Gilroy sits at the southern end of the Santa Clara Valley, about 30 minutes below San Jose — close enough to the Bay Area to be an easy drive, far enough to feel like the country. It’s best known as the “Garlic Capital of the World,” but there’s a lot more to a weekend here than garlic. Here’s what to see and do when you stay in the area.
Gilroy Gardens
A family-friendly theme park built around gardens, gentle rides, and the famous “Circus Trees,” Gilroy Gardens is the go-to for families with younger kids. It’s relaxed, green, and a world away from the big Bay Area parks — easy to do in half a day. It’s about ten minutes from our estate.
Gilroy Premium Outlets
One of the largest outlet centers in Northern California, with well over a hundred brand-name stores. If your group has a rainy afternoon or a shopper or two, it’s a short hop down US-101. It’s the closest attraction to us — roughly six miles away.
Garlic country & historic downtown
Gilroy’s garlic heritage is everywhere, from the aroma on a warm afternoon to the shops selling garlic everything. The city’s long-running summer garlic celebration put it on the map. Downtown Gilroy has a walkable historic Monterey Street strip with local restaurants, tasting rooms, and cafes — and the area’s beloved “Taco Trail” of taquerias and Mexican kitchens is worth building a lunch around.
Santa Clara Valley wine trail
This is one of California’s oldest and least-crowded wine regions. The hills around Gilroy and Morgan Hill are dotted with small family wineries where tastings are unhurried and the views run for miles. It’s an easy, low-key alternative to Napa — and a great way to spend an afternoon. We wrote a whole wine-country weekend itinerary if you want to make it the centerpiece of your trip.
Parks, trails & the outdoors
The hills around town hold some of the South Bay’s best public open space:
- Mount Madonna County Park — redwoods, hiking, and a small herd of white fallow deer.
- Uvas Canyon County Park — a lush canyon with a short, beautiful waterfall loop in spring.
- Coyote Lake–Harvey Bear Ranch — lakeside trails for hiking and mountain biking.
- Henry W. Coe State Park — the largest state park in Northern California, for real solitude.
Day trips to the coast
Because Gilroy sits between the valley and the coast, some of California’s best day trips are within about an hour: the beaches and boardwalk at Santa Cruz, the aquarium and 17-Mile Drive around Monterey and Carmel, and the redwoods in between. Come for the outdoors, and stay for the coast.
Where to stay
Rather than splitting your group across hotel rooms, you can book a whole private estate as your base. GilroyGlamping is a private glamping estate minutes from everything above — a main house plus three geodesic domes that together sleep up to 20, with a heated jacuzzi, a fire-pit lounge, a pickleball court, and a gaming room. It’s ideal for a group getaway: everyone stays together, and you’re a short drive from the gardens, the outlets, the wineries, and the coast.
Ready to plan your trip? Check availability and book the estate directly — no booking fees, instant confirmation.
