Palo Alto

Birthplace of Silicon Valley

Palo Alto is the Birthplace of Silicon Valley. It is well known for its high quality of life, numerous parks, and open space reserves. It features a vibrant downtown area as well.

The median sold home sale price is $3.3 million in mid-2024. The price per square foot is $1,800.

Named After a Coastal Redwood Tree

Located in the northwest corner of Santa Clara County, it has a population of 67,973. It shares borders with Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford, Portola Valley, Menlo Park and East Palo Alto.

Palo Alto is a fantastic destination location for families with children. Showcasing its educational girth, the library boasts five branches throughout the city.

City Library
City of Palo Alto

Style of Homes

North of Oregon Expressway is filled with older homes, including Craftsman and California Colonials. Some of these homes date back to the 1890s. South of Oregon Expressway the homes, including many Joseph Eichler-designed or Eichler-style houses, were built in the first 20 years after World War II.

Home to Top Private University in the Country

Home to Stanford University, it is one of the most expensive college towns in the country. As a result of the high home prices, a majority of Stanford students live on campus. A primary driver of housing market values is the political climate that restricts new development. Therefore, there is a large job-to-housing imbalance because Palo Alto is home to some of the most attractive jobs in the country.

Stanford University

Highly Rated Public Schools

Palo Alto Unified School District is top-notch, ranked as the top K-12 school district in California. Even better, it is the No. 1 school district of 10,000+ students nationally. Beyond strong academics, the schools encourage community participation through community services departments.

Palo Alto Unified School District
Community Services Department

Restaurant Recommendations

Below we offer a few Palo Alto restaurant recommendations. It is fast becoming a hot spot for diners in and around Silicon Valley. There is terrific variety and we love the lights that wrap the trees year round.

Evvia Estiatorio

This Greek restaurant serves fresh authentic Greek food and drinks. They have indoor and outdoor seating. There is a rustic fireplace indoors with hand-made pottery and copper cookware. If you like Greek food, you will LOVE this place. (reservations)

Nolas

Unique to the Peninsula, Nolas is a New Orleans-themed restaurant offering Creole fare in a 3-floor space reminiscent of the French Quarter – featuring seven unique dining areas. New Orleans’ popular classics like hurricanes, fresh oysters, gumbo, seafood jambalaya and étouffée are highlights of the menu. With the weather fantastic this time of the year, eat outside. (no reservations required)

Reposado

At JJ Team Homes, we LOVE Mexican food! This cute trendy spot serves high-end Mexican food with a large nod toward their margarita selection. Trust us – their tequila selection is next level. We both go for the skinny margarita, but lately, Julie can be found sipping on Clase Azul on the rocks with a squeeze of lime. (reservations)

Sweet Maple

This is a terrific brunch spot, but they also serve dinner. Did someone say bacon? Their Millionaire’s bacon will have you coming back time and time again. This bacon has been featured on the Discovery Network’s show, United States of Bacon. It’s thick, free-range bacon, baked with brown sugar, cayenne, red and black pepper. As a result, many joke this type of bacon is the new avocado toast. (no reservations required)

Terun

Terun features wood-fired Neapolitan-style pizza as well as a number of other really good Italian dishes. With indoor and outdoor seating in the Birthplace of Silicon Valley, their wine list is heavy on Italian varietals. If you prefer a California vintage, their cork fee is just $30. (reservations)

Palo Alto Coffee Shops

Blue Bottle Coffee

The Blue Bottle at Stanford Mall is another one of our go-to Bay Area coffee shops. Did you know Blue Bottle celebrated its 20th-anniversary two years ago? The flavor of Blue Bottle coffee is some of the best we’ve had and have you ever tried one of the waffles? They are some of the best on the Peninsula.

Coupa Coffee

Located in a 1930’s historical building, Coupa Coffee is a gem among Palo Alto coffee shops. It offers you a sophisticated environment featuring plush Chesterfield sofas, chandeliers, plenty of comfortable seating, and speedy WiFi. Coupa is a comfortable coffee shop for the work-away-from-home crowd or those just looking to scroll Instagram or Pinterest (follow us too: @jjteamhomes).

Winter Lodge Ice Skating in Palo Alto

If you are looking to ice skate in Palo Alto this winter, the Winter Lodge is a true favorite. You can purchase tickets for the public skating sessions and make group event reservations too. It’s the coolest place to hang out with friends and family.