Welcome to Sunnyvale
Sunnyvale is the second most populous city in the county after San Jose, offering a combination of an urban-suburban lifestyle to those who live there. Located along El Camino Real and Highway 101, Sunnyvale is conveniently located in Silicon Valley. There is great access to restaurants, shopping, grocery stores, and anything else that daily life requires.
One of the city’s biggest claims to fame is that the video game industry was born here, and Atari’s former headquarters called Sunnyvale home. Many technology companies are headquartered in Sunnyvale like Uber, LinkedIn, Apple, Google, Walmart Labs, 23andMe, and many more operate there, including several aerospace/defense companies.
Sunnyvale is bordered by portions of San Jose to the north, Moffett Federal Airfield and NASA Ames Research Center to the northwest, Mountain View to the northwest, Los Altos to the southwest, Cupertino to the south, and Santa Clara to the east.
What’s to Love
- Highly diverse population
- Abundance of parks
- Bicycle-friendly community
- Exceptional climate
- The first successful video game, Atari's coin-operated Pong, was installed in August 1972 in a bar named Andy Capp's Tavern (now Rooster T. Feathers)
People & Local Lifestyle
Sunnyvale is one of the most diverse cities in the Bay Area, and many families and young professionals live here. Popular neighborhoods include Ponderosa Park, Lakewood, Heritage District, Garden Gate, Serra, and De Anza.
People who enjoy spending their free time outdoors will be right at home in Sunnyvale. There are over 700 acres of parks and open space throughout the city, including Las Palmas Park, Ortega Park, Seven Seas Park, Washington Park near downtown, two public golf courses, and Baylands Park. Many of the parks include sports courts, picnic areas, playgrounds, walking trails, splash pads, dog parks, and more. Sunnyvale also has a robust cycling culture. The city has been listed by the League of American Bicyclists as a bronze-level Bicycle Friendly Community.
An interesting fact about Sunnyvale is that it is one of only a few cities in the country where a single unified Department of Public Safety exists. This means that all personnel are cross-trained as firefighters, police officers and EMTs, allowing them to respond to an emergency in any of these roles.
Sunnyvale residents value the city’s convenient location, which is especially helpful for those who commute to work or love to travel. San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) is just 9.5 miles from downtown by car, and it is also accessible by Caltrain, VTA light rail and VTA bus. Sunnyvale is home to two Caltrain stations: Sunnyvale Station and Lawrence Station.
Dining, Entertainment & Shopping
When it comes to grocery shopping, Sunnyvale has a great mix of national chains and smaller, local ethnic stores. Popular markets include Whole Foods Market, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts Farmers Market, Felipe’s, and Zanotto’s. There are also farmers’ markets that take place throughout the city, and smaller shops selling health foods.
Shoppers will delight in a trip to Cherry Orchard Shopping Center or Pavlina Plaza Shopping Center that are filled with popular, name-brand retailers and fast-casual restaurants like Starbucks, Chipotle, Sweetgreen, Bonchon, Paris Baguette, and more. Historic Murphy Avenue is located downtown and has a great mix of eateries, shops and fun events that take place throughout the year.
In nearby Santa Clara, a more traditional shopping mall experience can be found at Westfield Valley Fair, one of Northern California's largest enclosed shopping malls. The mall is home to notable retailers like Apple, Macy’s, Banana Republic, Louis Vuitton, Tiffany & Co., and more. Adjacent to Valley Fair,Santana Row is an upscale shopping street with three blocks of fashion boutiques, restaurants, home decor shops, a movie theater, and much more.
For those looking for a unique dining experience, Dishdash Middle Eastern Cuisine should not be missed. This unique restaurant has beautiful art splashed across the walls that is the perfect backdrop for their delicious Middle Eastern dishes. Other popular Sunnyvale restaurants include Meyhouse, TANTO Japanese Restaurant, Falafel STOP, Metro City Restaurant & Bar, and The Oxford Kitchen and Gastropub.
Things To Do
In Sunnyvale, activities abound for everyone! There are plenty of places to get outside and enjoy the fresh air, like Charles Street Gardens, Sunnyvale’s oldest and largest community garden.
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