Discover Your Luxury Life – The Best Things to do in Menlo Park

California, famous for its beaches and Hollywood glam, offers much more. Its compelling landscapes include preserves, mountains, vineyards, and national parks. The Golden State is the ideal home for an eclectic group of communities and lifestyles, from those adventurous individuals who love to surf, hike, or play water polo to the culturally enthusiastic and glamorous fashion-forward set.

 

California's unique geological features provide a wide range of things to do. California life draws millions of luxury property owners in, and the lifestyle convinces them to stay. As the pandemic influences work models to include more work-from-home scenarios, more people can live in California. Varied communities match any lifestyle, whether you want to explore the eclectic landscapes, raise a family, or rub elbows with the Hollywood elite.

 

Menlo Park is a community with more of a small town feel on the outskirts of San Francisco. Ideal for that suburbanite mindset, a luxury real estate agent can help you find your dream home. Once you've settled in, there are many things to do. We'll explore the many things Menlo Park has to offer, whether you're a California resident living in the area or planning to call California home in the near future.

Bedwell Bayfront Park, open year-round, is well-known among California communities for its trails, mountain biking, and bird watching. People can explore the three-mile loop in a little over an hour and bring their dog – on a leash, of course. The Bay Trail is the Bedwell Bayfront Trail to Alviso. Visitors can walk, hike, mountain bike this 18-mile trail, or visit the park for some much-needed solitude.

Spend the day at Burgess Park and play tennis, soccer, or baseball/softball with other sports enthusiasts. Set on a little over 9 acres, Burgess Park is one of the first city-owned recreation areas in Menlo Park. Enjoy family time at Willow Oaks Park. Play tennis, soccer, baseball/softball, or take your dog to the dog park. If you're a pickleball fan, the Menlo Park area has it at Kelly Park. This Belle Haven neighborhood park includes pickleball, a full-size running track, and exercise equipment.

 

The Menlo Park locals are trying to keep Sharon Park a secret. This beautiful park, nestled in a natural wooded area with a lake, is popular for walking paths, charming gazebos, and picnic areas.

Combining the outdoors with the love of music, the Menlo Park community can listen to genres like pop, R&B, Latin blues, or even disco in Fremont Park's Summer Concert Series. Support the community while you listen to acoustic music in a garden environment at Dala's Nest House Concerts. This non-profit, donation-driven venue hosts concerts May through October in the Willows neighborhood

Menlo Park offers opportunities for community members seeking a more aesthetic experience. The Allied Arts Guild is first and foremost a historical garden to visit for the beautiful garden and shop, check out local artists, and eat at Cafe Wisteria. Allied Arts Guild also hosts seasonal events all year with Mother's Day Tea and holiday events.

Ravenswood Openspace Preserve This open space is unlike your neighborhood space. It sits on a 376-acre preserve that includes marshland and grassy vegetation. Soak in the sunshine and the outdoors in this part of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space with family or friends.

 

This preserve is only one of 26 open spaces spanning over 60,000 acres and is a part of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District is one of 26 open spaces that comprise more than 60,000 acres of diverse landscape. Ravenswood is a 376-acre preserve located on the edge of East Palo Alto, which consists primarily of marshland and sparse grassy vegetation. It is composed of two areas separated by private properties.

California's beauty goes beyond its beaches, national parks, and forests to include artwork from local artists. For the arty type, Menlo Park fulfills the need to spend an afternoon strolling through a gallery. Art Ventures Gallery is Silicon Valley and showcases original, innovative art for a more intellectual afternoon.

Visit Peabody Gallery Fine Art and Framing to create your own masterpiece. Spend an afternoon with the staff in this unique gallery. Find a special piece of art or create artwork to frame and bring home to enjoy long after your visit.

Be inspired by the Anderson Collection at Stanford University. Spend a day in Stanford's new building viewing a prestigious private collection of American modern and contemporary art. Harry W. and Mary Margaret Anderson and Mary Patricia Anderson Pence donated 121 sculptures and paintings over the last 50 years.

How cool would it be to take a selfie at Facebook's headquarters and post the picture on your Facebook page? Very! Visit this iconic company that started in Silicon Valley and take a picture in front of the sign. It's among California's "must-see" places and one of the perks of living in Menlo Park.

Menlo Park, California, boasts Kepler's Books, a cultural and intellectual hub since the 1950s. Founded by a well-known peace activist, the bookstore is the perfect place for book lovers and anyone who wants to attend a literacy-focused event. On the quirkier side, Feldman's Books, with more than 50,000 books, is a great place to spend hours browsing the shelves for any genre from literature, poetry, science, or photography. Find an antique book or that rarer book that's hard to find.

Life in California includes fine dining, and Michelin Star restaurants are the ultimate in fine food. Several Menlo Park restaurants have been awarded the Michelin distinction. Camper, located downtown, offers contemporary cuisine and has the desirable Michelin star. The Flea St. Cafe is an American contemporary restaurant with a front bar and an atmosphere like being in a house. Another fine-dining option includes Madera. Located in the Rosewood Sand Hill hotel, eat dinner and enjoy the view of the Santa Cruz Mountains.

Vineyards and wineries are a significant advantage to living in California, and Menlo Park has a few of its own. Woodside Vineyards in Half Moon Bay is well-known to the locals and at the top of the list for many visiting the area. This vineyard hosts wine tastings and special events to showcase its rare vintage selections.

Menlo Park is home to Auto Vino, a unique wine tasting venue with car-themed label wines made from grapes grown in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Attend one of their events in the outdoor wine garden and sip wine locally grown in California estate vineyards.

Fashion-conscious community members can shop until they drop in Menlo Park's top boutiques. Angela Boutique is well-known with the locals to visit if you're looking for trending clothing brands, shoes, jewelry, and accessories. Owned by "3 sisters," Angela's is located in the center of the Silicon Valley and sells designer brands including Peter Cohen, Herno, Valextra, Pedro Garcia, Marla Aaron, Ray Griffiths, Spinelli Kilcollin, and Hoorsenbuhs, Larkspur and Hawk.

The Gitane Boutique was founded in 2009 with the concept of mothers and daughters shopping together. The store owner Malika started her fashion career in Paris. She brought her expertise to the San Francisco Bay Area so Menlo Park locals or visitors can find that perfect outfit.

With its rich culture, diverse landscapes, glamorous history, and eclectic communities, California has as much character as the actors that call it home. The Golden State accommodates an array of lifestyles, from beachfront to luxury city living to a quieter suburban life. Whether you're a Menlo Park resident looking to upgrade or intent on moving into the area, finding an agent should be at the top of your to-do list. A real estate agent in the Silicone Valley will share their luxury property expertise and knowledge of the area as you tour homes for sale in Menlo Park.

 

Connect with Stephanie Von Thaden to find your perfect high-end property, whether you're looking for a mansion, single-family property, townhome, or condo. First, explore the Menlo Park housing market as a visitor, and once you settle in, enjoy the wide variety of outdoor trails, beaches, and hiking venues or stroll the park and have dinner after in a Michelin Star restaurant. Level up your lifestyle by buying a luxury beachfront property. Walk the beach every morning or have coffee on your deck watching the ocean waves roll in. Live a suburban life with access to city experiences an hour or half-an-hour away.  That luxurious, nature-loving, or adventurous life you've been daydreaming about is in Menlo Park and in reach, complete with all of the dining, vineyards, art galleries, beaches, and shopping experiences unique to the area.

 

Stephanie Von Thaden is a luxury real estate agent with the expertise, knowledge of the Silicone Valley real estate market, and ability to connect with clients to be a partner in finding your perfect home. Contact her today!