Travel Guide Palo Alto

Located around 45 km south of the Bay Area, after the airport, San Bruno and San Mateo, the city of Palo Alto is considered the heart of Silicon Valley. Home to some 67,000 inhabitants, it is relatively easy to reach from SF. Its name, "Palo Alto" meaning " big tree" in Spanish, refers to the redwood tree in El Palo Alto Park, which is also the emblem of Stanford University. Home to start-up CEOs, employees of major technology companies, students and professors, the standard of living is very high. Palo Alto has acted as a business incubator for many high-tech companies, including Google, Facebook, Logitech and, more recently, Pinterest and Paypal. Today, companies such as Tesla, Hewlett-Packard and Skype are based here.The city is made up of several centers: Downtown Palo Alto with its stores, restaurants and cafés on University Avenue, the Business District and East Palo Alto, an impoverished neighborhood in the process of being rehabilitated. Initially predominantly inhabited by African-Americans before the 1990s, East Palo Alto then saw its Latino population explode. Today, young techies and companies are moving in. A one-night stop in Palo Alto can be a great way to immerse yourself in the business atmosphere of Silicon Valley. Numerous quality hotels and restaurants are located in the city, offering services for tourists and business travelers alike, who come to learn about the latest technologies. While you're here, don't forget to visit the Stanford University campus, reputed to be one of the most beautiful in the United States.