Graduation weekend in Palo Alto

For four days every June, Stanford's campus fills with families. Grandparents fly in from three continents, younger siblings get dragged through the Main Quad and everyone tries to book dinner for twelve in the same handful of restaurants. Commencement is a joyful weekend but it rewards planning more than any other time of year in Palo Alto.

This page is the family's planner. It lists the 2027 dates Stanford has published, the booking timeline, a day-by-day outline, dinner ideas and the campus photo spots. For the ceremonies themselves, including the Wacky Walk, see our commencement guide. For parking and transit on big weekends, see Stanford event weekends.

Stanford Commencement 2027: what is published

Stanford's commencement website lists Commencement Weekend as June 10 to 13, 2027. What it says so far:

• Baccalaureate: Saturday, June 12 at 10 a.m. in Frost Amphitheater. Capacity is limited.
• Commencement ceremony: Sunday, June 13 in Stanford Stadium. The homepage lists 9 a.m. and the FAQ says 9:30 a.m., so watch for the final schedule.
• School and department ceremonies: most on Sunday afternoon. Professional schools and a few others hold theirs on Saturday afternoon.
• Senior Dinner on the Quad: listed, with timing to come.
• Tickets: graduates will be required to register for tickets for themselves and their guests. Ticket details come in spring quarter.

The ticket rule is worth noticing. In recent years guests did not need tickets for the stadium ceremony. For 2027 your graduate will handle registration, so ask them early how many guest tickets they expect and when the window opens. The full weekend schedule will be posted in spring quarter.

Book early: the timeline

Book all four nights even if you only need two. You can cancel extras later and you cannot add nights once the area sells out. The El Camino Real hotels by Palm Drive, including the Sheraton, the Westin and The Clement, are walkable to campus. Our guide to staying near Stanford compares them. When they fill, look along Caltrain in Menlo Park, Mountain View and Redwood City. You can compare hotels for graduation weekend across the Peninsula in one search. Large families often do better with a house rental with a kitchen and a living room for gathering after the ceremony.

The Stanford Guest House is not an option for most families, since it requires a Stanford affiliation and an educational purpose. In 2026 a World Cup match in Santa Clara overlapped commencement weekend. Watch for other big Bay Area events on the 2027 dates.

The weekend day by day

Thursday: arrive and settle

Arrive Thursday if you can. Seniors have their dinner on the Quad, so families are often on their own that night. Pick up groceries, find your hotel and walk University Avenue. If you are flying in with luggage and relatives, a prebooked car takes the stress out of the airport. You can book an airport pickup with a fixed price.

Friday: campus with your graduate

Friday is the best day for a relaxed campus walk, since the big ceremonies have not started. Let your graduate show you their dorm, their department and their favorite study spot. It is also the best day for photos before the crowds. Many departments hold receptions or events, some needing registration.

Saturday: baccalaureate and professional schools

The baccalaureate at Frost starts at 10 a.m. Arrive early for seats together and bring a hat, since much of the grassy bowl is in full sun by late morning. Graduates of the professional schools may have their diploma ceremonies on Saturday afternoon. Book Saturday dinner early. It is the most popular night for family celebrations.

Sunday: the big day

Leave very early. Traffic builds on El Camino Real, Embarcadero Road, Sand Hill Road and Campus Drive. Caltrain to Palo Alto station, about a mile's walk from the stadium, avoids the parking scramble, but weekend trains run less often. Bring sunscreen, water if the bag rules allow it and a light layer for the cool start. After the stadium, head to your graduate's school or department ceremony, where names are read and diplomas handed out.

Family dinners

Restaurants fill fast on commencement weekend and big tables fill first. Book as soon as you know which day works. Our private dining rooms guide lists rooms for groups from 10 to 120. A few starting points:

• Tamarine on University Avenue serves family-style Vietnamese food and has private dining for up to 120.
• Zola on Bryant Street, a French bistro listed in the MICHELIN Guide, has several private dining rooms.
• Evvia and Taverna on Emerson Street both serve Greek food and take groups. Taverna has three private dining rooms.
• Vina Enoteca in the old Stanford Barn on Welch Road is close to campus and hosts private events.
• Protégé, Palo Alto's only Michelin-starred restaurant, serves dinner Tuesday to Saturday and takes reservations through Tock 30 days ahead. It suits a small group better than a crowd.

Sunday after the ceremonies, many families prefer something easy. A casual lunch on California Avenue or takeout at the hotel can be the right call after a long day in the sun.

Photo spots on campus

Most families want the same few pictures. Get them on Friday or early Saturday, when the campus is calmer.

1. Memorial Church facade from the Inner Quad. The gold mosaic makes the classic backdrop. Late afternoon light is best.
2. The Main Quad arcades. Repeating sandstone arches and the class plaques in the walkway. Find the plaque for your graduate's class. Our Main Quad guide explains where.
3. The Oval with Palm Drive behind. A wide shot with the whole family on the lawn.
4. Hoover Tower from the lawn to its east.
5. The Rodin garden outside the Cantor, with The Gates of Hell.
6. Stanford Stadium on the day, with cap and gown.

Stanford's filming policy bans professional portrait shoots in the Main Quad and Memorial Court without approval and does not allow visitor drones. Family snapshots are fine. Our photography spots guide covers more places around town.

Palo Alto and Gunn graduations

Palo Alto's two public high schools, Palo Alto High School and Gunn High School, hold graduation near the end of the PAUSD school year. The district's 2026 to 2027 calendar ends in the first week of June, the week before Stanford's commencement weekend. Each school posts its own date, venue and guest ticket rules in spring, so check the school's website before booking travel. Families with graduates at both levels should book early, since hotels tighten through early June.

If relatives stay longer

Many families turn the trip into a week. San Francisco is about 40 minutes away by express Caltrain and Half Moon Bay is 30 miles over the hills. For visitors who would rather not plan, you can browse Bay Area tours for the days after the ceremony.

Frequently asked questions