Top 5 Reasons to Move to Sunnyvale, CA
By Alex Mikoulianitch on February 28, 2025
While all of California is arguably worth moving to, the San Francisco Bay Area tacks on a few unique perks to those considering exploring its shores (and multimillion-dollar homes.)
There is a cornucopia of cities to choose from in the Bay Area. Some, like San Mateo, rest on the San Francisco Peninsula and are a stone’s throw away from San Francisco. Others, like Fremont, reside in East Bay and offer some of the best recreation available in Northern California.
Sunnyvale rests in the heart of Silicon Valley in Santa Clara County. It’s known for its evergreen tech scene and stays true to the Bay Area’s penchant for unforgettable nature. Below, the team from Prevu Real Estate has outlined the top five reasons to move to Sunnyvale.
Reasons to move to Sunnyvale
- Tight-knit oasis in heart of Silicon Valley
- Diverse food and dining scene
- Thriving tech scene
- Pockets of nature almost everywhere you go
- Proximity to Bay Area’s finest offerings
Tight-knit oasis in heart of Silicon Valley
The more you explore the Bay Area, the more you realize that the surrounding cities don’t stand out for their exuberant nightlife or electric entertainment scene. While there’s plenty of that in nearby hotspots such as Palo Alto and San Mateo, the community is one of the best reasons to move to the city of Sunnyvale.
Historic Murphy Avenue is the perfect showcase of Sunnyvale’s neighborhood atmosphere. Quite literally at the center of Sunnyvale, Murphy Avenue is packed with some of the best local fare the city has to offer.
From endless varieties of gelato at Gelateria Bella Roma to one of Sunnyvale’s local breweries, Off The Rails Brewing Co., Murphy Avenue’s offerings are enough to fill weekend itineraries months in advance. Those same weekends showcase the Sunnyvale Farmers Market, a local favorite that sets up shop every Saturday, year-round.
The canopy of lush trees that cover the famous avenue is a prelude to much of Sunnyvale’s picturesque landscape, each with pockets of community events such as the Summer Series Music + Market and the two-day Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival.
Diverse dining options and local breweries
Since Sunnyvale is known for its community-centered vibe, it is easy to assume that the city is low-key. Yet the charm of having your favorite local shop where you get groceries or grab a morning cup of coffee is irresistible.
Many Bay Area cities, such as Fremont, tout a culturally-diverse demographic, which translates into mouth-watering cuisines from all over the world. Sunnyvale follows in the same footsteps and offers restaurants specializing in over 15 distinct cuisines.
Folks looking to try some of the best Middle-Eastern food in the Bay Area can pay a visit to Dishdash on Murphy Avenue. The family-owned restaurant has locations all over the Bay Area, but the very first restaurant is in Sunnyvale and is well-known throughout the city as one of the best in town.
Merit Vegan Restaurant blends dishes from India, China, and Thailand to create many options for vegetarians and vegans. And while the food scene in Sunnyvale is evergreen, the drink options aren’t far behind.
Faultline Brewing Company and Off The Rails Brewing are established local favorites, but ShaKa Brewing opened its doors during the pandemic and hasn’t looked back since. All three locations offer house-brewed drafts that don’t disappoint.
Thriving tech scene
Industry runs in Sunnyvale’s DNA and dates back to the early 1900s, when the Chicago-based meatpacking company Libby, McNeil & Libby opened a fruit-packing factory in 1904, heralding an age of industry in Sunnyvale that hasn’t halted since.
World War II ushered in a necessity for war-time technology that brought naval yards and defense tech to Sunnyvale. The aircraft manufacturer Lockheed Martin later set up shop in 1956, establishing the city as an industrial hotspot.
The area’s economic growth and favorable climate conditions soon gave way to the big-tech playground of today. Sunnyvale is considered to be the birthplace of the video game industry in the United States after Atari released its highly-popular Pong game in 1972.
Today, the flourish of innovative start-ups blended with already established and nearby tech giants such as Yahoo, Google, Apple, and AMD, create a prominent job market for tech professionals seeking to strike gold in Silicon Valley.
Pockets of nature almost everywhere you go
Outdoor beauty is one of the Bay Area’s biggest attractions, with miles of hiking trails and stunning natural reserves available to explore. Sunnyvale, staying true to its tight-knit community character, has plenty of rural recreation and a much more local feel.
Sunnyvale has over 772 acres of public parks, with virtually every neighborhood enjoying quick access to at least one.
In Northern Sunnyvale, touching the southern tip of the San Francisco Peninsula, is the Baylands Park, which offers over 70 acres of open fields, a wetlands preserve, and a playground. From there, a trip to the Eastern part of town will bring visitors to The Golf Club at Moffett Field, which allows players to golf without a membership.
Head south to the rest of Sunnyvale, and you will find countless unique parks, such as De Anza Park, with its private gardens and playground, or Ortega Park, complete with basketball and tennis courts amid a backdrop of lush greenery and open sky.
Hiking enthusiasts shouldn’t feel left out, though. A one-hour drive down the I-280 S is all it takes to get to the Santa Cruz mountains, which offer hometown wineries to explore and miles of hiking trails with panoramic views of the surrounding cities.
Proximity to Bay Area’s finest offerings
A quick drive to some of the San Francisco Bay Area’s best outdoor recreation is not the only perk Sunnyvale offers regarding accessibility.
Many aspiring homebuyers choose to live in Sunnyvale not only because it is nestled in the heart of Silicon Valley, but also because it borders some of the most action-packed cities the Bay Area has to offer.
Twenty minutes on the Caltrain will get you to the center of San Jose if you prefer to leave the car in the garage since the drive takes the same amount of time. Within minutes you have access to see a Sharks game at the SAP Center or discover your next favorite bar in Japantown.
Take the same train in the opposite direction, and some of the Bay Area’s best cities, along with Stanford University, are another twenty-minute commute away.
The famous El Camino Real cuts straight through Sunnyvale, and offers a direct route to cities like Palo Alto, Mountain View, and Los Altos. So if you get bored of lounging around in one of Sunnyvale’s parks, you can quickly fill your day with an action-packed itinerary without worrying about travel time.
