The Stanford Park Journal

In the 20th century, forward-thinking booksellers in the Bay Area led a paperback revolution, making the new 35-cent mass-produced books available to the public. One of these booksellers, Roy Kepler, founded Kepler’s Books in 1955, and the shop soon became a favorite haunt of students, professors, intellectuals, artists, musicians, and political agitators. Today, Kepler’s remains a bulwark of culture in Menlo Park and a leader in the possibilities of a truly communally engaged bookstore and literary arts foundation. To learn more about the history of this legendary Bay Area literary institution, check out the official Kepler’s website, and consider dropping by to peruse the shelves, attend a reading, or participate in one of the many other fascinating programs at Kepler’s that enrich art and culture here in Menlo Park.

Next up at the Dragon Theater, on Saturday, June 11, from 8:30 – 10pm, you’re invited to join professional prestidigitators Meriam Al Sultan and Fred Lee for Close Up and Personal: Magic from the Heart, an evening of close-up magic that will delight and mystify. In addition to being a masterful sleight-of-hand artist, Fred is also an expert storyteller who interweaves his wizardry with tales both funny and frightening of his time performing for folks in the U.S. Army. Though the show might not be appropriate for young children, it’s perfect for teens and adults alike. For more information on this and other upcoming performances, check out the official Dragon Productions Theater Company website.

Address: 1430 Koll Circle, Suite 107, San Jose, CA 95112

During your stay with us, we encourage you to take an hour to stroll amid the stunning Romanesque architecture and meticulously manicured grounds of our namesake university. Among the many notable sites, you’ll definitely want to check out the Main Quad, designed by famed landscape architect Frederick Law Olmstead; the Memorial Church, whose stunning interior mosaics will convince you that you’ve been transported back in time to the heart of the Byzantine Empire; the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, where you can contemplate artwork ancient, modern, and contemporary; and the many different gardens. Those are just a few highlights. For more information, see the university’s self-guided tour map here. In addition, though the Visitor Center is not currently open to the public, staff are stationed at the front entrance weekdays from 9 am - 1:30 pm to answer questions, distribute maps, and offer assistance.

Address: 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305

With our Romantic Getaway Package, in addition to the plush featherbedding and other luxurious amenities perfect for cuddling up with your sweetheart, you’ll enjoy a bottle of sparkling wine; an assortment of hand-crafted chocolates; s’mores kit for two (to be roasted over our enchanting outdoor firepits); complimentary priority upgrade, if available; and complimentary 2 P.M. late check-out. What’s more, gourmet dining is only a few steps away at the Menlo Tavern, serving fine American cuisine every evening from 5 to 9 P.M. in an atmosphere of casual elegance. The bar, which boasts an extensive list of fine wines, beers, spirits, and craft cocktails, is open daily from 4 to 10 P.M. This Valentine’s Day and all year long, the staff of The Stanford Park Hotel are eager to make your stay a romantic getaway to remember.

Annual Holiday Organ Recital

Sunday, December 12, 1:30 – 2:30 PM
Stanford Memorial Church, 450 Jane Stanford Way, Stanford, CA 94305

Acclaimed Stanford University Organist Dr. Robert Huw Morgan has long delighted audiences with his groundbreaking performances of J.S. Bach. This December, you can join him for an afternoon of sacred music at Memorial Church, one of Stanford University’s most architecturally-stunning institutions.

Winter Solstice Night Bike Ride

Tuesday, December 21, 6 – 8 P.M.
Departing from Peet’s Coffee, 367 State Street, Los Altos, CA 94022

You’re invited to go on this 18-mile bike ride from Los Altos to Christmas Tree Lane in Paolo Alto. Brisk temps and a fast pace are sure to get your heart pumping, and the radiant decorations of Christmas Tree Lane will warm the heart of even the most hardened grinch.

Roaring into 2022: Great Gatsby New Year’s Eve Bash

Friday, December 31, 2021, 7:30 PM – Saturday, January 1, 2022, 1 AM
Silicon Valley Capital Club, 50 West San Fernando Street, San Jose, CA 95113

Just a half-hour drive from our hotel, the Silicon Valley Capital Club is perched 17 stories above downtown San Jose and affords gorgeous sweeping views of Silicon Valley. With substantial appetizers, a live band, dancing, cocktails, and champagne in store, this Roaring 20s party is the perfect way to ring in the new year.

One of the easiest—and most exciting—ways to do this is a visit to the Cantor Arts Center, Stanford’s primary hub of artistic appreciation and a home to over 5,000 years of fresh perspectives in art. 

From a renowned collection of Rodin bronze sculptures to paintings from 17th century Italy, the pieces on display at the Cantor Arts Center are as diverse and thought-provoking as they are beautiful to look at. Alongside the year-round collections, seasonal exhibitions curated by the dedicated staff at Stanford provide glimpses into new and exciting frontiers in the art community. The temporary exhibition “Paper Chase: Ten Years of Collecting Prints, Drawings, and Photographs at the Cantor” is on display until January 30, 2022 and features a range of never-before-seen acquisitions, including works by major artists from all over the world, from Mexico to Mali.

The Cantor Arts Center is free for all guests and officially open at 100% capacity. Reserve your all-day ticket today!  

Back in the 1950s, peace activist, Roy Kepler founded the shop, which quickly became a gathering ground for Bay Area poets, intellectuals, artists, university students and faculty, and other devotees of counter-culture. Musical acts like the Grateful Dead and Joan Baez not only performed at Kepler’s, but also dropped in on occasion to discuss literature, politics, and art with the eclectic bohemian clientele. Since moving to its current location in Menlo Park, Kepler’s almost had to close its doors permanently, but the community would not allow it. Thousands came out to demonstrate in support of the bookstore, which was quickly reopened and revitalized with a plan for the future. Now, Kepler’s is divided into two entities, the community-owned, for-profit Kepler’s Books & Magazines and the non-profit Kepler’s Literary Foundation, which regularly hosts interviews, seminars, workshops, and other special events with authors, artists, and others who seek out new ways to help the arts flourish here in California and across the world.

Address: 1010 El Camino Real, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Embark on an adventure that leads to Silicon Valley, and experience a getaway where the journey is truly part of the destination.

Visit California has created the Road Trip Republic, which outlines incredible routes for road trips around the state, with itineraries suitable for anywhere from 1-10 days.

More than one of the itineraries can lead you through Menlo Park. Take a detour to explore Silicon Valley and Stanford’s historic campus from the “Majestic, Magical Highway 1” route, which starts in San Francisco and leads all the way down to SoCal. Best of all, our Bay Area location also puts the Wine Country routes at your fingertips.

Let the open road lead you to relaxation. Pick a route or craft your own, and we’ll look forward to hosting you during your journey.

We highly recommend taking advantage of Stanford’s guided tours, which are free and offered daily at 11:30 and 3:30 during the academic year. Your tour will introduce you to several of the best-known and most beautiful spots at the university, including the Main Quad, which is the historic center of campus, and the Memorial Church, whose interior Byzantine design is utterly breathtaking. You’re also welcome to stroll at your leisure, marveling at the pristine Romanesque architecture, exploring art from antiquity to today at the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, contemplating existence alongside The Thinker and other iconic statuary in the famous Rodin Sculpture Garden, or ascending 285 feet to the observation platform of Hoover Tower, where on a clear day you can see as far as San Francisco.

Address: Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Stanford, CA 94305

Whether you’ve kept that childlike curiosity aflame over the years or would like to rekindle the spark, the Museum of American Heritage is the perfect place to visit during your stay with us. Located in the historic Williams House, just a quick 10-minute drive from the Stanford Park Hotel, the Museum of American Heritage fills 11 rooms with fascinating gadgets electrical and mechanical from the 1750s through the 1950s. Six rooms are devoted to permanent exhibits, which include an early 20^th-century kitchen and general store, an early auto workshop and garage, and a fully operative print shop. The other five rooms are dedicated to the museum’s rotating exhibits. Check out their website to see what's showing during your stay in Menlo Park. 

Address: 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, California

Free guided tours of the campus are available every day at 11:30 and 3:30 during the academic year, but you can easily take a 360° guided video tour of the Stanford University campus online. During your virtual campus walk amid the exquisite Romanesque architecture and lush greenery, marvel at the dazzling Byzantine designs that adorn the interior of Stanford Memorial Church, or ascend 285 feet to the top of Hoover Tower, where the panoramic view stretches all the way to the San Francisco skyline on a clear, sunny day. Art lovers will be delighted by the two dozen galleries at the Cantor Center for Visual Arts, which features major works from antiquity to today, and the Rodin Sculpture Garden will instantly transport you to Paris with iconic sculptures like The Thinker and The Kiss.

Starting in the mid-18^th century, the Industrial Revolution reshaped life as we know it, giving rise to new means of manufacturing and a shift toward ever-greater mechanization in the workplace and, later, at home. Though these changes mostly began in Great Britain, the U.S. was quick to follow. If you’ve ever felt a sense of awe or insatiable curiosity while staring at the now everyday products of technological innovation—clocks, cameras, TVs, typewriters, radios, and such—then Palo Alto’s Museum of American Heritage (MOAH) is the place for you. Just 10-minutes by car from our hotel, the MOAH is an intimate 11-room museum devoted to all gadgets mechanical and electronic that emerged in the US from the mid-eighteenth through the mid-twentieth century. The MOAH’s permanent exhibits include a fully operational print shop, an early auto garage, and a replica of a 1920s-ear Chicago general store. Through February 16, you can also enjoy the current temporary exhibit, Cointraptions: Classic Coin-Operated Machines. The MOAH is located in the historic Williams House, an impressive example of Tudor Revival architecture designed by Ernest Coxhead and built in 1907 for Dr. Thomas Williams. The enchanting Williams House Gardens are also open to the public.

Address: 351 Homer Avenue, Palo Alto, California

Every year, on the Saturday before Halloween, Menlo Park hosts Halloween Hoopla, a family-friendly celebration of everyone’s favorite day for ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and of course, candy. Kicking off the festivities at 11 A.M. on Saturday, October 26, a spooktacular parade will make its way through downtown Menlo Park to neighboring Fremont Park. After the parade, kids will be invited to trick-or-treat at participating businesses in downtown Menlo Park and enjoy crafts, carnival games, and a magic show in Fremont Park. You can also drop by the Onetta Harris Community Center of Menlo Park from noon – 3 P.M. for the annual Spooky Carnival, which has been delighting kids for over a decade with snacks, games, face-painting, a costume contest, and much more. Once your little ones are thoroughly exhausted from a day of play, head back to the Stanford Park Hotel, where the kids can enjoy their candy and you can treat yourself to a delicious craft cocktail at the Menlo Tavern.

What could be as quintessentially Californian as a glass of wine or a relaxing drive through the gorgeous countryside? AutoVino, a one-of-a-kind facility here in Menlo Park, combines these two defining aspects of California culture—fast cars and fine wines—in an experience like none other. Behind AutoVino’s curiously industrial façade, you’ll discover one of the most celebrated wineries on the West Coast, with a tasting room to please your palate every Saturday and Sunday from 11 A.M. to 4 P.M. Delicious wood-fired pizza, prepared onsite, provides the perfect culinary complement to these exclusive vintages. So that accounts for the vino—what about the auto? In addition to being a world-class winery, AutoVino is also a storage facility for collectible cars, which means you’ll have the chance to peruse Aston Martins, Bentleys, Ferraris, and more as you sample the fruits of elite California viticulture.

Address: 205 Constitution Dr, Menlo Park, CA 94025

Inspired by the art guilds they visited during their European travels, Delight and Garfield Merner were determined to establish a similar guild for the benefit of talented local artists back home in California. This vision became a reality when, in 1929, the Merners purchased 3.5 acres on the outskirts of Menlo Park and very quickly transformed them into the thriving Allied Arts Guild that welcomes you today. During your visit, you’ll marvel at the architecture of this bohemian oasis, adorned throughout with tiles and other objet d’art imported from Spain, Morocco, and Tunis. Stroll through three authentic Spanish gardens: The Court of Abundance, which greets you as you approach the main building; Cervantes Court, which boasts a dazzling mural of the eponymous author; and The Garden of Delight, or The Blue Garden (Delight Merner felt blue was the ideal color for exterior decoration, as it perfectly complements the verdant foliage). The guild comprises more than a dozen shops and studios dealing in one-of-a-kind handmade items crafted by local artists and artisans. You’ll peruse paintings, drawings, sculptures, etchings, jewelry, clothing, furniture, and much more. Savor a healthy, organic lunch at the Blue Garden Café, and be sure to drop by the Artisan Shop, where proceeds benefit the Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford University.

Address: 75 Arbor Rd at Cambridge Ave, Menlo Park, CA 94025