Explore - South Santa Clara Valley & San Benito County 2021

2021

South Santa Clara Valley | San Benito County

PUBLISHED BY SOUTH VALLEY & SAN BENITO MAGAZINES

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As your preferred South County agent, I strive to listen to your needs and achieve your real estate goals!

BEST Realtor of Morgan Hill Gary Palacios is a real estate leader, CFO, and founder of The Palacios Group, the #1 real estate team in South County. Named “Realtor of the Year” & “Volunteer of the Year” in Morgan Hill, he uses his 18 years of experience and over 432 million dollars in sales to help you achieve your goals.

“Gary Palacios listed and sold our home in Jackson Oaks, Morgan Hill, California. I was a Real Estate Broker for 25 years and co-owned five offices with over 200 Realtors. Gary is truly one of the best of the best Realtors in California. He has a unique ability to understand Clients and evaluate current market conditions. Gary is honest, hardworking, professional and compassionate. He truly cares about his Clients and Co-workers while emphasizing his efforts on producing positive results! He is involved in our community and consistently helps others.

I highly recommend Gary Palacios as an Excellent Realtor that will help you Buy or Sell your home! You most certainly will benefit by engaging his services. Gary and his Team will perform at a level that will exceed your expectations!“ -Morgan Hill, Seller

GARY PALACIOS The Palacios Group 408.623.5209 | gary.palacios@compass.com thepalaciosgroup.com DRE 01396802 Compass is a real estate broker licensed by the State of California and abides by Equal Housing Opportunity laws. License Number 01527235. All material presented herein is intended for informational purposes only and is compiled from sources deemed reliable but has not been verified. Changes in price, condition, sale or withdrawal may be made without notice. No statement is made as to accuracy of any description. All measurements and square footages are approximate.

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MAY

2021

IS CLEAN AIR MONTH

Pure Air, Pure Life

South Santa Clara Valley | San Benito County

WINE

ATTRACTIONS

Sip of the Valley 6 BEER

ATTRACTIONS

Super Suds 10

Things to Do 22

DINING

PARKS

Introducing Coe Park 24

Tasty Trails 12

www.mbard.org

A Puzzling Escape 20

DINING

Local Establishments 14

NATURE

Popular Hiking Spots 28

Publisher

Design Director

General Manager

Dan Pulcrano

Kara Brown

Harry Allison

Editor

Production Operations Manager

Advertising Account Executives

Sean George

Carrie Bonato Cynthia Runyon

Erik Chalhoub Contributing Writer

Ron Erskine

ON THE COVER Highway 25 in Paicines by Lorran Bronnar

homes.sc A digital solution for real estate professionals to attract prospects, sell homes and build listings

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For more information contact Tiffani Petrov 831.761.7314

PUBLISHED BY SOUTH VALLEY & SAN BENITO MAGAZINES

Published by New SV Media Inc., Gilroy, CA Entire contents © 2021. All rights reserved.

Reproduction in any form prohibited without publisher’s written permission.

7455 Monterey St, Gilroy, CA | Mailing address: P.O. Box 516, Gilroy, CA 95021 Phone: 408-842-6400

4/30/21 2:57 PM

Alpaca Headquarters Your Peruvian Store

Come see our new location carrying merchandise from Peru. Specializing in modern alpaca clothing, jewelry, stuffed animals and much more.

You will be amazed!

312 A Third St San Juan Bautista • 831.593.1079 alpacaheadquarters.com

AD SIZE

1/4

MAG 8X8

at the Farmers’ market!

Saturdays

9AM - 1PM

Year-Round Rain or Shine! cafarmersmkts.com @morganhillfarmersmarket

PUBLICATION: NAME HERE ADVERTISER: NAME HERE ACCOUNT EXEC: NAME HERE

Come to Banning Upholstery 3.8175" X 3.8175"

Enjoy freshness

DESIGNER: NAME HERE

DESIGN DEPARTMENT weeklys.com

For all of your Upholstery Needs Since 1949 408.842.4093 7620 Eigleberry ST. Unit E I Gilroy, California, 95020

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DEEP ROOTS There’s wine for every taste in the valley.

Sip of the Valley Award-winning wines are all just a short drive away

T

he 30-mile wine trail, which stretches from Morgan Hill to San Martin into Gilroy and north to Saratoga, offers an opportunity for visitors to taste a variety of wines that are produced in this region, including Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bordeaux and a variety of other Rhone-style blends.

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Wine Competition, 2020 Central Coast Wine Competition and 2020 West Coast Wine Competition.

Santa Clara Valley is California’s oldest premium wine-growing region.

In the 1850s, an estimated 15,000 acres of vines spread across the valley, making it home to the largest number of acres in the state. It has been designated an American Viticultural Area, or AVA, thanks to the efforts of Gene Guglielmo, grandson of Guglielmo Winery founder Emilio, who researched and filed the petition. The Santa Clara Valley AVA was declared on March 28, 1989. santaclarawines.com

NICK LOVEJOY

The Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail is home to 34 wineries, all of which are deeply rooted in the region’s history and have been recognized as some of the state’s best.

Geoff Mace, president of the

Wineries of Santa Clara Valley, said the valley is going through a renaissance.

“There is now a renewed interest in wines from our region,” he said. “We have the perfect climate, diverse soils and offer a great value compared to neighboring regions. Our association membership has grown about 70 percent in the last two years—it is an exciting time to visit and discover the wines we have to offer.”

The wineries have received a number of awards from prestigious competitions. While too numerous to list here, area wineries were wellrepresented at competitions such as the 2021 San Francisco Chronicle

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wine ALARA CELLARS

90 E. 3rd St, Suite 70, Morgan Hill. alaracellars.com

DORCICH FAMILY VINEYARDS

741 Riverside Road, Hollister.

831.265.7673, anneugenewines.com

EDEN RIFT VINEYARDS

AVER FAMILY VINEYARDS

10034 Cienega Road, Hollister.

831.636.1991, edenrift.com

2900 Soma Way, Gilroy.

408.203.8575, averfamilyvineyards.com

18TH BARREL TASTING ROOM

CASA DE FRUTA WINERY

322 Third St, San Juan Bautista.

831.623.4049, 18thbarrel.com

10021 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister. 408.842.7282, casadefruta.com

FERNWOOD CELLARS

11300 Cienega Road, Hollister.

831.637.9170, calerawine.com

CALERRAIN WINE 6500 Brem Lane, Gilroy.

408.427.5680, calerrainwine.com

CHURCH CREEK CELLARS 11495 Center Ave, Gilroy.

669.500.0295, churchcreekcellars.com

CLOS LACHANCE WINERY 1 Hummingbird Lane, San Martin.

408.686.1050, clos.com

COOPER-GARROD ESTATE VINEYARDS

7137 Redwood Retreat Road, Gilroy.

408.848.0611, fernwoodcellars.com

FORTINO WINERY 4525 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy.

408.842.3305, fortinowinery.com

WINNING TEAM Vic and Mike Vanni of Solis Winery in Gilroy pride themselves on award-winning vintages.

GIMELLI VINEYARDS 403 Grass Valley Road, Hollister.

831.637.1925,

GUERRA CELLARS 500 John Smith Road, Hollister.

831.902.9106, guerracellars.com

GUGLIELMO WINERY 1480 East Main Ave, Morgan Hill.

408.779.2145, guglielmowinery.com

HECKER PASS WINERY

22645 Garrod Road, Saratoga.

408.867.7116, cgv.com

4605 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy.

408.842.8755, heckerpasswinery.com

CREEKVIEW VINEYARDS

HELLER WINERY

12467 Creekview Court, San Martin. 408.288.9463, facebook. com/CreekviewVineyards

STEVE FORMAN

ANNEUGENE WINES

11775 Watsonville Road, Gilroy. 408.686.4141, dorcichfamilyvineyards.com

CALERA WINE COMPANY

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The Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail has 34 wineries, but don’t sleep on the neighboring San Benito County and its eclectic selection of award-winning vineyards.

2009 Bridle Lane, San Martin.

408.821.9023, hellerwinery.com

DE ROSE WINERY

JASON-STEPHENS WINERY

9970 Cienega Road, Hollister.

831.636.9143, derosewine.com

6500 Brem Lane, Gilroy. 408.846.

VINE, jstephens.com

J WINSTON WINERY

MARTIN RANCH WINERY

17520 Depot St, Suite 100, Morgan Hill. 408.744.6725, jwinstonwinery.com

6675 Redwood Retreat Road, Gilroy.

408.842.9197, martinranchwinery.com

KIRIGIN CELLARS

MEDEIROS FAMILY WINES

11550 Watsonville Road, Gilroy.

408.847.8827, kirigincellars.com

LA VIE DANSANTE WINES 3200-A Dryden Ave, Gilroy.

408.852.0779, laviedansantewines.com

LEAL VINEYARDS AND WINERY 300 Maranatha Dr, Hollister.

831.636.1023, liveloveleal.com

LION RANCH VINEYARDS AND WINERY 645 West San Martin Ave, San Martin. 408.713.8501, lionranch.com

3200 Dryden Ave, Gilroy. 408.779.8826, medeirosfamilywines.com

MIRAMAR VINEYARDS 12255 New Ave, San Martin.

408.686.0280, miramarvineyards.com

MORGAN HILL CELLARS 1645 San Pedro Ave, Morgan Hill. 408.779.7389, www. morganhillcellars.com

RAPAZZINI WINERY 4350 Monterey Highway, Gilroy.

408.842.5649, rapazziniwinery.com

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beer

Local craft breweries are on the rise in South Santa Clara and San Benito counties, with various new establishments opening soon.

wine

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SARAH’S VINEYARD

STEFANIA WINE

4005 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy.

408.847.1947, sarahsvineyard.com

1800 Day Road, Gilroy.

408.242.8598, stefaniawine.com

SATORI CELLARS

TASS

2100 Buena Vista Ave, Gilroy.

408.848.5823, satoricellars.com

3200-A Dryden Ave, Gilroy.

408.858.1862

SEEKER VINEYARD

TANK HOUSE WINERY

11755 Turlock Ave, San Martin.

949.370.1040, seekervineyard.com

12830 Harding Ave, San Martin.

408.898.6304, tankhousewinery. com

SOLIS WINERY JUAN REYES

3920 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy.

408.847.6306, soliswinery.com

VERDE VINEYARDS 2143 Buena Vista, Gilroy.

408.848.5907, verdevineyards.com

REFRESHING People line up to grab cold beer on tap inside the Pour Decisions taproom in downtown Hollister.

BARTENDERS UNION 7421 Monterey St, Gilroy

POUR DECISIONS TAPROOM

BITTER TAPHOUSE

650 San Benito St, Suite 150, Hollister, pdtaproom.com

(opening soon) 7797 Monterey St, Gilroy, instagram.com/bitter_taphouse

PROMISED LAND BREWING COMPANY

BREW CITY BURGERS 1425 First St, Suite 101, Gilroy, brewcityburger.com

BREWERY TWENTY FIVE 106 Third St, San Juan Bautista, shop.brewerytwentyfive.com

GRILLIN & CHILLIN ALEHOUSE 401 McCray St, Unit B24, Hollister, 831beer.com

KELLY BREWING COMPANY

SETTLE DOWN BEER (opening soon) 7515 Monterey St, Gilroy, settledownbeer.com

TEMPO TAPROOM (opening soon) 7560 Monterey St, Gilroy, tempotaps.com

THE RUNNING SHOP AND HOPS 17500 Depot St, Morgan Hill, therunningshopandhops.com CONTRIBUTED

70 E Fourth St, Morgan Hill, kellybrewco.com

7419 Monterey St, Gilroy, promisedlandbeerco.com

MAD PURSUIT BREWING COMPANY 628 San Benito St, Hollister, mad-beer.com

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WINE PROFESSIONAL Janu Goelz of Alara Cellars in Morgan Hill.

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TACO TRAIL Tacos Ameca is known for its grill at the corner of one of the busiest intersections in Gilroy.

Tasty Trails Highlighting Gilroy’s extensive taqueria offerings BY ERIK CHALHOUB

G

But nearly 30 taquerias in town

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want the world to know that Gilroy is more than just garlic.

The Gilroy Taco Trail, a campaign hosted by Visit Gilroy and the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce, spotlights the many different restaurants in the city to find tacos and more.

Visitors who are hungry for tacos,

For information, visit www.VisitGilroy.com/tacotrail.

DAN PULCRANO

ilroy is typically associated with garlic, thanks to its world-famous Garlic Festival and being home to one of the largest garlic producers in the country with Christopher Ranch.

burritos, enchiladas and other Mexican fare can look for Gilroy Taco Trail decals in shop windows or pick up a Gilroy Taco Trail map to plan their taco tasting tour. Taco Trail stops include casual taquerias and sit-down restaurants located in downtown Gilroy, First Street and other areas in the city.

There is the enticing aroma coming from Tacos Ameca’s outdoor grill on the corner of 10th and Monterey streets, cooking the meat for its expansive menu, including its gigantic Burrito Ameca, which could likely fill a family of four.

Victoria’s Mexican Restaurant at 757 First St. has been open since 1983, serving Albondigas soup on Wednesdays and menudo on the weekends. Cielito Lindo, at 7460 Monterey St., is known for its fajitas and chile verde.

There are plenty of other options around town, with most establishments clustered around downtown and First Street.

“People usually associate Gilroy with garlic, but we also have some amazing Mexican restaurants that are extremely popular with local residents and visitors alike,” said Jane Howard, executive director of Visit Gilroy. “We are proud to partner with the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce to spotlight some of these long-established local businesses.”

Gilroy Taco Trail maps are sponsored

by Arteaga’s Food Center and are available at the California Welcome Center Gilroy (located in Gilroy Premium Outlets Building A, near Forever 21), the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce and participating restaurants.

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G A L L E R Y

1 2 0 2

CONTEMPORARY FINE ART IN D O W N T O W N

G I LRO Y

L A U R I E B A R M O R E , S PA C E WA L K E R I V , 2 0 1 8 4 8 x 4 8 ” , A C R Y L I C O N C A N VA S

7363 MONTEREY STREET G I L R O Y, C A 9 5 0 3 7 408.206.0018 W W W. G A L L E R Y 1 2 0 2 . C O M INFO@GALLERY1202.COM

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dining American

LADERA GRILL

88 KEYS CAFE

17305 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill laderagrill.com

1295 E Dunne Ave, Morgan Hill 88keyscafe.com

LONGHOUSE RESTAURANT

BREW CITY BURGERS

BUBBLES & BREW

8175 Monterey Road, Gilroy longhouserestaurant.com

MOHI SOCIAL @ GRANADA THEATRE

17105 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill bubblesandbrewmorganhill.com

17440 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill liveloveleal.com/events/ mohi-social-granada-theatre

CASA DE FRUTA

NOAH’S BAR & BISTRO

TARMO HANNULA

1425 First St, Suite 101, Gilroy brewcityburger.com

TASTY OFFERINGS A meal of flatbread and calamari at MOHI in downtown Morgan Hill.

10021 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister | casadefruta.com

17500 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill

DANY’S RESTAURANT

28 Martin St, Gilroy

THE MILIAS RESTAURANT

BOX SEAT SPORTS GRILL

OLD CITY HALL RESTAURANT

7397 Monterey St, Gilroy themiliasrestaurant.com

7400 Monterey St, Gilroy oldcityhall.biz

THE HILL BAR & GRILL

15650 Vineyard Blvd, Morgan Hill facebook.com/people/Box-SeatSports-Grill/100057074095978

PAINE’S RESTAURANT

WILLARD HICKS

7210 Camino Arroyo, Suite 100, Gilroy facebook.com/dannysrestaurant7210

FLAPJACKS BREAKFAST & GRILL 6881 Airline Hwy, Tres Pinos flapjackstrespinos.com

GARLIC CITY CAFE 7461 Monterey St, Gilroy garliccitycafe.com

GRILLIN & CHILLIN ALEHOUSE 401 McCray St, B24, Hollister relaxgrillinchillin.com

GRILLIN & CHILLIN ROADHOUSE 3650 San Juan Road, Hollister relaxgrillinchillin.com

OD’S KITCHEN

421 East St, Hollister painesrestaurant.com

PROVA CALIFORNIA TABLE 17340 Monterey Road, #3642, Morgan Hill | provamorganhill.com

RELISH KITCHEN + DRINK

17270 Monterey Rd, Morgan Hill willardhicksgrill.com

WESTSIDE GRILL 8080 Santa Teresa Blvd, Suite 100, Gilroy | thewestsidegrill.com

Vegan

ROSY’S AT THE BEACH

CRAFT ROOTS

17320 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill rosysatthebeach.com

RUNNING ROOSTER 800 San Benito St, Suite B, Hollister runningrooster.com

17400 Monterey Road, STE 1B, Morgan Hill | gvacafe.com

SANDY’S CAFE

526 San Benito St, Hollister johnnysbarandgrill.com

17330 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

707 First St, Gilroy | relishkd.com

GVA CAFE GRINDS VINES AUTOMOBILIA

JOHNNY’S BAR AND GRILL

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This region has it all when it comes to dining. These local establishments can satisfy whatever you’re craving.

6120 Monterey Road, Gilroy sandyscafe.business.site

THE CITY FISH 16125 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

17230 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill craftroots-mh.com

HEAVY’S GRILL ON THE GREEN 2695 Hecker Pass Highway, Gilroy gilroygolfcourse.com/grill

TRAIL DUST BBQ 17240 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill traildustbbq.com

Mediterranean MR. FALAFEL 17455 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill mrfalafel.net

NICK THE GREEK

Barbecue

632 Tennant Station, Morgan Hill nickthegreeksj.com/morgan-hill

BARBEQUE 152

ODEUM

8295 Monterey Road, Gilroy bbq152.com

17500 Depot St, #180, Morgan Hill odeumrestaurant.com

BIG GRILL BBQ & TERIYAKI 15858 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

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Preschool through Grade 12

Morgan Hill

oakwoodway.org

We are ready for you!

Experienced faculty, new technology, and an expanded campus mean we are ready for any situation the future holds.

Limited spots available for the 2021-2022 school year.

Learn more at oakwoodway.org Oakwood School is an independent, not for profit educational institution that admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.

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OLIVES MEDITERRANEAN MARKET AND GRILL

LA HACIENDA MEXICAN RESTAURANT

890 Renz Lane, Ste 102, Gilroy gilroyolives.com

16825 Condit Road, Morgan Hill lahaciendamorganhill.com

OPA! AUTHENTIC GREEK CUISINE

LA HACIENDA

LAS MICHELADA’S BAR & GRILL

Mexican

427 San Benito St, Hollister

CARNITAS MICHOACAN 7484 Monterey St, Gilroy

35 E Main Ave, Morgan Hill laninaperdida.com

CIELITO LINDO

LAS ISABELAS

7460 Monterey St, Gilroy

CHACHO’S 30 E 3rd St, #120, Morgan Hill facebook.com/ChachosRestaurant

DOÑA ESTHER’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT 25 Franklin St, San Juan Bautista donaesthers.com

EL CHARRITO MARKET 7638 Monterey St, Gilroy elcharritomarket.com

EL MICHOACANO RESTAURANT 6966 Chestnut St, Gilroy

GAETA’S RESTAURANT

LA NINA PERDIDA FILLING MEAL Lance Ramhurst, general manager of Brew City Burgers, shows a cheeseburger, wings and other menu staples of the new restaurant in Gilroy.

16410 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

LOS CUATES BUFFET 7950 Arroyo Circle, Gilroy loscuatesbuffetgilroy.com

LOS PERICOS TAQUERIA 20 Fifth St, Gilroy

MARGARITA’S BAR & GRILL 411 Vineyard Blvd, Morgan Hill

MARISCOS PUERTO VALLARTA 7121 Monterey Road, Gilroy

MI GUSTO ES MEXICAN RESTAURANT

TACOS AMECA 7001 Monterey Road and 9305 Monterey Road, Gilroy

TACOS DEL GUERO 40 Hornlein Court, Gilroy

TACOS EL GRULLENSE 251 First St and 8401 Church St, Suite I, Gilroy

TACOS EL JALISCIENSE 353 E 10th St, Gilroy

TAQUERIA & MARISCOS CHAPALA

JARDINES DE SAN JUAN

RUFFLES TAQUERIA & MARISQUERIA

890 Renz Lane, Suite #105, Gilroy

SINALOA CAFE

16715C Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

STATION 55 SEAFOOD & MEXICAN COCINA

LA CATRINA MEXICAN GRILL

17535 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

TAQUERIA LOS COSTEÑITOS 195 Welburn Ave, #B, Gilroy

TJ’S TACOS AND BIRRIA 710 San Benito St, #B, Hollister tjstacosbirria.com

55 Fifth St, Gilroy station55cocina.com

TORTILLA HOUSE

LA COSTA TAQUERIA

SUPER GRULLENSE TAQUERIA

VICTORIA’S MEXICAN RESTAURANT

16290 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

17845 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

757 First St, Gilroy

449 San Benito St, Hollister catrinagrill.com

7423 Monterey Road, Gilroy bvwinebar.com

BETTO’S BISTRO 17385 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill bettosbistro.com

MANGIA ITALIAN KITCHEN 1709 Airline Highway, Suite A, Hollister | mangiahollister.com

275 E Dunne Ave, Morgan Hill mamamiasrestaurant.com

TAQUERIA CANCUN

JESUS MEXICAN RESTAURANT

BELLA VIVA RISTORANTE

303 First St, Gilroy

433 First St, Gilroy

168 W 10th St, Gilroy

Italian

MAMA MIA’S MEDITERRANEAN ITALIAN CUISINE

7820 Monterey Road, Gilroy 115 Third St, San Juan Bautista jardinesrestaurant.com

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1160 First St, Gilroy lahaciendagilroy.com ERIK CHALHOUB

17290 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill opaauthenticgreek.com/ morganhill.html

226 Cochrane Plaza, Morgan Hill

MAMA MIA’S MEDITERRANEAN ITALIAN CUISINE 1360 First St, Gilroy mamamiasrestaurant.com

MAURIZIO’S 25 E First St, Morgan Hill | mauriziosrestaurant.com

SICILIA IN BOCCA 25 W Main Ave, Morgan Hill sicilianinbocca.com

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SWEET SICILY

PEKING RESTAURANT

1280 First St, Gilroy

16135 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill pekingmorganhill.com

Pizza DUTCHMAN’S PIZZA 6940 Automall Parkway, Gilroy gilroypizza.com 229 W Main Ave, #A, Morgan Hill mypizzamh.com

PARKTOWN PIZZA COMPANY 16375 Monterey Road, Suite o, Morgan Hill | parktownpizza.com

PINOCCHIO’S PIZZA 8400a Church St, Gilroy gilroypizza.com

QUEENS PIZZA 16965 Monterey Road, #106d, Morgan Hill | thequeenspizza.com

Japanese CREASIAN 207 W Main Ave, Morgan Hill | creasiansushi.com

HANAMI SUSHI 1295 E Dunne Ave, #190, Morgan Hill

OUTDOOR DINING La Catrina Mexican Grill in downtown Hollister is packed with guests on a busy evening.

NINJA SUSHI 715 First St, Gilroy | gilroyninjasushi.com

ROYAL KING EGGROLL

TANDOORI FLAMES

SUSHI ICHIBAN

8610 San Ysidro Ave, Suite A, Gilroy | kingeggroll.com

110 Cochrane Plaza, Morgan Hill tandooriflames.com

116 Cochrane Plaza, Ste 116, Morgan Hill | ichibanmorganhill.com

VIETASIA RESTAURANT

Irish

SUSHI NARA

1295 E Dunne Ave, #140, Morgan Hill

301 Vineyard Town Center, Morgan Hill

Korean

16990 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill viamia.com

TEN JAPAN

MAROO KOREAN CUISINE

Chinese

Vietnamese

ASIAN BUFFET

JONTY’S VIETNAMESE EATERY

VIA MIA PIZZA

6960 Chestnut St, Gilroy

CHINA PALACE RESTAURANT 65 W Main Ave, Morgan Hill chinapalacemh.com

GINGER CAFE 8657 San Ysidro Ave, Gilroy gingercafe.net

LING’S MONGOLIAN BBQ

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769 First St, Gilroy

JUAN REYES

MY PIZZA

PINEAPPLE VILLAGE

1340 First St, Suite C, Gilroy

17300 Depot St, Morgan Hill jontysvieteatery.com

M NOODLE & CAFÉ 6945 Monterey Road, Gilroy mnoodleandcafe.com

PHO SAIGON CORNER 16760 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill | phosaigoncorner.com

340 East Tenth St, #G, Gilroy lingsmongolianbbq.com

PHO THANH AN

MR. HONG’S

SIMMERING PHO

1210 First St, Gilroy | mrhongs.com

213 W Main Ave, Morgan Hill

PEARL RIVER RESTAURANT

TO PHO

233 W Main Ave, Morgan Hill

650 San Benito St, #110, Hollister

890 Renz Lane, #108, Gilroy

16105 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill

MOON’S KITCHEN 16985 Monterey Road, #326, Morgan Hill moonskitchenmorganhill.com

Thai

CLADDAGH IRISH RESTAURANT & PUB 1300 First St, Gilroy | thecladdagh.net

Cafe/Coffee/ Bakery BE TRUE CAFE 330 Tres Pinos Road, Unit E, Hollister | betruecafe.com

CAFÉ 152 BREAD CO.

SAIGON -2- SIAM BISTRO

60 Fourth St, Suite 4, Gilroy cafe152breadco.com

1280 First St, Unit E, Gilroy facebook.com/saigon2siambistro

COFFEE GUYS

SIAM THAI RESTAURANT 17120 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill siamthaimorganhill.com

Indian LITTLE INDIA 1340 First St, Suite A, Gilroy littleindiagilroy.com

50 E Third St, #140, Morgan Hill coffee-guys.com

FARMHOUSE CAFE 615D San Benito St, Hollister eatwiththeseasons.grubmarket. com/farmhouse-cafe

FIFTH STREET COFFEE ROASTING CO. 7501 Monterey St, Gilroy | fifthstreetcoffeeroasting.com

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CHALLENGING THE MIND Janelle Gallagher (from left), Rebecca Hargreaves and Hilary Andrews are the founders of MPower Escape Rooms, which is located in downtown Morgan Hill.

A Puzzling Escape Morgan Hill business capitalizes on emerging trend

W

hen your friend goes missing in the bayou while searching for supernatural sightings, the wise thing to do is go looking for them without any preparation, of course.

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MPower Escape Rooms calls home.

Hilary Andrews, Janelle Gallagher and Rebecca Hargreaves are the creators of MPower Escape Rooms, which opened at 17415 Monterey Road, Suite 207 in late 2018.

An “escape room” is exactly as it sounds: a group is locked in a room and must find hidden clues and solve puzzles in order to leave, usually within a 60-minute time period. The term “escape” might be a little exaggerated, though, as participants are never truly locked in the room and can leave at any time.

For information, visit mpowerescape.com.

ERIK CHALHOUB

A colleague and I found our way to a cabin at the edge of a swamp, where various creepy creatures crawled and soared their way into sticky situations.

But perhaps that friend truly did find something supernatural here. It was obvious that someone took great pains to deter unsuspecting visitors,

with locks of various digits, letters and other combinations holding a tight grip on doors that could lead the way out.

We surveyed the room, looking for patterns or anything else out of the ordinary that could provide a hint of what was going on here. Our hunt for clues revealed a set of numbers, possibly for one of the locks.

The question was, however, which one? And if we couldn’t figure it out, would we ever leave the bayou alive?

Thankfully, the “bayou” was actually in downtown Morgan Hill, on the second floor of an office building that

BY ERIK CHALHOUB

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You’ve Come to the Right Place.

66 1st Street, Suite A, Gilroy, CA 95020 | (408) 847-8880 | informed-choices.org

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things to do

gilroyhistoricalsociety.org The Gilroy Historical Society holds walking tours of historic sites in Gilroy every month.

MPOWER ESCAPE ROOM 17415 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. mpowerescape.com Find clues, solve puzzles and escape the room before time runs out. In-person and remoterooms are available.

THEME PARK Gilroy Gardens has extensive water features and other attractions for the whole family.

ANTIQUE SHOPPING Downtown Gilroy, Monterey Street Downtown Gilroy is home to three antique shops: Ashford’s Heirlooms, Garbo’s Antiques and Gilroy Antiques.

BOLADO PARK FARMERS’ MARKET Bolado Park, 9000 Airline Highway, Tres Pinos Power Broadcasting and Medina Farms host a farmers market Sundays from 9am-1pm, weather permitting.

COYOTE CREEK GOLF CLUB One Coyote Creek Golf Drive, Morgan Hill. 408.463.1400. www.coyotecreekgolf.com Coyote Creek Golf Club has two 18-hole Jack Nicklaus Signature Courses.

DOWNTOWN MORGAN HILL tinyurl.com/yyolhw8a Downtown Morgan Hill is home to more than 30 restaurants specializing in a variety of cuisines.

GILROY CENTER FOR THE ARTS 7341 Monterey St, Gilroy. 408.842.6999, www.gilroycenterforthearts.com The Gilroy Center for the Arts is home to a gallery that features rotating exhibits.

GILROY GARDENS 3050 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy.

408.840.7100, gilroygardens.org Billed as California’s only

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horticultural theme park, Gilroy Gardens features roller coasters, circus trees, paddle boats and more.

GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL gilroygarlicfestival.com The internationally-known, multiday summer festival features numerous events centered around its namesake vegetable. Dates for 2021 to be announced.

GILROY MUSEUM 195 Fifth St, Gilroy. 408.846.0446. www.cityofgilroy.org/386/Museum The Gilroy Museum offers a glimpse into Gilroy’s history and includes research facilities, photographs and artifacts.

Reopening date to be announced.

GILROY WELCOME CENTER 8155-6 Arroyo Circle, Gilroy.

408.842.6436, visitgilroy.com The Gilroy Welcome Center offers a variety of Gilroy souvenirs and info.

HOLLISTER SOARING CENTER 90 Skylane Drive, Suite 101, Hollister.

831.636.3799, hollistersoaringcenter.com Hollister Soaring Center offers professional glider rides and flight instruction.

MORGAN HILL AQUATICS CENTER 16200 Condit Road, Morgan Hill.

408.782.2134. morganhill.ca.gov/ 189/Aquatics With two large waterslides, a water play feature, splash pad, a full size competition pool and a warm instructional pool, the Morgan Hill Aquatics Center is open year-round.

MORGAN HILL BOWL 650 Tennant Station, Morgan Hill.

408.778.0909, morganhillbowl.com The bowling alley includes two indoor bocce courts, two full-sized pool tables, a sports bar and more.

MORGAN HILL FARMERS’ MARKET Caltrain Station, Third and Depot streets, Morgan Hill. cafarmersmkts. com/morgan-hill-farmers-market The Morgan Hill Certified Farmers Market brings together farmers, food producers and consumers from Morgan Hill, Gilroy and Hollister every Saturday, 9am-1pm.

MORGAN HILL MUSEUM 17860 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. morganhillhistoricalsociety.org The Morgan Hill Historical Society, which owns the Morgan Hill Museum, was established to collect, conserve and exhibit artifacts associated with the history of Morgan Hill.

MONTHLY WALKING TOURS Various locations, Gilroy.

OLD MISSION SAN JUAN BAUTISTA ROBERT ELIASON

From farmers markets to skydiving and a theme park, there’s plenty of entertaining and thrilling activities in South Santa Clara and San Benito counties.

406 Second St, San Juan Bautista, oldmissionsjb.org Founded in 1797, the mission is the 15th of the Spanish missions established in present-day California.

RIDGEMARK GOLF CLUB AND RESORT 3800 Airline Hwy, Hollister.

831.637.8151, ridgemarkgolfclub.com Featuring 18 holes and a boutiquelike lodge with views from 32 patios.

ROSEWOOD CORDEVALLE GOLF One CordeValle Club Drive, San Martin. 408.695.4500, tinyurl.com/y6lp376d Rosewood CordeValle features a 260-acre, 18-hole championship golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones Jr.

SKYDIVE HOLLISTER 234B Skylane Drive, Hollister.

800.386.5867, skydivehollister.com Skydive Hollister is a full services skydive drop zone.

SWANK FARMS 4751 Pacheco Pass Highway, Hollister. swankfarms.com The 60-acre Swank Farms is home to a Fall Festival and an annual Halloween attraction.

WINGS OF HISTORY AIR MUSEUM 12777 Murphy Ave, San Martin.

408.683.2290, wingsofhistory.org This hands-on working and flying museum is dedicated to the Golden Age of Flight. Reopening date to be announced.

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Live Escape Adventure Find clues, solve puzzles, escape the room before time runs out!

In Person & Remote Rooms available All bookings are private

mpowerescape.com (669) 888-3901

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LARGE OAK Beginning in autumn, Coe Park begins to whisper its charms.

Local Backcountry Introducing Coe Park

BY RON ERSKINE

RON ERSKINE

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I

t is only the slightest exaggeration to say that Henry W. Coe Park stretches from Mount Hamilton to Pacheco Pass and from the Santa Clara Valley to the Central Valley. Such a resource is all the more amazing when you consider it is at the edge of the nation’s fifth largest metropolitan area, home to 8.8 million people. ➝ 26

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Hawaiian Bliss

Pono Welln ess S pa

Gift Card Gift Card Pono W ellness Sp a

We Follow State Safety Guidelines!

Book online or purchase instant e-gift certificates at www.PonoWellnessSpa.com 35 E First Street, Suite A | Morgan Hill, CA 95037 | 408.612.8835

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GOLD FIELDS The Rooster Comb is one of the many features of Coe Park.

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Dunne Avenue. The Hunting Hollow entrance is out Gilroy Hot Springs Road east of Gilroy. Each entrance barely pierces the park boundary— there are no through roads—leaving the huge interior wild and untouched for hikers, bikers, and equestrians.

In autumn, Coe Park begins to whisper its charms. The rains haven’t arrived yet, but temperatures are cool and the trails are quiet. The lichen-draped sycamores in Hunting Hollow can’t rival the gaudy colors

east of the Mississippi, but a fall walk there is a day well spent.

As the rains arrive through winter and spring, Coe Park becomes a magnificent Eden. Every crease in the hills fills with the sound of water gathering forces to build Coyote Creek. Countless species of wildflowers decorate the hills, sometimes in stunning displays.

The highways are jampacked, but beauty and solitude are on the edge of town.

RON ERSKINE

24 In 1953, Sada Coe Robinson deeded the 12,000-acre Pine Ridge Ranch to Santa Clara County. Unable to properly manage the park, the county in 1958 sold the property to the state for $10. Over the years, as family ranches came up for sale, the park grew to 87,000 acres, California’s second largest state park.

There are two year-round entrances to Coe. Park headquarters are tucked on that pine-topped ridge you see above Morgan Hill, 14 miles up East EXPLORE SOUTH SANTA CLARA & SAN BENITO COUNTIES 2021

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HISTORIC MONUMENT Pinnacles National Park is a 26,606-acre natural wonderland.

Rediscovering Nature Popular hiking spots adapt to pandemic restrictions

T

he natural beauty that surrounds us seemed to be forgotten as people stayed home to shelter from the pandemic.

But nature is still here and accessible.

From the fresh air to the wide trails that promote social distancing, this region’s parks provide a great escape and a therapeutic setting away from the troubles of the world.

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The following is a list of some popular local hiking spots and the precautions they have taken during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Pinnacles National Park Established in 1908 by President Theodore Roosevelt, Pinnacles National Park is a historic monument made of natural volcanic formations.

The 26,606-acre park is a natural wonderland for wildlife and adventurers.

Home to the endangered California condor, Pinnacles is also a haven for prairie and peregrine falcons and golden eagles.

Hikers and campers will find plentiful grasslands, varied chaparral and oak woodlands to walk about.

The large park, with two entrances, caves and interesting flora and fauna is a popular destination for hiking, rock climbing, camping and birding.

The park is slowly phasing open various areas and services during the Covid-19 pandemic. Weekend visitors are encouraged to arrive before 10:30am to get a parking spot.

Entry fees are waived, and the campground remains open by reservation, which can be made at recreation.gov.

Bear Gulch Nature Center and West Visitor Center remain closed, as do the Balconies and Bear Gulch cave trails. Shuttle services inside the park remain non-operational.

Pinnacles National Park, located at 5000 Highway 146 in Paicines, is open daily from 7:30am-8pm. For information, call 831.389.4485 or visit nps.gov/pinn/index.htm.

San Juan Bautista Historic Walking Trail First occupied by the Mutsuns, San Juan Bautista was founded as a mission town in 1797, when Franciscans monks settled there for its fertile countryside and ample supply of potential converts.

The town remains a microcosm of early California history with 49 historic sites densely packed into an area less than three-quarters of a square mile.

Beginning at the Mission San Juan Bautista, the self-guided walking ➝ 30

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hikers are advised to plan their visit during the off-peak hours of Monday through Thursday, 10am-2pm.

Overcrowding of parking lots and trails can cause temporary closures.

This is a fluid situation designed to control the amount of vehicles and visitors at any given time. Turnover can happen fairly quickly as park staff monitors the flow of attendance.

Maps that show wide trails for social distancing can be found at tinyurl.com/y27exowp.

Mount Madonna County Park is located at 7850 Pole Line Road in Watsonville.

GABILAN MOUNTAINS The scenic Hollister Hills.

28 trail offers residents and visitors an opportunity to explore Native American history as well as Spanish and Mexican influences into early 19th-century America.

Structures include adobe, stone, wooden and western false front-style commercial architecture popularized after the California Gold Rush.

Visitors along the trail will find Plaza Hall, originally a singlestory adobe building designed to house unmarried Indian girls of the mission. Later purchased and rebuilt

by Angelo Zanetta, the building eventually became the family home.

Other notable structures and homes include a town jail, livery, the Honeymoon House—formerly used as a bordello—the Rozas house, which is still used as a residence today, and the Castro/Breen Adobe, named after the Castro family, the home’s original owners, and later occupants the

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Breens—who were among the surviving members of the Donner party.

For information, visit historicwalkingtrail.com.

Mount Madonna County Park This 4,605-acre park overlooks the Santa Clara Valley to the east and Monterey Bay to the west, and is dominated by the redwood forest characteristic of the Santa Cruz Mountain range.

Park visitors can learn about areas where Ohlone Indians hunted and harvested, and why cattle baron Henry Miller spent his summers there.

Hikers and equestrians have access to an extensive 14-mile trail system; Mount Madonna Stables offers horseback trail rides; and a one-mile self-guided nature trail winds around the ruins of Miller’s summer home.

To promote healthy distances,

Hollister Hills State Vehicle Recreation Area Located in the Gabilan Mountains, Hollister Hills features more than 6,800 acres of scenic and varied terrain.

To promote physical distancing, the amount of visitors allowed in the park is reduced. When the park reaches full capacity, the main gate will be closed. Visitors are asked not to park on Cienega Road to wait for availability. Availability of parking is determined by park staff. Day use is first come, first service.

Camping is only allowed in Madrone, Walnut and Bee campgrounds. Day use parking is only in Radio Ridge and Lodge.

All open flames and fires are currently prohibited in the park. This includes no smoking, and no wood or charcoal campfires or barbecues.

Propane stoves are still allowed.

The park is located at 7800 Cienega Road in Hollister. For information, visit tinyurl.com/cvmepc.

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Thank you Gilroy, Morgan Hill, and Hollister for allowing us to take care of your eye health for the past 5 years.

We are a state-of-the-art, 5000-square-foot regional eye center specializing in cataract surgery, Lasik, glaucoma, diabetic eye exams, and other eye conditions.

HERE TO CARE FOR YOUR EYES Dr. Harrup Kaur Dr. Christine Langell Dr. Irene Hsu-Dresden Dr. Linh Vu Dr. Jill Fajardo

7652 Monterey St, Suite B GILROY, CA 95020

5330 Camden Ave. SAN JOSE, CA 95124

Tel: 408-842-2500 | Fax: 408-940-3945

Tel: 408-940-3930 | Fax: 408-940-3945

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