getting around Palo Alto and Stanford are served by a transportation network that includes the regional Caltrain (800660-4287; for hearing impaired TDD 650-508-6448. www.caltrain.com) system, which operates frequent trains up and down the Peninsula between San Francisco and San Jose, the free Stanford Marguerite shuttle bus (650-723-9362. transportation.stanford. edu) service, local taxis (Yellow Cab Company, 650342-1234) and an extensive network of pedestrian and bike paths.
Parking in Palo Alto
Parking in most downtown Palo Alto lots is free for two hours (and parking garages for three hours) during weekdays and Saturdays, after which a car is not allowed to re-park in the same “color zone” the rest of the day. It can be very difficult to find parking in the evening, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. A number of the better restaurants offer valet parking.
Parking on Campus See page 17.
safety & emergencies Palo Alto is an extremely safe community and other than obvious precautions when out late at night, visitors should feel comfortable freely exploring the city without concern for their safety. Use common sense and extra care when using the pedestrian tunnels at the train stations, and avoid walking alone at night. Downtown Palo Alto is a vibrant night spot that attracts many out-of-towners and a generally harmless homeless population, so some additional care is warranted late at night. Urgent medical care is accessible from either the Urgent Care department at the Palo Alto Medical Foundation (located at 795 El Camino, between Town & Country Village and the Westin Hotel — adults, 650321-412; pediatric 650-853-2958) or the emergency room at Stanford University Hospital, (300 Pasteur Drive — located at the back of the hospital off of Quarry Road; 650-723-5111.) Follow “Emergency” signs posted on streets in the area. If you have a non-life-threatening medical problem go to Palo Alto Medical Foundation Urgent Care. You’ll
Kate Robertson
While most visitors arrive by car, it is feasible to land at either San Francisco or San Jose airports, connect to nearby Caltrain stations in Millbrae and Santa Clara (via BART at SFO and shuttle bus at San Jose) and arrive at the downtown Palo Alto train station. From there, the Marguerite Shuttle provides service to various locations on the Stanford campus and to selected other stops in Palo Alto. The Sheraton and Westin hotels are both located next to the train station. Airport van shuttle services regularly operate from both airports to Palo Alto and Stanford. Several parking structures are located just off University Avenue, which makes evening parking in Palo Alto much easier.
get quicker attention and excellent care. No appointments are available except for pediatric urgent care, where they are strongly advised. Hours are 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day of the year. The Stanford Hospital emergency room (open 24 hours) functions as a regional trauma center, so there can be long delays for patients with non-emergency conditions. The closest Kaiser Permanente Medical Center is located at 1150 Veterans Blvd., Redwood City (650-299-2000). Dialing 911 for a medical emergency in Palo Alto or at Stanford will result in a response from Palo Alto Fire Department paramedics, which will transport patients to the Stanford emergency room. For after-hours prescriptions, there are several 24-hour pharmacies, including Walgreens, 4170 El Camino Real, Palo Alto, 650-858-1898, or 121 El Camino Real, Mountain View, 650-961-7555; and Safeway, 525 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, 650-326-5640.
Pet emergencies
Pet emergencies can be dealt with at the South Peninsula Veterinary Emergency Clinic, 3045 Middlefield Road, Palo Alto (650-494-1461) or Adobe Animal Hospital, 396 First St., Los Altos (650-948-9661).
Discover more in Palo Alto at
www.DestinationPaloAlto.com
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