Sunnyvale
Introduction
Sunnyvale sits in the Santa Clara Valley, in the northwestern part of Santa Clara County, California. It is one of the cities of the valley, a setting defined by the land around it rather than by any single landmark.
Getting there
San Jose International Airport is the closest airport to Sunnyvale. From there, take the free Airport Flyer bus #60 to Santa Clara Transit Station, then catch either VTA bus #22 or Caltrain into Sunnyvale. The #22 bus line makes many stops along El Camino Real, from Lawrence Expressway in the east to Bernardo Avenue in the west, while Caltrain serves both the Lawrence station and downtown Sunnyvale.
San Francisco International Airport, just up US 101, offers more international and direct East Coast flights; from there, take BART to Millbrae Station and transfer to Caltrain, whose Sunnyvale station sits next to old downtown on Evelyn Avenue just west of Murphy Street. Oakland International Airport is reachable via Interstate 680 and handles domestic flights, including service to Lake Tahoe; BART or a rideshare can get you onward. Caltrain also connects San Jose and Gilroy with San Francisco, passing through Sunnyvale at two stations, with a transfer point to BART at Millbrae Station. For planning a Bay Area trip by public transit, see 511.org.
Getting around
Sunnyvale's public transport is run by the Valley Transportation Authority (VTA). The system is decent but rarely crowded, so you can generally expect a relaxed experience. Bus 22 on El Camino Real is the main bus line, and most other routes feed into it; Bus 522 is a "rapid" service along the same corridor that skips many stops, while routes 55, 54, and 53 serve other parts of the city. For trips toward Santa Cruz or Scotts Valley, the Highway 17 Express connects to San Jose.
- Caltrain stops in Sunnyvale at two stations: one next to old downtown on Evelyn Avenue, just west of Murphy Street, and the Lawrence station out by the Lawrence Expressway.
- VTA light rail also serves several Sunnyvale stops, but these do not connect directly with Caltrain, so plan a transfer if you want to switch between the two.
- Sunnyvale Beam is an on-demand transit service operating within the city, useful for short trips when you don't want to wait for a scheduled bus.
- Sunnyvale is a recognized "bike friendly community," with bike lanes on many major roads, and VTA buses, light rail, and Caltrain all allow bikes at all hours.
If you're heading to downtown Sunnyvale, aim for the Caltrain station on Evelyn Avenue, which puts you right by the old downtown and Murphy Street. El Camino Real is the backbone of the bus network, so start there if you're unsure which route to take, and build in a transfer if you're combining light rail with Caltrain.
Where to stay
Sunnyvale's lodging is built for the business traveller and the longer stay, with most options clustered along East El Camino Real and North Mathilda Avenue. Several properties cater specifically to extended visits and working trips: the Residence Inn Sunnyvale Silicon Valley I and TownePlace Suites Sunnyvale-Mountain View offer suite-style accommodation, while the Maple Tree Inn promises peaceful surroundings and superior service for business travel or family vacations, and welcomes pets with plenty of dog-walking space. The Larkspur Landing Sunnyvale provides free breakfast, a laundry facility, and an outdoor patio with a BBQ grill, and the Corporate Inn Sunnyvale and The Domain Hotel sit along the East El Camino Real corridor. If you're passing through rather than settling in, the simpler roadside options include the Days Inn San Jose/Sunnyvale on Ross Drive, the Vagabond Inn Sunnyvale on West Ahwanee Avenue, the Quality Inn Sunnyvale on Persian Drive, Motel 6 Sunnyvale South, and the Wittle Motel on South Murphy Avenue. The Wild Palms Hotel on East Fremont Street is another choice, with check-in from 3PM and check-out at noon. Wherever you book, confirm the details directly with the property before you arrive.Food & drink
For the widest choice of places to eat, head to Murphy Street and the surrounding blocks, where restaurants and bars cluster along the old main street. Elsewhere, dining is spread through strip malls, especially along El Camino Real, where you will find chaat snack spots such as Chaat House, Chaat Corner and Chaat Cafe. Indian restaurants throughout Sunnyvale and its neighbours serve dosas and vegetarian fare at places like Saravana Bhavan and Madras Cafe, while Pakistani options include the casual Shalimar and the smaller Shan. Korean restaurants line El Camino Real between Henderson and Lawrence Expressway. For Chinese food, the source points you southeast into Cupertino on Wolfe Road just north of 280, where the 99 Ranch Asian Market is followed by a mall of Asian eateries and products. Downtown you can eat casually at Gumba's on Murphy Avenue for Italian and pizza, or Siam Taste on the same street for pad thai and pannang curry. Other standouts include the slightly upscale Afghan cooking at Kabul Restaurant, the Persian fare at Chelokababi near Wolfe and El Camino Real, and the popular burger-and-brewpub spot St John's Grill near Lawrence and Arques. For lighter meals, Country Gourmet on Mary Avenue serves salads, sandwiches and daily soups with a menu that changes each Tuesday, Falafel STOP on Sunnyvale Saratoga Road offers Middle Eastern vegetarian and meat dishes with fresh pita, and Hobee's on Matilda Avenue near US 101 is a family-friendly local chain known for coffee cake and breakfast. To drink, Murphy Avenue holds two Irish pubs and several other bars, Bean Scene Cafe is a coffee shop with character and free Wi-Fi for customers, and Faultline Brewing Company on Oakmead Parkway is a microbrewery that also serves food.What to see and do
On Saturday mornings, head to the Farmer's Market on Murphy Avenue, and in summer you can catch outdoor concerts on Wednesday nights. Murphy Street near the Caltrain station hosts many events during the summer, including the Sunnyvale Art and Wine Festival. Birdwatchers should watch and listen for flocks of wild parrots, likely Red-masked or Mitred Parakeets, which can sometimes be seen from the Safeway parking lot or at Las Palmas Park. For an evening out, Rooster T. Feathers is a nationally recognized comedy club. To learn how the area grew from an agriculture-focused town into the home of many of Silicon Valley's largest and most innovative companies, visit the Sunnyvale Heritage Park and Museum, run by the Sunnyvale Historical Society on East Remington Drive. The Hendy Iron Works Museum, also known as the Iron Man Museum, sits at the Northrop Grumman Marine Systems Plant on East Hendy Avenue and opens on a limited basis, with docent-guided individual and group tours available by scheduling in advance. For recreation, play miniature golf and arcade games at Golfland USA on East El Camino Real at Wolfe Road, or try one of two public golf courses: the nine-hole course and driving range at Sunken Gardens on South Wolfe Road, and the 18-hole Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course on Macara Avenue, which lies under the landing path to Moffett Field, where you can see many interesting military and some private aircraft.When to go
Sunnyvale has a warm-summer Mediterranean climate, which shapes the year into two fairly distinct seasons for visitors. Winters are short, cool and wet, with daytime highs that rarely stay cold for long. Snowfall is rare, though measurable snow has occasionally fallen in January and February. Rain is the main feature of a visit at this time of year, so plan around wet weather if you come in winter.
Summers are long, warm and very dry, with average daytime temperatures in the high 70s or low 80s. Expect little to no rain and plenty of sun, making this the season for outdoor time. If you prefer dry, sunny conditions, summer is your best bet; if you don't mind rain and cooler days, winter offers a quieter, wetter stay.
Three days in Sunnyvale
Day one: Arrive through San Jose International Airport, where the Airport Flyer connects you to the Santa Clara Transit Station for VTA and Caltrain services. Settle into Sunnyvale and orient yourself along El Camino Real, the main artery through Santa Clara Valley. In the evening, head to Murphy Street for dinner and a stroll through the downtown core near Evelyn Avenue.
Day two: Use VTA or Caltrain to explore Santa Clara County without a car. Ride the Sunnyvale Beam for short trips around town, or take the Bus for longer hops. If you are coming from San Francisco International Airport, BART links to Millbrae Station, where you can transfer to Caltrain heading south. Spend the afternoon along East El Camino Real, then return to Murphy Street for a relaxed evening.
Day three: Plan a day trip depending on your interests. Head north to San Francisco via Caltrain, or south toward San Jose and Gilroy. If you have a car, take Lawrence Expressway or Bernardo Avenue to reach Highway connections toward Santa Cruz, Scotts Valley, or Lake Tahoe. Oakland International Airport and Interstate routes serve travelers heading back to the East Coast, while the Bay Area's Valley Transportation Authority network ties the region together.