palo Alto
Casa De Tableta
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.0 mi
Historical building in San Mateo County, California, United States of America
Dunker House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.3 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Fraternal Hall Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.4 mi
Single-family detached home in Palo Alto, United States of America
Green Gables
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Historic neighborhood in Palo Alto, California, USA
Greenmeadow
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 2.1 mi
Historic house in California, United States
Hanna–Honeycomb House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.8 mi
Historic house in California, United States
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Historic Adobe Building
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 3.6 mi
Building in Santa Clara, California
47 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds90
Enid Pearson-Arastradero Preserve
Hiking and trails · 2.5 mi
This City of Palo Alto, USA park is officially known as the Enid W. Pearson-Arastradero Preserve." There is a small but comprehensive...
1530 Arastradero Road, Palo Alto
Mo-Su 08:00-sunset
Papua New Guinea Sculpture Garden
Park · 2.5 mi
Garden at Stanford University
Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
Park · 2.9 mi
Art museum in Stanford, California
Foothills Nature Preserve
Park · 3.7 mi
Nature preserve in Palo Alto, California, United States
Foothills Open Space Preserve
Park · 3.8 mi
Open space preserve in Palo Alto, California, United States
Los Trancos Open Space Preserve
Park · 5.2 mi
Open space preserve in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, California, United States
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve
Park · 6.0 mi
Open space preserve in in San Mateo and Santa Clara counties, California, United States
78 more on the map.
Restaurants and cafes239
Junbi
Cafe · Bubble Tea · 1.8 mi
450 San Antonio Road, Mountain View
Mo-Th 10:00-21:00; Fr-Su 11:00-21:30
Philz Coffee
Cafe · Coffee Shop · 2.5 mi
Wifi, few tables (7) and 2 sofas inside and tables outside on the terrace
3191 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Mo-Fr 06:00-20:30; Sa-Su 06:30-20:00
Zareen's
Restaurant · Pakistani, Punjabi · 2.1 mi
Food ordering is cafeteria style, order->wait for food-> only then, find a seat to allow others a fair chance to find seating
365 South California Avenue, Palo Alto
Mo-Th 11:30-21:00; Fr 11:30-22:00; Sa 11:30-15:00,17:00-22:00; Su...
Bill's Cafe
Cafe · Breakfast, Lunch · 2.5 mi
3163 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
Mo-Fr 07:00-14:00; Sa-Su 07:00-15:00
Boba Bliss
Cafe · Bubble Tea · 1.7 mi
685 San Antonio Road, Mountain View
Mo-Th 11:00-21:00; Fr-Sa 11:30-21:30; Su 11:30-21:00
Cafe Nur
Restaurant · Mediterranean · 1.9 mi
280 Main Street, Los Altos
Su-Th 09:00-21:00; Fr,Sa 09:00-22:00
Caspian Grill Restaurant
Restaurant · Kebab, Middle Eastern, Mediterranean · 2.5 mi
1910 West El Camino Real, Mountain View
Mo-Sa 11:00-20:00; Su 11:00-14:00
Celia's Mexican Restaurant
Restaurant · Mexican · 1.6 mi
3740 West El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Mo-Su 11:00-21:00
Da Sichuan Bistro
Restaurant · Chinese · 1.6 mi
3781 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Su-Th 11:00-14:30, 16:30-21:30; Fr-Sa 16:30-14:30, 16:30-22:00
Dinah’s Poolside Restaurant
Diner · American · 1.5 mi
4261 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Mo-Th 07:00-21:00, Fr-Sa 07:00-22:00
227 more on the map.
History
Before the arrival of Europeans, the Ohlone lived on the San Francisco peninsula; in particular, the Puichon Ohlone lived in the Palo Alto area. The area of modern Palo Alto was first recorded by the 1769 party of Gaspar de Portolá, a 64-man, 200-horse expedition setting out from San Diego to find Monterey Bay. The group trekked past the bay without recognizing it and continued north. When they reached modern-day Pacifica, they ascended Sweeney Ridge and saw the San Francisco Bay on November 2. Portolá descended from Sweeney Ridge southeast down San Andreas Creek to Laguna Creek (now Crystal Springs Reservoir), thence to the San Francisquito Creek watershed, ultimately camping from November 6–11, 1769, by a tall redwood later to be known as El Palo Alto.
From the History section of Palo Alto, California on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where to stay26
SureStay Plus by Best Western Mountain View
Motel and hotel · 2.1 mi
2300 West El Camino Real, Mountain View
Churches and places of worship50
Saint Athanasius Catholic Church
Church · Catholic · 2.6 mi
160 North Rengstorff Avenue, Mountain View
Church of the Nativity
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 4.9 mi
Our Lady of the Wayside Church
Church · National Register of Historic Places · 5.1 mi
University African Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
Church · African Methodist Episcopal Zion · 2.5 mi
3549 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto
First Church of Christ, Scientist, Los Altos
Church · Christ Scientist · 2.0 mi
401 University Avenue, Los Altos
Foothills Congregational Church
Church · United Church Of Christ · 2.1 mi
461 Orange Avenue, Los Altos
Shopping47
Gas and EV charging21
Schools, colleges and libraries108
Healthcare20
Acoustic Therapy Center
Clinic and pharmacy · 2.6 mi
1515 El Camino Real, Palo Alto
Map of Palo Alto
250 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 58°F | 39°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 61°F | 41°F | 3.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 66°F | 44°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 70°F | 45°F | 1.0 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 73°F | 50°F | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 78°F | 53°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 79°F | 56°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 79°F | 55°F | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 80°F | 53°F | 0.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 0.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 64°F | 42°F | 1.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 58°F | 39°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Palo Alto (3 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Santa Clara County has had 14 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for fires.
- 2023-04-03: Severe Winter Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Severe Storm)
- 2023-03-10: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-14: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, Landslides, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2023-01-09: Severe Winter Storms, Flooding, And Mudslides (Flood)
- 2020-08-22: Wildfires (Fire)
- 2020-08-21: Scu Ligtning Complex Fire (Fire)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Stanford 2 mi northwest, about 4 min by car
- Los Altos 3 mi southeast, about 5 min by car
- Mountain View 4 mi east, about 6 min by car
- East Palo Alto 5 mi north, about 8 min by car
- Menlo Park 6 mi north, about 9 min by car
- Sunnyvale 6 mi east, about 10 min by car
- North Fair Oaks 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Cupertino 8 mi southeast, about 12 min by car
- Redwood City 9 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Santa Clara 10 mi east, about 16 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Palo Alto, California (City Hall) 2004, Nader Moussa, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Lou Henry Hoover House from E, Jack Boucher, Public domain
- Front Gate to Pedro de Lemos House, Gerosch, CC BY-SA 3.0
- MacFarland House, 775 Santa Ynez St., Stanford, CA 6-3-2012 3-23-08 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Los Altos History Museum, Ixfd64, CC BY-SA 4.0
- 2009-0723-CA-MtnViewAdobe, Bobak Ha'Eri, CC BY 3.0
- Palo Alto station building, January 2010, Ron Reiring from Inland Empire of Southern California, USA, CC BY 2.0
- Church of the Nativity (Menlo Park, California), W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- 762 Wildwood Lane, Green Gables Historic District, Palo Alto, CA 6-3-2012 4-13-28 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Sun-bonnet House, 1061 Bryant St., Palo Alto, CA 6-3-2012 2-04-57 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 20020306-hp-garage-in-palo-, Original uploader was Gerd Müller, www.twam.info at de.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Rengstorff House, Pheideaux at en.wikipedia, Public domain
- Pettigrew House, 1336 Cowpers St., Palo Alto, CA 6-3-2012 4-26-15 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Wilson House, 860 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 1-18-53 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Holbrook-Palmer Park Atherton California, LPS.1, CC0
- Palo Alto Medical Clinic, 300 Homer Ave., Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 4-21-09 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Kee House, 2310 Yale St., Palo Alto, CA 6-3-2012 3-48-19 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- USA-Palo Alto-555-581 Ramona Street-1, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Unitary Plan Wind Tunnel (9413319283), NASA on The Commons, No restrictions
- Hostess House, University Ave. at El Camino Real, Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 3-30-12 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- USA-Palo Alto-Norris House, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- T. B. Downing House, 706 Cowper St., Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 1-52-56 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- 520 El Capitan Place, Greenmeadow Historic District, Palo Alto, CA 6-3-2012 4-45-54 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Front WCPA, LauraBajuk, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Palo Alto-Theophilus Allen House, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- USA-Palo Alto-John Adam Squire House-2, Eugene Zelenko, CC BY-SA 4.0
- Willard Griffin House, 12345 S. El Monte Ave., Los Altos, CA 6-3-2012 6-47-49 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Fraternal Hall Building, 140 University Ave., Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 2-59-13 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Casa de Tableta, Portola Valley, California, W Nowicki, CC BY 3.0
- U.S. Post Office, 380 Hamilton Ave., Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 2-11-09 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Electioneer statue and Palo Alto Stock Farm horse barn, Fremont Rd., Palo Alto, CA 6-3-2012 3-06-34 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Dunker House, 420 Maple St., Palo Alto, CA 5-27-2012 12-57-04 PM, Sanfranman59, CC BY-SA 3.0
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