I just visited Stanford University, and it was an incredible experience. Walking through the Main Quad, visiting the Hoover Tower, exploring the Cantor Arts Center, and strolling around the Arizona Garden made the campus feel alive with history, art, and natural beauty. Every corner of Stanford inspires learning, creativity, and exploration—it’s a place I’ll never forget.

One of the top universities in the world and in the Ivy League university of the United States. It has a very distinct architecture that attracts a lot of visitors from around the globe. The campus is quite large and very pleasant to walk around on a weekend. There are plenty of tourist in the area along with the students as well. Plenty of historical significance of the buildings and signage around the area. There are many pictures spots in the campus. A nice place to visit.

Stanford University is one of the most beautiful and prestigious campuses in the U.S. We visited as a family and were amazed by the blend of historic architecture, open green spaces, and peaceful courtyards. The Main Quad, Hoover Tower, and Memorial Church are all must-sees. The campus is clean, well-organized, and perfect for walking or biking. Tip: Start at the Stanford Visitor Center for maps and tips, and wear comfortable shoes—it’s a large campus. Whether you’re a prospective student or just sightseeing, it’s an inspiring place to explore.

Stanford absolutely lives up to its reputation as one of the most gorgeous campuses in the US! The 8,000-acre grounds are stunning, starting from the iconic Palm Drive entrance lined with Canary Island palms. Hoover Tower is a must-do for $8 - the 360-degree views from the 14th floor observation deck overlooking the entire campus and Bay Area are incredible! The Main Quad with its Richardsonian Romanesque architecture is breathtaking, and Memorial Church is definitely worth stepping inside. The biggest surprise was the Cantor Arts Center being completely free with the world's second-largest Rodin sculpture collection outside of Paris - art lovers shouldn't miss it! Parking is coin-operated at $1.50/hour but free on weekends which is nice. They offer guided tours on weekdays (need to book ahead) but self-guided with the free map works great too, taking about 1-2 hours. I'd recommend visiting on weekdays for a more authentic academic atmosphere and fewer crowds. The whole campus feels like a beautiful park - no wonder so many tech leaders came from here!

A top prestigious university with a beautiful, spotless campus — truly vast and breathtaking. It's such a dream; I might never have the chance to study at a place like this in my lifetime❤️

Stanford University is such a beautiful and prestigious campus! It’s open to the public, and you can freely walk around and explore. I recommend wearing comfortable shoes since the campus is quite large. Make sure to visit the art museum too it’s full of fascinating history and definitely worth checking out

Such a beautiful campus, with many places to explore and walk around! The Stanford Oval is spectacular, with views of the main square, church, and roses forming the famous "S". We walked around the main square and Memorial Church, with were both pretty and amazing. The campus is very well kept, and there are many sculptures scattered around. Overall an amazing place to walk, explore, and attend for university!

Loved the open-air vibe with all the greenery and fountains—it doesn’t feel like your typical mall. Tons of great stores, from high-end brands to cool local shops. Grabbed a bite at one of the cafes and just enjoyed people-watching. Perfect place to spend a relaxed afternoon shopping and soaking up the Silicon Valley energy.

Stanford Shopping Center: A High-End Shopping Destination** Stanford Shopping Center offers an outdoor shopping experience that can be enjoyed year-round, with some visitors noting summer as a particularly pleasant time to visit. The open-air design provides a relaxed atmosphere, enhancing the shopping experience. The selection of stores includes a mix of high-end designer boutiques and unique specialty shops, indicating a careful curation aimed at providing a diverse range of luxury goods. Dining options at the mall are varied, with establishments such as Tender Greens offering healthy meal choices, along with several upscale restaurants and cafes. Attention to detail is evident throughout the mall, including cleanliness and the professionalism of the staff across various stores. Additional amenities such as valet service, ample parking, and comfortable seating areas contribute to a sense of convenience. Overall, Stanford Shopping Center serves as more than just a shopping venue; it is situated as a destination in the Bay Area, suitable for various occasions, whether for extensive shopping or a casual outing. It is regarded as a premium outdoor shopping experience.

This is a really big and spacious shopping center! I’m amazed by the number of seating areas available, especially for university students. It’s such a great spot if you want to study outside, with its airy and nature-friendly architecture. You can easily spend hours walking around, window shopping, or people-watching. There are lots of sports shops, high-end brands, and there’s even a very cute cat town!

A bit underwhelming… there is not many stores here compared to other malls such as the Roseville Galleria which also carries most luxury brands. I do enjoy shopping at Loro Piana and Tiffany but this particular Hermes isn’t my preferred location. Overall I would not go out of my way to visit here.

I've had a ton of experiences here and they've always been good! The place is well kept and clean, with tons of options offering everything you could ever imagine and need all in one place. The food spots are also delicious, and well priced for this style of mall. The parking situation can get hectic at times, but you'll find a spot!

The ultimate Bay Area shopping experience comes with a beautiful wander through flowers and foliage. Planters and bedding can be found throughout the open-air experience with plenty of food options to dine in the presence of petals 🌺

It has a great Christmas vibe, lots of delicious restaurants to choose from, and plenty of shops to explore, including Christmas decorations, clothing, and beautiful kitchenware.

Beautiful place to enjoy artsy environment. A gem in the middle of Stanford: free entrance, free art kit for kids, and plenty of places to enjoy the art. We came here during weekday in the afternoon, there was no wait, some group of students came in for field trip. Appreciate the owner of this place so much. What a legacy!

A powerful and thought-provoking experience. The Cantor Arts Center surprised me deeply. I came in expecting a typical university museum—and left moved, inspired, and full of questions. The Second Nature exhibition was particularly impactful: bold, raw, and unapologetically urgent. Some works felt overly constructed, others struck me like quiet revelations. But overall, it was a meaningful encounter with art, nature, and our responsibility as humans. Highly recommended for anyone seeking more than just pretty pictures.

This museum is hidden gem in Palo Alto & Standford University! What a beautiful place and variety collection of Art & sculpture! Highly recommended to visit when you have chance to tour Palo Alto city and Standford University!

Outdoor sculptures are Amazing, if you have some time to visit, before a Stanford Appointment. The museum has a Great History of the first railroad from The Bay Area, to The East Coast, too!! There's a Church, too, with Beautiful stained glass windows.

A stunning collection! I loved this compact, well organised and virtually empty (visitors wise) museum. It's free entry as well, such a treat

A museum with a vast archive that is well worth seeing. You can spend a day visiting the museum and the school.

This museum is free, easy to navigate, and fun for kids. The collection is diverse—everything from ancient artifacts to contemporary pieces—so there’s always something interesting to see. The building itself is beautiful, elegant, spacious, and clean, and staff (volunteers) are quite helpful and friendly. The outdoor sculpture garden is a highlight, especially for kids who need to move around after looking at art indoors. It’s a great balance of culture and fresh air. You could easily spend a whole day here, and since admission costs nothing, the only expense is parking and coffee, - if you visit the small cafe. Great place for a laid-back visit, whether you’re into art or just looking for something different to do.

Great way to see the Stanford University campus! The elevator takes you 285 feet up to the observation deck with absolutely stunning views. My guide was very friendly and knowledgeable, I especially enjoyed the story about Lou Henry, Stanford’s first female graduate in 1898, who later married fellow alum Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States.

Hoover Tower at Stanford University is a striking landmark with rich history and fantastic views. We visited with family and took the elevator to the observation deck, where the panoramic view of the campus and surrounding areas was truly impressive. Inside, there are also exhibits related to the Hoover Institution’s archives and historical research. Tip: Entry is affordable, but hours can be limited—check in advance before visiting. The tower is a short walk from the Main Quad and makes for a great photo spot. A must-see for anyone touring the Stanford campus!

The exhibition galleries on either side of the entrance and the views at the top of the tower are very interesting and provide nice time to chill. The staff at the center are very friendly and helpful. I was so happy to meet and chat with Megan N at the information desk who, with so much of zeal, gave tons of information about the facility and provided guidance for my visit. Sreevidya at ticket counter was very courteous and helpful. On the whole, it’s a cool place to visit at the Stanford University.

A must if you’re in Stanford. I went with a friend who graduated from there and she was like “Man, how could I’ve missed this” hahaha. Beautiful views of the campus and on clear days you even see SF

It is great place to learn the history about Hoover Couple, their education, business and political life. You can pay $8 person to take elevator to the top of tower to take 360 degree view about the whole campus. Feel so good when you stand the high point to view the campus. Really impressed about it. Worthy to pay to do it. They also list the Watergate important inside story. Worthy to recommend friends to visit here.

It’s one of the most iconic buildings in Stanford for sure! Super nice path to get the perfect central view and pictures

Great way to view the campus and Silicon Valley from above! The Stanford campus is absolutely beautiful. There is a guide that was so helpful in pointing things out to us as we viewed the area. Well worth the $5.

Very informative. Quiet neighborhood so don't be loud when you visit. Also, the home is occupied so try not to disturb the residents.

Not much to see but it’s a neat historical site. Would pair well with a visit to Stanford

A quick and easy place to get a little bit of information about the history of Palo Alto and the history of silicon Valley. It is just a plaque on a private home but you can walk by and you can see it and you can visualize what happened here that was so important in American history.

The Birthplace of Silicon Valley.. Every IT person should visit this humble beginnings of HP!

Garage in which HP started 100 years ago.

There's nothing to see other than the outside of the house and the garage but the location is beautiful and if, like me, you love what this place means, you'll enjoy to come by.

Great historical curio stop in nice neighborhood in Palo Alto. Very humble beginnings, as that garage looks tiny! There is a plaque on front lawn detailed the birth of HP. At time of my visit both house and garage look freshly painted. Nice neighborhood for a walk also among craft homes and sycamore trees.

Definitely worth the walk / climb! A really well maintained track with fabulous views across Stanford University campus and the San Francisco Bay.

Try to wear a hat and get a good sunscreen if you are going for a trail. Wear good shoes, some parts can be really steep. The view is quite nice. One can see the two cities San Francisco and San Jose from the top.

Nice place to go for a hike. It does get a bit boring as it's just a big loop / circle. But it has a quite a bit of wildlife ranging from squirrels to woodpeckers to coyotes at times.

Parking was east, Google maps takes you to a neighborhood, need to turn back. First hill is steep, but overall a pleasant walk.

The Stanford Dish is a fantastic hiking spot right on campus. The loop trail is about 3.5 miles and gives you a mix of moderate uphill climbs and easy stretches. What makes it special is the wide-open views — you can see across Stanford, Palo Alto, and even the Bay on clear days. It’s named after the large radio telescope (“the Dish”), which is still used for research and is the landmark of the trail. Along the way you’ll spot plenty of wildlife like hawks, deer, and rabbits, plus seasonal wildflowers. There’s no shade, so bring water and a hat, especially in summer. But overall, it’s one of the best places for a morning walk, run, or just to enjoy nature while staying close to campus.

I have been running this trail for 20 years and I love it. For Runners or Walkers: NOTE there are multiple entrances. The one near page mill road is roughly 3.2 miles. The entrance near Alpine Rd and 280 is 5.3 miles. This is a beautiful hike with a lot of incline, so you’ll definitely get a workout here. This area is famous. A couple of tips for you as you plan: - Leave nothing in your car. It will be broken into if you do. -Bring a hat or sunscreen. There is no cover or shade! -Bring comfortable shoes. If you have knee problems, this can be challenging. -Bring water, they have people who get rescued here a lot for dehydration. -Use the bathroom before. No bathrooms except for a portable one on the page mill entrance -Stay in the trail and respect the nature. Keep this place beautiful. And most importantly, enjoy! This place is beautiful and an important historical place.

Enterance at Alpine Road will take you to 3 uphill slopes to get to 2 hiking trails. I think these 3 slopes are the most challenging and once you get through them then the rest of the hike is not too challenging. I'm not an experienced hiker so if I can do this almost anyone can. 😂