Silicon Valley (Santa Clara County)

Birthplace of the iPhone and iPad, the Silicon Valley of today is the leading hub for high-tech innovation and development, but the area was originally known as the Valley of Heart’s Delight due to its high concentration of orchards, flowering trees, and plants. Until the 1960’s it was the largest fruit production and packing region in the world. While residents can still enjoy a local farmers market or heritage orchard, agriculture has largely been replaced by the high-tech industry, and today the Silicon Valley is home to many of the world's largest technology corporations as well as thousands of small startups.

The term Silicon Valley was coined in 1971, and since then the technology trend in the area has accelerated with tech companies popping up everywhere through the 1980’s and 1990’s. The valley is currently home to approximately 6,500 high tech companies including Apple, Facebook, Sun Microsystems, Hewlett-Packard, Google, Yahoo!, eBay, Cisco Systems, Intel, and many others. The region now has the highest concentration of high-tech workers of any metropolitan area, and is one of the top research and development centers in the world.

The area has a work hard/play hard ethos that translates into innumerable leisure time activities. From taking in a high-energy San Jose Sharks game, shopping on Santana Row, or strolling the streets of any of the thriving downtowns of the communities that makes up the Silicon Valley, residents and visitors can find countless ways to unwind. And close proximity to San Francisco living to the north or beach lounging to the south make it an ideally central location. Silicon Valley is a unique combination of intellect, opportunity, and ideal living, and this true synergy of creativity and commerce keep the region constantly pushing forward.