Things to Do in Palo Alto in November
November weather, activities, events & insider tips
November Weather in Palo Alto
Temperature, rainfall and humidity at a glance
Is November Right for You?
Weigh the advantages and considerations before booking
- + The first rains scrub the air so clean you can see the Pacific from the Stanford Dish trail on cloudless November days, Coast Range ridges rolling like blue waves all the way to the horizon.
- + Restaurant week owns mid-November when downtown Palo Alto's best kitchens serve three-course menus that would normally demand reservations weeks out.
- + College football weather arrives at 18°C (64°F) afternoons, good for catching Stanford's final home games at the 50,000-seat stadium without summer's brutal sun beating down.
- + Museum season kicks in as locals head indoors, the Cantor Arts Center stays uncrowded until Thanksgiving, giving you an hour alone with Rodin's bronzes.
- − Morning fog rolls in from the Bay and hangs around until 10 AM, making 8 AM flights from San Jose feel like you're lifting off from inside a cloud.
- − Hotel prices spike during Stanford's Parents' Weekend mid-month, rooms that sat empty in October suddenly need booking two months ahead.
- − Sunsets shift early, by late November you'll need dinner reservations at 5 PM to catch daylight fading over the redwoods along Skyline Boulevard.
Best Activities in November
Top things to do during your visit
November's low-angle light turns the sandstone arches of the Main Quad honey-gold, and with students buried in midterms you can photograph Hoover Tower's 285-foot (87 m) height without dodging bikes. The persimmon trees along the Oval drop burnt-orange fruit that stains the sidewalks like autumn confetti.
November brings the first real rain to the Santa Cruz Mountains, making Purisima Creek's 2,000-year-old redwoods smell like Christmas, that sharp, resinous scent after precipitation. Temperatures hover around 15°C (59°F) in the shade, good for the 5.5 km (3.4 mile) Purisima Creek Trail without summer's poison oak overgrowth.
Harvest crowds have vanished but the vines still hold their fall colors, russet and gold against the sage-green hills. November tastings at Ridge Vineyards happen around crackling outdoor fire pits with Mount Diablo views, and the winemakers have time to talk terroir instead of pouring assembly-line tastings.
Perfect walking weather for tracing Silicon Valley's DNA through Palo Alto, from the garage where Hewlett and Packard started in 1938 to the modern Apple store where today's startups pitch VCs over pour-over coffee. November's crisp air makes the 3 km (1.9 mile) downtown circuit comfortable without summer's heat or winter's rain.
November marks the return of migratory shorebirds, hundreds of elegant avocets and stilts feeding in the tidal marshes against a backdrop of Stanford's radio telescope dishes. The 12 km (7.5 mile) loop trail stays firm even after rain, and the afternoon light turns the salt ponds pink and gold.
November Events & Festivals
What's happening during your visit
The 127-year football rivalry fills the 50,000-seat stadium with cardinal red on the third Saturday, even locals who don't follow sports end up at pre-game tailgates along El Camino Real. The losing team's Axe disappears until next year, and the winning side parties until Sunday morning.
Evolving Kitchen transforms into a month-long celebration where downtown spots like Sundance and Tamarine offer prix-fixe menus that show fall ingredients, think persimmon salads and Dungeness crab pastas. Reservations that normally require 3 weeks advance booking open up for walk-ins at lunch.
Packing Checklist
Bookmark this page — your progress is saved between visits
Essential Tips
Insider knowledge and common pitfalls to avoid
Book Experiences in Palo Alto
Top-rated things to do in Palo Alto this November
Didn't see anything interesting yet?
Browse Viator's full catalog of tours, day trips, food experiences, and private guides in Palo Alto.
See All Palo Alto Tours on Viator