Top Rated Attractions in Palo Alto

A fabulous mix of undulating savanna grassland and evergreen forests, Enid Pearson-Arastradero Preserve teems with wildlife and natural bounty. Hugging the Arastradero Lake, the grassy knolls and hills make way for forested areas and nature trails. Much favored among bikers and hikers, most of the trails in the park are open through the year. Mountain lions, bobcats and deer are found aplenty here, so are many species of birds that flock around its pristine water bodies.

The Baylands Nature Preserve is known for its birdwatching and is considered one of the best birdwatching areas on the West Coast, offering both tidal and fresh water habitats. This park boasts of a total of 1940 acres (785 hectares) of swampland, which is the largest tract of undisturbed swampland remaining in the Bay Area, and 15 miles (24 kilometers) of trails. Besides birdwatching, visitors can also enjoy canoeing, kayaking or windsurfing in the ponds and lakes. Educational signs have been put up in place to educate visitors about natural habitats. Kids will love Baylands too as it is home to the Palo Alto Duck Pond and the trails too vary in difficulty levels. This park is open daily from 8a till sunset.

Located right next to the picturesque Professorville neighborhood, the Palo Alto Junior Museum & Zoo has been a reliable source of family fun since 1934, when it was established as the first children's museum west of the Mississippi. The zoo houses around 200 species of animals, including snakes, reptiles, tortoises, sharks, raccoons, bats, a red-tailed hawk and two bobcats. A total of 14 hands-on museum exhibits are designed to educate children about physics, earth science and math. It is also a popular destination for field trips and birthday parties.

The Palo Alto Children's Theatre is run by the City of Palo Alto as part of the Lucie Stern Community Center. The program began in 1932 as part of the Mayor's Committee for Unemployment Relief. Today, the theater is both a performance venue and educational space for young people aged from four to 24 to enjoy and learn about theater arts. During the summer, the theater runs an outdoor series entitled Hot Dog Suppertime Shows, where families can enjoy an hour-long show and bring a picnic or purchase hot dogs and other barbecue items. Their shows appeal to a wide variety of audiences, from young to old, musical or dramatic. Past productions have included Hansel and Gretel, Charlotte's Web, Lord of the Flies, and You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown. For information about current shows, call the box office or check their website.

Byxbee Park is a great place to spend a few hours away from the city. What was once a landfill is now an urban park filled with various modern concrete sculptures. It's also a great place to ride bikes along the trails, go birdwatching, or watch the windsurfers.

The Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University at Stanford University is a historic art museum incorporating pieces from the original private collection of Leland Stanford himself. Known widely for its assemblage of over twenty bronze statues in the Rodin Sculpture garden, the museum is the third largest Rodin collector in the world. The Cantor Arts Center also exhibits many diverse visual art displays varying from California artists to international cultural pieces. Visitors can also enrich their educated palette and refresh themselves in the charming museum cafe.