Mountain View CA
Best Fun Things To Do
Located immediately south of Palo Alto, Mountain View is an older residential town with many apartments. It does have some good local things to do, especially since Google employee dollars have rejuvenated the commercial areas. Click the links below for more detailed descriptions and see our Mountain View Map.
Castro Street, Mountain View
Castro Street, between Alma St and El Camino, is THE happening place in Mountain View and a good place to hang out on the weekend. It has a wide variety of restaurants, coffee shops and book stores. See our separate Castro Street Page and Map.
Google Headquarters Area
Google has made a big impact on Mountain View and north of Highway 101 where most of Google’s buildings are located. Below are some of the things to do near Google.
- Googleplex, 1600 Amphitheatre Parkway, Mountain View
Google’s corporate headquarters which includes 50-100 office buildings. You are welcome to drive all around but not to enter the buildings. - Computer History Museum, 1401 N. Shoreline blvd, Mountain View
The world’s leading institution exploring the history of computing. in 19 different galleries of multi-media displays. - Moffett Field Historical Society Museum, Severyns Ave., Building 126, Moffett Field, CA
A small historical museum full of memorabilia about the interesting and varied role Moffett Field played in aviation since the 1930s. It was the home of blimps, NASA Ames, P3-Orion Subchasers, strange research planes and more. Open Wednesday-Saturday 10 am-3 pm. Adult admission is $8 but discount tickets are available. See website for more details. - NASA Ames Research Visitor Center, just outside the Moffett Field Gate (south side)
A free museum featuring NASA accomplishments such as the Appollo 5 moon shot. They even have a real moon rock. Worth a quick visit. - Shoreline Park, 3160 N Shoreline Blvd, Mountain View
Plenty to see and do here … restaurants, the historic Rengstorff house, golf, paddleboats, dog park, kite park, etc., etc. However, it does gets windy in the afternoon … that’s why it’s a popular windsurfing spot.
San Antonio & El Camino Area
The two main commercial streets in town intersect here adjacent to Los Altos.
- Dittmer’s Gourmet Meats, 4540 El Camino Real, Los Altos
Great sandwiches and meats including German sausage. - Esther’s German Bakery, 987 N. San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
A pleasant and popular German cafe. - Armadillo Willy’s, 1031 N San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
This location is nicer and more popular than Armadello Willy’s we have visited. - The Milk Pail Market, 2585 California St, Mountain View
A big, very popular fruit stand located at the busy corner of California St and San Antonio. - MoreBeer!, 991 N San Antonio Rd, Los Altos
THE brewing store in the Bay area. This retail shop supplies “absolutely everything for beer making.” Wine making as well. - San Antonio Shopping Center
This once was the biggest & best shopping center in Mountain View. Now it is much reduced in size but does have a Trader Joe’s, Walmart, and Kohls.
Other
- Clarke’s Charcoal Broiler, 615 W El Camino Real, Mountain View, CA 94040
Classic hamburgers. A good place for a burger since 1945. - 49ers Museum, Levi’s Stadium, 4900 Marie P DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara
A new museum by Sony which features the history of the 49ers football team. Located in Santa Clara near Mountain View. - Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, 22500 Cristo Rey Dr, Los Altos, CA. Beautiful, convenient, 4000 acres of open space with 23 miles of trails. Also see Hidden Villa Farm which is similar. Located south of Mountain View off Hwy 280.
