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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.

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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