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Most Palo Alto shoppers start at Stanford Shopping Center. When they want more, they drive 17 miles south to Stevens Creek Boulevard in west San Jose. On one side of the road is Santana Row, an outdoor district of shops, restaurants, apartments and a hotel, laid out like a European main street. On the other is Westfield Valley Fair, the largest mall by area in Northern California and, by its owner's account, the highest grossing mall in California.
The two are different experiences. Santana Row is about strolling, eating and people watching. Valley Fair is a giant indoor mall with department stores, a food hall and a cinema. Together they make a full afternoon. The Winchester Mystery House is about a mile away. This guide covers how to get there, parking, the history of both sites, what to do, holiday events and tips for a smooth visit.
Where they are and how far
Both centers sit along Stevens Creek Boulevard near Winchester Boulevard, just west of Interstate 880 and north of Interstate 280. Santana Row is in San Jose's Winchester neighborhood. Valley Fair straddles a city line: its official address is in Santa Clara, but all of its eastern half and part of its western half lie in San Jose.
From downtown Palo Alto it is about 17 miles. Outside rush hour the drive takes 20 to 30 minutes on Interstate 280. On weekend afternoons in November and December the exits and garages back up, so arrive early.
Getting there from Palo Alto
By car
Take Interstate 280 south to the Winchester Boulevard exit, then go north to Stevens Creek Boulevard. Santana Row has garages and surface lots. The center says self-parking is free for the first two hours, then $3 an hour, with a $15 daily maximum. Valet parking is available around the clock outside Hotel Valencia. Valley Fair has several garages and has charged for parking since 2022. Its Monroe garage has ChargePoint EV chargers on levels 1 and 2.
By Caltrain and bus
No train stops at either center. Ride Caltrain south to Santa Clara or San Jose Diridon, then take a rideshare of about 3 miles. VTA buses run along Stevens Creek Boulevard between downtown San Jose and Cupertino and along Winchester Boulevard. Lines change from time to time, so plan the bus leg with VTA's trip planner. Our VTA guide covers fares.
How the sites came to be
Valley Fair
The story starts in 1958, when Macy's opened the original Valley Fair Shopping Center, an outdoor plaza with about 40 stores on the San Jose side of the property. Next door, on the Santa Clara side, sat a second outdoor center, Stevens Creek Plaza. In 1986 the Hahn Company bought both and merged them into one two-level enclosed mall. That is why the mall still pays sales tax to two cities.
The split has had odd effects. In 2012 San Jose raised its minimum wage and Santa Clara did not, so workers on one side of the mall earned $2 an hour more than on the other. NPR's Planet Money called it "A Mall Divided." A large expansion with a Bloomingdale's and an outdoor dining district opened on March 5, 2020. Eataly opened its food hall and market on June 16, 2022.
Santana Row
Santana Row replaced an older center, Town and Country Village, which was home to the very first Chuck E. Cheese's Pizza Time Theatre from May 1977 to February 1985. The district takes its name from Frank M. Santana, a San Jose planning commissioner in the 1950s. Federal Realty Investment Trust built the 42-acre "village within a city" in 2001 and 2002 at a cost of about $450 million.
On August 19, 2002, during construction, the largest building on the site caught fire. Embers started at least 15 more fires nearby and destroyed 39 apartments in a neighboring complex. It was the largest structure fire in San Jose's history, with damage estimated at $129 million. The district opened later that year and has kept growing, including a 2016 expansion.
What Santana Row is like
Santana Row is a long, tree-lined street with shops and restaurants on the ground floor and homes above. The center says it has more than 50 shops, 30 restaurants, 662 rental homes and 219 condominiums, plus offices. Small parks and plazas break up the street, including Park Valencia, where the holiday snow falls.
- Shopping: national fashion and home brands mixed with local boutiques, with several large stores facing Stevens Creek Boulevard.
- Hotel Valencia: a 215-room hotel at 355 Santana Row, the only hotel on the Row. Its Cielo rooftop bar looks over the street.
- Services: a Family Foyer in the Via of Santana Heights, with changing stations, nursing rooms and a small play area, open 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., plus free Wi-Fi.
The Row is liveliest on weekend evenings, when restaurant patios fill up. Check the Santana Row visit page for hours and parking updates.
What Valley Fair is like
Valley Fair at 2855 Stevens Creek Boulevard is a classic enclosed mall on a very large scale. Anchors include Macy's, Nordstrom and Bloomingdale's. Luxury brands cluster in their own wings, which makes it the closest big luxury shopping to Palo Alto after Stanford Shopping Center. Our luxury brands guide compares the two.
- Eataly Silicon Valley: an Italian food hall, market and restaurants inside the mall.
- Alamo Drafthouse: took over the mall's cinema after the previous operator closed in 2024 and opened in summer 2025 with a Godzilla theme and food served at your seat. See our movie theaters guide for screens nearer Palo Alto.
- Dining: a second-level dining terrace plus an outdoor restaurant row along Stevens Creek Boulevard.
- Lockers: the mall offers a locker service during mall hours for bags and coats.
Hours vary by day and season. Check the Westfield Valley Fair site before you go, especially around holidays.
Events and the holiday season
Santana Row runs a steady calendar of free events. Its listings for late 2026 include:
- Día de los Muertos: Sunday, November 1, 2026, with face painting and a community celebration.
- Makers Market Local Artist Street Fair: November 14 and 15, 2026, with more than 60 local makers.
- Cielo Rooftop Holiday Experience: from November 27, Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 9 p.m.
- Spirit of The Row: December 1, 8 and 15 from 6 to 8 p.m., with live holiday shows and free photos with Santa.
- Snow Showers: every Tuesday and Saturday in December, 6 to 8 p.m. in Park Valencia, with snow every 30 minutes.
- Cars and Croissants: Sunday, December 13, 9 a.m. to noon, an exotic car gathering.
Both centers get very crowded between Thanksgiving and New Year's. Our holiday shopping guide covers calmer options in Palo Alto.
Food and drink
Between the two centers there are dozens of places to eat. Santana Row leans toward sit-down restaurants with patios: steakhouses, Italian, seafood, ramen, dumplings, bakeries, coffee and dessert. Our guide to eating at Santana Row goes through the list. Valley Fair adds a big dining terrace, quick counters and Eataly's restaurants. Weekend dinner reservations are a good idea on the Row. For a quieter meal, the Winchester and Stevens Creek corridors around both centers have many more casual restaurants.
Planning tips and pairing
- Go on a weekday morning if you want easy parking and short lines.
- Park once. Pick one garage and walk across Stevens Creek Boulevard at the signals.
- Add the Winchester Mystery House. It is about a mile south on Winchester Boulevard. See our Winchester Mystery House guide for tours.
- Stay over for a long shopping day or an event. You can compare hotels near Santana Row for your dates.
Why a Palo Alto visitor might go
Stanford Shopping Center covers most needs, but it cannot match the size of Valley Fair or the evening scene on Santana Row. Visitors come for brands that have no Peninsula store, for a big-city dinner and a movie in one stop and for the holiday snow shows with kids. Residents tend to save it for a few big trips a year. For the rest of the city, our San Jose day trip covers downtown museums and Japantown.
Good to know
- Valley Fair's parking is paid; Santana Row gives two free hours.
- Stevens Creek Boulevard traffic is heavy on weekend afternoons.
- Store hours often differ from center hours, so check before a special trip.
- Bring a light jacket for December evenings on the Row; it is outdoors.
Frequently asked questions
Is parking free at Santana Row?
Partly. Santana Row says self-parking is free for the first two hours, then $3 an hour, with a daily maximum of $15. Valet parking runs around the clock outside Hotel Valencia. Valley Fair across the street has its own paid parking system that began in 2022.
What are Santana Row's hours?
Santana Row lists general hours of 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sunday. Restaurants, the hotel bar and some shops keep their own hours, often later in the evening.
Can you walk between Santana Row and Valley Fair?
Yes. The two centers sit on opposite sides of Stevens Creek Boulevard near Winchester Boulevard. Use the signalized crosswalks. Many visitors park once and walk between them, then continue about a mile south to the Winchester Mystery House.
How do I get from Palo Alto to Santana Row without a car?
Take Caltrain to Santa Clara or San Jose Diridon station, then a short rideshare of about 3 miles. VTA buses also run along Stevens Creek Boulevard and Winchester Boulevard. Check VTA's trip planner for the current lines and times.
Does it snow at Santana Row?
Not really, but the center makes its own. Its 2026 calendar lists Snow Showers in Park Valencia every Tuesday and Saturday in December from 6 to 8 p.m., with snow every 30 minutes. Spirit of The Row holiday shows run December 1, 8 and 15.