Eric's Rough Guidebook

Eric
Eric's Rough Guidebook

Food Scene

Take it with a grain of salt (haha), I'm just sharing what local fare I've found that suits my taste. Maybe yours?
The Hash Browns Benedict is amazing.
6 locals recommend
Metro City Restaurant & Bar
151 S Murphy Ave
6 locals recommend
The Hash Browns Benedict is amazing.
The Chicken Tikka Masala is very, very good. Great for late night, authentic North Indian fare.
SHAH RESTAURANT
962 W El Camino Real
The Chicken Tikka Masala is very, very good. Great for late night, authentic North Indian fare.
Burrito regular, al pastor, FTW.
7 locals recommend
Los Altos Taqueria
2105 Old Middlefield Way
7 locals recommend
Burrito regular, al pastor, FTW.
The best German beer and fried sausages! How can you possibly go wrong? (don't answer that)
Hardy's Bavaria
111 W Evelyn Ave
The best German beer and fried sausages! How can you possibly go wrong? (don't answer that)
Not "The" Alice's Restaurant--of Arlo Guthrie fame--but legendary in its own right. A slog to get to if unaccustomed to the winding roads, but truly a Biker's haven.
65 locals recommend
Alice's Restaurant
17288 Skyline Blvd
65 locals recommend
Not "The" Alice's Restaurant--of Arlo Guthrie fame--but legendary in its own right. A slog to get to if unaccustomed to the winding roads, but truly a Biker's haven.

Cinema

Great places nearby to watch movies
Recently renovated multiplex near Google's campus, my favorite movie theater in the Bay Area.
109 locals recommend
Century Cinema 16
1500 N Shoreline Blvd
109 locals recommend
Recently renovated multiplex near Google's campus, my favorite movie theater in the Bay Area.
Always rotating themed presentations of classic films. Check out the real Wurlitzer pipe organ they play during intermission!
67 locals recommend
The Stanford Theatre
221 University Ave
67 locals recommend
Always rotating themed presentations of classic films. Check out the real Wurlitzer pipe organ they play during intermission!
This is the hippest art-haus theater outside Berkeley.
33 locals recommend
Landmark Aquarius Theatre
430 Emerson St
33 locals recommend
This is the hippest art-haus theater outside Berkeley.

Sightseeing

Unusual destinations nearby that might not be found in your guidebook.
A real ghost-town in the middle of the bay! This place is WEIRD! Drawbridge used to be a bird hunting retreat, and people actually lived there until the 70's. Now it's a wildlife sanctuary, but you can still see the "town" as you cross the Capitol Corridor train to Sacramento, or by boat.
Drawbridge
A real ghost-town in the middle of the bay! This place is WEIRD! Drawbridge used to be a bird hunting retreat, and people actually lived there until the 70's. Now it's a wildlife sanctuary, but you can still see the "town" as you cross the Capitol Corridor train to Sacramento, or by boat.
Even locals don't know about this! The Pulgas Water Temple is probably the most peaceful expanse of green earth for 100 miles around, right in the middle of the peninsula.
17 locals recommend
Pulgas Water Temple
56 Cañada Rd
17 locals recommend
Even locals don't know about this! The Pulgas Water Temple is probably the most peaceful expanse of green earth for 100 miles around, right in the middle of the peninsula.
Home of the mythic surf contest, just north of Half Moon Bay beach: another diamond found off-the-beaten-path.
61 locals recommend
Mavericks Beach
61 locals recommend
Home of the mythic surf contest, just north of Half Moon Bay beach: another diamond found off-the-beaten-path.

Neighborhoods

To help you get a sense of the area, these are general descriptions of the neighborhoods in the South Bay that I grew up and lived in.
The heart of the Silicon Valley. "Historic" Murphy Avenue is right off of the Sunnyvale CalTrain stop, where you find local shops, salons, cafes, bars, restaurants, etc. It's a busy spot, but mostly made up of residential homes. "Safe" is an understatement: this is right next to the legendary Sunnyvale Public Safety office. Unusually good public transportation, for the area. The public library is outstanding, and the parks are very nice.
Heritage District
The heart of the Silicon Valley. "Historic" Murphy Avenue is right off of the Sunnyvale CalTrain stop, where you find local shops, salons, cafes, bars, restaurants, etc. It's a busy spot, but mostly made up of residential homes. "Safe" is an understatement: this is right next to the legendary Sunnyvale Public Safety office. Unusually good public transportation, for the area. The public library is outstanding, and the parks are very nice.
The stories are all true.
83 locals recommend
Palo Alto
83 locals recommend
The stories are all true.
One of the most pleasant little villages left in the Bay Area, one that truly represents what life, "used to be like." Downtown is expansive and diverse. All the shops and food are good, if not great. Relatively far from most other places in the area, it's easy to get around once there.
14 locals recommend
Los Altos
14 locals recommend
One of the most pleasant little villages left in the Bay Area, one that truly represents what life, "used to be like." Downtown is expansive and diverse. All the shops and food are good, if not great. Relatively far from most other places in the area, it's easy to get around once there.

City advice

Getting around

CalTrain

If you want to get to San Francisco, Palo Alto or San Jose, ride-share is fine, but CalTrain will be just as quick (most of the time) and A LOT less expensive. Bullet trains run regularly during rush hours.
Useful phrases

"Hella"

'Hella' is a NorCal word expressing a prodigious quantity or degree. e.g.: Q: "How many Northern Californians does it take to screw in a lightbulb?" A: "Hella."
Ways to save

Avoid San Francisco

If you decide to go to San Francisco, plan on spending a lot more money than you plan on spending.
Customs and culture

Tip handsomely

The SF Bay Area is an expensive place--to visit, and to live--so tipping 20% for service is good form.