recreation The Palo Alto area offers recreational opportunities for almost every interest, from the casual walker to those looking for serious hiking, biking, golfing, tennis and other activities.
Casual walkers with an interest in history and architecture will enjoy one of several historical walks around Palo Alto residential neighborhoods that date back to the late 1800s and early 1900s. Historic preservation is a big part of Palo Alto’s culture, and historic home tours take place a number of times each year. Palo Alto Stanford Heritage offers self-guided tours through its website at www.pastheritage.org.
Palo Alto Weeky/File Photo
Immensely popular among locals and visitors, walkers and runners, is the Stanford “Dish” loop (see page 8), a paved path winding through the Stanford foothills with tremendous views of the university, Palo Alto and the entire Peninsula. The Baylands Nature Preserve (see page 9), located at the end of Embarcadero Road, offers miles of flat walking trials that allow visitors to explore the area’s extensive wildlife habitat. A staffed visitor’s center has exhibits and a boardwalk extending into the bay and the nearby duck pond is a fun place for younger kids. The Pearson-Arastradero Preserve, in the foothills beyond Stanford, has a small unstaffed visitor’s center with exhibits and a network of easy trails ideal for one- to two-hour hikes.
The 1,940-acre Baylands Nature Preserve is home to 15 miles of multi-use trails, wildlife habitats and a visitor center with exhibits and a boardwalk extending into the bay.
Golfers will find Palo Alto’s popular full-length 18hole, 6,800-yard Palo Alto Municipal Golf Course (1875 Embarcadero Road, Palo Alto; 650-856-0881; www.cityofpaloalto.org), located next to the Baylands at the end of Embarcadero Road, both challenging and affordable. The facility includes a club house, driving range, putting green and practice bunker. Those
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