Visitors often ask where they can actually see Silicon Valley. The big tech campuses are mostly closed to the public, but two stops tell the story well, and both are an easy drive from Santa Clara.
Morning: Apple Park Visitor Center, Cupertino
Apple's headquarters campus is not open to visitors, but the Apple Park Visitor Center across the street is. It has an Apple Store, a cafe, and a rooftop terrace that looks toward the ring-shaped campus. It is about 10 minutes from Granada Hotel.
- Check current hours on Apple's site (https://www.apple.com/retail/appleparkvisitorcenter/) before you go.
- Weekday mornings are usually the quietest time to visit.
Afternoon: Computer History Museum, Mountain View
The Computer History Museum traces the story of computing, from early calculating machines to the internet, smartphones, and the people and companies that built Silicon Valley. Give yourself two to three hours. It is about 15 to 20 minutes from Granada Hotel, depending on traffic.
- Check computerhistory.org (https://computerhistory.org/) for hours, tickets, and current exhibits.
- The museum store is a good stop for gifts for the tech fan back home.
Evening: back on El Camino Real
End the day with dinner along El Camino Real in Santa Clara, home to a wide range of restaurants, including many of the South Bay's best-known Korean spots.
Tips for the day
- Drive the loop in this order to stay ahead of the afternoon traffic heading south.
- Add the Mission Santa Clara gardens on the Santa Clara University campus for a contrast with 18th-century California.
Staying at Granada Hotel
Granada Hotel is a family-operated hotel on El Camino Real, centrally placed between Cupertino, Mountain View, and San Jose. Rooms have kitchenettes, there is free Wi-Fi throughout, and on-site laundry makes longer business stays easy. Book direct at granadasantaclara.com.
Photo: Computer History Museum 2024a by Antony-22, via Wikimedia Commons. Original photograph and this image adaptation licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Resized; website renditions may be cropped and converted to WebP for display. This license applies only to the photograph.
