WHAT TO SEE:
There isn't much to see. If you're interested in local history, check out the History Center at De Anza College. Um, that's it.
WHAT TO DO:
Bike up Steven's Creek Boulevard toward the mountains to the west. Up near Steven's Creek Dam there are some great biking trails. If you like hiking, go to Rancho San Antonio Park. Go west down Steven's Creek, turn right on Foothill, and then follow the signs to the park. On a clear day you can see the San Francisco skyline. This town offers pretty good festivals throughout the year, either at Memorial Park or at the Town Center on Torre Avenue. There's a fun wine festival, Oktoberfest, and 4th of July celebrations, so ask the friendly and now high-paid natives what's going on. Flint Center at De Anza college has an impressive schedule of theater, concerts, and lectures, so call the box office at 860-8824.
WHAT NOT TO DO:
This isn't Detroit. You're pretty safe. If you like shopping you'll be disappointed. The one mall, Vallco, has become a huge hole with pathetic stores. I saw shopping centers in Asia during the IMF crisis that had more life. Walking through this mall is about as stimulating as eating Spam from the can. Don't read the local paper, the Cupertino Courier, unless you want your intelligence insulted by the bored idiots who pen letters to the editor.
WHERE TO EAT:
Okay, the best Vietnamese restaurant outside the motherland is the ridiculously named Super Bowl, in the Cupertino Center on Wolfe and Homestead Roads. The grilled prawns over rice is to die for. I don't remember the pho in Vietnam tasting as good as it does here. The staff is so efficient that before you finish eating, you may have to hold on to your plate for dear life or they will swipe it from you. This center also has a plethora of restaurants that cater to Cupertino's booming Asian population. After your meal here, you must have a tea at the Ten Ren Tea House. It's owned by the world's happiest woman whose smile and demeanor should be bottled to eliminate any need for Prozac or Lithium. All the teas are hand mixed, and you'll be in awe as you watch her shake your tea in a blissful and frenzied state. She'll then pour herself a little sample and taste test it, making sure it's mixed right. It's worth a long drive to Cupertino just to watch her prepare your tea.
I usually don't bother recommending pizza joints, but McHart's, on Steven's Creek Boulevard and Portal Avenue, in the Orchard Valley Marketplace (don't be fooled by the homey name, it's a strip mall), is excellent. Next to it is the Potsticker King, a fine Chinese eatery. A great place for Chinese food is Four Seasons (255-1220), on 1163 De Anza Boulevard, on the way toward Saratoga. Owned by a Korean-Chinese family, they serve Korean dishes and have a mean Chinese menu. The tangerine chicken and caramel walnut prawns are to die for! For Japanese, try Miyake on De Anza Boulevard between Bollinger and Rodriguez. The atmosphere is energetic and jovial, the food is oishii and the price reasonable for Japanese: the lunch specials are cheap at $3.99!
One of the best coffee houses around is Coffee Society, in the Oaks Shopping Center, across the street from De Anza College on Steven's Creek Boulevard. This place opened before coffee houses became trendy and when no one had heard of Starbuck's. It's a great place for people watching: it had the reputation of being a live freak show, which infuriated the local old farts, but it's mellowed out a lot. Sometimes they have live music and poetry readings.
WHERE TO STAY:
Well, you're not going to find much in the way of youth hostels or dorms here. There's the Cupertino Inn on I-280 and De Anza Boulevard. You've also got the Courtyard and a Hilton on I-280 and Wolfe Road. You could pitch a tent in one of the city's numerous parks and see how many seconds it'll take a sheriff to chase you away.