“Every revolution starts with a garage.
Silicon Valley just happened to make it a whole lifestyle.”
Drive through the world’s tech capital and you quickly realize this place runs on dreams, caffeine, and a little bit of chaos. From the scrappy beginnings of Apple and Microsoft to the meteoric rise of Google, Amazon, Tesla, and Meta, every building here has a story that somehow changed the planet. Some are sleek headquarters, some are humble garages, and some look so plain you wonder how they quietly run half the internet.
This self-guided Silicon Valley driving tour turns the region into a living timeline. You call the shots on where to stop and how long to linger, while the audio fills in the drama, inspiration, rivalries, breakthroughs, lucky accidents, and billion-dollar ideas that shaped modern tech. No tour buses, no rushing, just the world of innovation unfolding around you.
You will spend time near Meta in Menlo Park and hear about Mark Zuckerberg’s early vision. You will pass the type of ordinary building that hides the power of Amazon Web Services and learn how Jeff Bezos grew an online bookstore into a global force. At Google’s playful Android statues and the Googleplex campus, the story shifts to search engines, moonshot ideas, and the rise of a company that reorganized the internet itself.
The route moves through the history of Microsoft, from the birth of BASIC to the software that shaped personal computing. Nearby, a museum lets you meet early video games and some of the first computers ever built. At Apple, you trace Steve Jobs’ legacy, visit the famous garage where it all began, and revisit the rivalry that pushed the industry forward. The journey closes with Tesla and the rise of electric cars, and at Stanford you see how an entire ecosystem of innovation grew from one university and a small lab that helped launch the original Hewlett Packard garage.
Known side effects: May include sudden inspiration to build your own startup, an urge to debate iPhone versus Android again, and a strong suspicion that every modest-looking building is secretly a billion-dollar idea in progress.
Hello, Bonjour and Hallo – Explore Silicon Valley in English, Dutch, French and German!
All languages are available to you when you purchase the tour.
Want all of our tours? Upgrade to Action+:
- An annual $99.99/year subscription offers access to over 200+ tours.
- Unlimited use throughout the year.
- Includes free access to new tours as they are released.
Nearby Tours
Driving / Walking
2-3 Hours
30+ Stories
7+ Miles
Driving
2-4 Hours
100+ Stories
75+ Miles
Driving
2-3 Hours
50+ Stories
30+ Miles
Driving
2-3 Hours
35+ Stories
15+ Miles
Silicon Valley Map
Starting Point
You can begin the tour at the suggested starting locations provided below:
1401 Marsh Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA
Begin from 1401 Marsh Rd, Menlo Park, CA 94025, USA.
How Does It Work?
- Access your tour: Download the Action Tour Guide app and sign in with the same email used for your website purchase. Your tour will appear under My Tours.
- Download your tour: Download it before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
- Start your tour: Open My Tours, select your tour, and tap Start Touring when you reach a starting point.
- Listen your way: Use your phone’s speaker or headphones, or connect to your car’s audio system. Apple CarPlay and Android Auto are not currently supported, compatibility is in development.
- GPS-triggered audio: Stories play automatically as you reach each location along the route.
- Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day. Tours are valid forever (one year for Action+).
Silicon Valley Audio Tour
Things to do on the Tour Include:
-
Welcome
-
Facebook
-
From 1-Click to AWS
-
Amazon: Convenience vs Monopoly
-
How Important is Google?
-
Heading to Android Garden
-
Android & Modularity
-
Page and Brin
-
Googleplex
-
Charleston Park
-
Google Doodles
-
Google vs Yahoo
-
Google vs China
-
PageRank
-
Microsoft
-
Computer History Museum
-
Bill Gates
-
BASIC
-
Windows vs Mac
-
iPod to iPhone
-
Apple Infinite Loop
-
A New World of Tech
-
First Mover Advantage
-
Apple Store
-
Exit 13 for Steve Jobs Garage
-
Steve Jobs
-
Beyond the Rivalry
-
Smartphones to Smartcars
-
Tesla HQ
-
Elon Musk
-
Conclusion
Preview The Tour
Tour FAQs
Silicon Valley is best known for being the beating heart of the American tech industry. Major players in the tech world like Apple, Google, Facebook, and more have headquarters in Silicon Valley.
Stanford University is a huge driver behind Silicon Valley’s success. The STEM-focused university produces a constant supply of new technical talent right on Silicon Valley’s doorstep.
Silicon Valley is located directly south of San Francisco in northern California. It’s the whole reason why San Francisco is itself a major hub of the tech industry!
While you can admire the Googleplex from the outside, you cannot actually explore the campus as a visitor. With that said, the park directly adjacent to Google’s headquarters is open to the public.
The so-called “Big Five” tech industry companies are Alphabet (better known as Google), Amazon, Apple, Meta (formerly Facebook), and Microsoft. All, of course, have offices in Silicon Valley.
Silicon Valley is about 350 miles from Los Angeles. It takes around six and a half hours to drive between the two, although notoriously heavy traffic can add a lot of time to that.
If you have any interest at all in the tech industry, Silicon Valley is definitely worth a visit. You’ll get to see the sprawling HQs of big companies like Apple and Google, check out cool tech at visitor centers, and even see the garage where Steve Jobs started his company!
Absolutely! In fact, driving is just about the only way to see Silicon Valley. The Valley itself is quite spread out, so a car is a must-have.
You can’t go inside Apple’s Silicon Valley HQ, but you can admire it from the outside and stop by their cutting-edge visitor center showcasing some of the company’s hottest new tech.
Silicon Valley is the largest and most important hub of the American tech industry. It’s located just south of San Francisco in California.
Explore 230+ Tours
Inclusions and Exclusions
Action Tour Guide app: Download the app to access your purchased tour.
GPS-triggered audio: Stories and directions play automatically as you reach each location.
Tour anytime: Single tours and bundles never expire and can be used anytime. Action+ is an annual subscription that automatically renews each year unless canceled.
Narrated stories: Hear local history, culture, and stories from experienced narrators.
Stop and start anytime: Pause, take a break, make a detour, or continue another day.
Offline access: Download your tour before you go. Once downloaded, no internet or cell signal is needed.
Stories, stops, and directions: Follow the route to key attractions with automatic directions and stories at each location.
Transportation: Transportation, parking fees, and tolls are not included.
Admission: Entry tickets and reservations are not included.
Food and drinks: Meals and drinks are not included.
Rental car: A rental car is not included and may be required for driving tours.
