In the heart of Silicon Valley, a region with burgeoning technology and home to companies including Apple, Netflix and Google, lies Leland Stanford Junior University, commonly known as Stanford. Spread over 8,000 acres, Stanford is home to one of the biggest college campuses in the United States, and it has much to offer.
Stanford’s most popular attractions are undoubtedly the Main Quad and the Oval across from it. The Stanford Memorial Church sits in the middle of the quad and exhibits early architectural styles that make the campus so beautiful. The Oval, which is considered to be the main entrance to the university, is a large open space where students can study, play sports or simply relax and enjoy the pristine weather in northern California.
Another point of interest at Stanford is the Hoover Tower, a structure directly across from the Braun Auditorium that stands almost 300 feet tall. From the top of the tower, one can see the entirety of Stanford and even the skyline of Palo Alto and San Francisco.
Similar to the Hoover Tower, the McMurtry Building, which has only housed classes for one year, allows students to look down to the Rodin Sculpture Garden or out to the rest of campus.
Stanford is home to 25 fountains, which are often overflowing with students partaking in what is referred to as fountain hopping. Often, students sporting bathing suits take a dip in one fountain, such as the famous White Memorial Fountain in front of the bookstore, with friends and then hop to other fountains on campus.
The campus also includes the Stanford Shopping Center, home to Chipotle, the Nike Factory Store, Pinkberry, Vineyard Vines and more. The mall is only a short walk from the Main Quad, and biking, the main form of transportation on campus, shortens the trip.
The neighboring city, Palo Alto, is only a short train ride from San Francisco, San Jose and other hubs in California. Stanford has much to offer in the form of dining, sightseeing and recreation.
