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Los Gatos is a small town in Santa Clara County, tucked against the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains at the southwestern edge of Silicon Valley, about 10 miles southwest of San José. Its name, Spanish for the cats, comes from the mountain lions and bobcats that roamed the area when it was part of Rancho Rinconada de Los Gatos. The town began around Forbes Mill, a flour mill built beside Los Gatos Creek in 1854, and grew as a stop on the narrow-gauge railroad to Santa Cruz and a center for orchards, vineyards and lumber.
Incorporated in 1887, Los Gatos has kept the character of a village while the valley around it filled with tech campuses. Its downtown along North Santa Cruz Avenue and Main Street is lined with Victorian and Spanish Revival buildings, boutiques, wine bars and restaurants, framed by green hillsides. Today about 33,000 people live in the town, which is known for its leafy neighborhoods of historic homes and its easy access to the mountains.
Visitors come for a relaxed day of strolling, dining and getting outdoors. The Los Gatos Creek Trail runs right through town, linking Vasona Lake County Park, where the miniature Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad carries families through the trees, with Lexington Reservoir in the hills above. The historic Novitiate winery, now Testarossa, pours wine in 1880s cellars, and the New Museum Los Gatos and the historic Forbes Mill tell stories of the town's art and history.
Downtown Los Gatos centers on North Santa Cruz Avenue, with Victorian buildings holding boutiques, cafes, wine bars and restaurants at the foot of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Town Plaza Park hosts events. It is very walkable, and free parking lots behind the main street fill fast on weekends.
Forbes Mill is the stone ruin of an 1850s flour mill on Los Gatos Creek, around which the town of Los Gatos grew. The surviving annex once held a history museum. It is now a landmark along the creek trail just off downtown, best seen as part of a walk along the Los Gatos Creek Trail.
New Museum Los Gatos, known as NUMU, is a small museum in the Civic Center showing changing art exhibits along with local history and community programs. It is free or low cost and family-friendly. Check its open days before visiting, and combine it with a walk around downtown nearby.
Vasona Lake County Park is a large park around a reservoir in Los Gatos, with lawns, playgrounds, picnic areas, paddleboat rentals in season and paths that connect to the Los Gatos Creek Trail. It is a weekend favorite for families. A vehicle fee applies, and parking fills on sunny weekends.
Oak Meadow Park is a town park next to Vasona Lake, with playgrounds, picnic areas, a historic carousel and a retired fighter jet that kids can see up close. The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad stops here. It is ideal for families with young kids, and the parking lot is shared with nearby Vasona.
The Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad is a small steam train that runs on a loop through Oak Meadow and Vasona parks, operated by volunteers. Next to it is the historic W. E. Bill Mason carousel. Rides cost a few dollars, and it runs mainly on weekends and summer days, so check the schedule.
The Los Gatos Creek Trail follows Los Gatos Creek from downtown San Jose through Campbell and Los Gatos to Lexington Reservoir. In Los Gatos it passes Vasona Lake and downtown, then climbs beside the creek toward the dam. It is popular with walkers, runners and cyclists, and is mostly paved and flat.
Saint Joseph's Hill Open Space Preserve rises above Los Gatos with trails through chaparral and oak woodland to a summit offering views over the valley, the reservoir and the Santa Cruz Mountains. Reach it from the Los Gatos Creek Trail near the dam. Bring water, as there is little shade on the upper trails.
Lexington Reservoir sits in the Santa Cruz Mountains just south of Los Gatos beside Highway 17, a county park with hiking trails, fishing and non-motorized boating such as kayaking and rowing. It is popular with cyclists climbing nearby roads. A day-use fee applies at the boat launch area.
Testarossa Winery operates in the historic stone cellars of the Novitiate winery founded by Jesuits in 1888, on a hillside above Los Gatos. Its tasting room pours Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from Central Coast vineyards. Reservations are recommended on weekends, and the cellars can be toured on request.
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California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
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