75 stories, landmarks & places within ~20 miles — the same local lore RoadyGoat plays as you drive through.
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Menlo Park, CA
· Local history
Menlo Park, California, began as a stop on the burgeoning railway line connecting San Francisco to the south. Its name, derived from two Irish immigrants who built adjacent estates, hinted at aspirations of genteel…
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Atherton, CA
· 1.0 mi · Local history
Atherton's story is one of intentional cultivation, a deliberate turning away from the denser development that characterizes much of the Peninsula. The town's early connection to the Southern Pacific Railroad certainly…
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Hostess House
· 1.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine saying goodbye to your loved one, not knowing if you'll ever see them again. That's the somber scene this site witnessed during World War I. Built in 1918 by the YWCA, the Hostess House offered soldiers…
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HP Garage – Birthplace of Silicon Valley
· 1.5 mi · Historical Marker
Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started Hewlett-Packard in this Palo Alto garage in 1938.
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HP Garage
· 1.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here – you're looking at the unassuming spot where Silicon Valley as we know it was born. In 1938, fresh Stanford graduates Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard started their company, Hewlett-Packard, right here in…
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Palo Alto Stock Farm Horse Barn
· 2.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here for a minute – this unassuming red barn played a huge role in the founding of Stanford University! Leland Stanford, the railroad magnate and former governor, established the Palo Alto Stock Farm here in…
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Palo Alto, CA
· 2.3 mi · Local history
The name "Palo Alto" rolls easily off the tongue, a gentle Spanish phrase that belies the intense energy of the place. It means "tall stick" or "tall tree," a reference to a majestic redwood that still stands near the…
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Lou Henry Hoover House
· 2.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine living in a house designed by a First Lady! This is the Lou Henry Hoover House, completed in 1920. It was home to Herbert Hoover, the 31st President of the United States, and his wife Lou Henry Hoover. But Lou…
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Union Cemetery (Redwood City, California)
· 2.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Step back in time at Union Cemetery, a silent city holding Redwood City's earliest secrets. This isn't just a burial ground; it's a living history book. Established in the mid-1850s, Union Cemetery became the final…
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Kee House (Palo Alto, California)
· 2.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Step back in time at one of Palo Alto's oldest houses, a survivor from the bygone era of Mayfield village. The Kee House, located on Yale Street, dates all the way back to 1889. It's a tangible reminder of a time before…
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Stanford, CA
· 3.3 mi · Wikipedia
Stanford, California, is more than just home to a famous university. It's also been a launching pad for some notable figures. Think about Sam Bankman-Fried, a name that became widely known as a co-founder of the…
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Fox Theatre (Redwood City, California)
· 3.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Catch a show at this beautifully restored 1929 theater, a landmark of Redwood City's entertainment history. The Fox Theatre opened its doors in 1929, quickly becoming a central hub for movies and live performances in…
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San Mateo County History Museum
· 3.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
These aren't your typical courtrooms! This grand building, now the San Mateo County History Museum, was once the San Mateo County Superior Court. Built in 1910, this courthouse was a product of the City Beautiful…
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Lathrop House (Redwood City, California)
· 3.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder what life was like on the San Francisco Peninsula way back when? This spot offers a rare glimpse. The Lathrop House, also known as the Lathrop-Connor-Mansfield House, was built in Redwood City. Mary C.…
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Redwood City, CA
· 3.7 mi
Redwood City, California, a place cradled between the Bay and the hills, has seen its share of notable figures. While not as star-studded as some other Bay Area towns, it boasts a legacy connected to individuals who’ve…
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Woodside, CA
· 4.3 mi
Woodside, California, nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, exudes an understated elegance that has long attracted a particular kind of resident. The town's winding roads and sprawling estates, often hidden behind…
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Mortimer Fleishhacker House
· 5.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Prepare to be transported to a world of Jazz Age elegance! You're approaching the Green Gables Estate, a place that whispers tales of lavish parties and a family's enduring legacy. Constructed between 1911 and 1935, the…
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Casa de Tableta
· 5.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over! You're driving past a piece of California history that's still pouring drinks today. This is the Alpine Inn, also known as Zott's, or Rossotti's, but originally called Casa de Tableta. It was built around…
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Portola Valley, CA
· 5.4 mi · Local history
Portola Valley, nestled in the folds of the Santa Cruz Mountains, owes its name to a pivotal moment in California history. In 1769, Gaspar de Portolá, a Spanish explorer and soldier, led an expedition north from…
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Woodside Store
· 5.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine buying supplies here in the 1850s, a time before cars or even reliable roads! That's exactly what folks did at the Woodside Store, also known as Tripp Store. This building is a preserved piece of California's…
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San Carlos, CA
· 5.5 mi · Local history
Before the biotech campuses and the hum of Highway 101, before Lindsey Buckingham picked up a guitar or the Giants painted the Peninsula orange and black, San Carlos was a different place entirely. Imagine the marshy…
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Our Lady of the Wayside Church
· 5.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This modest church stands as a testament to an unusual alliance. Our Lady of the Wayside Church was built in 1912 through the combined efforts of Jewish, Protestant, and Catholic members of a local group called The…
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Los Santos, CA
· 5.9 mi
Los Santos, a sprawling metropolis hugging the Pacific coast, is more than just sun-drenched beaches and palm-lined boulevards. It's a crucible, a place where dreams are both forged and shattered, and where countless…
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Los Altos, CA
· 5.9 mi
Los Altos feels different than some other Peninsula towns. It’s quieter, almost reserved, nestled against the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Its downtown, clustered around Main Street and San Antonio Road,…
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Nathanial Brittan Party House
· 5.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine the parties held at this historic house, built in the late 19th century as a social gathering spot. The Nathanial Brittan Party House, located on Dale Avenue in San Carlos, was built in 1872. It's also been…
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Filoli
· 7.1 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine a gilded age estate that survived earthquakes and became a movie star! That's Filoli. Built between 1917 and 1919 for William Bowers Bourn II, a wealthy owner of a gold mine and president of a water company,…
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Los Altos Hills, CA
· 7.1 mi · Wikipedia
Long before it was incorporated in 1956, this area was home to the Ohlone people. Later, the land was divided into two large Spanish-Mexican land grants. Rancho San Antonio de Padua was granted in 1839, and Rancho La…
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Ralston Hall
· 7.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine hosting presidents and European royalty in your own personal palace. That was life for William Ralston at Ralston Hall. Ralston, a powerful San Francisco financier, began building this opulent country house in…
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Shenandoah Plaza National Historic District
· 7.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder about those enormous, almost otherworldly hangars dominating the landscape near Moffett Field? You're looking at Shenandoah Plaza National Historic District, a monument to early aviation and the age of the…
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Belmont, CA
· 7.5 mi · Local history
Belmont, California, a city nestled on the Peninsula between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, might seem like just another quiet suburb. But its history whispers of notable figures who have called it home. While…
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Mountain View, CA
· 7.8 mi
Mountain View is a place built on innovation, literally and figuratively. The city’s name itself is a promise, a vista of the Santa Cruz Mountains rising to the west. But the view that truly defines Mountain View isn't…
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Moffett Federal Airfield
· 7.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Look to your left! That massive structure isn't just any hangar; it's a monument to naval aviation history, built for giants of the sky. In the 1930s, Moffett Field, then a Naval Air Station, became the home of the USS…
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Foster City, CA
· 8.7 mi · Local history
Foster City's placid surface belies a history of deliberate engineering. Before the 1960s, much of what is now this planned community was tidal marshland, part of the vast San Francisco Bay ecosystem. Then came T. Jack…
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Sunnyvale, CA
· 10.0 mi
Sunnyvale, California, a city now synonymous with tech, has roots that reach far beyond binary code. While the sleek campuses of Google and Apple loom large in the collective imagination, the city has also quietly…
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Newark, CA
· 10.0 mi
Newark, California, might seem like just another quiet suburb nestled in the East Bay, a place defined by its proximity to the tech giants and manufacturing hubs that fuel the region's economy. The marshlands bordering…
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Junipero Serra High School (Tom Brady)
· 10.6 mi
Junipero Serra High School (451 W. 20th Ave., San Mateo, CA) launched Tom Brady — and it's the same all-boys school that produced Barry Bonds and Lynn Swann. Brady, class of 1995, didn't start out a star: he opened as…
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San Mateo, CA
· 10.9 mi
San Mateo, California, a city nestled on the peninsula south of San Francisco, claims a surprising number of notable figures. While it might not be as widely known as a celebrity hotspot like Los Angeles, its history…
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Union City, CA
· 11.9 mi · Local history
Before Silicon Valley, before the Warriors dynasty, Union City was defined by the soil under its feet. Imagine fields stretching as far as the eye could see, a patchwork of green and gold nourished by the bay's…
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Cupertino, CA
· 12.3 mi
Cupertino, California, nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, is known globally as the home of Apple, Inc. But the city’s history stretches back further than the tech boom, and its influence extends beyond the digital…
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Santa Clara, CA
· 12.3 mi · Local history
Santa Clara, resting on the relatively flat landscape of the Central California Foothills and Coastal Mountains ecoregion, pulses with a unique energy. Technology drives much of the local economy, but echoes of its past…
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Fremont, CA
· 12.4 mi · Local history
Fremont, California, owes much of its modern identity to the auto industry, specifically the New United Motor Manufacturing, Inc., or NUMMI plant. This wasn't just any factory; it was a joint venture between General…
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Carolands
· 12.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine living in a 98-room mansion with 4.5 floors – this American Renaissance chateau is a sight to behold. Carolands Chateau was commissioned by Harriet Pullman Carolan, heiress to the Pullman railroad fortune.…
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Burlingame station
· 12.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine waiting for a train in a building that’s seen over a century of California history. That's Burlingame Station. Built in 1894, this station wasn't just a place to catch a ride; it was a statement. The Southern…
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Burlingame, CA
· 13.0 mi
Burlingame, California, a town south of San Francisco, carries a certain understated prestige. Its manicured eucalyptus groves and quiet, residential streets belie the notable figures who once called it home.
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James Johnston House (Half Moon Bay, California)
· 13.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Get ready to see the 'White House of Half Moon Bay'! It's a beautiful piece of California history, right here on the coast. James Johnston, a Scottish immigrant, built this impressive home between 1853 and 1855. He…
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James Lick Mansion
· 13.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine this land, once part of a vast Mexican land grant, becoming the heart of a self-made millionaire's empire. That millionaire was James Lick. He acquired this property, part of Rancho Ulistac, in the mid-1800s and…
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Kohl Mansion
· 14.2 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Prepare to be transported back to the Gilded Age as you approach the magnificent Kohl Mansion. Built in 1914, this stunning estate was commissioned by Bessie and Charles Frederick Kohl. Charles was a prominent…
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Santa Clara, CA
· 14.2 mi · Local history
The scent of ripening fruit is long gone from Santa Clara, replaced by the sterile hum of server farms. Yet, beneath the veneer of Silicon Valley, whispers of its past linger. Founded by Franciscan missionaries and…
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Half Moon Bay, CA
· 14.6 mi
Half Moon Bay offers a quiet beauty, a kind of charming simplicity that belies its place in the wider world. The crescent-shaped bay itself gave the town its name, finalized when it incorporated in 1959. But even before…
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Mountain Winery
· 14.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Imagine grand parties echoing through these hills – that's the legacy of Paul Masson and his Mountain Winery. Masson, a French immigrant, arrived in California during the Gold Rush era and recognized the potential for…
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Charles Copeland Morse House
· 14.8 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Ever wonder where your garden seeds come from? You're near the historic home of the man who helped bring them to your backyard. This is the Charles Copeland Morse House. Morse founded the Ferry-Morse Seed Company, one…
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Mission San José (California)
· 15.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a second and imagine life here over two centuries ago, because this spot was once the heart of a bustling Spanish mission. It wasn't just a church; it was a whole community. Founded in 1797 by Franciscan…
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Millbrae, CA
· 15.7 mi · Local history
Millbrae, a city nestled on the San Francisco Peninsula, owes its name to a legacy of land and family. Darius Ogden Mills, a prominent banker and philanthropist in 19th-century California, acquired a large estate south…
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Winchester Mystery House
· 15.8 mi
At 525 South Winchester Boulevard in San Jose stands the Winchester Mystery House, the sprawling former home of Sarah Winchester, widow of the rifle magnate William Wirt Winchester. She bought an eight-room farmhouse in…
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Saratoga, CA
· 15.8 mi · Local history
The creek whispers secrets as it cuts through the redwood groves, a cool, constant reminder of the earth’s patient work. Saratoga is cradled in the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains, a landscape sculpted by tectonic…
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Hayward, CA
· 15.9 mi · Local history
Hayward rises gently from the edge of the San Francisco Bay, a subtle incline that belies the dramatic forces simmering beneath the surface. This land owes its existence to the very fault line that threatens it: the…
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Milpitas, CA
· 15.9 mi · Local history
Milpitas sits low, almost level with the bay, a place where the land barely rises above the water. Its name, a nod to "little cornfields," hints at an agricultural past, a time before the tech boom reshaped the…
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Alum Rock, CA
· 16.8 mi · Local history
Alum Rock sits nestled in a valley, its gently sloping terrain rising from around 270 feet above sea level. The very name hints at the land's composition: alum-rich rocks that once drew visitors seeking the supposed…
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Campbell, CA
· 17.3 mi
Campbell, California, owes its existence to the agricultural boom that once swept through the Santa Clara Valley. Named after Benjamin Campbell, who arrived in the late 19th century, the area wasn't a planned…
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San Jose, CA
· 17.6 mi
San Jose's story begins not with microchips, but with agriculture. The fertile Santa Clara Valley, cradled between the Diablo Range and the Santa Cruz Mountains, offered ideal conditions for orchards. California became…
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San Jose Diridon station
· 17.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Think of this place, San Jose Diridon Station, as the gateway to Silicon Valley's past, present, and future. It’s more than just a train station; it's a living piece of California history. Originally built by the…
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Peralta Adobe
· 17.7 mi · Scraped Hmdb
You're near a piece of San Jose history – the Peralta Adobe, the oldest building in the city! It all started in 1797, when José Manuel Gonzeles, one of San Jose's founders, built this adobe home. Later, it became known…
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Roberto-Suñol Adobe
· 17.9 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Built in 1836, this humble adobe dwelling offers a glimpse into California's Rancho era. This is the Roberto-Suñol Adobe, originally part of Rancho Los Coches. Roberto Balermino, a Tamien Ohlone, built the adobe…
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Castro Valley, CA
· 18.0 mi · Local history
Don Guillermo Castro's name is etched on the map for a reason. Back in the 1840s, before California even dreamed of statehood, he settled this land, setting the stage for what would become Castro Valley. It's easy to…
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San José, CA
· 18.0 mi · Local history
A century ago, the Santa Clara Valley smelled of blossoms. Fields of prune, apricot, and cherry trees stretched for miles, their fragrant flowers blanketing the landscape each spring. San José was the undisputed capital…
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San Bruno, CA
· 18.0 mi · Local history
San Bruno, California, reflects a layered history of settlement. Originally inhabited by the Ohlone people, the area transitioned to Spanish control in the late 18th century, becoming part of Rancho Buri Buri. This…
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Roma Bakery
· 18.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Since 1911, this bakery has been serving up treats in a building that blends Colonial Revival and Queen Anne styles. That's the year Vittorio Pera built Roma Bakery in San Jose. It quickly became a local favorite.…
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Sarah Knox-Goodrich
· 18.0 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Did you know this area was once touched by a woman who used her influence to champion women's rights? Sarah Knox-Goodrich, a woman of means and social standing in late 19th-century California, dedicated herself to…
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John Steinbeck House (Monte Sereno, California)
· 18.3 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over here for a second. From 1936 to 1938, John Steinbeck, the voice of the working class, lived and wrote right here in the Santa Cruz Mountains. He and his wife, Carol, had this house built in 1936. Can you…
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Golden Gate National Cemetery
· 18.5 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Pull over for a moment and pay your respects. Golden Gate National Cemetery is the final resting place for over 160,000 veterans and their families. Around 1937, San Francisco residents voted to prohibit new cemeteries…
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South San Francisco, CA
· 18.9 mi
South San Francisco smells faintly of yeast. Not because of a brewery, though there are plenty of those nearby, but because of what South City became: Biotech Bay. The city’s early identity was forged in steel and…
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Los Gatos, CA
· 19.4 mi
Los Gatos, nestled against the low-slung Santa Cruz Mountains, feels a world away from the frenetic energy of Silicon Valley, even though many residents drive north each day to work in tech. It’s a place of manicured…
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San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia
· 19.4 mi · Scraped Hmdb
This unassuming valley holds a story of clashing cultures and a changing California. In 1786, Franciscan missionaries established the San Pedro y San Pablo Asistencia here, essentially a sub-mission to Mission Dolores…
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Headquarters Administration Building (Big Basin Redwoods State Park)
· 19.6 mi · Scraped Hmdb
Built by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936, this building once served as the heart of Big Basin Redwoods State Park. Constructed from local redwood logs and stone, the Headquarters Administration Building was a…
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Brisbane, CA
· 19.7 mi
Brisbane, California, a quiet spot tucked away with breathtaking views of the bay, might seem unassuming at first glance. But look closer, and you'll find a place touched by seismic shifts, both literal and cultural.…