Downtown Palo Alto

Defined roughly by Alma and Webster streets and Lytton and Forest avenues, downtown Palo Alto is a charming combination of small-town accessibility and urban ambience. Outdoor cafes, tiny coffee shops, bookstores, mom-and-pop specialty shops, national chains, art galleries, a movie theater and numerous restaurants attract shoppers, eaters and entertainment-seekers of all ages.

Parking along University Avenue can be difficult during the peak restaurant hours, especially on weekends, but there are several large garages available to the public. A Downtown Palo Alto Parking Map shows the garages and the color-coded parking areas.