Mountain View: Nature, Water and Culture

Mountain View combines nature and water sports, culture, and a pedestrian-friendly downtown. When choosing a hotel, it’s worth first considering which aspects of the city you want to shape your stay: time at Shoreline Lake, outdoor trails, a cultural program, or restaurants and shops in the center. The following places and offerings provide concrete guidance.

Shoreline: Wildlife and Water Sports

Shoreline at Mountain View is home to a wildlife refuge where rare migratory birds can be found. Visitors can kayak and sail on Shoreline Lake. The refuge for migratory birds and the lake with its water sports offer different sides of the area. If you’re interested in water sports, Shoreline Lake also offers lessons for beginners through advanced participants, as well as for adults, teens and children. Course offerings may change over time.

At Shoreline Park, paths, bridges and roads are available to pedestrians, joggers and cyclists. Visitors can reach Shoreline by running, walking or cycling along the Stevens Creek Trail. Mountain View also has more than 10 miles of multi-use trails, including the Stevens Creek Trail, the Permanente Creek Trail and the Hetch Hetchy Trail. This information helps you consider possible focuses for your stay: time at the lake, activity on the trails, or both.

Culture and Architecture

The Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts presents theater and music performances year-round. Rengstorff House is the oldest house in Mountain View and one of the West Coast’s outstanding examples of Victorian Italianate architecture. The city thus brings together performing arts and a historic building as distinct cultural experiences.

Shoreline Amphitheatre can accommodate up to 25,000 people for music events. The cultural venues also differ in scale and focus: the Center is known for theater and music performances, while the Amphitheatre provides a large stage for music events. If a particular program is important to your trip, check the event schedules.

Downtown, Market and Getting Around

Downtown Mountain View is a pedestrian-friendly district with restaurants, specialty shops, bookstores, coffee shops and sidewalk cafés. If you enjoy browsing shops or stopping at a café during your trip, this description gives you a concrete sense of the district’s character.

The Mountain View Farmers Market features more than 70 growers and food vendors. Offerings include seasonal produce, including organic products. The vendor lineup may change. The market adds another seasonal consideration to your choice of location.

Mountain View is served by CalTrain, VTA light rail, bus routes and numerous bike paths. When planning your trip, you can consider which of these forms of transportation suit your plans. Schedules may change; check current times when planning a specific connection.

The timing of your trip can also play a role in choosing your destination: the Performing Arts Center presents performances year-round, while the Farmers Market features seasonal produce. This helps tailor your search to your actual travel plans.

Discover more destinations: Gilroy, Campbell, San Jose, San Martin, Los Gatos, Milpitas, Santa Clara, Los Altos Hills.

Go to the main travel overview: Santa Clara.