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Best of the Peninsula

Trunk Show: Majestic oak trees and amber meadows carpet the hills around Page Mill Road, creating a view that makes I-280 the area's most scenic freeway. BAY AREA RESIDENTS often lump the communities of the Peninsula together. In truth, there's more that separates Palo Alto, Mountain View and Los Altos than the colors of their respective street signs. Each has a distinctive character, a particular pace, a downtown energy--all of which can be missed in the daily rush between San Jose and "The City." Visitors who pause on the Peninsula to smell the cappuccino find a frenetic, college-town beat commingled with an easy, small-town tempo; quiet, woodsy streets interwoven with lanes of bustling commerce; high tech side-by-side with ... uh ... other kinds of tech. Yet, there is one thing these communities do have in common: They all merit a look. What follows is just a sampling of some of the best things the Peninsula has to offer. Palo Alto Mountain View Los Altos [ Metro | Metroactive Central | Archives ]