“To see Los Gatos is to love the city,” said Sunset magazine in 1915, and it is much the same in the 21st century. With the Santa Cruz Mountains as a backdrop and a downtown that revels in its historic architecture, Los Gatos is big enough to give you plenty to do, whether you spend the day or an entire weekend.
Why should you go? Will you like Los Gatos?
Los Gatos is popular for shopping, dining, and outdoor activities. It has one of the most beautiful and well-preserved centers in the area, which makes it popular with locals and visitors. It is also a good base for wine tasting in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Best time to go to Los Gatos
Los Gatos’s climate is generally better than the more foggy areas around it. It’s far enough from the ocean and the bay to have clearer skies, but it stays cooler than the flatter parts of the surrounding area.
7 great things to do in Los Gatos
- Wine Tasting – Take a designated driver to drive through the redwood forests to visit some of the Santa Cruz Mountain wineries. Just above town on the mountainside, Testarossa Vineyards runs the fourth oldest continuously operating winery in California.
- Pamper yourself: Get a massage, facial, or pampering body treatment at Spa Los Gatos, one of the best day spas we’ve ever visited. Not far down Los Gatos Blvd., Yoga Source, voted the best yoga studio in the area, offers a relaxing and restorative yin yoga class on Sundays, along with a wide range of other practices.
- Active Outdoors: The Los Gatos Creek Trail runs through town, offering plenty of opportunities for walking, running, and biking on a paved path that follows the beautiful little creek from Lexington Reservoir past Vasona Lake.
- Shopping: The city council keeps a tight grip on business development, selecting retailers that improve the atmosphere and reduce the number of chain stores. Stores that line Santa Cruz Avenue, Main Street, and University Avenue include The Indian Store (Native American art), In the Old Manner (new versions of stylish vintage clothing), and Domus (household items). And if you’re looking for a bit of high-end window dressing, you can fantasize outside of the Rolls Royce, Bentley and Lamborghini dealerships, all in the city center.
- The charming Los Gatos Theater is a great place to enjoy the latest movie you intend to see. It features a classic marquee and a recently renovated interior decorated in a classic art deco style.
- Fun with the kids: Oak Meadow Park (University Ave at Blossom Hill Rd) is home to Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad and WE “Bill” Mason Carousel. At nearby Vasona Lake, you can rent rowboats and rowboats from early spring to early fall.
- Enjoy Your Inside Food : Read more about the dining options below at Best Bites. Sur La Table offers weekly cooking classes and every week the downtown Farmers Market is one of the best in the area. You can also enjoy your gourmet goodies at Fleur de Cocoa.
Annual Events You Should Know About
- Third Saturday of January, April, July and November: the Santa Cruz Mountain Wine Growers Association sponsors wine passport weekends
- May: Area artists display their creations during the annual Silicon Valley Open Studios event
- Summer: Look for outdoor concerts at nearby Villa Montalvo and Mountain Winery
- December: Vasona Park is the place to go to the Festival of Lights.
- December – Historic Homes Tour, sponsored by Los Gatos Museums, offers a glimpse inside historic homes, vintage cars, and entertainment.
Tips for visiting Los Gatos
- It can be difficult to find a place to park downtown, and many areas are limited to two hours. For a longer carefree stay, you will find unlimited parking on Santa Cruz Ave in front of Toll House, in the lot behind Washington Mutual at Hwy 9 and Santa Cruz Ave, and on the lower level of the lot just off University Avenue in Royce. During peak holiday season, the best thing to do is use the free valet parking service.
- Public toilets are in short supply, and until plans to solve the urinal shortage are made, you may have to put yourself at the mercy of a local merchant.
- If you are prone to motion sickness, bring your favorite motion sickness remedy if you plan to drive in the mountains.
- On summer weekends, it seems like everyone in the Santa Clara Valley heads to Santa Cruz on Highway 17, creating a traffic jam that can backtrack miles before reaching Los Gatos. A good alternative is to take Winchester Blvd, which is parallel to Highway 17 from Stevens Creek Blvd until you reach the city, where it becomes Santa Cruz Ave
The best bites
Locals line up for tortillas and some of the tastiest potatoes at Los Gatos Cafe (340 N. Santa Cruz Ave) or pack up at Southern Kitchen (27 E. Main) for biscuits and gravy and other rustic-style dishes.
This small town has a restaurant (Manresa) that has earned a Michelin star. Unsurprisingly, it is expensive and hard to come by. Other places for a great meal include (in alphabetical order) Cin Cin Wine Bar, Dio Deka, Forbes Mill Steakhouse, and Nick’s Next Door.
For a little fun with your food, try Campo di Bocce, where you can reserve a bocce court and play a game, or just watch others.
Where to stay
Hotel Los Gatos takes top honors among reviewers on tripadvisor.com, along with the most affordable Garden Inn Hotel. Both are in the center. Compare prices and review guest reviews for them and more Los Gatos hotels on Tripadvisor.
Where is Los Gatos?
Los Gatos is located 52 miles from San Francisco, 126 miles from Sacramento, and about 225 miles from Lake Tahoe.
Santa Clara Valley residents can get to downtown Los Gatos by taking the tram to Vasona Station, where they can catch a shuttle bus.
If you live in San Francisco or on the Peninsula, consider a scenic drive home on Highway 9 and 35 instead of speeding down the highway.
