Google Visitor Experience
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Highlighting Google brand [Mountain View CA] The last time we came here there was no Google Visitor Experience. We just drove around and when we saw a G Bike we'd take a ride in them, the G bikes were left lying around the campus by employees. The Visitor Experience is focused on bringing the community, visitors, and Googlers together through spaces and programs designed to foster connection. It isn't a typical visitor center, instead we checked out the Google Store, the Google Cafe and other spaces that highlight Google's brand through products, merchandise, and events. Visiting the Google Visitor Experience is free! it was worth checking out. Review #3943
Neat place to bring out of town visitors who are really into Google or you've got time to kill. The store didn't have a ton to look at actually and only a few neat Google branded swag available for purchase. Their cafe was unfortunately closed so we didn't get to try any food or drinks. There's some cool sculptures outside to look at and take photos with. Parking can be tricky, there's an official lot a few blocks away.
Staff was very friendly and helpful! A beautiful store, really enjoyed checking out all the different products in person! They also had an experimental song thing to try when you walk in. So nice to see what the team is working on at Google!
The Google Visitor Experience is a flop, despite its grand-sounding label. It wasn't worth the 20 minutes it took to walk there and back from a parking garage blocks away, let alone driving out of our way to get there. The imposing modern sprawl of the Gradient Canopy building built expectations, but it's just a big office building we couldn't enter, with the Experience - a store and cafe - tacked on one side. If you're excited by Google hardware you might enjoy the store. There's also a tiny shop with uninteresting local products. The best thing about it is the outdoor art, and it isn't that great - six pieces next to the building, only one of which - Quantum Meditation II, a semitransparent woman - I found a bit clever. Hosts at blue stands are scattered around the area, and are pleasant enough, but don't communicate enthusiasm about the Experience (and I don't know how they could). I asked one what to see, but he didn't know about a history exhibit that one reviewer mentioned. Mountain View has got a lot worth visiting. This wasn't.
I've never heard of this place before so I didn't know it exists, but thinking back now, of course it makes sense that there's a visitor center at the Google HQs, after all, all big businesses need something for their PR, lol... We came by on a whim as we spent the day before near the coast and then spent the night in Redwood City (see HIE review), and wanted to spend half a day in the area before heading back home to Sac. We were going to head back out to the Half Moon Bay area, but decided not to backtrack in case of traffic later on in the day and because it was cool in the Peninsula, so we figured it would be cold (again) at HMB. We arrived about 11:30 am or maybe it was closer to noon after a short loop around the Stanford campus to show the kids what that famous university looks like. We got to the visitor's parking structure after some lost-ness, ha! After finding a parking spot easily, thankfully, we caught a shuttle that took us to the Experience. It was mostly a Google Store with a cafe next door and then a meeting room called the Hub which is a community space for small events (not sure if you can just reserve it for free or what) with a few games and some puzzles for kids, and bathrooms. There's also outdoor seating on the patio and some unique sculptures/art pieces outdoors towards the front and one side courtyard of the building. The rest of the building is for Google to hold all-staff or larger meetings and there looked to be some offices in there too. I would say one nice thing is that the cafe prices looked to be reasonable and the quality of the food looked good and tasty. We had just had big breakfasts so we didn't try anything, but maybe next time we're nearby, we'll stop here for a meal. The pastries especially looked yummy! The outdoor seating area were nicely designed with lots of umbrellas and a self-serve water and utensils area, and dog friendly and spacious, great for a family meal time with your pets. Although the Experience wasn't much of one, except we really enjoyed looking at the different art works outside, and I especially like the copper penny Brown Bear, I was impressed by the customer service. Everyone who worked there from the parking attendants and visitor guides, to the shuttle driver to the store employees were all super friendly and helpful. They obviously wanted every visitor to have a memorable time in the nicest way even if the Experience itself wasn't anything super impressive. After we spent a good amount of time with the outdoor art exhibits, we got back to entrance area and took the shuttle back to the parking structure and headed out. Overall, it was a good one-time visit, but we'll probably not be back except to try out the cafe. It is a good way to leisurely while away a weekend morning/afternoon, with a walk around with your kids and/or pet(s) or hanging out with family and friends over a good meal.
We decided to check out this place after reading about it from a friend. The parking garage was a bit difficult to find but once inside we were lucky enough to find a spot on the busy garage. The visitor experience was more like a big Google store, I thought that it would be more of a museum type of thing. Staff were friendly though. They had a cute little cafe next to it. I wouldn't say it's a must visit but glad I can now say I've been there. Don't think there is a need for me to go back though.
After 3 visits to Google Visitor Center I believe I have seen everything. I came back to see what a pop up store looks like and to see the new artwork statues that are outside of building that I missed on my previous visit and saw new things as well like a 3 person bike! Opposite side I already saw with the cute Android logo on all the buildings which was fun and entertaining treasure hunt to discover where all the androids are hiding on and around the buildings. Great place to take friends or out of town folks to. I enjoyed it . Seeing all the Google bikes were colorful and cool.
The Google Visitor Experience is definitely worth checking out, especially since it's free. The Cafe serves coffee, salads, sandwiches, and small "bytes" like grilled cheese and asparagus soup. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy a snack here or just to hang out for a bit while exploring the site. The Moment Marketplace sells merchandise designed by local artists and makers, under the current theme "rooted renewal", like dish towels made from recycled plastic bottles (the shop's theme changes every few months), And I picked up a Google "I'm Feeling Lucky" tote at the Google Store, while perusing numerous google branded products. I admired the art within the cafe, shops, and event space inside, as well as the sculptures by Burning Man Project displayed outside in the plaza, a fitting representation of the community, which by the way are beautifully lit at night after hours. My fave was the Curious bear made out of pennies. But I also loved the Go art piece by Hou de Sousa, which surrounds you with countless questions to ponder if you step underneath.... "Where did all the cowboys go? How many clowns fit in a car? Why does Google know it all?" The art alone makes it worth a visit, and of course, a nice clean and relaxing atmosphere with chill music playing in the background adds to the appeal as well. It wasn't crowded on a Monday afternoon, hardly any visitors, so the atmosphere was very laid back and beautiful with the surrounding trees and greenery. Free street parking can be found across Charleston street, on Joaquin Road 6am-8pm. And, if you park in the Alta Garage nearby (which is also free), you can hunt for cool and unique android statues on the walk over.
Lots of security around the canopy, but nice to greet and guide you to the main visitor area. Finding parking was confusing since there was no public parking inside the visitor center. I had to circle around three streets to find one reserved for visitors so I wouldn't get my car towed. Until I went through a small road in the visitor center that guided me to the Shoreline Parking Lot with a valet man on standby near an elevator. Google Store: clean, modern, creative, and organized. There's even a mini play station where kids can fool around with the Song Maker on screen and a table full of toys and books. I didn't like they're selling their Google tees for over $25 at 50% cotton, which was the same quality as Shein for a million-dollar corporate company. Cafe: A mini bakery cafe and sandwich/salad bar. Love their display, but wasn't in the mood for their food since I read previous reviews that the taste was okay. My dad only purchased a cup of coffee and bragged to his friends on his phone about how good and cheap the coffee was. The outdoor patio was beautiful with lots of shade. SJ Moment: a cute and cozy mini SJMade store that showcased popups from a few selected local artists. Lots of cute stuff, but preferred to go to a real SJMade event for better options. The Huddle: Kinda like a workspace where you had to reserve a table to work online. Love the interior and the indoor plants. No food and drinks allowed. Oh my, what a handsome receptionist ;) Joke, I would not go close to him but he was pleasant to greet you up front. Outdoor exhibition and park: very spacious and beautiful to take tons of pictures. You can rent a Google bike to explore the whole campus. Overall, I feel like the visitor center is more focused on walking and biking with a quick stop to eat, shop, and chill.
The Google Visitor Center felt more like a really nice Google store than an actual visitor experience. Don't get me wrong -- the employees were super friendly, the flowers blooming in spring made the campus feel like a dream, and the restrooms were spotless (which I really appreciated). But besides that, there's honestly not much to do unless you're looking to buy Google products. There were Google bikes around, but there weren't any clear instructions on whether visitors could actually use them, so we just skipped that part. The little pop-up shop featuring local products was a nice touch though. Overall, if you just want to say "hey, I've been to Google," it's worth a quick stop -- maybe grab a bite at the cafe and enjoy the views. But if you're expecting something super interactive or exciting... you might want to skip it.
Glad to see it back after so long. The store has google themed stuffs, phone, shirts, mugs and other things as souvenirs. Love the vibe of it. Visited on a weekend, we took the google bikes and went around to see the android icons and the art pieces around the campus. The halo art, quantum lady, pennies bear, the orb and etc. we even got a small hike to the Bay point regional shoreline overlook. It's a great place to visit.
Such a great experience...I always wanted to stop by here and today it happened! It was very interesting to see how the building looks like! Half of my life passed in searching in google so i was excited! A big parking lot was outside of building but its not for visitors. For visitor parking, it was a short walk which it was passing by Charleston park! Great people work here! They are very informative and the most important thing they like to help you. I love this experience and i think it will be interesting for kids! There is lot of mind games that they can play in other room! If you have kids, ill 100% suggest to stop by!
Been meaning to visit the Google Experience Center for its building and environmental features actually, but expected more experience as the center is called. Don't expect any museum or technology demonstration except for the store. However, the store was very disappointing. Many products repeated. For Google, the Wow factor was lacking even void in the store. It had Fitbit and nest. Several employees were standing around. The store could have set up the Google bikes and demoed Fitbit while doing a stationary bike ride. Or have a door to simulate nest ringing doorbell and using the cameras. I asked about the sunshine feature of Nest and it wasn't installed. I asked about the special feature of the nest compared to other security systems and he mentioned using AI to detect animals, bugs or people. That could be a fun interactive demo. It was unsurprisingly a flat experience. The Hub is a nice free community space with robotics and other games for kids and a small event area. To reserve or check out activities go to visit.with Google.com. The art installations outdoor was fun. Take time to read the description and meet the artists. The open areas around the center could be a nice walk with dogs.
5 months ago
I am surprised there isn't more reviews for the Google Visitor Experience on here. It is a great place to take friends, family and visitors to see a slice of Silicon Valley. Technically, you cannot go into the offices but you can check out the Google store, gift shop, cafe, big art plaza, and workshops. There is free parking at the garage nearby which is a piece of art itself. You can either take the shuttle which arrives every 15 minutes or walk about 7-10 minutes to the Google canopy. Once you arrive, you'll see the different parts that you can explore. My favorite 2 things to do there is the cafe which has so many inexpensive food and drink options and also the big artwork along the plaza. Even on crowded days, the big artwork is easy to check out and take pictures. I love the big white orb which is a massive twisted, metal sculpture that looks futuristic and very cool inside and outside. The bear is cute also because it is made completely out of pennies! You won't be disappointed by the big, fun, whimsical and spectacular big art at Google. It's like a free outdoor museum. My other favorite part of the experience is the cafe. Ordering is simple and the menu changes often. The cafe uses ingredients from a lot of local farms and bakeries. It keeps the menu quite cheap as most items are under $15 and even under $10! That is unheard of nowadays. Try the potato soup and you'll thank me. It is creamy, addictive and do yourself a favor and get the big bowl. The sandwiches are top notch and they use Acme bread which is already an awesome treat. After the art, the store, the cafe; you can easily take a hike to Shoreline and check out the amazing views from the top of the hill as well. So check out the Google Visitor Experience and it has much more to offer than other Silicon Valley experiences. read more
Didn't know what to expect, but I'll say Google Visitor Experience by far the one of the best. They have two areas you can park at: Lot C which is the Shoreline Amphitheater parking lot and it's a 3 minute walk to the Visitor Center or there's Alta Garage which is about a 8 minute walk. At Alta Garage there's a shuttle that runs from 10am to 7pm 7 days a week that takes you to the Visitor Center every 15 minutes.The parking and shuttle are also free. There's podium with greeters in green that can give a run a down on the visitor experience and they also have QR codes that gives you all the information you need as well about the Visitor experience. The Google store is cool with branded swag to the right and all the devices to the left of the store. The Cafe has really great food and they are locally sourced from local farms. Then theres the pop up shop that sells products from local businesses inside of the Huddle which is one of coolest places. It's a mixture of a library slash Dave n busters with all the games, board games that's there. The patio area outside is spacious and has tons of umbrellas which you can relax and enjoy a meal. Last but not least all burning man art pieces they have on campus that are exclusive to Google are really cool. If you have family or friends visiting from out of town take them to the Visitor Experience and spend the whole day here. read more
1 month ago
A fun dog friendly way to experience Google. Lots of photo opportunities with the various statues at the visitor center and throughout the campus as you walk by. Make sure to check out the café there is a local makers market attached, kids & special events area. Dogs are allowed inside the visitor center, but unfortunately not inside the café. There is outside seating available to eat where the dogs are allowed. Gift store is on site where you can purchase Google merchandise. read more
Highlighting Google brand [Mountain View CA] The last time we came here there was no Google Visitor Experience. We just drove around and when we saw a G Bike we'd take a ride in them, the G bikes were left lying around the campus by employees. The Visitor Experience is focused on bringing the community, visitors, and Googlers together through spaces and programs designed to foster connection. It isn't a typical visitor center, instead we checked out the Google Store, the Google Cafe and other spaces that highlight Google's brand through products, merchandise, and events. Visiting the Google Visitor Experience is free! it was worth checking out. Review #3943 read more
Neat place to bring out of town visitors who are really into Google or you've got time to kill. The store didn't have a ton to look at actually and only a few neat Google branded swag available for purchase. Their cafe was unfortunately closed so we didn't get to try any food or drinks. There's some cool sculptures outside to look at and take photos with. Parking can be tricky, there's an official lot a few blocks away. read more
1 year ago
Staff was very friendly and helpful! A beautiful store, really enjoyed checking out all the different products in person! They also had an experimental song thing to try when you walk in. So nice to see what the team is working on at Google! read more
1 year ago
3 months ago
The Google Visitor Experience is a flop, despite its grand-sounding label. It wasn't worth the 20 minutes it took to walk there and back from a parking garage blocks away, let alone driving out of our way to get there. The imposing modern sprawl of the Gradient Canopy building built expectations, but it's just a big office building we couldn't enter, with the Experience - a store and cafe - tacked on one side. If you're excited by Google hardware you might enjoy the store. There's also a tiny shop with uninteresting local products. The best thing about it is the outdoor art, and it isn't that great - six pieces next to the building, only one of which - Quantum Meditation II, a semitransparent woman - I found a bit clever. Hosts at blue stands are scattered around the area, and are pleasant enough, but don't communicate enthusiasm about the Experience (and I don't know how they could). I asked one what to see, but he didn't know about a history exhibit that one reviewer mentioned. Mountain View has got a lot worth visiting. This wasn't. read more
I've never heard of this place before so I didn't know it exists, but thinking back now, of course it makes sense that there's a visitor center at the Google HQs, after all, all big businesses need something for their PR, lol... We came by on a whim as we spent the day before near the coast and then spent the night in Redwood City (see HIE review), and wanted to spend half a day in the area before heading back home to Sac. We were going to head back out to the Half Moon Bay area, but decided not to backtrack in case of traffic later on in the day and because it was cool in the Peninsula, so we figured it would be cold (again) at HMB. We arrived about 11:30 am or maybe it was closer to noon after a short loop around the Stanford campus to show the kids what that famous university looks like. We got to the visitor's parking structure after some lost-ness, ha! After finding a parking spot easily, thankfully, we caught a shuttle that took us to the Experience. It was mostly a Google Store with a cafe next door and then a meeting room called the Hub which is a community space for small events (not sure if you can just reserve it for free or what) with a few games and some puzzles for kids, and bathrooms. There's also outdoor seating on the patio and some unique sculptures/art pieces outdoors towards the front and one side courtyard of the building. The rest of the building is for Google to hold all-staff or larger meetings and there looked to be some offices in there too. I would say one nice thing is that the cafe prices looked to be reasonable and the quality of the food looked good and tasty. We had just had big breakfasts so we didn't try anything, but maybe next time we're nearby, we'll stop here for a meal. The pastries especially looked yummy! The outdoor seating area were nicely designed with lots of umbrellas and a self-serve water and utensils area, and dog friendly and spacious, great for a family meal time with your pets. Although the Experience wasn't much of one, except we really enjoyed looking at the different art works outside, and I especially like the copper penny Brown Bear, I was impressed by the customer service. Everyone who worked there from the parking attendants and visitor guides, to the shuttle driver to the store employees were all super friendly and helpful. They obviously wanted every visitor to have a memorable time in the nicest way even if the Experience itself wasn't anything super impressive. After we spent a good amount of time with the outdoor art exhibits, we got back to entrance area and took the shuttle back to the parking structure and headed out. Overall, it was a good one-time visit, but we'll probably not be back except to try out the cafe. It is a good way to leisurely while away a weekend morning/afternoon, with a walk around with your kids and/or pet(s) or hanging out with family and friends over a good meal. read more
We decided to check out this place after reading about it from a friend. The parking garage was a bit difficult to find but once inside we were lucky enough to find a spot on the busy garage. The visitor experience was more like a big Google store, I thought that it would be more of a museum type of thing. Staff were friendly though. They had a cute little cafe next to it. I wouldn't say it's a must visit but glad I can now say I've been there. Don't think there is a need for me to go back though. read more
2 years ago
After 3 visits to Google Visitor Center I believe I have seen everything. I came back to see what a pop up store looks like and to see the new artwork statues that are outside of building that I missed on my previous visit and saw new things as well like a 3 person bike! Opposite side I already saw with the cute Android logo on all the buildings which was fun and entertaining treasure hunt to discover where all the androids are hiding on and around the buildings. Great place to take friends or out of town folks to. I enjoyed it . Seeing all the Google bikes were colorful and cool. read more
2 years ago
The Google Visitor Experience is definitely worth checking out, especially since it's free. The Cafe serves coffee, salads, sandwiches, and small "bytes" like grilled cheese and asparagus soup. There's plenty of indoor and outdoor seating to enjoy a snack here or just to hang out for a bit while exploring the site. The Moment Marketplace sells merchandise designed by local artists and makers, under the current theme "rooted renewal", like dish towels made from recycled plastic bottles (the shop's theme changes every few months), And I picked up a Google "I'm Feeling Lucky" tote at the Google Store, while perusing numerous google branded products. I admired the art within the cafe, shops, and event space inside, as well as the sculptures by Burning Man Project displayed outside in the plaza, a fitting representation of the community, which by the way are beautifully lit at night after hours. My fave was the Curious bear made out of pennies. But I also loved the Go art piece by Hou de Sousa, which surrounds you with countless questions to ponder if you step underneath.... "Where did all the cowboys go? How many clowns fit in a car? Why does Google know it all?" The art alone makes it worth a visit, and of course, a nice clean and relaxing atmosphere with chill music playing in the background adds to the appeal as well. It wasn't crowded on a Monday afternoon, hardly any visitors, so the atmosphere was very laid back and beautiful with the surrounding trees and greenery. Free street parking can be found across Charleston street, on Joaquin Road 6am-8pm. And, if you park in the Alta Garage nearby (which is also free), you can hunt for cool and unique android statues on the walk over. read more
2 years ago
Lots of security around the canopy, but nice to greet and guide you to the main visitor area. Finding parking was confusing since there was no public parking inside the visitor center. I had to circle around three streets to find one reserved for visitors so I wouldn't get my car towed. Until I went through a small road in the visitor center that guided me to the Shoreline Parking Lot with a valet man on standby near an elevator. Google Store: clean, modern, creative, and organized. There's even a mini play station where kids can fool around with the Song Maker on screen and a table full of toys and books. I didn't like they're selling their Google tees for over $25 at 50% cotton, which was the same quality as Shein for a million-dollar corporate company. Cafe: A mini bakery cafe and sandwich/salad bar. Love their display, but wasn't in the mood for their food since I read previous reviews that the taste was okay. My dad only purchased a cup of coffee and bragged to his friends on his phone about how good and cheap the coffee was. The outdoor patio was beautiful with lots of shade. SJ Moment: a cute and cozy mini SJMade store that showcased popups from a few selected local artists. Lots of cute stuff, but preferred to go to a real SJMade event for better options. The Huddle: Kinda like a workspace where you had to reserve a table to work online. Love the interior and the indoor plants. No food and drinks allowed. Oh my, what a handsome receptionist ;) Joke, I would not go close to him but he was pleasant to greet you up front. Outdoor exhibition and park: very spacious and beautiful to take tons of pictures. You can rent a Google bike to explore the whole campus. Overall, I feel like the visitor center is more focused on walking and biking with a quick stop to eat, shop, and chill. read more
1 year ago
The Google Visitor Center felt more like a really nice Google store than an actual visitor experience. Don't get me wrong -- the employees were super friendly, the flowers blooming in spring made the campus feel like a dream, and the restrooms were spotless (which I really appreciated). But besides that, there's honestly not much to do unless you're looking to buy Google products. There were Google bikes around, but there weren't any clear instructions on whether visitors could actually use them, so we just skipped that part. The little pop-up shop featuring local products was a nice touch though. Overall, if you just want to say "hey, I've been to Google," it's worth a quick stop -- maybe grab a bite at the cafe and enjoy the views. But if you're expecting something super interactive or exciting... you might want to skip it. read more
Glad to see it back after so long. The store has google themed stuffs, phone, shirts, mugs and other things as souvenirs. Love the vibe of it. Visited on a weekend, we took the google bikes and went around to see the android icons and the art pieces around the campus. The halo art, quantum lady, pennies bear, the orb and etc. we even got a small hike to the Bay point regional shoreline overlook. It's a great place to visit. read more
5 months ago
1 year ago
Such a great experience...I always wanted to stop by here and today it happened! It was very interesting to see how the building looks like! Half of my life passed in searching in google so i was excited! A big parking lot was outside of building but its not for visitors. For visitor parking, it was a short walk which it was passing by Charleston park! Great people work here! They are very informative and the most important thing they like to help you. I love this experience and i think it will be interesting for kids! There is lot of mind games that they can play in other room! If you have kids, ill 100% suggest to stop by! read more
2 years ago
Been meaning to visit the Google Experience Center for its building and environmental features actually, but expected more experience as the center is called. Don't expect any museum or technology demonstration except for the store. However, the store was very disappointing. Many products repeated. For Google, the Wow factor was lacking even void in the store. It had Fitbit and nest. Several employees were standing around. The store could have set up the Google bikes and demoed Fitbit while doing a stationary bike ride. Or have a door to simulate nest ringing doorbell and using the cameras. I asked about the sunshine feature of Nest and it wasn't installed. I asked about the special feature of the nest compared to other security systems and he mentioned using AI to detect animals, bugs or people. That could be a fun interactive demo. It was unsurprisingly a flat experience. The Hub is a nice free community space with robotics and other games for kids and a small event area. To reserve or check out activities go to visit.with Google.com. The art installations outdoor was fun. Take time to read the description and meet the artists. The open areas around the center could be a nice walk with dogs. read more
2 years ago
I'm wondering if some of these 5 star reviews are coming from Google employees to boost the company's image. Don't get me wrong as I too am a huge Google fan, but I agree with the one reviewer who didn't give this experience 5 stars. I think 4 stars for a review is more than generous, given that you actually don't get to see what you see in the documentaries about the awesome tech giant and what it's really like to work for this company. A better experience, as one reviewer mentioned, is knowing an actual employee and being able to enter a Google office building to see the amenities offered there. The Google store is kind of cool-looking with pleasing interior design. Curved walls are not cheap and using them for product display is creative. The store is aesthetically pleasing. The cafe has nice outdoor patio seating, especially in good weather. There are some artistic sculptures on display as you walk the surrounding area, but that's about it. It's worthy of family walks if you live in the area, as you can also swing by the well-maintained park across the street. However, if you want a true Google experience, you would get a better one watching a documentary about this company than actually coming here for the Google Visitor Experience. read more
1 year ago
2 years ago
2 years ago
More info about Google Visitor Experience
Ask the Community - Google Visitor Experience
Parking Lot address?
Free parking for the Google Visitor Experience is available at Lot C (1 Amphitheatre Pkwy). On Shoreline Amphitheatre concert days, please utilize Alta Garage (1001 Alta Ave), open from 6 AM to 9 PM, where EV charging stations are also available.…
