Overview
Gilroy is in the southern part of Santa Clara County south of San Jose in California. It is in the South Bay region of the San Francisco Bay Area.
Almost halfway between San Jose and Monterey, Gilroy can make a less-expensive central home base for travelers who need to go up to Silicon Valley and also want to explore the Pacific Ocean or visit Pinnacles National Park.
3 sights · 2 things to do · 6 places to eat · 3 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about Gilroy
Gilroy Gardens
Open from mid-spring to mid-fall. A theme park whose theme is plants, agriculture, and local history. Best for people interested in gardens, and for families with younger children. Like Legoland, the rides here do not ca…
Gilroy Historical Museum
Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park
An interesting little park where the Ohlone people lived for several thousand years. Follow the trail to learn more about the history. It's not a destination by itself, but it's worth a stop when you're in the area. Rest…
Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park
RV and tent camping. Flat, paved two-mile loop trail at Bear Ranch Trailhead in San Martin is good for people with mobility issues, families with little kids, and anyone looking for a pleasant walk. More strenuous hiking…
Christmas Hill Park
Large, long city park connecting to the Debell Uvas Creek Preserve in the north, which is a good place to see wildflowers on spring mornings. The creek runs along the east side of the park. Miller Avenue cuts through the…
Plan your trip
Best time to visit & weather
Most comfortable: Feb–Nov. Summer highs reach about 73°F; winter lows dip to about 38°F. Wettest: Jan and Dec. (climate data from nearby Watsonville)
Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).
Getting there
- From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
- SJC Mineta San Jose International Airport, San Jose — 31 mi away (major hub). Directions
- MRY Monterey Regional Airport, Monterey — 33 mi away. Directions
Gilroy is located about 36 mi south of San Jose International Airport (SJC) via US Hwy 101.
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
- Places to stay listed here: about $100–$125 a night (typical $125), from 3 listed prices.
- Estimated daily budget per person (room, two meals, local transport and an activity): budget ~$140, mid-range ~$200, comfortable ~$290.
See the Sleep guide ↓ for places to stay.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Gilroy Gardens, Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park, Christmas Hill Park
- Lunch Black Bear Diner
- Afternoon Gilroy Historical Museum, Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park
- Dinner Mama Mia's
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
Cuisine (tap to filter)
What to ask about, for your diet
Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Understand
Gilroy is well known for garlic production and markets itself as the "Garlic Capital of the World." In fact, Gilroy was instrumental in marketing garlic to the Anglo population of the United States in the mid-20th century, when garlic was considered something of an ethnic vegetable, mostly associated with Italian cuisine. Garlic, produced in and marketed from Gilroy, made it onto the plates of numerous recent migrants to the rapidly populating postwar California, normalizing the flavorful bulbs.
Get in
By plane
Gilroy is located about 36 mi south of San Jose International Airport (SJC) via US Hwy 101.
By car
- is the primary route through Gilroy and the region, linking it with San Jose in the north and Salinas to the south. Driving from San Jose it is 32 mi or 35 min and 79 mi (1hr 20 min) from San Francisco through the Silicon Valley. Driving from Salinas it is 31 mi or 28 min while it's 46 mi or 41 min from Monterey through Castroville and Prunedale via CA Hwy-1 to US Hwy 101 without going through Salinas.
- & : Hollister is 15 mi (22 min) southeast of Gilroy on US Hwy 101 and CA-Hwy 25.
- from : Hwy 152 connects Watsonville (18.5 mi, 35 min west) with Exit 403A of Interstate 5 west of Los Banos (41 mi, 46 min east) through Gilroy. Hwy 152 goes through town as Leavesley Rd and 1st St, west of US Hwy 101 and Pacheco Pass Hwy east of US Hwy 101. It runs concurrent on US Hwy 101 between Leavesley Rd & Pacheco Pass Hwy.
By train
The Gilroy Station at 7150 Monterey Rd in downtown Gilroy serves as a central station for CalTrain, Amtrak Thruway bus, Greyhound, San Benito County Express and the Gilroy Transit Center (south of the building) for VTA buses.
Go CalTrain
operates a regional rail service from Gilroy via San Jose to its San Francisco terminal at Fourth and King in SoMa. The service between San Jose and Gilroy operates only during rush hour while the service between San Jose and San Francisco include midday, evenings and weekends. Connections to the Amtrak trains and the Altmont Corridor Express (ACE) can be made from the San Jose Diridon Station, and connections to BART can be made at Millbrae.
Go Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach (operated by American Star Tours)
Amtrak Thruway Motorcoach connects Oakland to Santa Barbara via San Jose, Gilroy, Salinas, King City, Paso Robles, San Luis Obisbpo, etc. It connects the southern terminus of the Capitol Corridor in San Jose to the northern terminus of the Pacific Surfliner in San Luis Obispo while complementing the once daily Coast Starlight between Oakland and Santa Barbara but with more stops. Nearest stops for the Coast Starlight are in San Jose and Salinas.
By bus
Go Greyhound
Connects San Francisco to Los Angeles via Oakland, Hayward, San Jose, Gilroy, Coalinga Jct, San Fernando and North Hollywood. A variation of the route continues on US Hwy 101 from Gilroy through Salinas, King City, Santa Maria, Santa Barbara and Oxnard instead. Some buses going to Los Angeles (via Coalinga Jct) from San Jose do not stop in Gilroy either. Therefore, passengers may find it more convenient to board Greyhound in San Jose instead of Gilory to reach more destinations with greater frequencies.
The following have a bus stop at another location:
Go Flixbus (operated by TourCoach & Greyhound)
Connects Oakland to Los Angeles via San Francisco (5th/Townsend stop), Redwood City, San Jose, Gilroy, Coalinga Jct/Avenal, San Fernando and North Hollywood. Some buses going to Los Angeles (via Coalinga Jct/Avenal) from San Jose do not stop in Gilroy either. Therefore, passengers may find it more convenient to board Flixbus in San Jose instead of Gilory to reach more destinations with greater frequencies. Flixbus in San Jose stop at a different location instead of the Diridon Station. Check website for details.
Get around
Driving a car is the primary form of transportation, but Gilroy is the southernmost stop on Caltrain, which reaches north to San Francisco. Five local or regional VTA bus lines connect at the train station, plus the Greyhound bus to other cities.
See
See Gilroy Gardens
Open from mid-spring to mid-fall. A theme park whose theme is plants, agriculture, and local history. Best for people interested in gardens, and for families with younger children. Like Legoland, the rides here do not cater to teenagers or older. Parking is $20 in advance ($25 at the gate). Get an annual membership if you will go more than once, and consider a premium pass for yourself if you'll be buying food for multiple guests.
See Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park
An interesting little park where the Ohlone people lived for several thousand years. Follow the trail to learn more about the history. It's not a destination by itself, but it's worth a stop when you're in the area. Restrooms, drinking water, a few picnic tables.
Do
Do Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park
RV and tent camping. Flat, paved two-mile loop trail at Bear Ranch Trailhead in San Martin is good for people with mobility issues, families with little kids, and anyone looking for a pleasant walk. More strenuous hiking opportunities are also available. Fishing and summertime boating, at least in non-drought years. Good for bird watchers. Drinking water, restrooms, hot showers.
Do Christmas Hill Park
Large, long city park connecting to the Debell Uvas Creek Preserve in the north, which is a good place to see wildflowers on spring mornings. The creek runs along the east side of the park. Miller Avenue cuts through the park. Playground (on the southeast side of Miller Avenue), picnic tables, jogging trail, soccer field, baseball and softball diamonds. Lots of trees, but there is room for flying a kite when there's a breeze. Bicycles on trails. Dogs welcome, but if you want a dog park, then the Glen Loma Ranch Dog Park is less than a mile south on Miller Avenue. Restrooms.
Buy
Eat
Eat Black Bear Diner
American comfort food, bear-shaped paraphernalia
Eat The Longhouse
American food. Friendly waitstaff.
Eat Pho Thanh An
Vietnamese. Typical for old school Vietnamese places in Northern California, there's an ATM on site but they don't take debit or credit cards.
Eat Victoria's Mexican Restaurant
What it says on the tin.
Eat O.D.'s Kitchen
Plentiful food, low prices, popular hole-in-the-wall breakfast joint. Their "Kitchen Sink" entree is huge, you may want to share it.
Drink
The Gilroy area is home to several wineries.
Sleep
Stay Best Western Forest Park Inn
Mid-range chain hotel. Breakfast included. Staff speak English, Spanish, Hindi, and Gujarati – but call to verify who's going to be on duty, if that's important to you. Cleaning fee of $20/night for pets.
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