Montalvo Arts Center

LOVE this place! Absolutely gorgeous grounds (with many improvements over the past few years, including some stunning arts installations). Fun events (outdoor concerts, family shows). Tickets are often available on Goldstar for a discount, so I guess they aren't selling out...the location isn't exactly convenient, but totally worth the drive. Bring a picnic dinner of your own to eat on the lovely lawn or splurge on a fabulous dinner on the terrace.  My husband and I mused that if we were planning a wedding today, we'd seriously check out this space.  Maybe we'll renew our vows there sometime in the not-too-distant future.

We went to the Randy Newman concert (i.e. Toy story and others from this grammy award winner singer and piano player) at the garden theater.   We got our tickets for half price on goldstar and enjoyed a wonderful night of music and sitting outside on a warm evening in Saratoga (July 2013).  

It was a lot of fun - there were some pesky flies when the sun was setting  -even got Randy Nelson to forget his words to one of the songs as he fought off the pesky flies....

but overall a really fun place to see  a concert in a garden/wooded setting.  We splurged and got on site parking and it worked very well.   There is a shuttle bus from the nearby community college if you do not want to pay for on-site parking.

Montalvo has it all.  I've been here for quite a few things because it lends to such an easy palette for any event.

One was for a wedding.  What a great picturesque venue for a wedding.  It was absolutely beautiful and intimate.

Second was for a yelp event.  Great location to host an event with multiple vendors.  It was very  extravagant.

Third was for hiking and enjoying life!  The trails here are great!  Not barren and as you walk there are little signs with interesting messages.

Montalvo is like a hidden gem in the south bay that people normally wouldn't think of, but I strongly recommend to anyone looking for a great time locally.