The 750-acre wildlife and recreation area has gorgeous views of the mountains to the west and east across the bay. Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Shoreline at Mountain View first opened to the public in 1983 and is now open 6 a.m. until 30 minutes after sundown, seven days a week. Shoreline at Mountain View is home to an eight-mile network of trails, bridges and roadways for walking, jogging, biking and inline skating. Find out about closures by checking the website.

This 50-acre lake has a backdrop of the surrounding mountains and is a popular spot to rent sailboats, windsurfing boards, kayaks and paddle boats, especially on the 4th of July when fireworks light up the sky. American Bistro at Shoreline Lake serves breakfast sandwiches, salads and burgers and offers takeout you can enjoy picnic-style. The park has more than 10 miles of trails linking Palo Alto and Sunnyvale.