Los Altos

Los Altos is a city in Santa Clara County, California, spreading over several square miles between wooded hills and flat terrain. Wide avenues lined with mature trees run through residential zones, and small parks sit scattered among the streets.

A land company led by Paul Shoup laid out the first streets and lots in 1906, after the rail line to San Francisco opened. Over the following decades the area grew as a residential base for commuters working across the Bay Area.

The local history museum displays objects and photographs tracing the region's shift from farmland to a technology hub next door. Visitors see items documenting how the landscape changed and how earlier generations lived their daily lives.

Most shops and restaurants sit in the town center along a few main streets, while the rest of the area consists mainly of residential roads. Drivers find parking near the main strip and can walk from there to explore further.

A garage building on a residential street served as the workshop where the first 50 Apple I computers were assembled in 1976. Today the house stands as a private residence, with a plaque marking the start of Apple Computer.

Location: Santa Clara County

Inception: 1952

Shares border with: Sunnyvale, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Cupertino, Los Altos Hills

Website: http://losaltosca.gov

GPS coordinates: 37.36810,-122.09800

Latest update: December 12, 2025 23:49