A Solo Female Traveler’s Guide to Los Gatos
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Los Gatos, California, is one of Silicon Valley’s best places to visit! Only an hour drive south of San Francisco, it is nestled just north of the Santa Cruz mountains. The houses on those hills make me think of Switzerland, especially when they are lit up at night.
Downtown Los Gatos includes a half-mile stretch of N Santa Cruz Ave, lined with shops, restaurants, bars, and salons on both sides of the street. There is another section one block over called Old Town. More restaurants and hotels line a cross street, W Main St.
If you enjoy shopping, eating, drinking wine, and seeing lovely trees and green mountains, this charming town is a must-see spot! It is also a safe location for solo female travelers to wander around. No need to worry here, though of course be sure not to leave valuables (or anything) visible in your parked car. I’d say you’d be much more likely to get a ticket for parking in a restricted spot than encountering any kind of petty crime.
Where to Go
Testarossa Winery
300 College Ave., Los Gatos
This winery has been a favorite of mine for many years due to the idyllic setting and close proximity to downtown Los Gatos. And the wine is not too shabby either!
The Testarossa Winery is one mile up a windy residential neighborhood from downtown Los Gatos. The 1888 building was originally built and run by Jesuit priests to help fund their seminary college. The old Novitiate Winery produced alter wines and other wines for about 100 years there.
Testarossa Winery took over in 1997. It was started by a Silicon Valley couple, Rob and Diana Jenson, who gave up their high-tech careers to run their winery.
The grounds are charming with plants, trees, fountains, and fantastic views. You can visit the tasting room and/ or sit outside at Wine Bar 107 to enjoy wine and charcuterie plates.
Live music is featured on many Thursday evenings.
New Museum Los Gatos
106 E. Main Street, Los Gatos #newmuseumlosgatos
After living nearby my whole life, I was surprised to learn that Los Gatos has a museum! It’s open daily from 10-4, with a $10 admission. The first Sundays of the month are free!
The New Museum was a delightful find and a fun way to enjoy my time in Los Gatos in a break from all the shopping, eating, and wine tasting! 😀
The ground floor features rotating art exhibits. When I visited, there was an annual exhibit called “ArtNow” featuring award-winning works from local high school students. There were some very interesting and impressive pieces on this year’s theme, “In Transition”.
One of my favorite parts of the Museum was the Art-O-Mat, an art vending machine made from an old cigarette vending machine! I chose the category “Advice for Life in one word,” and I got a domino reminding me to “Imagine.” I love it! The box also contained a strip of paper explaining who the Artist is (Janice Mori Gallagher) and some info about the process for the art work’s creation.
Finally, the lower floor of the museum features “Los Gatos History Project: Uncovering Untold Stories”. The exhibit shows found objects from Los Gatos residents, and explores the variety and complexity of Los Gatos history, from the Ohlone Indigenous people to Mountain Charley and beyond.
Music in the Park
110 E. Main Street, Los Gatos
On Sunday afternoons, 3-5 PM during the summer, Los Gatos has free live music performances on the Los Gatos Civic Center Lawn. This is a great time with lots of families, people picnicking, dancing, and just hanging out. Be sure to catch this free concert if you’re in town at the right time.
Farmers Market
Town Park Plaza on Main Street & N. Santa Cruz Avenue
Los Gatos has a popular farmers market every Sunday from 9-1 featuring over 40 booths. There is a great selection of fruit, vegetables, eggs, etc., and beautiful flowers usually!
Los Gatos Creek Trail
There is a popular, very pretty trail that goes from downtown Los Gatos to Vasona Park. It’s about one mile long and paved with a line down the middle, making it ideal for walking, running, or biking. If you’re a real go-getter you can continue on the trail all the way to San Jose!
Because the Creek Trail is usually pretty well populated, I don’t recall ever feeling nervous about walking it on my own. Obviously, just keep your awareness up!
Vasona Lake County Park
333 Blosson Hill Rd, Los Gatos
Vasona Park is the most popular Santa Clara Valley Park/Recreation area and is 152 acres (1/5 the size of NYC’s Central Park. The park has walking/biking trails (including the LG Creek Trail going through it), playgrounds, picnic tables, and a boat dock with rowboats and paddle boats available for hourly rental (Spring thru Fall).
Right next door is the Oak Meadow Park which has a carousel and miniature train for kids.
Its a really pretty place for a walk or picnic!
Shopping
There are tons of shops lining N. Santa Cruz Ave and all of the downtown LG areas, but here are some of my favorites!
She She Boutique
130 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Los Gatos
She She Boutique is one of my favorites to check out whenever I’m in Los Gatos. It has such a fun, casual, yet glam atmosphere. A good selection of women’s clothes and jewelry, plus fun and funny knick-knacks and gift items!
The Butter Paddle
33 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
The Butter Paddle is a fun gift shop to browse around in. Jewelry, candles, housewares, linens, seasonal decor, etc.
This shop is run by volunteers and benefits a non-profit organization called Pacific Clinics, which helps children and families in need. Pretty cool!
Jackie ‘O
48 N. Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
Jackie ‘O is another fun clothing boutique with cute, unique clothes and accessories. I love the Parisian theme of decor they have!
Azuca
100 W. Main St, Los Gatos
This is an amusing boutique featuring local art, jewelry, cards, and unique gifts. They also carry Los Gatos “branded” sweatshirts and other items. It’s lots of fun to browse around here!
Domus
54 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
Domus is a popular homegoods store which features mostly locally sourced products from women owned businesses. Though I’m not much of a cook I love looking around at all of the beautiful tableware and cooking gadgets. They also carry cards and stationary as well as seasonal decor.
The Maids Quarters
36 N. Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
The Maids Quarters is an adorable little shop with the most gorgeous bedding and accessories. I love the way they merchandise the store—it’s just beautiful, and I don’t want to leave! They sell the highest-quality sheets, decorative pillows, candles, and bath accessories. They also carry a sweet selection of baby clothes. Don’t miss this if you’re a fan of girly luxuries!
Natural Creations
108 N. Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
Natural Creations is another store I have a hard time leaving! It’s like taking a quick visit to a tropical fairyland or something! Its a tiny plant and gardening shop. Its so fun to see the unique plants they have for sale, while you hear the tinkling of their waterfountains. Don’t miss this one!
Where to Eat
Cafes
For your coffee fix at a couple of the coolest cafes in Silicon Valley, check out Los Gatos’s Fleur De Cocoa and Great Bear Coffee in this post!
Andales
Andales is one of my long time Los Gatos favorites! Fresh, authentic Mexican food. They have indoor dining and a charming covered back patio. They have a second location right across the street, which is more of a take-out setup if you don’t want to do the “sit-down restaurant” thing.
Purple Onion
The Purple Onion has a wonderful menu of sandwiches and salads, as well as a full coffee bar and pastries. It’s a great place for a quick delicious lunch! Beware of going on weekdays at noon, though, as the Los Gatos High School students flock here on their lunch break!
Steamers Grillhouse
Steamers is an upscale restaurant featuring fresh seafood and steak dishes. It’s great to sit outdoors on a nice day, grab appetizers and a glass of wine at the bar area, and sit at a window-side table to people-watch!
We Olive and Wine Bar
We Olive and Wine Bar is a delightful place to explore a variety of olives, oils, unique spreads, pastas, and vinegars. You can also taste or order wine and tapas at the wine bar, as well as enjoy the outdoor patio in the back.
Los Gatos Cafe
340 N Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
The Los Gatos Cafe has been around since 1987 and is a breakfast favorite! Great breakfast basics plus delicious cinnamon rolls. They also serve lunch btw. (Sorry for the unimpressive picture! It was closed when I visited in the late afternoon and I don’t have any pictures from when I’ve been there pre-blog! Good reason for me to go back soon!)
Teleferic Barcelona
50 University Ave, Los Gatos
Teleferic Barcelona is a wonderful Spanish restaurant in the “Old Town” section of Los Gatos. You can get authentic paellas, tapas, and exotic cocktails. There is indoor and outdoor seating available. There’s also a cute market featuring wines, meats and cheese, etc.
Where to Stay
Hotel Los Gatos
210 E Main St, Los Gatos
Hotel Los Gatos is a charming Mediterrainian-inspired luxury hotel, which features a swimming pool and an on-site restaurant, Dio Deka.
To be honest, I have had several “stay-cations” here over the years, and I was really sad to see that they have remodeled teh rooms since my last stay. They used to be decorated in jewel-tone velvets and beautiful brocades, but they have moved to a lighter look and feel in the rooms. It is still a lovey hotel, but my heart isn’t quite able to gush about it like I was going to!
Toll House Hotel
140 South Santa Cruz Ave, Los Gatos
The Toll House Hotel is lovely place with clean elegant decor. It also has a restaurant, the Los Gatos Tavern. You can get a room with a fireplace and/or a balcony overlooking the wooded area behind the hotel.
Los Gatos Garden Inn Hotel
46 E Main St, Los Gatos
The Los Gatos Garden Inn is a more moderate choice, with rooms generally under $200 per night. It was built in 1947 and is a registered historical landmark. Apparently Marilyn Monroe and Joe Dimaggio stayed here at one point! Guest rooms are homey with kind of random furniture. It is in a great location, right across from lots of restaurants.
Map of Mentioned Places
I hope these suggestions help you have a fablous time in charming Los Gatos California! Please let me know if you have LG favorites I should check out! Thanks for reading!
You may also want to check out the other posts on Cities in Silicon Valley.
Love that you highlighted so many local restaurants and shops. Los Gatos seems lovely!
This is a new place for me, but I’m from the East Coast. And never been to CA, but hope to visit. This is a great place to add to the list.
The shopping looks so fun and cute here. Definitely adding this place to my list. Great post!
I’ve never heard of Los Gatos. I actually didn’t realise you could visit a winery that’s so close to San Fran either. Looks like a nice quaint place to visit for a long weekend to unplug and relax. I too would struggle leaving Natural Creations as well! Glad that it’s a great destination for solo female travellers 🙂