Mountain View (California) – Travel guide at Wikivoyage

Mountain View (California) – Travel guide at Wikivoyage
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37.401
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North America
United States
California
Bay Area
South Bay
Mountain View (California)
Mountain View
Contents
Understand
Get in
2.1
By train
2.2
By air
Get around
See
Do
Buy
Eat
7.1
Budget
7.2
Mid-range
7.3
Splurge
Drink
Sleep
10
Go next
Mountain View
in
California
is located in the heart of the
Silicon Valley
. Mountain View is one of the major cities that make up Silicon Valley, and has many notable Silicon Valley companies either headquartered there or with a large presence.
Understand
edit
Mountain View is a mid-size city at the heart of Silicon Valley, hosting offices of a number of notable tech companies--Google, Microsoft, Intuit, LinkedIn, among others.
Shockley Semiconductor, the first high-tech company to establish itself the region, began research and manufacturing operations in Mountain View in 1956. For this reason, Mountain View is often considered the 'Birthplace of Silicon Valley.'
Mountain View's history prior to the mid-20th century is dominated by agriculture; in fact, much of the city's infrastructure (roads, parks, etc.) bears the names of wealthy families who owned farms and orchards throughout the now-densely urbanized city.
Silicon Graphics, one of the early pioneers in the graphical processing hardware industry, was headquartered in Mountain View before it was sold and later relocated in the early 2000s.
Once a small startup with a nondescript office along Charleston Blvd., Google has since grown to dominate Mountain View's corporate ecosystem. Google tests many of its experimental technologies within the city limits, and self-driving cars maneuvering about on test drives are a common sight along city streets.
Get in
edit
'"`UNIQ--maplink-00000002-QINU`"'
Map of Mountain View (California)
By train
edit
Caltrain
service connects Mountain View to San Francisco, San Jose, and Gilroy. Almost all Caltrains stop at the
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Downtown Mountain View Station
on Castro Street, including all local and limited-stop trains, and most Baby Bullet trains. All local trains and some limited-stop trains also service the
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San Antonio Station
, near the border of Mountain View and Palo Alto.
To get to Amtrak trains from Mountain View, connect at the San Jose Diridon or
Santa Clara
stations via Caltrain.
The VTA light rail service, also located in the downtown station, connects riders to several suburban locations within the South Bay as well as San Jose. There are three ways to get to Mountain View through the light rail:
Take the orange line ("Mountain View - Alum Rock") straight to Mountain View. It's the final destination going westbound.
Take the blue line ("Baypointe - Santa Teresa"), get off at Baypointe Station, and switch to the orange line.
Take the green line ("Old Ironsides - Winchester"), get off at Old Ironsides Station, and switch to the orange line.
The light rail can also be used to connect to the Amtrak Capitol Corridor train (to
Sacramento
) in Santa Clara. The
rates for fares
vary by intention, but a standard single ride is $2.50 and can be paid with cash or Clipper card.
By air
edit
Mountain View is reachable from all three Bay Area airports:
San Francisco International Airport
SFO
IATA
): The BART train has a stop directly at the airport, which you can ride to the Millbrae transit center. From Millbrae, leave BART and take Caltrain southbound service. If you are taking a taxi, note that San Francisco-based taxis
may charge 150% of the normal fare
when going more than 15 miles outside the city limit, and the fare is likely to be over $100. Uber/Lyft is usually under half the price.
San Jose
SJC
IATA
): Take a free shuttle to Caltrain's Santa Clara station and then take the northbound train service. Also, you can take a free shuttle to the VTA Metro/Airport station and take the VTA light rail. Taxi fare is likely to be in the $35-45 range.
Oakland
OAK
IATA
): Take a shuttle van service. This is the most distant of the three area airports. You can take BART from the new Oakland Airport BART extension, ride to Millbrae station, then connect at Millbrae to Caltrain southbound. Taxi fare from OAK is likely to be about $100.
Get around
edit
For travel within Mountain View itself and the neighboring area, the
Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA)
operates bus and light rail service. The
Caltrain
, which runs all the way from
San Francisco
to
Gilroy
stops in Mountain View as well. Caltrain also provides relatively easy access to both San Francisco and San Jose Airport, via BART or bus connections. There are also free shuttles operated by
Mountain View Community Shuttle
that operate during the daytime connecting residential areas to downtown. While major points of interest may be accessible by bus from downtown, coverage in other areas is limited and service is infrequent. It is recommended to travel around by car or by bike. Mountain View is good for cycling: many streets have bike lanes or are wide enough to comfortably support bike traffic.
The downtown area is walkable. The downtown blocks of Castro street nearest to the train station are closed off to vehicle traffic.
See
edit
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Computer History Museum
1401 N Shoreline Blvd
near Highway 101
),
+1 650-810-1010
W-Su 10AM-5PM
The world's largest and most complete museum on computing history, documenting the area's primary industry. Be prepared for a massive collection of room-sized computers, vacuum tubes, entangled wires, and devices large and small. A geek's delight and a must-see in Silicon Valley.
Adults $21.50, Seniors, Students, Active Military, and Educators $16.50, Youth (8-10) $6
updated Mar 2026
Selected Computer History Museum exhibits:
Apollo Guidance Computer
Cray
Supercomputers
IBM AN/FSQ-7
Air Defense System
IBM
Deep Blue
, a chess-playing supercomputer
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Castro Street
Castro Street is a charming district full of ethnic diversity and interesting local businesses. Fully pedestrianized from the Caltrain station down to California Avenue, it's a lively, popular area with the community atmosphere of an old-fashioned downtown. Although there is a strong Asian presence among restaurants and shops, many different cultures are represented along these blocks. There is a weekly farmers' market and on certain Thursdays it is home to a great street fair with vendors and a classic car show. Also convenient access from public transportation by way of both Caltrain and VTA light rail (Mountain View station) as well as buses.
Google's headquarters
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Google Headquarters
Googleplex
),
1600 Amphitheatre Pkwy
Drive around the large campus of buildings to see where all the geeks work and get a taste of the mischievous Google corporate culture. The campus is also a 10- to 30-min walk from the Computer History Museum depending on where exactly you want to go. Make sure to take a picture in front of the huge bunch of Android statues on the Google Android lawn on Landings Dr. They are located right next to the company store, which sells a wide range of rather affordable swag and has a Google bike to take pictures on. On your way, have fun spotting the colorful bikes (easy), the "Noogle" propeller hats bestowed upon new employees (less easy, but worth it!), and the various Android statues hidden between the buildings. Google is arguably the friendliest of all tech giants with tourists—the Googleplex's courtyard, complete with a dinosaur skeleton, is open for selfie takers. Google opened a visitor center in 2023 called the
Google Visitor Experience
that features a café, pop-up shop and various events. As with the rest of Silicon Valley companies, no public tours of its offices are generally available. However, some tech events advertised on
Meetup
are held at the Google campus.
updated Apr 2018
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Shoreline Park
at the end of Shoreline Boulevard
),
+1 650-903-6392
shoreline@ci.mtnview.ca.us
Once the site for dumping trash, Mountain View closed this area as a dump and turned it into a park instead. Now it's a beautiful 700-acre park with a saltwater lake, golf course, rolling grassy hills, and bay trails. Good place to see shorebirds and jackrabbits in the early morning.
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Hacker Dojo
hackerspace
),
599 Fairchild Dr
Non-profit community center for geeks.
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Rengstorff House
3070 N Shoreline Blvd
+1 650-903-6073
Tours Tu W 1-4PM, Sa 9AM-noon
updated Mar 2026
Do
edit
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Shoreline Amphitheatre
1 Amphitheatre Parkway
Off Shoreline Boulevard near Highway 101
),
+1 650-967-4040
Outdoor concert venue with huge tent cover, location for many large Bay Area concerts as well as community events.
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Cinemark Century Mountain View 16
1500 N. Shoreline Blvd
+1 650-961-3828
Large movie theater with ample parking showing recent big movies.
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Shoreline Aquatic Center
3160 N. Shoreline Blvd
in Shoreline Regional Park at the end of Shoreline Blvd
),
+1 650-965-7474
Water sports center with boating, windsurfing, and other aquatic activities. Equipment rental available.
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Stevens Creek Trail
Good for walking or riding a bike.
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NASA Ames Research Center
Moffett Federal Airfield, off Highway 101
),
+1 650 604-6497
arc-visitorcenter@mail.nasa.gov
Tu-F 10AM-4PM, Sa Su noon-4PM
Founded in 1939, Ames Research Center has evolved into one of the nation's premier research labs. Ames provides the products, technologies and services that enable NASA missions and, in turn, expand human knowledge.
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Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts
500 Castro St
+1 650-903-6000
performingarts@mvcpa.com
updated May 2020
Buy
edit
Mountain View has many big-box stores including Costco and ROSS near the Hwy 101 Rengstorff exit. And Walmart, Target, Kohl's, and Safeway are in the San Antonio shopping center. There's an excellent Japanese Market, Nijiya Market, in the Grant Plaza shopping center.
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Farmers' Market
Mountain View Caltrain Station, 600 West Evelyn Ave
Su 9AM–1PM
Features fresh produce and prepared foods from farmers and small food producers in the area. On '49ers game Sundays, the market is relocated to the corner of Bryant St. and California St. a few blocks away.
There is also a Farmers' Market in nearby Los Altos Downtown on Thursday Evenings.
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Books Inc
317 Castro St
Branch of a local chain of bookstores (now owned by Barnes and Noble).
updated Jan 2026
Eat
edit
This page uses the following price ranges for a typical meal
for one
, including soft drink:
Budget
Under $10
Mid-range
$10 - $20
Splurge
Over $20
Castro Street
is the main street in the downtown area with many restaurants and bars. East and South Asian food is available in abundance, but it is by no means the only choice. Watch the hours of operation; most restaurants in Mountain View are not open very late. There are some wonderful Mexican restaurants in the area serving
Poblano
style food.
Budget
edit
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Gelato Classico
241 Castro St
Italian ice cream. A local favorite, with long lines out the door during peak hours.
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The Posh Bagel
1040 Grant Road
Bagels, sandwiches, crepes, and grilled panini.
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Los Altos Taqueria
2105 Old Middlefield Way
Cheap Mexican food in a low-frills setting
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La Plaza
40 S Rengstorff Ave
Mexican supermarket with an attached food court. Best tortas in Mountain View.
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Hong Kong Bakery
210 Castro St
Chinese bakery operating for more than 40 years with delicious and affordable desserts. Cash only.
updated Feb 2022
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Cheztakos
323 El Camino Real
+1 408 841-2191
Su-Th 5-11PM, F Sa 5PM-midnight
Mexican food truck offering tacos, burritos, and quesadillas (choose your own meat) with vegetarian options too.
updated Feb 2022
Mid-range
edit
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Amarin Thai Cuisine
174 Castro St
+1 650-988-9323
Good Thai food. Also has branches in Santa Clara and San Jose.
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GEN Korean BBQ House
2540 W El Camino Real
+1 650-559-5997
Korean BBQ and ban-chan
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Olympus/Das Bierhauz
135 Castro St
+1 650-336-7613
Two restaurants in one; one serving Mediterranean fare, the other serving German favorites. Also serves delicious desserts and has a number of German brews on tap.
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10
Himalayan Kitchen
820 E El Camino Real
+1 650-967-4240
Pan-Indian cuisine with a focus on Himalayan specialties
Zareen's
1477 Plymouth St Suite C
+1 650-628-6100
Delicious Indian food with signature naan wraps. Also has branches in Redwood City and Palo Alto.
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11
Cafe Baklava
341 Castro St
Turkish food
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12
Blue Line Pizza
146 Castro St
Delicious deep dish pizza with signature cornbread crust
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13
Fiesta del Mar Too
735 Villa St
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14
Fu Lam Mum
153 Castro St
Daily 11AM-2:30PM, 5PM-midnight
Dim sum is the staple of this restaurant, so come here hungry! Most dim sum plates cost between $3–5, and with the endless parade of food being served, you're guaranteed to walk away full. The shrimp and pea sprout dumplings come recommended.
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15
Garden Fresh
1245 W El Camino Real
+1 650-961-7795
Vegetarian (Vegan) Chinese.
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16
Kirin Chinese Restaurant
485 Castro St
Daily 11AM-midnight
Look past the fish tank crawling with lobsters outside and look in for some cheap and tasty Chinese food. Parking is accessible and the service is quick.
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17
La Fiesta
240 Villa St
about a 10-minute walk east of Castro St., just past a bunch of car mechanic shops
),
+1 650-968-1364
Mexican food
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18
Napoletana Pizzeria
1910 W. El Camino Real
in a shopping area on El Camino Real
),
+1 650 969-4884
Only certified authentic Italian pizza in the South Bay. An experience.
Moderate
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19
New Mongolian BBQ
304 Castro St
Relatively inexpensive all-you-can-eat Mongolian BBQ (fill a bowl with ingredients and sauce, and it will be cooked for you).
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20
Taquería Los Charros
854 West Dana St
Mexican food. Excellent tacos, and many other choices. Very inexpensive for the Castro St. area.
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21
Ramen Izakaya Yugen
152 Castro St
+1 650 428 0888
Excellent tonkotsu ramen and other Japanese fare.
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22
Vaso Azzurro
108 Castro St
Italian food, served in a restaurant with substantially-Italian-speaking staff
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23
Vive Sol
2020 W. El Camino Real
+1 650-938-2020
Specializes in cuisine from the Pueblo region of Mexico. An outdoor seating area makes this a great place to go on a warm summer evening.
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24
Superhot Hot Pot
210 Hope St
+1 650-963-9819
M-Th 5-10 PM, Sa noon-2:30 PM, 5-11PM; Su noon-2:30PM, 5-10 PM
Korean all-you-can-eat hot pot restaurant.
updated Feb 2022
Splurge
edit
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25
Cascal
400 Castro St
Excellent Latin American Tapas, particularly good for sharing food in groups.
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26
Chez TJ
938 Villa St
+1 650 964-9647
Swanky, Michelin-starred restaurant.
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27
Scratch
401 Castro St
+1 650-237-3131
Updated American comfort food. It has a great bar with unusual, craft selections of American distilled spirits. Also, good soups, salads, and appetizers. Main courses are inconsistent but many are quite good.
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28
Sushi Jin
580 N Rengstorff Ave
+1 650-386-5885
Boutique Japanese Restaurant serving à la carte and Omakase. Omakase consists of many courses of sushi and traditional Japanese fare. Expect to pay $150 per person for Omakase. Also has an extensive sake list.
Drink
edit
Savvy Cellar Wine Bar & Wine Shop
750 W Evelyn Ave
+1 650-969-3958
updated Dec 2021
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St. Stephens Green
223 Castro St
Stiff drinks, good pub food and plenty of standing space available, St Stephens Green is perfect for happy hour drinks or just a casual meet up with friends. Although an Irish pub, it seems that hip hop is the vibe of choice here.
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Molly Magees
241 Castro St
Local Pub frequented by tech workers with good bar food.
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Fred's Place
2534 Old Middlefield Way
Laid back dive bar with relatively cheap drinks.
Sleep
edit
The nearest campgrounds are in the hills to the southwest. In 2021, the city banned people from parking large vehicles (22' or longer) on "narrow" roads, which was about 85% of them. If you rent an RV to visit Mountain View, you'll have to do some research to figure out where you can legally park.
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Best Western Mountain View Inn
2300 W El Camino Real
toll-free:
+1-800-785-0005
fax
+1 650 962-9011
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Holiday Inn Express
1561 West El Camino Real
+1 650-967-7888
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Hotel Strata
93 W El Camino Real
toll-free:
+1-800-445-7774
fax
+1 650-967-4834
Hotel Aria
1012 W El Camino Real
+1 650-961-6720
fax
+1 650-559-9045
Check-in:
2PM
, check-out:
11AM
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Hotel Zico
200 E. El Camino Real
+1 650-969-8200
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Hotel Fairchild
5 Fairchild Dr
+1 650-395-9031
fax
+1 650-968-9562
Check-in:
3PM
, check-out:
noon
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Ramada Limited
55 Fairchild Dr
+1 650-967-6856
fax
+1 650-964-4542
abelamar@wynhg.com
Check-in:
3PM
, check-out:
noon
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Super 8 Mountain View
1665 El Camino Real
+1 650-969-9641
Go next
edit
Neighboring destinations
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Los Altos
37.429167
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Palo Alto
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Sunnyvale
Routes through Mountain View
San Francisco
Palo Alto
Sunnyvale
San Jose
END
Sunnyvale
San Jose
San Francisco
Palo Alto
Sunnyvale
San Jose
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