Things to Do in Mountain View, California

By
Cassie Kifer
Cassie Kifer
Cassie Kifer is a freelance writer and local tour guide for the Silicon Valley as well as a long-time resident of the San Francisco Bay Area.
TripSavvy's editorial guidelines
Fact checked by
Michelai Graham
Fact checked by Michelai Graham
on 07/01/19
Michigan State University
American University
Michelai Graham is a technology and business reporter who has written for The Urban Institute and Scoop News. She reports for AfroTech, Lifewire, and The Plug.
TripSavvy's fact-checking
on 07/01/19
Mountain View,California

Eric Fredericks/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0

Planning a visit to Silicon Valley? Here's a list of some of the best things to do in Mountain View and neighboring communities.

Explore Castro Street

Walk down Downtown Mountain View's pedestrian-friendly main drag, Castro Street. This street has many of the city's best restaurants and a unique range of shops and nightlife.

Tour the Googleplex

Take a walk around Google's headquarters campus and take a selfie next to the quirky art exhibits, Android lawn sculptures, and colorful campus bikes. 

Learn About Tech History

Check out the Computer History Museum for a walk through computing past and present.

Learn About Space Exploration

Visit the NASA Ames Research Center's public visitor center for displays on NASA's space research and aeronautics. Admission is free.

Take a Hike

Shoreline Park has 8-miles of trails for walking, jogging, and biking. The local trails connect to Stevens Creek Trail, Permanente Creek Trail, and the Bay Loop Trail. There are other hiking trails in Silicon Valley as well.

Fly a Kite

The city government dedicated the Kite Lot, a windy open space in Shoreline Park as the official kite-flying spot for the City of Mountain View.

Watch a Concert at Shoreline Amphitheater

Most of the biggest musical acts that come to the Bay play at Shoreline. The outdoor amphitheater seats 22,500, including 6,500 reserved seats and 16,000 general admission seats available on the lawn.

Watch a Theater Performance

Get tickets for a show at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts, the Pear Theater, or the Peninsula Youth Theater.

Visit With Baby Farm Animals

Visit Deer Hollow Farm, a 160-acre historic ranch and educational farm in the Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve in Cupertino. Admission is free.

Shop Fresh at an Open-Air Market

Mountain View has a year-round weekly farmer's market on Sunday mornings in the VTA/Caltrain station parking lot. Milk Pail Market (2585 California Street) is a much-loved outdoor gourmet food market that stocks artisan foods from California and hard-to-find European imports.

Popular Annual Festivals and Events

  • The Irish Fleadh (May)
  • Japanese Obon Festival (July)
  • Mountain View Art and Wine Festival (September)
  • German Oktoberfest (October)

Head Over the Hills to the Beach

Mountain View is just a quick, 30-minute drive from the beaches on the Silicon Valley coast. There are plenty of things to do in Half Moon Bay and Pescadero, CA.

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