We often say that Sunnyvale is the heart of Silicon Valley, but what does that mean? In short, it means that it's at the center of it all and everything is immediately accessible. Let's take a look at some of the closest neighboring cities to Sunnyvale. If you're staying in Sunnyvale for business, here's a sampling of what you'll get when you drive just past the city limits.

Mountain View: Mountain View's most famous landmark is the Shoreline Amphitheatre, where the biggest names in music come to perform during the spring and summer months. Right outside of the stage is the massive Shoreline Park, where you can kayak in the lake, go for a hike, play golf, or fly a kite. You can also go for a stroll on Google's campus (they spend a lot of dough on landscaping). Mountain View's Castro Street is similar to Sunnyvale's Murphy Street, in that it's the main downtown strip with a variety of restaurants and bars.

Santa Clara: Just south of Sunnyvale is Santa Clara. In a few years, Santa Clara might be best known as the new home of the San Francisco 49ers. Before that happens, though, there's Santa Clara University if you're looking for some college sports action. Right off 101 is the famous Mercado complex, with 20-screen AMC movie theater and plenty of restaurants. Santa Clara also has Great America, an amusement park that has been a local treasure for decades.

Los Altos: There's no big attraction in Los Altos like Great America or Shoreline Amphitheatre, but downtown Los Altos is a scenic walk filled with cafes and restaurants against the backdrop of the beautiful Los Altos hills. Speaking of which, the Los Altos hills offer a variety of hiking and biking opportunities for the adventurous looking for outdoor adventures.

Palo Alto: Just a few freeway exits down from Mountain View is Palo Alto, home of Stanford University. (Ok, technically Stanford is its own city, but you know what we mean). Palo Alto has one of California's best collections of restaurants on the California Avenue shopping district and the University Avenue downtown.

Of course, there's plenty to do in Sunnyvale as well, from Murphy Street to the preserve by the Bay. The great thing about being the heart of Silicon Valley means that you have it all within a ten-minute driving distance -- take Central Expressway or hop on Highway 101 and you've got it made. For more information about upcoming events surrounding Sunnyvale, be sure to check out our event calendar.