Elegant Hotel Close to Tech Headquarters and the Bay

Some of the world’s biggest tech companies, including Google, Mozilla Foundation, and Intuit, are headquartered in Mountain View, California, a Silicon Valley city named for its lovely views of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Hotel Avante sits just outside the city’s quaint downtown, within easy driving distance of picturesque Shoreline Park and a number of Silicon Valley HQs. The nearby tech giants may have influenced the hotel—an Etch-a-Sketch and Rubik’s Cube in each room helped Hotel Avante earn a spot on Wired’s list of the nation’s geekiest hotels.

Hotel Avante’s luxurious guest rooms feature Egyptian cotton linens, 32-inch flat-screen TVs, and moveable furniture so you can achieve feng shui or build a killer fort. For a little more space, choose the upgraded Deluxe King rooms, which have rain showerheads and iPod docking stations. Each morning there’s a complimentary full breakfast. Afterwards, you can take a dip in the heated outdoor pool and hot tub.

Greater San Jose, California: Silicon Valley’s Largest City near Wine Country

Mountain View is located in between Palo Alto and San Jose, and its neighboring cities collectively host the headquarters of Silicon Valley’s most-prominent businesses, including Apple, Google, and Intel. The influx of money from the tech sector has attracted fine-dining restaurants, shops, and a thriving arts scene. Mountain View is home to the spectacular Shoreline Amphitheatre, which hosts outdoor shows year-round. In San Jose, you’ll find a renowned contemporary art collection at the San Jose Museum of Art, as well as venues for the symphony, opera, and ballet.

Microchips haven’t completely taken over the farmland around San Jose, though. The jagged Santa Cruz Mountains and rolling valleys have rich soils for growing grapes. Silicon Valley’s wine country—also known as the Santa Clara Valley—has more than 20 wineries that produce pinot noir, syrah, and zinfandel. There’s also a wide selection of golf courses that you can enjoy year-round thanks to the area’s Mediterranean-like weather.

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