California · United States
Sunnyvale travel guide
Sunnyvale is a city in California, United States, home to about 156,000 people.
- Best months
- April to October
- Nearest airport
- SJC10 km · Mineta San Jose International Airport
- Currency
- USDUnited States dollar
- Time zone
- America/Los Angeles
- Language
- Carolinian, Chamorro, Hawaiian
Things to do
What to see and do in Sunnyvale
See
- Sunnyvale Heritage Park and Museum
- Hendy Iron Works Museum
Do
Miniature golf and arcade games can be found at * Golfland USA, 855 East El Camino Real (at Wolfe Road); there are parking lots at both the El Camino Real and Wolfe Road entrances. Sunnyvale is also home to two public golf courses: the nine-hole course and driving range at Sunken Gardens at 1010 S Wolfe Rd and the 18-hole Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course at 605 Macara Ave., which is under the landing path to Moffett Field, where you can see many interesting military and some private aircraft. On Murphy Street near the Caltrain station, many events are held during the Summer..
- Golfland USA
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Where to stay
Hotels in Sunnyvale
1 hotel within 25 km of the centre, as recorded in Wikidata. Each name links to its encyclopedia article where there is one.
| Hotel | Opened | From centre |
|---|---|---|
| Grand Hotel | 0.6 km |
When to go
The best time to visit Sunnyvale
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Sunnyvale are April to October. September is the warmest month, with average highs of 25 °C; December is the wettest, with about 145 mm of rain.
Comfortable means average daytime high between 18 °C and 29 °C and under 80 mm of rain in the month. Averages for 1991–2020 over the surrounding area, a grid square about 50 km across, so a coast or a nearby mountain can make the town itself warmer or cooler. Data: CRU TS v4.10, Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia (Open Database License).
Getting there
Getting to Sunnyvale: airports and arrival
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), about 9.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; San Carlos Airport (SQL, 25 km) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO, 41 km) are also within reach.
Getting in
San Jose International Airport is the closest airport. From the airport, take the free Airport Flyer bus #60 to Santa Clara Transit Station. From there, catch either VTA bus #22 or Caltrain to Sunnyvale. The #22 bus line has many stops in Sunnyvale along El Camino Real, from Lawrence Expressway in the east to Bernardo Avenue in the west. Caltrain stops in Sunnyvale at both the Lawrence station as well as downtown Sunnyvale. Taxi fare from San Jose Airport to Sunnyvale is approximately $30. San Francisco is just up US 101 and offers additional options for flying in.
Getting around
Sunnyvale has a decent, albeit rarely used public transport system managed by Valley Transportation Authority. Bus 22 on El Camino Real is the main bus line and most other bus lines run into it. Bus 522 is a "rapid" bus which also travels on El Camino but skips a lot of stops. Additionally, the 55, 54, 53 bus routes serve other areas in Sunnyvale. For trips to Santa Cruz or Scotts Valley the Highway 17 Express connects to San Jose. Caltrain has its Sunnyvale stop in downtown Sunnyvale, and the Lawrence stop at the Lawrence Expressway.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
SJC · Mineta San Jose International Airport
SQL · San Carlos Airport
SFO · San Francisco International Airport
Local knowledge
Eating, drinking and staying safe in Sunnyvale
Eat
The densest concentration of restaurants is along Murphy Street and nearby, with most of the rest spread out in strip malls, particularly along El Camino Real. Sunnyvale has a significant Chinese population (but appears to be declining). For authentic Chinese fare, head south east of Sunnyvale into Cupertino on Wolfe Road just north of 280 and you'll see the 99 Ranch Asian Market followed by an entire mall of Asian eats and products. For Indian food, Sunnyvale and neighboring cities are home to numerous Indian restaurants that cater to those looking for a taste of home.
Wikivoyage contributors, CC BY-SA 4.0; excerpted.
Questions
Sunnyvale: questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Sunnyvale?
The most comfortable months for a city stay in Sunnyvale are April to October. September is the warmest month, with average highs of 25 °C; December is the wettest, with about 145 mm of rain.
Which airport is closest to Sunnyvale?
The nearest airport with scheduled flights is Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC), about 9.5 km from the city centre in a straight line; San Carlos Airport (SQL, 25 km) and San Francisco International Airport (SFO, 41 km) are also within reach.
What currency is used in Sunnyvale?
United States dollar (USD).
Nearby
Destinations near Sunnyvale
Sources: city facts from Wikidata and Wikipedia; airports from OurAirports; climate from CRU TS v4.10 (University of East Anglia Climatic Research Unit), 1991–2020 monthly means, 0.5° grid; places to stay, guest scores and amenities from each operator's own public pages. How this guide is made.