Palo Alto, California

Probably America’s most elite university town, Palo Alto has the distinction of being home to the prestigious Stanford University as well as the center of Silicon Valley. Don’t be surprised if next to the freshman hacking away on his EE 101 homework, you find Steve Jobs sipping a chai latte and contemplating his next groundbreaking move. That’s Palo Alto. And because it serves the community of Silicon Valley families, Palo Alto has a ton for kids to do.

Palo Alto is equidistant from both SFO and San Jose International Airports and Palo Alto Municipal Airport serves private aircrafts, if that’s how you roll! Most people will drive into Palo Alto on the 101 or take Caltrain (stop: University Avenue). Note that taxis are virtually impossible to get in Palo Alto so having a car might be a godsend when the kids run out of steam.

In Palo Alto, we love strolling down University Avenue, hanging around the Stanford Mall, and vegging out on Stanford’s sprawling campus.