Palo Alto travel guide

Palo Alto Tourism | Palo Alto Guide

You're Going to Love Palo Alto

With a population of 64,403, Palo Alto is a must-see destination in California, United States. It is among the most popular tourist destinations in the country. Palo Alto deserves at least 2 full days for you to see its main sights.

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Where to Eat in Palo Alto

If you’re looking for affordable options, Nola - Palo Alto (535 Ramona Street) and Tai Pan (560 Waverley St) are great picks.

When to visit Palo Alto

Palo Alto in December
Estimated hotel price
$259
1 night at 3-star hotel
Palo Alto in December
Estimated hotel price
$259
1 night at 3-star hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to Palo Alto in July, when the average temperature is 66.2 °F, and the highest can go up to 78.8 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 39.2 °F, with an average temperature of 48.2 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 3.2″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in Palo Alto, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to Palo Alto

Plane

When flying to Palo Alto, you’ll arrive at Mineta San Jose Airport (SJC), which is located 13 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Palo Alto include American Airlines, Air France and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to Palo Alto departs from New York and takes around 5h 56m.

Car

Another option to get to Palo Alto is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 28 miles from Palo Alto. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.

Plane

When flying to Palo Alto, you’ll arrive at Mineta San Jose Airport (SJC), which is located 13 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to Palo Alto include American Airlines, Air France and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to Palo Alto departs from New York and takes around 5h 56m.

Car

Another option to get to Palo Alto is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 28 miles from Palo Alto. You’ll find branches of Turo and Movly, among others, in San Francisco.

Airports near Palo Alto

Airlines serving Palo Alto

Lufthansa
Good (7,044 reviews)
KLM
Good (1,334 reviews)
British Airways
Good (6,836 reviews)
SWISS
Good (1,588 reviews)
Delta
Excellent (7,935 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (3,790 reviews)
Iberia
Good (2,698 reviews)
Air France
Good (1,446 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (780 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (8,696 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (3,215 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (3,563 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (9,243 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (1,349 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (346 reviews)
LOT
Good (1,069 reviews)
Finnair
Good (1,275 reviews)
Alaska Airlines
Excellent (9,967 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,851 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (1,203 reviews)
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Where to stay in Palo Alto

From 5-star hotels such as the Nobu Hotel Palo Alto to great affordable options like the Dinah's Garden Hotel, Palo Alto offers a range of accommodations for every taste. Average rates range from around $300 per night for a double room in a 3-star hotel to $584 and up for a 5-star experience. There are also lots of vacation rental options in Palo Alto, with prices from $34 to $818 per night. Downtown is the neighborhood with the highest amount of rentals to choose from. On average, vacation rentals in Palo Alto are about 102% more expensive than a hotel room in the city.

Most popular hotel in Palo Alto by neighborhood

Where to stay in popular areas of Palo Alto

Most booked hotels in Palo Alto

The Clement Hotel
5 stars
Excellent (9.5, 60 reviews)
$818+
The Westin Palo Alto
4 stars
Excellent (8.7, 293 reviews)
$286+
Creekside Inn
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1582 reviews)
$139+
Hyatt Regency Santa Clara
4 stars
Excellent (8.3, 1170 reviews)
$184+
Hyatt Place San Jose Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 909 reviews)
$146+
Sheraton Palo Alto Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.3, 829 reviews)
$251+

Renting a car in Palo Alto

Renting a car in Palo Alto costs $55 per day, on average, or $109 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 14% cheaper than airport locations in Palo Alto.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Palo Alto (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Palo Alto is Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Sentra or similar) are, on average, 66% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in Palo Alto costs $55 per day, on average, or $109 if you want to rent if for 2 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 14% cheaper than airport locations in Palo Alto.

Expect to pay $3.41 per gallon in Palo Alto (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $40.88 and $54.51. The most frequently booked car type in Palo Alto is Full-size (Hyundai Santa Fe or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Compact rental cars (Nissan Sentra or similar) are, on average, 66% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Palo Alto Travel Guide - View the KAYAK Palo Alto city guide for the best Palo Alto travel tips. To help you organize your Palo Alto trip ideas, this Palo Alto visitors guide provides travel information and trip tips about how to get there, where to stay, what to do, where to eat and more.