Los Altos
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Get in
If driving on El Camino Real, drive south on San Antonio Road, south on Los Altos Avenue, or south on Grant Road. If taking public transportation, VTA bus lines 40 and 52 go near downtown Los Altos. Interstate 280 provides easy access to Los Altos. If coming in from the north (San Francisco), then use 280 South. There is no method of entry from the west with the exception of Page Mill Road and Moody Road. If coming in from the south, use 87 North with connections to 280 North. If coming from the east, then 280 North is a simple method of entry.
Get around
Los Altos is a small enough town that there is no real "mass transit" option such as train, or light rail. Due to the residential nature of Los Altos, almost every single person uses cars. There is the occasional VTA bus, but it has never been the true method of transit. Los Altos hotspots such as Whole Foods are the greater majority of all bus transit.
See
Los Altos is mostly residential but there are some hotspots such as Loyola Corners, Downtown Los Altos, and the various borders between Los Altos and other close-by cities. Although not necessarily in the city, Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve (Rancho OSP) is a major distinction to see the mountains. The park is open daily from sunrise to sundown.
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phone: +1 650-948-9427address: 51 S San Antonio Rd
Do
Bicycling is popular, especially on the NE/SW route of Foothill Expressway. Peet's Coffee on State Street is a popular stop for bicyclists. A bicycle route from Los Altos Avenue to Arastradero road is a popular route to Stanford University that avoids much automobile traffic. During evenings in the summer, the Downtown Triangle shows a movie every evening, free of charge.
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Downtown Los Altos Friday Movie Nights
address: First StreetPretend you're a local and bring your chairs, blankets, and picnics to this summer outdoor film series, sponsored by the Los Altos Village Association. -
Los Altos Art and Wine Festival
address: Lincoln ParkWalk the streets of downtown Los Altos as artist hawk their wares. There are rides, food stalls, and musical groups. The festival takes place the second weekend of July. Fine Art in the Park, 199 University Avenue Los Altos, CA 94022. Each year in May, Los Altos Rotary Club presents Fine Art in the Park, an open-air art show featuring original works by over 100 artists. The event takes place in Lincoln Park. -
phone: +1 408 663-8070address: 4546 El Camino Real Suite 202, Los Altos, CA 94022Known for their signature massage combining Thai, Swedish, and Deep Tissue modalities. Located in the rustic Village Court Shopping Plaza near Chef Chu’s. The studio is quaint and private - perfect for couples.
Buy
Los Altos has four main shopping areas, listed in order of size:
# the south side of El Camino Real
# the Downtown Triangle bordered on the Southwest by Foothill Expressway, on the North by Edith Drive, and on the East by San Antonio Road near its Southern terminus. This area is very suitable for walking and is much more peaceful and than similar downtowns in nearby Palo Alto and Mountain View, but still has plenty of foot traffic.
# Rancho Shopping Center at the intersection of Springer Road and Foothill, primarily Andronico's grocery store
# Loyola Corners at the Southern end of Miramonte Road has a variety of shops including a very popular high-end bicycle shop.
# the south side of El Camino Real
# the Downtown Triangle bordered on the Southwest by Foothill Expressway, on the North by Edith Drive, and on the East by San Antonio Road near its Southern terminus. This area is very suitable for walking and is much more peaceful and than similar downtowns in nearby Palo Alto and Mountain View, but still has plenty of foot traffic.
# Rancho Shopping Center at the intersection of Springer Road and Foothill, primarily Andronico's grocery store
# Loyola Corners at the Southern end of Miramonte Road has a variety of shops including a very popular high-end bicycle shop.
Eat
In the El Camino Corridor:
In the Rancho Shopping Center:
In Loyola Corners:
Whole Foods Markethas some indoor seating
Armadillo Willy'sLunch and Dinner, American food
Chef Chu'sChinese take-out and dinner
Esther's German BakeryEuropean bread and pastries
A Good MorningAmerican Breakfast
Oregano'sItalian American
The Pasta MarketItalian American
Go Go GyroGreek
Dittmer's MeatsGerman meats
Peet's Coffee and TeaCoffee, and pastries
Los Altos GrillAmerican; formerly Bandera's
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Sumo Sushi
phone: +1 650 941-9898address: 355 State StJapanese Bella Vitafor Italian dinner
Los Altos Village Pantry
BumbleLight lunches
Forest on FirstLunch
SafewayFor breakfast, lunch, and dinner with outdoor seating
Original Pancake HousePancakes, waffles, and other breakfast items
In the Rancho Shopping Center:
Andronico's Markethas limited seating
Rancho PizzaTake and bake pizza
Los Altos Bakery & CafeBreakfast and Lunch
Brian's RestaurantFor breakfast and lunch
Main Street BagelFor bagels and lunch sandwiches
StarbucksCoffee, scones, bagels
In Loyola Corners:
Tom's Depotfor breakfast and lunch
Cafe VitaleFor upper-scale lunch/dinner
Sleep
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phone: +1 650 941-9900address: 4320 El Camino Real
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Residence Inn Palo Alto Los Altos
phone: +1 650 559-7890address: 4460 El Camino Real
Although not open for business as of November, 2014, a small hotel will be opening in Downtown Los Altos at 51-53 Main St
Los Altos. It will be mostly likely be open early 2015.
Stay safe
Los Altos has no true threats; a residential area and a strong police makes crime non-existent. If you go hiking, there are some obvious guidelines that should be followed. Bring water, food and a first aid kit if you decide to go hiking in Rancho OSP. The Los Altos Police Department is located at 1 N San Antonio Rd.
Go next
There are several neighboring cities that are very similar, cities such as Los Altos Hills, Palo Alto, Stanford, Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, and Los Gatos.