Quick Trip: A Local's Guide to Silicon Valley

I know, who actually “vacations” to Silicon Valley? Most people are either passing through on their way to SF or south to Santa Cruz or Monterrey. Here on a work trip? There are fun things to do and eat with your down time (if you have some!). If you've got a weekend in the South Bay, here are some great spots to see/do/eat. Also, you can skip the Winchester Mystery house.

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What to see

From hiking to museums to sports, there's a lot going on in the South Bay. Plenty of theaters and stadiums to catch shows as well. I've listed a lot of hikes because when you're not hiking, you're going to be eating a delicious variety of foods and cuisines. We've got it all in the Bay, and you'll spend a good portion of your time here eating.

Windy Hill Open Space Preserve

@amyposey

A solid hike in the Portola Valley hills, Windy Hill is a great spot to get up above the Peninsula and check out the great views from the Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Near Palo Alto and Los Altos, you can get out onto the plateau and soak in the views. A 1-2 hour hike depending on speed, you get a real sense of the region.

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Stanford Dish Hiking Trail

@amyposey

A shorter, paved hike near the famed "Stanford Dish" off of 280 on the Peninsula. There are a variety of entrance points and some great little steep sections that allow you to circumnavigate the satellite dish. It can get crowded on the weekends, like most hikes in the Bay.

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Computer History Museum

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A great interactive museum (especially for kids or big kids) where you can learn the history of computers and Silicon Valley. Interesting exhibits and nearby the Google complex, it's worth a few hours.

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Hewlett Packard Garage

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A cool part of Silicon Valley history, the HP garage was built in 1905 and is a private museum. You can do a drive by or sort a tour.

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Levi's Stadium

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Catch a concert or 49ers game at one of the most technologically advance stadiums in the country. Even if there's nothing going on, there's a weekend museum you can check out.

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The Tech Interactive

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Downtown San Jose's main museum, the Tech offers up a fun, tech-filled experience. Interactive exhibits including an earthquake simulator and cool Rube Goldberg machine outside.

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NASA Ames Visitor Registration and Employee Badges

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Did you know the Bay Area has it's own NASA center? Ames is open to the public and free (check hours due to Covid). There's a Mercury Capsule as well as other cool space-related items in the Exploration Center.

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Mount Umunhum

@amyposey

Somewhat recently re-opened to the public after years of being renovated, Mount Umunhum (fun to say!) is a great place to get South Bay views. Plenty of hiking trails and opportunities to get into nature in the Sierra Azul Open Space area.

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Where to eat

Santana Row

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I'm kind of grouping Santana Row and Valley Fair as two spots to grab an excellent meal. Valley Fair is indoor and Santana Row is an outdoor hub for shopping and dining, it's Silicon Valley's place to "be seen." Luxe spots for clothes and some solid restaurant choices like Straits, Momosan, and Dumpling Time as well as favorites like Pizza Antica.

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Dishdash

@amyposey

A South Bay favorite for mediterranean food. There are multiple fast-casual outlets as well as a fancier sit-down spot in Sunnyvale. Don't sleep on the sauces or fresh pressed juices. This place is always packed and for good reason.

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Oren's Hummus

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With locations in Mountain View and Cupertino, Oren's serves up a variety of delicious hummus and fluffy pitas. Great for meat lovers and vegetarians, Oren's is a staple in the Bay.

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Ramen Nagi Palo Alto

@amyposey

Be prepared to wait. It's worth it. Ramen Nagi is similar to Japan's famed Ichiran and has locations in Palo Alto and Valley Fair in San Jose.

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Cascal

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A great Mountain View tapas restaurant with outdoor seating and a great variety of delicious options.

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Sakoon

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The Bay Area has a huge variety of cuisines and a very solid choice for Indian is Sakoon. It's a Bay Area chain with outposts in Fremont, Mountain View and Santa Clara. A massive menu with options for veg and non-veg.

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San Pedro Square Market

@amyposey

Downtown San Jose's place to see/be seen, it's a great spot for eating, drinking, and watching local sports. There's a huge variety of food from pizza to tacos to falafel, Vietnamese and Tibetan momos, you can go here with a group and everyone will find what they're looking for. The bar is always packed on weekends and the outdoor space often has live music. It's built around the oldest building in San Jose so that gives it a funky historical vibe. Parking is ample in the garage across the street.

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Killiney Kopitiam

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Singaporean food in the Bay? Yes please. It's a newcomer and for a place that has so many different Asian cuisines, it was long overdue. Coffee, kaya toast, and noodle dishes await you. There will be an outpost soon in Valley Fair mall and I couldn't be happier.

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Mexico Bakery

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A down home bakery and sandwich shop. The portions are huge and delicious. As authentic as it gets for San Jose.

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La Victoria Taqueria

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A San Jose institution for breakfast burritos and famed for orange sauce. There are multiple outlets in the city and you shouldn't leave Silicon Valley without a bottle of the famed sauce. Many will imitate, but nobody does it better.

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House of Bagels

@amyposey

It's a no-frills bagel shop, cutely called "Ho-Bags" by the locals. The line is always long, but it moves quickly by the family who churns out orders of perfectly soft and chewy bagels. I'll pass on the coffee, but the egg sandwiches are outstanding.

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Doppio Zero Mountain View

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Very authentic Neopolitano pizza.

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Udon Mugizo

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It's the absolutely best place for authentic udon in the South Bay. There are outposts in Mountain View and San Jose.

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Orchard City Kitchen

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Fantastic menus that change seasonally, OCK is a great spot for an innovative and tasty dinner or lunch. Popular with the work crowd, it's worth making reservations. Clever food and drink with outdoor seating.

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LUNA Mexican Kitchen - The Alameda

@amyposey

An upscale Mexican option in SJ and Campbell, Luna is Michelin recognized and has fresh ingredients in a cozy location. A must-visit. Highly recommend going for lunch on the patio and my favorite vegetarian item is the Buddha Bowl--a combination of fresh grilled veg with quinoa and green salsa.

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Manresa Bread

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Ok, ok, I know this isn't just a cafe, you can get some amazing food at Manresa--but they serve Verve and I'm here for it. Grab a loaf of bread, a pastry, and a great coffee and thank me later. There's another outpost in Los Altos if you find yourself up there.

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For coffee options, check out my guide on Silicon Valley Coffee Shops.

Where to stay

TETRA Hotel, Autograph Collection

@amyposey

A very new addition to Silicon Valley, there's a Tartine coffee outpost and a Japanese whisky bar. This is the hotel Silicon Valley deserves, damnit!

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Hotel Valencia Santana Row

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Definitely the hotel to see-and-be-seen on Santana Row. Centrally located, albeit somewhat noisy due to the activity in the outdoor mall nearby.

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Rosewood Sand Hill

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The Rosewood Sand Hill is the iconic Venture Capital hangout and beautiful hotel right off of 280 on the Peninsula. Great pool, beautiful mountain views, and all the VCs hang out at the bar.

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The Ameswell Hotel

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Beautifully designed and close to the action, it's a great central location and high tech hotel to call home for your visit.

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Nobu Hotel Palo Alto

@amyposey

There's a Nobu in Palo Alto? Yes there is. It opened in 2020 and is a calm oasis in the busy town. Very zen and chill place to stay in Silicon Valley.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Posey

Available for hire

California-based traveler focused on short attention span travel. My guides provide info on how to make the most of a short trip and find the best eats (usually healthy/veg!) in town. I've spent the last 22 years traveling, living, and working overseas and love experiencing the very best a place has to offer even if I don't have a lot of time. My guides focus on 2-4 day trips in a place. I tend to get out into nature🌲, check out great restaurants 🍽️, and find great coffee ☕️. 📍Currently: San Jose, CA 🇵🇹 Soon: Albufeira, Portugal 🌎 visited 80+ countries 🏃🏼‍♀️ fast break expert 🏔 mountaineer & paragliding enthusiast 🌱 plant forward + foodie ☕️ coffee lover ✈️ married to an airline pilot, so I live that #nonrev life ____________________________ Shop my guides to suss the best things to do with not a lot of time. There's a sample guide or two available for FREE! so check it out. New!: Cartagena and Medellin Colombia Coming soon!: Algarve, Portugal, Global Pizza Quest, San Jose Burrito Throwdown

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