30 Things You Need To Know About Sunnyvale Before You Move There

1. Yahoo! Calls Us Home

The Yahoo! global internet brand, one of the most used websites in the world (yes, they’re making a comeback, Google users) calls Sunnyvale home.

2. Unified And Ready To Keep The Ship Afloat As One

Sunnyvale is one of the few cities in the country that has a unified department of public safety, which means every public safety employee in the city is trained as a firefighter, police officer and EMT. They can respond to any emergency, in any capacity.

3. Kickin’ Crime To The Curb

Partly due to our top-notch unified department of public safety, Sunnyvale was ranked 32nd on the 2013 Safewise list of the top 50 safest cities in California.

4. Wrestle In A Quonset Hut

Fremont High School served as a military base during World War II and military aircraft commonly stopped here for fuel top-offs. Just after the war, the military built a Quonset hut – a lightweight, prefabricated structure of corrugated, galvanized steel that could be shipped anywhere and assembled without skilled labor – on the school grounds. Today the hut is used as the high school wrestling team’s training facility.

5. Teri Hatcher Is One Of Us

Golden Globe winner Teri Hatcher, best known for her quirky and neurotic character Susan Mayer on Desperate Housewives, is a native of Sunnyvale and even attended Fremont High School. (Do you think she ever made out in the Quonset Hut?)

6. Just Say No! (To Plastic Bags)

The City of Sunnyvale cares about the planet and adopted the Single-Use Carryout Bag Ordinance prohibiting the use of plastic bags in retail establishments. Paper bags can be purchased for 10 cents apiece, or consumers can bring their own reusable bags when shopping.

7. It’s Always Sunny In Sunnyvale

It’s not just a name; it’s not just a state of mind; it’s our everyday reality. Sunnyvale enjoys a pleasant Mediterranean climate with temperatures rarely soaring above the high 70s in the summer, and infrequently falling below the low 50s in the winter. Oh, and there’s almost always some happy sunshine to go with these mild temperatures.

8. Nothing Is Too Far Away (By Car)

Sunnyvale has a prime Silicon Valley location less than an hour away from two of California’s largest cities (San Francisco and San Jose), the Pacific Ocean, and California’s famed Redwood Forests. Add another hour and you can taste some of the country’s best wine in picturesque Napa Valley. Lake Tahoe and Yosemite National Park are also only a drive away. So tell the airlines to take their check-in baggage and extra leg-room fees and shove them… You’re driving this year.

9. We Don’t Raise No Dummies

Half of Sunnyvale’s elementary schools have super high Great Schools rankings, with four of the schools receiving a perfect 10-out-of-10 score, and three of the city’s middle schools ranking 8 or higher.

10. The Morning Commute Has Two Wheels And Four Wheels

The morning commute is not just congested with cars. Bikes fill up the roads too (in the designated bike paths) and the National League of American Bicyclists has designated (for the 3rd time) Sunnyvale a Bicycle Friendly Community thanks to the city’s commitment to promoting bicycling and building bike paths.

11. Our Toys “R” Us Is Haunted

Sunnyvale’s branch of Toys “R” Us is haunted thanks to its construction over a former farm where farmhand Johnny Johnson suffered an accidental, self-inflicted injury with an axe blade and bled to death on the spot. He apparently haunts the aisles of the toy store and has even been included in a 1991 episode of “Haunted Lives: True Ghost Stores.”

12. Middle Eastern Food—Israeli Style

Falafel is a Middle Eastern street food and there is nowhere better in the Bay Area to get an authentic Israeli-style falafel than at Falafel STOP. This order-at-the-counter falafel stand is jam-packed during prime lunch and dinner hours, and residents and workers from across the South Bay flock to this establishment for its falafel and homemade, fluffy pita bread. They also just opened an attached Swarma stand, which is so good I ate there twice this past weekend.

13. Middle Eastern Food—Palestinian Style

Sunnyvale is a pluralist city that likes to eat on both sides of the political divide, and we understand that the best way to unite is to break bread together; even the local Israeli population flocks to this establishment for a little taste of home. Since 2001, DishDash has been a Sunnyvale favorite, and good luck finding a table without a reservation. Staying true to its Arabic roots, the restaurant serves authentic Middle Eastern food created from recipes that hail from Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine. The food is fantastic (this restaurant’s popularity is not a fad) and its cocktails are sophisticated and creative. This is the best place for a romantic outing, a business gathering, a family meal, or any other occasion you can think of. Don’t miss a chance to eat at DishDash.

14. Be Seen At The Bean Scene

Every city needs a warm and cozy café where the coffee is hot, the pastries are fresh and the WiFi is free. Cuddle up on a leather sofa or set up camp at a wooden table. The Bean Scene is open late and is always full of coffee hounds hiding out with their laptops.

15. Roll, Tumble, Flip, Dive And Get Jiggy

The California Sports Center exists in seven communities throughout the South Bay area (including Sunnyvale) and believes in giving everyone in the community a chance to participate in physical activity. The center provides community residents a discounted fee for participation in gymnastics, dance classes and swim lessons.

16. Curry, Tumeric, Cumin And Thyme

Stop and ask people on the streets of Sunnyvale where their favorite Indian restaurant is, and everyone will give you a different answer; the choices are many here. Since I am writing this article, you get to hear about my favorite, which is the Little India Café in North Sunnyvale. This café has hands-down the best chicken tikka masala I have ever had (they put fresh thyme in the sauce!), and after several repeat visits spanning more than a year, this spot has never disappointed.

17. We Like Festivals

Each summer, the City of Sunnyvale hosts the Summer Series music event featuring live performances every Wednesday evening from 5:30-8:30 pm, as well as the Jazz & Beyond event every Saturday night from 5:30-8:30 pm when downtown Murphy Ave transforms into “one big street café.”

18. No, Really, We Like Festivals (Especially When They Include Wine)

The city of Sunnyvale annually hosts the Arts and Wine Festival and the Magic of Sunnyvale Wine Stroll. Give us a reason to celebrate, a reason to drink, and reason to come together. Now you are starting to get the feel for this down-to-earth high tech city.

19. Life Is Complicated, Food Shopping Is Not

The Sunnyvale Farmer’s Market is held each Saturday, year-round, and hosts stalls of organic or pesticide-free seasonal local produce, fresh flowers, homemade goods (candles, soaps, jewelry, candies, etc.) and a variety of food stands ranging from fresh oysters and burritos to corn on the cob. Finish your weekly shopping, have lunch, and chat with your neighbors. The Farmer’s Market is small, intimate and packed full of fresh fun.

20. Planes, Trains, And Automobiles

Sunnyvale is located right on the Caltrain line, sits between highway 101 and highway 280, is only 15 minutes from the Mineta San Jose International Airport, and is only 45 minutes away from the San Francisco International Airport. Get where you are going and get there fast!

21. For Everything And More A City Could Offer

The Sunnyvale Community Center is a recreational complex that includes walking grounds with a pond, a creative arts center (including an open pottery studio), the Sunnyvale Theatre, an indoor sports center, a recreation center, an arboretum complex and a senior center. Each quarter, the center hosts an endless variety of city-sponsored recreational activities for seniors, adults, children, and tots, including cooking classes, music classes, dance, yoga, swim lessons, art classes, and more. This is a very affordable way to sign up for every activity you have ever dreamed of trying, and the quality of the classes is nothing short of what is expected from a top Silicon Valley city.

22. Drama You Don’t Need To Hide From

Sunnyvale sponsors a 200-seat, professionally equipped theatre (within the Community Center) that is home to the Sunnyvale Community Players, an award-winning non-profit theatre group. The theatre produces four Broadway and off-Broadway musical theater productions each season, which runs from September through May.

23. We’ve Got Your Party Covered

Sunnyvale encourages you to get down and boogie thanks to its sponsored party venues. The Sunnyvale Community Center offers several event rental options for birthday parties, conferences, and large banquets or wedding receptions. In addition, 11 out of the city’s 17 parks also provide indoor party facilities, complete with tables, chairs and mini kitchenettes, creating the perfect venue for hosting a party in the park on a rainy or chilly day.

24. Space For All To Run Wild

Sunnyvale is a cross between suburban and urban city living. Real estate here is expensive, houses are built close together on small plots of land, and you won’t find many homes with backyards that can accommodate a soccer match. No worries though because Sunnyvale provides 17 state-of-the-art parks, each equipped with a variety of play equipment, water fun, sports fields, and picnic areas. An outdoor adventure can be had in each and every neighborhood.

25. Tennis Anyone?

The Sunnyvale Tennis Center includes 16 recently remodeled and well-maintained lighted tennis courts that can be reserved for play (at a discounted rate for residents). The courts are open every day from morning until night and offer league teams and tennis lessons. Additional tennis courts are located within Sunnyvale’s park system throughout the city.

26. For Some Feather Ruffling And A Good Laugh Call…

Sunnyvale hasn’t stopped laughing since 1979, the year the Rooster T Feathers Comedy Club opened its doors. Thanks to Roosters, some of the country’s best comics have graced Sunnyvale’s stage including Jerry Seinfeld, Robin Williams, Ellen DeGeneres, and Drew Carey.

27. An Auto-Free Path To Work

Sunnyvale is bordered by 100 acres of preserved land stretching along Steven’s Creek that has been transformed into a trail for bicycling, commuting, dog walking, hiking, running, roller skating, and more. The Steven’s Creek Trail is an automobile free route that links neighborhoods, parks, schools and businesses and serves as a great commuting alternative to the congested rush-hour roads.

28. Can You Do Business Without Golf? Neither Can We.

Sunnyvale has two public golf courses and a driving range offered at a discount for local residents. The Sunnyvale Golf Course is an 18-hole course, the Sunken Gardens Golf Course is a 9-hole executive course, and the Sunken Gardens Driving Range has 18 range stalls and is open 364 days a year from 7:00 am to 9:00 pm while providing golf clubs free of charge.

29. A Puff Of Fruit-Flavored Smoke

Although there are some places in California where it is illegal to smoke on your front porch, Sunnyvale is home to the Turkish Taverna Bistro and Hookah Lounge where you can puff all night long on some apple-flavored tobacco or order from the extensive cigar menu (all confined to a designated back porch area). Top it off with some Middle Eastern tapas and a smokin’ cocktail and you have an old-school night out, Istanbul style.

30. Train Them Young, Train Them Right And Train Them To Feed Their Parents

We take our food seriously and begin training our chefs from as young as three-years old. Just kidding, but Sunnyvale is home to the Young Chef’s Academy, which hosts cooking classes, camps, birthday parties, and cooking-themed events for children ages three to teens. Each class and event focuses on specific recipes and teaches children measuring, food preparation and nutrition, and provides children with a great home-cooked meal when class is over.