Palo Alto, Santa Clara County, California, USA

Palo Alto is a city in California’s Silicon Valley, between the San Francisco Bay shoreline and the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. San Francisquito Creek forms part of its northern edge, while Stanford University is closely tied to the city’s development. The downtown area grew around a railroad stop near University Avenue in the late 19th century. Along the bay, the Baylands Nature Preserve protects tidal marsh habitat.