The Town of Los Altos Hills is a Silicon Valley residential community in Santa Clara County, California, that was founded in 1956 and is located 35 miles south of San Francisco, five miles south of Stanford University, and seventeen miles north of downtown San José. This town is a 9-square-mile community with a population of 8,000 people. As a result of the town’s commitment to preserving a residential and agricultural lifestyle, there is no commercial activity in this town.
One unique feature of this town is an 85-mile system of equestrian and foot routes meanders across the town, cutting past residential estates and connecting neighborhoods, allowing inhabitants to stroll everywhere in the town. This town is a wonderful property in the center of Silicon Valley, with rolling hills, gorgeous valleys, and a temperate temperature.
Travelling to this premier town from other big cities in California is a breeze. Say you’re coming from Sunnyvale, you can use Cuesta Drive or El Camino Real to get to this town. To ensure a smooth driving experience, visit a Sunnyvale auto body repair shop. Don’t know which auto body shop in Sunnyvale to visit? Click here.
Its History
This neighborhood has a long history that dates back to the California Missionary period and Mexican independence. Don Juan Prado received the land grant for Rancho San Antonio, which included Los Altos Hills, in 1839. The land was cultivated, logged, and turned into vineyards and olive groves. Regular stagecoach service existed through the area from 1867 to 1887, when Otto Arnold bought 616 acres of land and stopped a stretch of the stagecoach road that passed through his property. Hidden Villa was the name given to his estate.
The Southern Pacific Railroad bought an adjacent town site in 1906 and named it Los Altos. Frank and Josephine Duveneck, environmentalists, bought Hidden Villa and other parcels of land to create a watershed, eventually amassing more than 2,500 acres. The watershed offered enough irrigation to keep the town growing as an agricultural and residential area, resulting in the town’s incorporation in 1956. This link will take you through the history of Los Altos Hills.
Comfort of Living
This town receives 37 inches of rain per year and about 1 inch of snowfall on average. It also has an average of 263 sunshine days per year. The high in July is usually 78 degrees, while the low in January is 39 degrees.
Many residents of this town believes that walking or bicycling along the walkway system is the easiest way to get about. The Santa Clara Valley Transit Authority operates two bus lines in the area. The 52 bus line connects the town to Mountain View, and the 101 bus line connects Palo Alto and San José passing through this town. Mineta San José International Airport is a short drive away and has direct flights to over a dozen major US cities, as well as Hawaii, Guadalajara, and Tokyo.
Things to Do
Hidden Villa is a worthwhile stop if you’re visiting Los Altos Hills. This non-profit environmental education center, wilderness retreat, and summer camp is nestled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, surrounded by 1,600 acres of open space. On the nearby trails, you can see wild turkeys, deer, and the occasional bobcat if you bring your hiking shoes. If you prefer to buy from the comfort of your own home.
The old area of Los Altos’ Main Street is a nice detour with various stores and entertainment options. Foothill College hosts a monthly flea market on the third Saturday of each month year-round, as well as an electronics flea market on the second Saturday of each month from March through October. If you want to go a little further, Stanford University, Palo Alto, and San José all have a variety of activities for young, old, and curious visitors.
