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Sunnyvale, CA Road Trips

With 10 routes heading out and 3 heading in, Sunnyvale, CA works well as a modest departure point in the Pacific Coast. The route mix is balanced, with options ranging from 20-mile quick runs to 376-mile cross-state drives. Routes from Sunnyvale, CA spread mainly north and east, covering a wide geographic range.

city in Santa Clara County, California, United States

Photo: Wikimedia Commons

Trip Routes

13

Longest Drive

470.4 mi

San Diego, CA

Quickest Drive

17m

San Jose, CA

Plan Around Sunnyvale, CA

Trips from Sunnyvale, CA

Driving from Sunnyvale, CA

Expect an average of 176 miles and about 3h 25m behind the wheel when leaving Sunnyvale, CA. There is a healthy spread of short hops, medium drives, and longer road trips to pick from. The longest mapped route runs 376 miles (7h 9m), while the shortest is just 20 miles.

Popular Destinations

Top road trip destinations from Sunnyvale, CA are Anaheim, CA (376.1 mi, 7h 9m), Long Beach, CA (374.2 mi, 7h 6m), Los Angeles, CA (350.1 mi, 6h 38m), Bakersfield, CA (252 mi, 4h 50m), and Sacramento, CA (119.6 mi, 2h 24m). Most destinations stay within the same state, perfect for exploring the local region thoroughly.

Planning & Costs

For the average 176-mile drive from Sunnyvale, CA, expect to burn about 6.9 gallons of fuel one way at 25 MPG. Check local pump prices before you go to lock in your budget.

Routes mostly head north. Summer trips benefit from long daylight hours, while winter departures should start early to maximize visibility. Most trips take a half-day, so a morning start gets you there in time for lunch or an afternoon of exploring.

Frequently Asked Questions

There are 10 mapped routes leaving Sunnyvale, CA and 3 routes heading into Sunnyvale, CA, covering 13 total connections. Distances range from 20 to 376 miles.

The longest mapped route from Sunnyvale, CA covers 376 miles and takes approximately 7h 9m. Shorter options start at just 20 miles.

The average route from Sunnyvale, CA runs about 176 miles with a drive time of roughly 3h 25m. This includes both short day trips and longer multi-day drives.

The most popular road trip destinations from Sunnyvale, CA include Anaheim, CA, Long Beach, CA, Los Angeles, CA and Bakersfield, CA. Each route page has detailed drive times, fuel estimates, stop suggestions, and turn-by-turn directions.

Sunnyvale, CA by the Numbers

Recent demographic snapshot from the US Census Bureau's American Community Survey.

Population

153,455

Median Income

$181,862

Median Home Value

$1,816,600

Median Age

35.1

Source: US Census Bureau ACS 5-year (public domain). See our methodology for details.

Traveler Guide to Sunnyvale, CA

Sunnyvale is a city in the South Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area, in California. Sunnyvale was ranked the 5th safest city in the United States in its size category for 2004.

Go to the Farmer's Market on Saturday mornings on Murphy Ave. Go to Sunnyvale Art and Wine Festival. Go to Wednesday night outdoor concerts during the Summer. Birdwatchers will enjoy seeing the wild parrots (probably Red-masked Parakeet or Mitred Parakeet) flocks. They can sometimes be seen and heard from the Safeway parking lot or Las Palmas park. Rooster T. Feathers is a nationally recognized comedy club. 1 Sunnyvale Heritage Park and Museum (Sunnyvale Historical Society), 570 E Remington Dr, ☏ +1 408 749-0220, [email protected]. Su/Tu/Th 12-4PM. describes the cities growth from an early agriculture focused town to the home of many of Silicon Valley's largest and most innovative companies. free. Hendy Iron Works Museum (Iron Man Museum), Northrop Grumman Marine Systems Plant, 401 E Hendy Ave (on Hendy Ave between Sunnyvale Ave & Fair Oaks), ☏ +1 408 735-2020. The Museum is open on a limited basis. Docent guided individual and group tours are open to the public by scheduling in advance.

Miniature golf and arcade games can be found at * 1 Golfland USA. , 855 East El Camino Real (at Wolfe Road); there are parking lots at both the El Camino Real and Wolfe Road entrances. Sunnyvale is also home to two public golf courses: the nine-hole course and driving range at Sunken Gardens at 1010 S Wolfe Rd and the 18-hole Sunnyvale Municipal Golf Course at 605 Macara Ave., which is under the landing path to Moffett Field, where you can see many interesting military and some private aircraft. On Murphy Street near the Caltrain station, many events are held during the Summer. [1].

The densest concentration of restaurants is along Murphy Street and nearby, with most of the rest spread out in strip malls, particularly along El Camino Real. Sunnyvale has a significant Chinese population (but appears to be declining). For authentic Chinese fare, head south east of Sunnyvale into Cupertino on Wolfe Road just north of 280 and you'll see the Ranch 99 Asian Market followed by an entire mall of Asian eats and products. For Indian food, Sunnyvale and neighboring cities are home to numerous Indian restaurants that cater to those looking for a taste of home. Dosas and other vegetarian fare can be found at Saravana Bhavan, Madras Cafe, etc. Keep an eye out for a number of chaat places (Chaat House, Chaat Corner, Chaat Cafe, etc.) that dot the strip malls along El Camino Real. Bombay Garden at Lawrence and El Camino real For Pakistani food, Shalimar is the third of a popular chain of Pakistani restaurants that started in San Francisco. Shan is a smaller Pakistani restaurant that is an okay alternative. Both are very casual Korean restaurants can be found along El Camino Real between Henderson and Lawrence Expressway, but Santa Clara is more known for a larger variety of Korean restaurants. Kabul Restaurant. Very good, slightly upscale Afghan restaurant. 1 Country Gourmet, 1314 Mary Ave, ☏ +1 408 733-9446. Their motto, "Healthy Food & Lots of It", is a fair assessment. Tucked away in a large dead strip-mall, this restaurant has an okay basic menu of salads and sandwiches plus two freshly made soups each day.

Murphy Ave, S Murphy Ave. Murphy is the old main street in downtown Sunnyvale with 2 Irish pubs and several other bars and restaurants. Bean Scene Cafe, 186 S Murphy Ave, ☏ +1 408-738-4523. M-F 06:30-20:00, Sa 7AM-9PM, Su 8AM-5PM. Coffee shop and cafe with character. Free Wi-Fi for customers. 1 Faultline Brewing Company, 1235 Oakmead Pkwy. Microbrewery with some reasonable beers. Also serving food. (updated Jul 2015)

Corporate Inn Sunnyvale, 805 East El Camino Real, ☏ +1 408 220-1000. 1 Days Inn San Jose/Sunnyvale, 504 Ross Dr, ☏ +1-408-734-9900. The Domain Hotel, 1085 East El Camino Real, ☏ +1 408 247-0800, [email protected]. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $109 weekends/ $179 weekdays. 2 Larkspur Landing Sunnyvale, 748 N. Mathilda Ave, ☏ +1 408 733-1212, toll-free: +1-877-527-5778, fax: +1 408 733-3343, [email protected]. This hotel offers free breakfast, laundry facility, and outdoor patio with BBQ grill. (updated Jul 2015) Maple Tree Inn, ☏ +1 408 738-5665. Offers peaceful surroundings and superior service for business travel or family vacations. Features pet-friendly accommodations and plenty of dog-walking space. Motel 6 Sunnyvale South, ☏ +1 408 720-1222, fax: +1 408 720-0630. Quality Inn Sunnyvale, 1280 Persian Dr, ☏ +1 408 744-1100. Residence Inn Sunnyvale Silicon Valley I, ☏ +1 408 720-1000, toll-free: +1-800-228-9290, fax: +1 408 737-9722. TownePlace Suites Sunnyvale- Mountain View, ☏ +1 408 733-4200, toll-free: +1-800-257-3000, fax: +1 408 733-4600. 3 Vagabond Inn Sunnyvale, 816 W. Ahwanee Ave., ☏ +1 408 734-4607, fax: +1 408 734-1675. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 11AM. 4 Wild Palms Hotel, 910 E Fremont St. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: noon. $89 weekends/ $129 weekdays. Wittle Motel, 579 South Murphy Ave, ☏ +1 408 736-3746, fax: +1 408 736-8118.

San Jose International Airport is the closest airport. From the airport, take the free Airport Flyer bus #60 to Santa Clara Transit Station. From there, catch either VTA bus #22 or Caltrain to Sunnyvale. The #22 bus line has many stops in Sunnyvale along El Camino Real, from Lawrence Expressway in the east to Bernardo Avenue in the west. Caltrain stops in Sunnyvale at both the Lawrence station as well as downtown Sunnyvale. Taxi fare from San Jose Airport to Sunnyvale is approximately $30. San Francisco is just up US 101 and offers additional options for flying in. In particular it offers more international and direct East Coast flights. From the airport, you can take the BART to Millbrae Station and then take the Caltrain to Sunnyvale. CalTrain's Sunnyvale station is next to old downtown, on Evelyn Avenue just West of Murphy Street. You can go on Interstate 680 to the Oakland airport. Also, there are flights to domestic destinations, and to Lake Tahoe. You can use BART, or you can use a Uber! See 511.org for a bay area trip planner by public transit. 1 Sunnyvale Caltrain Station, 121 W. Evelyn Avenue, toll-free: +1-800-660-4287. Caltrain connects San Jose with San Francisco, passing through Sunnyvale. Caltrain has a transfer point to BART via the Millbrae Station. BART goes to San Francisco International Airport. (updated Sep 2019)

Sunnyvale has a decent, albeit rarely used public transport system managed by Valley Transportation Authority. Bus 22 on El Camino Real is the main bus line and most other bus lines run into it. Bus 522 is an express bus which also travels on El Camino but skips a lot of stops. Additionally, the 55, 54, 53 bus routes serve other areas in Sunnyvale. For trips to Santa Cruz or Scotts Valley the Highway 17 Express is available. Caltrain has its Sunnyvale stop in downtown Sunnyvale, and the Lawrence stop at the Lawrence Expressway. VTA light rail also has several Sunnyvale stops—but note that these do not connect directly with Caltrain. Sunnyvale is a recognized "bike friendly community". Many major roads have bike lanes, and if you get tired of cycling, the VTA buses, light rail, and Caltrain also allow bikes at all hours.

Travel tips adapted from Sunnyvale on Wikivoyage, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0. Content summarized; visit the source for the full article. See our methodology for how we use it.

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