Things to Do in Palo Alto in June

June's overcast skies create perfect lighting for photographing the sandstone arches and mosaic domes of the Main Quad - no harsh shadows, colors pop against the pale marine layer. The 3.2 km (2 mi) loop from Hoover Tower to the Cantor Arts Center stays comfortable even at midday because the fog acts like natural air conditioning.

The 7.4 km (4.6 mi) Spring Ridge Trail gains 450 m (1,476 ft) through oak woodland that stays green into June, then breaks above the marine layer for 360-degree views stretching to the Bay. You'll hike through wildflower meadows where lupines and poppies still bloom at 600 m (1,969 ft) elevation - something impossible by July.

Sunday mornings in June mean dry-farmed Early Girl tomatoes, Chandler strawberries, and the first stone fruit - all at peak sugar content before summer heat stresses the plants. Local chefs shop here for restaurant produce, so you'll see them negotiating with growers over cases of figs or heirloom peppers.

June's minus tides expose the mudflats where shorebirds feed, and the morning stillness creates perfect mirror reflections of the mountains. The 8 km (5 mi) paddle from the launch to the mouth of Adobe Creek takes you past nesting egrets and the historic Duck Club - all before the afternoon breeze kicks up whitecaps.

When the marine layer refuses to burn off, this is your indoor backup - and June means school groups are gone so you can play with the Enigma machine or sit in a Google Street View car without a queue. The difference engine demonstration happens hourly, and docents who worked at Xerox PARC will explain why the mouse almost didn't make it.