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Travel and Time

Cities Near Palo Alto

Cities near Palo Alto, California: 10 notable destinations within day-trip and weekend range, including Mountain View, Redwood City, Fremont. Compare distance, drive time and flight time, with day-trip and getaway ideas.

The closest notable city to Palo Alto, California is Mountain View, about 5 mi (8 km) away — roughly 17 min by road. Below, 10 nearby cities are ranked by distance, with real drive and flight estimates and whether each works best as a day trip or an overnight getaway.

CityDistanceDriveFlightBest for
Mountain View5 mi / 8 km17 minDrive/railDay trip
Redwood City6 mi / 10 km20 minDrive/railDay trip
Fremont11 mi / 18 km38 minDrive/railDay trip
Milpitas13 mi / 21 km44 minDrive/railDay trip
Hayward16 mi / 26 km31 minDrive/railDay trip
South San Francisco21 mi / 33 km40 minDrive/railDay trip
Pleasanton21 mi / 34 km41 minDrive/railDay trip
Alameda24 mi / 38 km46 minDrive/railDay trip
San Ramon25 mi / 40 km48 minDrive/railDay trip
San Francisco28 mi / 44 km53 minDrive/railDay trip

Day trips from Palo Alto

Within about 100 miles and easy to visit in a day: Mountain View, Redwood City, Fremont, Milpitas, Hayward. These are close enough to go and return without an overnight stay.

Getting around

Nearby cities are usually quickest by car or train; for the longer hops a regional flight can save time. Tap any city above for its full distance, driving-time and flight-time breakdown, or plan a specific route with the tools below.

Distance calculatorFlight time calculator

Frequently asked questions

Notable cities near Palo Alto include Mountain View, Redwood City, Fremont, Milpitas, Hayward. The closest is Mountain View, about 5 miles (8 km) away. The table above lists each with its distance, drive time and best use.

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