Explore the charming city of Downtown, Menlo Park

In 1864, a rail line was completed between San Francisco and San Jose, along which grew the cities of the Peninsula that we know today. Today, this rail line is the Caltrain corridor, and it allows its riders to easily connect to a wide range of vibrant downtowns filled with restaurants, nightlife, and entertainment for the whole family. That’s why Caltrain launched Destination Downtown, a series highlighting the many downtowns Caltrain serves in order to encourage the riding public to explore everything the Bay Area has to offer.

Next stop, Menlo Park, served by the Menlo Park Station, a California Historical Landmark that was originally built in 1867. Located on Merill Street, Caltrain riders alighting at Menlo Park will find a mix of restaurants as well as the beloved Kepler’s Books. From there, they need only cross El Camino to find the main drag of Santa Cruz Avenue.

The Guild Theatre is a short walk from the station, providing a venue for live music that one wouldn’t necessarily expect to find here. There’s also a Penzey’s, a delightful spice shop that provides my favorite venue for determining the difference between cinnamon from different parts of the world (yes, you can tell).

During WWI, Camp Fremont trained 43,000 American soldiers, as Menlo Park at the time resembled the French countryside. The camp is gone, but Fremont Park remains, and it’s where you can find free concerts all summer long as well.

And while this isn’t the Menlo Park that Thomas Edison called home, it is home to a different famous entrepreneur; the first ever Round Table Pizza was founded here in 1959, just across El Camino from the station, making our service the perfect way to try the last honest pizza as it was intended.

Menlo Park may be one of the smaller cities along the Caltrain corridor, but there’s still lots to explore here. Whether you need a new book, want to up your grill game, or just want to take advantage of a downtown with a wide range of restaurants and stores, Caltrain is the best way to get you here.