Los Altos History Museum is such a hidden gem! It's tucked right by the Los Altos Library, so…read moreparking is easy and plentiful, which makes it a low stress outing. Inside, there's a rotating art exhibit that makes each visit feel a little different, plus a beautiful model train setup that is especially great if you're visiting with kids. It's the kind of thing that can keep little ones happily entertained for a bit. Admission is free, though donations are suggested, and it feels like a lovely community spot that's worth supporting. It's not a huge museum, but that's part of the charm, it's easy to pop in, explore, and leave feeling like you discovered something special.

I would highly recommend booking this museum in Los Altos for your wedding or any event, really…read more The venue is absolutely stunning for an outdoor wedding and has an indoor section too. We really wanted a cozy intimate backyard wedding vibe and that's exactly what we got here! Huge plus is my husband loves history, and you get free access to the museum for a year with a ton of other benefits once you have an event here + your donation is tax deductible. You also don't need much decor at all due to the natural beauty but we hired a decorator for the arches, stages, and table settings. Lisa will also give you a list of vendors partners you can work with just in case. Overall, she was really amazing to work with and super responsive because anytime we needed to do a tour walk through with vendors or a tour of the venue, she was there. Thanks Lisa for answering all my questions!! You can't go wrong having your wedding here. We had a spring wedding of close to ~200 folks and thank God it didn't rain but summer or even fall would be beautiful here. For photoshoot opportunities there's a ton onsite and a beautiful orchard just steps away from the museum for sunset shots. A magical day indeed.

Beautiful location. Our wedding was picture perfect! We had the wedding of our dreams.read more

Rengstorff House is located on the premises of the Shoreline Parklands. This is a historic…read moreVictorian house / mansion and it is Mountain View's oldest home. There is a shared parking lot. My bf wanted to do docent-led tour, but unfortunately we showed up shortly after they closed on that Saturday afternoon (they closed at noon). We walked along the outer perimeter of the estate - hoping to get some photos, but there were some people taking photos at the front of the house, so we ended up leaving. Overall 3 stars, but rounded up to 4 stars because we did not get the full experience for a fair review.

This is a hidden gem in downtown Los Altos located in the State Street Market building, but across…read morefrom the food hall where it is separated by a walkway. The service was good and the staff seemed hard at work and willing to converse with customers including us, as first timers. The owner was also present and was making conversation with guests too. We went when it was quieter a bit earlier in the evening but it got more crowded later. The crowd skews older. The menu is seasonal and they just changed the menu the week before we went. We ordered several appetizers. We had the bread service, where the focaccia was pretty good. The tomato salad was very good and tasted very fresh. Crab cakes were phenomenal. For our main courses, we had the squid ink spaghetti and the grilled duroc pork chop. All of it were very good. One of our party members is a picky eater who doesn't like spicy food, so they put less sauce on his pasta even though we never asked for it. For dessert, we had the opera and olive oil cake, which were all really good. I would like to return in the future. The food was very good and not as expensive compared to very similar options. The downtown atmosphere was really intimate and the service was friendly.

Came here for a work dinner, and for appetizers I tried the focaccia which was pretty good with an…read moreeasy spread butter, the tomato salad which was okay, and the crab cakes which were pretty good. I got the basil gnocchi for my main which was pretty good and the Brussel sprouts were very good! We tried the olive oil cake which was pretty good and the panda cotta which I loved and highly recommend. Service was kind and fast and ambiance was nice as well. All in all would recommend for a date night or for a group dinner!

I've had a difficult time reaching staff at the Adobe Building and getting any response regarding…read moretheir protocols. They don't hold themselves accountable.

Do not recommend. Parking is extremely limited. Right next to the train tracks with freight and…read morecaltrains that honk LOUD and repeatedly. Reserve only if you're ok being interrupted by deafening horns every 15 minutes.

I recently attended a meeting at the Neutra House, a fabulous small-event conference center that…read morewas originally built as a private home in 1935 and completed in 1939 by internationally renowned architect Richard Neutra. The building sits directly next to the community center and has been extensively remodeled. Outside, the gorgeous wood paneling has been restored to a lustrous hue, while inside, a kitchen and a bathroom (with a sliding, non-locking door!) have been added. The lines are crisp, clean and modern, and I felt the meeting room very comfortable. There were about 20 in our group, and we all fit nicely. The interior walls (unblemished white) sport interesting photographs of other architecturally significant homes. It was an interesting place to hold a meeting, and I believe they also run tours of the place.

We used this hidden gem for a day retreat for some of our church leaders. It's in a great location…read more(right near downtown Los Altos and bordering Mountain View) and is only $30/hour at the nonprofit rental rate. It includes a full kitchen, bathroom and meeting space with lots of windows that accommodates ~25 people comfortably. There were 8 tables and 30 chairs available, and we adjusted the tables to seat 4 groups of 6 with enough room for everyone. There is also a TV that can be used to project information from a laptop, show DVDs and even an Apple TV. Great find, we will be back!

Great Family Event... Except Someone Forgot Their Customer-Service Hat…read more We had a really good time at Gamble Garden's Second Saturday! The kids enjoyed the scavenger hunt, there were some great vendors, and the whole event had a fun, family-friendly atmosphere. I also got some pretty good footage of the scavenger hunt and everything that was going on, so there was definitely plenty to enjoy. Whoever is behind organizing the Second Saturdays deserves some credit because they're doing a great job. There was a nice variety of activities, the kids stayed entertained, and it felt like a genuine community event. Now... the reason I'm giving it 4 stars instead of 5 comes down to one particular interaction. There was an older gentleman named Matthew who was helping out and wearing a vest. Let's just say Matthew and my wife and I did not exactly become best friends that afternoon. Some of the comments he made toward us came across as unnecessarily rude and, even if they were intended to be jokes, the humor definitely missed the landing. I'm all for a little sarcasm and having fun -- trust me, I can take a joke -- but there's a difference between being funny and making people wonder, "Wait... was that really necessary?" Thankfully, the event was for our kids, not for us, so we didn't let one interaction ruin the day. The kids had fun, the vendors were great, and everything else about the experience was positive. I'd definitely recommend checking out Second Saturday if you have kids or just want to support a cool community event. Hopefully, next time Matthew leaves the comedy routine at home and sticks to the helping. Overall: Great event, great activities, great vendors, and a lot of potential for an even better experience. Just one sour interaction kept it from getting that fifth star.

Gamble Garden is a lovely and quiet respite in Palo Alto. Whenever I'm in the area and have some…read moretime, I stop by for a stroll around the garden to see what's in bloom. There are benches to sit and gather. I've seen a wedding in their outdoor area and I believe you can rent the house for events. They have classes and you can volunteer in the garden too. At one time, it was also a location for photo shoots. One of my lifestyle photos was shot here. A space of beauty and peace. I appreciate that it's free for anyone.

I just threw a 90th birthday party for my mother and chose the University Club to stage and cater…read morethe event for 60 guests. It was fantastic. Chelese, the event manager was extremely easy to work with and the staff was very helpful. I expected the food to be good but it was truly outstanding. I've rarely been to an event for a large number of people where the food was so exceptional and many guests raved about it. I strongly recommend the University Club as a venue for your event.

I absolutely love the University Club of Palo Alto!…read more For me, the highlight is the pool. I love swimming here--there's an excellent lap pool where you can sign up for lanes, a diving board for extra fun, and plenty of open swim time for families. Kids can't get enough of the swim team, and there's even a shaded baby pool that's perfect for infants and toddlers. The tennis courts are top of the line, whether you're playing just for fun or competitively. The tennis pros are fantastic, and the whole tennis community here is great. Pickleball is also really taking off--it's always fun and social. The gym has everything you could want: Peloton bikes, free weights, machines, and a full range of classes. Beyond fitness, people also gather for bridge, mahjong, and other activities, so there's something for everyone. The food is excellent, the full bar is always a plus, and the events calendar is packed. There are great adult activities (salsa dancing, wine tasting, Aloha nights) and plenty for kids too (kids' night out, movie night, and more). Best of all, the community is welcoming and friendly. It's easy to meet people here, and many members end up making lifelong friends. All around, it's a wonderful club--I can't recommend it enough!

This place is great!!!…read more Love the openness of the location with plenty of places to seat The service was fast and welcoming We didn't get a chance to get food it was during the FIFA USA game and there was a great vibe I couldn't think to eat but wow there so many delicious choices I had my eye on the fries Over all 5 stars I can't wait to come back!!

I loved the concept, though we had a hard time choosing from all the great restaurants. Our table…read moregot ramen and Indian - butter chicken and samosas. Both were very good. Walkable from our friends' home.

We came here for a graduation party. The space they rented was modern, large, and cool. I don't…read moreknow how much it costs to rent but it'll be a spot to consider if we need a place to hold an event. I do need to explore this place a bit to see what else if can offer me, etc.

As a volunteer at the Mountain View Senior Center, I cannot speak highly enough about the staff!…read moreEvery single staff member cares about each person who walks through the doors! They make sure these seniors have recreation opportunities through events and daily programs such as technology classes, pickle ball, ping pong, pool, blood pressure checks, free phone checkouts, a book club, group movie events and much more. Beyond recreational opportunities, the senior center serves lunch to a large number of local seniors each and every day. The lunch is nutritious and caters strictly to the diet of older people. You would not believe the number of compliments I hear as people leave after lunch. The senior center also has 10 cent books to purchase. The staff works really hard to plan events such as dances, socials and an annual bazaar during the holidays with vendors from the community. The people who work at the Mountain View Senior Center go above and beyond on a daily basis and it shows! The Senior Center is available without membership costs, registration and is free for all people 55 and older.