Tourist Attractions in Northern California
When you stay at the Red Cottage Inn & Suites in Menlo Park near Palo Alto, you'll find you've found the perfect spot to explore all the great outdoor and indoor activities that make Palo Alto and the Bay Area a visitor's paradise. You can take a scenic 33-mile drive north to San Francisco and make a day of sightseeing, cable- car riding and sourdough bread eating. You can also remain close to the hotel and be enchanted by the drop-dead gorgeous gardens of Sunset Magazine Headquarters or shop-till-you-drop in the granddaddy of all shopping malls, Stanford Shopping Center. The choices are too numerous to mention so we've just listed a handful below to give you a tantalizing taste of our neighborhood
Stanford University, California.
You can learn all about this classic center of learning in free one-hour, student-led tours. Highlights include the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, Hoover Institution and Hoover Tower, Rodin Sculpture Garden and Stanford New Guinea Sculpture Garden. For more information, visit www.stanford.edu.
Sunset Magazine California Headquarters.
Sunset Magazine is a monthly lifestyle publication serving those interested in home and garden. While visiting the magazine's Menlo Park headquarters, don't miss the famous Sunset Garden Tour featuring unique plants and flowers from various regions throughout the state. For more information, visit www.sunset.com.
Allied Arts Guild, Northern California.
The Allied Arts Guild is a complex of shops, gardens, artists' studios and restaurant nestled in a quiet corner of a Menlo Park. Located on three-and-a-half acres granted by the King of Spain to the commandant of the Presidio de San Francisco, the complex is open Monday through Saturday all year round. For more information, visit www.alliedartsguild.org.
Downtown Palo Alto, California.
Take a stroll through downtown Palo Alto's University Avenue and explore the award-winning restaurants, specialty boutiques, coffee shops, bookstores, and theaters located minutes from Stanford University. Downtown Palo Alto is surrounded by cultural attractions, quaint residential neighborhoods and Silicon Valley high-tech companies. For more information, visit www.destinationpaloalto.com.
Holbrook Palmer Park, California.
Holbrook Palmer Park offers a gorgeous 22-acre garden setting ideal for weddings, receptions, birthday parties and corporate events. Of notable interest are the Carriage House and Water Tower, Tennis Center, children's playground and walking paths. For more information, visit www.ci.atherton.ca.us/holbrookpalmer.html.
Elizabeth F. Gamble Garden, California.
Set on a 2.3-acre estate, Colonial Georgian House was built in 1902 and bequeathed by Elizabeth F. Gamble to the city of Palo Alto. The house is now a non-profit community horticultural foundation, featuring several demonstration gardens. For more information visit www.gamblegarden.org or call 650.329.1356.
Filoli Estate & Gardens, California.
This 43-room mansion, which rests on a 654-acre estate, was once used as the set of the 1980s TV series "Dynasty." Exquisite gardens featuring a collection of more than 500 varieties of roses make Filoli Estate a very sweet local attraction. For more information, visit www.filoli.org.
Northern California Hiller Aviation Museum.
Discover over a dozen large scaled aircrafts at the Atrium, or interactive exhibits, photographs and models in the Main Gallery. The Hiller Aviation Museum offers plenty of educational programs and day camps for kids interested in aviation. For more information, visit www.hiller.org.
SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory in California.
Operated by Stanford University, this multipurpose lab is home to a two-mile linear accelerator, and deals with research and experiments related to astrophysics, photon science, molecular biology and particle physics. Visit the lab for a public tour or lecture. For more information, visit www.slac.stanford.edu.
Stanford Shopping Center, Northern California.
Palo Alto's Stanford Shopping Center is just a short drive from the hotel. In addition to the 140 world-class stores, restaurants and services, Stanford Shopping Center features spectacular, award-winning gardens and picturesque sculptures by California artists. For more information, visit www.stanfordshop.com.
California Paramount's Great America.
Located 10 miles south of the hotel, Paramount's Great America features 10 pulse-pounding coasters, the world's tallest double-decker carousel and Boomerang Bay, a 2.7-acre Australian-themed water park with a variety of slides, splash areas and water activities. For more information, visit www.pgathrills.com.
Computer History Museum, Northern California.
Dig deep into the world of the information age at the Computer History Museum. Explore a variety of fascinating exhibits related to the computer revolution, technology, the internet and the innovation of Silicon Valley corporations. For more information, visit www.computerhistory.org.
Menlo College, California.
Founded in 1927, Menlo College is Silicon Valley's business school. This private, four year college offers fourteen bachelor's degrees in various fields of business. Get to know this picturesque campus through a personal campus visit. For more information, visit www.menlo.edu.
San Francisco, California.
San Francisco is so close (40 minutes) you can almost smell the clam chowder being served up at Fisherman's Wharf. The City by the Bay has it all-rolling hills, breathtaking views, Chinatown, Union Square shops and great restaurants. For more information, visit www.onlysf.sfvisitor.org.
Northern California's Winchester Mystery House.
In 1884, Sarah L. Winchester, wife of Winchester Repeating Arms Company treasurer, began construction of a 160 room mansion complete with switchback staircases and doors that lead to nowhere. Explore this bizarre estate which also features the largest collection of Winchester rifles. For more information, visit www.winchestermysteryhouse.com.
Menlo Circus Club, Northern California.
Catch the latest horse shows, polo matches and swimming tournaments at the Menlo Circus Club in Atherton, CA. This premier multi-purpose facility is used for a variety of social and recreational purposes, and features a world-class club house, equestrian stables and tennis courts. For more information, visit www.menlocircusclub.com.
Town & Country Village, California.
Spend a relaxing afternoon at the Town & Country Village. This premier shopping, dining and lifestyle center offers everything you need - specialty shops, great restaurants and daily services in a beautifully landscaped outdoor setting. For more information, visit www.tandcvillage.com.
Rodin Sculpture Garden & Cantor Center for Visual Arts in California.
Located on the Stanford University campus, the Rodin Sculpture Garden & Cantor Center for Visual Arts offers a comprehensive collection of paintings, photos and artifacts from around the world. Explore the artistic wonders in the outdoor sculpture garden or chill out at the Cool Café. Museum admission is free. For more information, visit http://museum.stanford.edu.
Half Moon Bay, California.
Explore the charming coastal community of Half Moon Bay (30 minutes). Scenic driving tours, pristine beaches, horseback rides and a charming downtown stretch lined with bookstores, cafés, antiques shops and restaurants are not to be missed. For more information, visit www.visithalfmoonbay.org.
Santana Row, Northern California.
At Santana Row you can shop - til you drop at San Jose's upscale urban complex featuring sophisticated fashion designer boutiques, top name brand stores, trendy restaurants, theaters, lavish spas and salons. For more information, visit www.santanarow.com.
