Sunnyvale has a variety of attractions in the city and the surrounding Santa Clara County that are sure to please everyone in your group. Depending on what you are in the mood for, you can go for a good laugh at comedy clubs, explore quaint museums, indulge in gourmet chocolate or enjoy an intense garlic festival that will leave you gasping for breath. These are just some of the many choices available to you in Sunnyvale.
Rooster T Feathers Comedy Club
For more than 30 years Rooster T. Feathers Comedy Club has dominated the Sunnyvale comedy scene. Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, and Drew Carey are just a few star comedians who have been on stage at Rooster. Rooster hosts national comics who perform on The Tonight Show, The Late Show with David Letterman, HBO, Showtime and Comedy Central. The intimate setting gets you close to the entertainers up close, and sometimes in the spotlight. This historical building was at one time Sunnyvale's original bus stop. In the early 1970s the first video game, Pong was beta tested here.
Weekly specials include College Night on Thursday and Military Appreciation Night on Sunday.
The Lace Museum
Since 1976, The Lace Museum, founded by a small group of women, preserves the art of lace making. The founding members met regularly to teach each other lace making techniques, teach other groups and individuals how to make lace, and to educate the community about the fine art of lace making through exhibits, shows and community events.
Today The Lace Museum is a teaching museum and staffed by volunteers and the only lace museum in the western part of the United States. On show at the museum are hundreds of lace samples that have been donated over the years. Many types of lace, lace-making tools and books that date back to the 1700's can be found in the museum.
Quarterly exhibits demonstrate the breadth of the museum's holdings.
Chocolatier Desiree
Chocolatier Desiree offers more than 40 flavors and styles of chocolate and is the largest selection from Gartner in the United States. Gartner has been making chocolates for over 50 years. Did you know the ideal temperature to store chocolates is between 14 and 20 degrees Celsius? The selection at Chocolatier Desiree includes truffles, fresh creams, nuts, marzipans and much more. Gartner’s chocolates have only natural products and do not use wax, preservatives or colorants.
Montalvo Arts Center
Montalvo Arts Center is a beautiful cultural center in the Saratoga Mountains. It celebrates culture and creates and presents arts of all types in the historic buildings and lovely grounds.
Montalvo has on its 175 pristine acres a stunning Mediterranean-style villa. The Center is also home to the Lucas Artists Programs, which offers facilities and staff support for the creative process of its resident artists, state-of-the-art technology and an environment conducive to both individual practice and the energetic exchange of ideas among international and culturally- and artistically diverse fellows.
You can hike up the wooded hillside for a truly unmatched view of the valley. Many people enjoy a picnic on the front lawn.
Walking Tours of the Villa & Grounds at Montalvo Arts Center are led by volunteer docents every Sunday and Tuesday at 10 a.m. You’ll hear about Senator Phelan’s country home, his life and his friends, and the history of the arts center. The tours are free for Montalvo members and one guest; tickets are $10 per person for non-members. Tours last approximately two hours and are recommended for ages 12+. Make a reservation at the Montalvo Box Office at 408-961-5858.
You can also take self-guided grounds tours and walk the Montalvo grounds on your own. The grounds are open seven days a week (except for special events, which are posted on the website). For docent guided tours check the site.
Arboretum & Gardens
Montalvo Arts Center has two lovely gardens for you to enjoy: the Italianate Garden is located at the bottom of the Front Lawn with a gated entry and beautiful trees and plants lining the pathways leading to the Love Temple and the Phelan Cactus Garden. The Blue Garden and the Bird Garden are meticulously curated to preserve the natural beauty of Montalvo's grounds.
Seasonal Attractions
Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Tree Lot
Grandpa's Pumpkin Patch and Christmas Tree Lot is a fall and winter favorite with Sunnyvale residents and their children. The Pumpkin Patch brings the farm to the city with a petting zoo full of cuddly animals, a hayride, hay maze, and a Haunted House. There are bounce houses for the kids to burn some energy. The Pumpkin Patch is open from 9:00 a.m. until 9:00. p.m., seven days a week during the month of October. Guests can stay as long as they wish at the Patch.
