Local Information

Institute Information Center | Child Care | Summer Camps | Baby Equipment Rentals | Parking | Public Transportation | Airport Transportation | Biking | Dining | Hotels | Harry Potter

A good place to start for local information is the Stanford Visitor Information Services website.

Please note that this list is provided as an information service only. The Institute and Stanford University do not endorse any of these programs and recommend using parental discretion in making any child care or camp decision.

Institute Information Center

The Institute Information Center is where Institute participants should come to ask informational questions about the Institute and the campus, to deal with administrative issues concerning enrollments and payments, to buy meal and BBQ tickets, and so on. You can also pick up your registration packet there from 8am July 1 on, if you were unable to pick it up on June 30. The Information Center will be located on the ground floor of Margaret Jacks Hall (Bldg. 460) and in operation from June 30-July 27.

Hours and location:

June 30, 2-5pm: Margaret Jacks Hall lobby
July 1-3, 8am-6pm: Margaret Jacks Hall lobby
July 4, 12noon-4pm: Margaret Jacks Hall lobby
July 5-6, 8am-6pm: Margaret Jacks Hall lobby
Weekdays July 9-27, 8am-5pm: Margaret Jacks Hall, Rm. 110

On June 30, July 1, and July 4, please enter Margaret Jacks Hall from the front door (the door facing the Oval), as the other doors to the building are likely to be locked.

Child Care Resources

The parent-net mailing list
This Stanford mailing list is where you can send and receive postings on openings for nannies and group-care services, and anything else related to parenting needs. When you have subscribed to the list, you will be able to send and receive postings, and access an archive of past postings.

Licensed child care centers and home care providers in Palo Alto

Care Square: CareSquare is a community website connecting parents and caregivers in a social network. It allows for peer-review, feedback, and real-time booking of care

Child care centers in Menlo Park

The following child care centers on Stanford campus only provide services for the permanent Stanford community, and their wait lists are very long. Drop-in care may be available on a day-to-day basis at some of these centers in the summer, but we do not have confirmation of this service at this time.

• The Children's Center of the Stanford Community (CCSC) - 8 weeks to 5 years of age
• The Stanford Arboretum Children's Center (SACC or The Arboretum) - 8 weeks to 5 years of age

Summer Camps

• Academic Summer Camps and Programs by Education Unlimited
  Various camps at Stanford University, UC Berkeley (about 45 miles from Stanford) and Menlo College (4 miles from Stanford)


• Camp Galileo (Palo Alto, Menlo Park) [Programs available on a weekly basis.]


• Cantor Arts Center at Stanford University
  You can sign up to receive their monthly e-news to get the latest on their summer art programs for kids.


• The city of Menlo Park child care page has an Activity Guide. Sign up to receive the latest guide when Summer 2007 events become available.


• Jefunira Camp (Palo Alto)


• Palo Alto Community Child Care Summer program


• The Palo Alto Junior Museum and Zoo
  Weeklong, specialty science summer camps are booked in the spring.


• Peninsula School Summer Program (Menlo Park)


• Summer Residential Youth Camps at Stanford


• Junior Statesmen Summer School (July 1- July 26 at Stanford)


• Hidden Villa Camp (various ages)


• International School of the Peninsula (Pre K-8)


• Woodland School (K-8)


• YMCA(K-12)


• Children's Creative Learning Centers Summer Program (3-5, K-6)


• Shoreline Lake Summer Youth camps (6 - 15 years)


• Tips on Trips and Camps (Free advisory service on camps)

More camp information can be found at Bay Area Kid Fun

Baby Equipment Rentals

Baby's Away San Francisco Phone: 800-261-4847 Email: chris@babysaway.com

Little Luggage P.O. Box 642863 San Francisco, CA 94164 Phone: 1-877-FLYBABY Fax: 1-501-694-0877

Travel BaBees Phone: 1-877-9-BaBees (877) 922-2337

Parking

You will need a parking permit to park at any time of day near the on-campus residences, and to park from 6am-4pm on weekdays on campus near the institute classes. Visitor parking is available on-campus, but in very small quantities and in limited locations.

For residents of university housing, a one-month residential parking permit costs $22 and is available from the Service Center for each residential area (the Institute I.D. must be shown).

For general parking on campus, daily and monthly permits are available through Stanford's Parking and Transportation office. A monthly "C" permit costs $22 (the C lots typically fill up by 9am or so) and a monthly "A" permit costs $55. In order to purchase a permit, you will need: a copy of your registration confirmation from Stanford Conference Services (your original administrative registration for the Institute; printout of email is fine), a photo I.D., and the license number of the car you wish to park on campus. The office is open Monday-Friday 7:30am-5pm.

Public Transportation

For information on getting to and from the airport from campus, click here.

For getting around Stanford campus (and to and from the Caltrain), the free Marguerite shuttle can get you to most locations.

Caltrain: The Caltrain services the entire peninsula from San Francisco to San Jose. Traveling to San Francisco takes between 40 to 60 minutes and costs $5.25 each way. The San Francisco stop is at 4th and King near to the financial district.

Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART): BART operates throughout the northern part of the peninsula (the southernmost station is located in Millbrae, which can be reached via the Caltrain) and in the East Bay, including Oakland and Berkeley. From Millbrae, the San Francisco International Airport is one stop away.

For planning any trip in the Bay Area, we recommend using the 511.org trip planner to determine the best public transportation methods and routes.

GETTING FROM THE PALO ALTO TRAIN STATION TO ON-CAMPUS HOUSING:

On weekdays between about 6:30am and 8:30pm, you can take Stanford's free shuttle service, the Marguerite, between the Palo Alto train station and on campus housing. For Roble use the B-line; for Rains and Escondido Village use the A-line; for Branner use either the A- or B-lines.

If you are at the Palo Alto train station at a time when the Marguerite isn't running and you are going to Escondido Village, you can take the Route 22 VTA bus towards Eastridge. This bus runs every 20-30 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, up and down El Camino Real. The fare is $1.75 and exact change is required. You should get off the 22 bus at Stanford Avenue, a short bus ride from the Palo Alto station. (Unfortunately, this bus will not take you any closer to Branner or Roble.)

More information about getting to the San Francisco, San Jose, and Oakland airports can be found here.

Airport Information

Information about transportation to and from the airport is now located on the arrivals page.

Biking

For bicycle rental from 1 day to 1 month, please see the campus bike shop

Dining

Stanford University campus hosts a number of restaurants and cafes, many of them within easy walking distance from institute classrooms.

At Tresidder Union (459 Lagunita Drive):

• Union Square: Weekdays 11am-2pm (Hot Meals); 10am-3pm (Grab N' Go Service)
• Peets Coffee and Tea: Weekdays 8am-3pm
• Subway: Weekdays 10am-6pm; Weekends 12noon-6pm
• CoHo: Sun - Thu 6pm-11pm

Stanford Bookstore Cafe: Mon - Thu 8am-7:30pm; Fri 8am - 6:30pm; Sat 9am - 5:30pm; Sun 11am - 5:30pm

Cool Cafe at Cantor Arts Center: Wed - Sun 11am-5pm; Thu 11am-8pm

The Cafe at Arrillaga Alumni Center: Weekdays 8am-7pm

Participants with on-campus housing will have meal plans for campus dining halls. Participants without meal plans may purchase individual meal tickets to eat at the dining halls, as well. For more information, see the campus dining page.

In addition to eateries on campus, downtown Palo Alto is an easy 30-minute walk from campus and offers an array of different restaurants.

See here for some weekend options.

Hotels

Stanford's list of nearby hotels can be found here.

Harry Potter

Participants who wish to pre-order the final Harry Potter book may do so at the website for Keplers, a nearby bookstore. The books will be available at the store the midnight of the release (July 20/21). Keplers will also be holding a release party that night. You may purchase your ticket for the book and the party here.

Participants may pre-order the final Harry Potter book at a 40% discount through the Stanford Bookstore (White Plaza--on campus). The Stanford Bookstore is also hosting a Harry Potter breakfast on Saturday, July 21st. Doors open at 8:00 a.m. Visit stanfordbookstore.com for more info.

The institute will also be scheduling an outing to see the Harry Potter movie, which opens on July 13th. Stay tuned.