Part college town, part high-tech incubator and part tony shopping destination, Palo Alto boasts resources and amenities that belie its relatively small size. Home to Stanford University, this city of 58,000 has long been the prestige address for Silicon Valley companies. But it’s not all business; Palo Alto can pour on the California charm, with its walkable downtown, acres of parks and open space, miles of bike paths, and vintage neighbourhoods like Professorville, a registered Historic District that has housed generations of Stanford teachers in quaint Shingle-style and Craftsman bungalows. This tech-driven town also has a vibrant arts scene, with a host of downtown galleries and the acclaimed Palo Alto Art Center, which showcases the work of contemporary Bay Area artists. Stanford’s Cantor Arts Center is best known for its magnificent Rodin sculptures, but astute visitors branch out from there to see the rest of the outdoor artworks that stud the campus, including pieces by Maya Lin and Andy Goldsworthy.