Stanford University

“The Harvard of the West” is no mere slogan. Stanford University has earned this boast for its academic prowess, with 16 Nobel Laureates on its faculty. Stanford’s law and business schools are routinely ranked in the top three in the country and the medical school isn’t far behind. Yet its greatest contribution in recent decades has been the graduates who have helped turn the Santa Clara Valley into “Silicon Valley”: ground zero for the computer, Internet, and most recently, social networking revolutions. The founders of Hewlett-Packard, Google and Yahoo are all Stanford grads. Take that, Harvard.

Another boast this 1891 university has over Ivy League schools is its long tradition of great sports teams. It’s routinely among America’s best in an array of sports, especially tennis, swimming and water polo. Stanford has won more than 500 NCAA Division I team and individual titles, more than any school in the country. Heard of Tiger Woods or John McEnroe? Stanford men.

Visitors to campus should not miss the Cantor Arts Center, Stanford Memorial Church and Hoover Tower. Cantor’s international collection is displayed in 24 galleries, although the highlight is surely the Rodin collection in the sculpture gardens—the largest Rodin bronze collection outside Paris. It’s free and open 11 a.m.-5 p.m. (closed Mon.-Tues.). The Church has been non-sectarian since opening in 1903, with mosaic walls and stained-glass windows depicting both Christian and Jewish images. It was erected to honor university founder Leland Stanford; the campus was once his horse farm and many still affectionately call Stanford “The Farm.” The Church is open weekdays, 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Hoover Tower offers the best view of campus from its 285-foot-high observation platform. It’s open daily, 10 a.m.-4 p.m. ($2 adults, $1 seniors/kids).

While the student population of about 15,000 is relatively small (only seven percent of freshman applicants are accepted), the grounds are huge at 8,180 acres. Only 40 percent of the land is developed; the rest is open space, accessible to the public for walking or hiking. The hike to the Stanford Dish, a radiotelescope, is especially popular as it follows a path through rolling, oak-studded hills west of campus. Like the rest of Stanford, it’s an invaluable resource for students and community members alike.

HelloSanFrancisco tip: Stanford’s maze of one-way and dead-end streets requires a Stanford degree to negotiate, so bring a map, find a parking space and walk.

- by Bob Cooper, San Francisco Reporter for HelloMetro  (Click to leave a message)

Bob Cooper

Bob Cooper is a full-time freelance writer (www.bob-cooper.com) who writes about travel, outdoor sports and health. He is a monthly contributor to Runner's World and has written recent articles for other national magazines such as Continental, Ladies' Home Journal and Inc.