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Whether you need to know local public holidays or highlights through the seasons, we hope you will find the facts gathered below useful tools for your travel planning. Please feel free to contact us if we can assist you further.

General information

Home to many of the world’s leaders in high-tech innovation and biotech research, Palo Alto is the epicentre of Silicon Valley. Based around Stanford University, this bustling city combines small-town charm with sophisticated elegance. Tree-lined streets and historic buildings reflect Palo Alto’s California heritage, while a vibrant downtown core anchors its business and residential areas. This dynamic mix of tradition and innovation makes Palo Alto an extraordinary place in which to do business.

A landmark at the gateway to Palo Alto, Four Seasons Hotel Silicon Valley at East Palo Alto offers easy access to Bay Area business centres, and to some of the most scenic stretches of the California coast.

Time zone

GMT - 8 hours
Pacific Standard Time

Language(s) spoken

English

Electrical system

Local 110 to 120 volts AC. Adapters are available by contacting the Concierge.

Shopping hours

Monday to Friday 10:00 am to 9:00 pm
Saturday 10:00 am to 6:00 pm
Sunday 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm

Working hours

Monday to Friday 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

Time and distance to city centre

5 minutes/2 miles/3.2 kilometres

Time and distance to shopping

Stanford Shopping Center: 10 minutes/3 miles/4.8 kilometres University Ave: 5 minutes/2 miles/3.2 kilometres

Time and distance to financial district

City Centre: 5 minutes/2 miles/3.2 kilometres

View in–depth travel advice from Frommers.com

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Seasonal highlights

January

• The East-West Shrine Game is the oldest and one of the most respected of the post-season collegiate bowl games. It has been held every year since 1925 to raise money to support Shriners Hospitals.
• The Chinese New Year Run starts at Grant Avenue and California Street, and winds through San Francisco's Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf and Fort Mason before finishing at Portsmouth Square.
• Photonics West is North America's largest commercial exhibition on optics, lasers, biomedical optics, optoelectronic components and imaging technologies, with 800 exhibitors and 13,000 attendees congregating at the San José Convention Center. No other event covers the full range of applications and technologies.

February

• DesignCon is an educational conference and technology exhibition exclusively for practising engineers in the semiconductor and electronic design communities. It attracts 7,000 attendees to the Santa Clara Convention Center.

March

• The Cinequest San José Film Festival is a 12-day festival of film, film artists and technology featuring over 150 films from 22 countries.
• The Special Olympics of Northern California showcases regional and championship competitions.
• The Kings Mountain Half Marathon route navigates the lush hiking trails through the Santa Cruz Mountains. Along the course, runners are shielded by redwood and oak forests and bordered by sprays of vibrant wildflowers.
• The Palo Alto Vista Trail Run and Half Marathon travels over rolling hills and through open meadows, dips into oak and bay laurel forests and passes within inches of local ponds. Half-marathoners run through the middle of a Christmas tree farm.

April

• The Rivers of Chocolate Festival is the premier chocolate-tasting event of Northern California.
• The Skyline Ridge Half Marathon is a trail run in the Santa Cruz Mountains featuring breathtaking panoramic vistas.

May

• The USA Swimming Grand Prix Meet is a two-day event hosting world-class athletes from around the United States. It is held at the Stanford Aquatic Center.
• Bay to Breakers is the world's largest road race, run through the streets of San Francisco and Golden Gate Park.

June

• The Stanford Jazz Festival takes place over three weeks at Stanford University. It features more than 100 artists and 30 performances at both indoor and outdoor venues.
• Concourse d'Elegance is a classic car show and drive featuring private collections, choppers and more.
• The Randy Cross Invitational Golf and Tennis Tournament has been attracting celebrities and sports enthusiasts alike since 1984.
• The NASCAR NEXTEL Cup Series makes its Northern California stop at Infineon Raceway.
• The Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers Festival takes place over two weekends, celebrating local wineries and restaurants.
• The San José International Triathlon features a 0.78-mile (1.25-kilometre) swim, 25-mile (40-kilometre) bike ride and a 6-mile (10-kilometre) run.
• Commencement week festivities take place to celebrate Stanford University graduates.

July

• The Alcatraz Sharkfest Swim is one of the most popular events in the area.
• Music@Menlo is a three-week chamber music festival in Atherton, with live concerts and jam sessions daily.
• The Bank of the West Classic tennis tournament, played at Stanford Tennis Pavilion, is the first stop of the important West Coast Swing and US Open Series.
• SEMICON West attracts over 1,500 exhibitors and 15,000 attendees. The premier venue to reach the global semiconductor and flat panel display industries, the event delivers the latest and most extensive information available.

August

• MacArthur Park Wine Festival is a celebration of California wines and local restaurants.
• The annual Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Race is the premier historic automobile event in North America. The hills of Monterey Peninsula resonate with the sounds of racing cars from a bygone era.

September

• The annual Almaden Valley Art and Wine Festival is a family-oriented event that includes an arts and crafts show, wine and beer tasting and entertainment.
• The Grand Prix of Monterey features the Champ Car World Series, pending final negotiations.

October

• San José's Marathon gives runners the option of competing in a marathon, a half marathon, a 3-mile (5-kilometre) run or walk, or in a series of races for children. The flat course makes the race a popular qualifier for the Boston Marathon.
• The Palo Alto Weekly Moonlight Run and Walk offers 3-mile (5-kilometre) and 6-mile (10-kilometre) courses over the Palo Alto Baylands levee and through the marshlands by the light of the harvest moon.

November

• The Ballet San José Silicon Valley's season opens at the Center for the Performing Arts.
• Run to the Far Side is an annual 3-mile (5-kilometre) and 6-mile (10-kilometre) run held on Thanksgiving weekend, a tradition that pays tribute to the eccentric cartoon creations of Gary Larson. It is the only race where herds of costumed cows, chickens, squid and cavemen compete side by side with serious athletes in a beautiful jaunt through Golden Gate Park that ends in a costume contest.

December

• Christmas in the Park is a holiday tradition. Downtown San José’s Plaza de Cesar Chavez is transformed into a winter wonderland, complete with outdoor ice skating.