Page 99 - 2017 Travel Guide to California

GILROY
Gardens, grapes and garlic
»GARLIC, GOLF,
WINE, FUN!
Gilroy Visitor
Information
gilroywelcomecenter.org
FAMILY DAY at Gilroy Gardens, top;
garlic harvesting contestant at the
Gilroy Garlic Festival, below.
THIS SANTA CLARA COUNTY CITY is
well known as the Garlic Capital of the
World, but the annual festival that celebrates
the pungent plant is only one of Gilroy’s
many attractions. With miles of trails,
amusement parks full of gardens and agri-
cultural mastery, there is more than enough
in Gilroy to please everyone in the family.
French and Italian immigrants who set-
tled here during the Gold Rush recognized
the rich soils and Mediterranean climate as
an ideal new home for their European grape
varietals. The region’s wineries offer tast-
ings and tours for the grape-obsessed,
especially along the Santa Clara Valley Wine
Trail, which includes more than 25 family-
owned wineries and tasting rooms.
Local restaurants often include Gilroy’s
beloved garlic. The dedicated garlic heads
come for the Gilroy Garlic Festival at the end
of July—a three-day celebration of food and
drink, music, arts and family entertainment.
A visit to 4,595-acre Coyote Lake/Harvey
Bear Ranch park can easily take up the
better part of a day, with local wildlife
B Y J I L L K . R O B I N S O N
exhibits, a 635-acre lake for fishing and
boating, camping and boat-launch facili-
ties, and miles of hiking, bicycle and horse
trails winding through oak canyons. The
Gilroy Gardens family theme park lures
families with more than 40 fun rides,
exhibits and majestic gardens (including
the legendary “circus trees”).
Once just a fruit stand, Casa de Fruta is
another popular destination for travelers,
from its Casa de Choo Choo miniature loco-
motive to antique farm machinery and
freshly baked treats. Shoppers enjoy
searching for special buys at the 145
designer and name-brand stores at Gilroy
Premium Outlets.
Walk back in time near downtown
Gilroy, where more than 75 historic build-
ings allow history buffs to meander at their
own pace to learn more about the region
once called “Pleasant Valley” and the town’s
founder, John Cameron Gilroy. Favorite
stops include the City Museum (in a
building that housed the town’s first public
library) and Old City Hall.
2017 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A 97