Saratoga (California)

Saratoga is a city in Silicon Valley at the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay.

Understand
Saratoga has been promoted as a spa town and the Bay area's gateway to the redwood groves in the Santa Cruz Mountains since the early 1900s. There are wineries in the hills and parks and open green spaces within driving distance. The downtown area is quaint and expensive. If it's in your budget, it's easy to spend an afternoon shopping and then wind up the evening with dinner at one of the many restaurants.

Get in
The nearest airport with scheduled passenger service is in San Jose. By car, it's about a 20-minute drive from the airport to downtown Saratoga. There is no train service, and getting from the airport to Saratoga often requires three different bus routes.

Get around
If you're in the downtown area, plan to park your car and then walk.

Eat
Saratoga is one of the places that Silicon Valley goes to celebrate, so there are plenty of fancy restaurants if you want to splurge. In addition to steakhouses, expect to find plenty of upscale Italian and Asian fusion restaurants.

Stay safe
This is a low-crime area, especially during daylight hours.