Travel Trade Resources

Base your California itinerary where the Bay Area, Central Coast and Central Valley meet.

Itineraries, lodging and planning help for travel advisors, tour operators and group planners.

Gilroy sits on US-101 at the southern edge of Silicon Valley, within an hour of Monterey, Carmel and Santa Cruz. Groups check in once and spend their days on the coast, in wine country or at a California mission, then come back to a quieter, better-value base. Visit Gilroy can help you match lodging, experiences and timing to your clients. Tell us your dates, group size and interests, and we'll point you to the right local partners.

Why Gilroy Works for Groups

• Hub Location: One hotel stay covers day trips to the Monterey Peninsula, Santa Cruz, San Juan Bautista, Pinnacles and Silicon Valley. 

• Easy coach access: Hotels sit near US-101 and Highway 152, with simple on-off routing and no big-city congestion.

• Value against the coast: Rates typically run below Monterey, especially on peak summer and event weekends.

• Built-in stops: Gilroy Gardens, Gilroy Premium Outlets and the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail make strong half-day modules.

• A story guests remember: The Garlic Capital of the World, farm stands, and a downtown with a growing food scene.

• Local help: Visit Gilroy routes group requests to hotels and partners and can arrange site visits and FAM tours.

Coach Parking | Restrooms | Food | Shopping

• Gilroy Premium Outlets

  • Extended staging area with designated extended stalls in the south corner of Building A, near the California Welcome Center.
  • Public restrooms available in all buildings of the Gilroy Premium Outlets.
  • Recognizable restaurants and food shops in the shopping center area, or within short walking distance.

• Casa de Fruta

  • ​Less than 15 miles to Gilroy, coming from the Central Valley on Pacheco Pass Highway (HWY 152).
  • Public Restrooms just steps away from bus parking.
  • Food offerings include the famous Casa de Fruta Fruit Stand, Restaurant, Deli, and Sweet Shop. 

• Bonus when visiting Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park:

Tour buses carrying 10 or more people may park for FREE at Gilroy Gardens.

Gilroy Gardens is great for groups! Inquire further for group rates and hotel packages with Gilroy Gardens day passes.

Downtown Gilroy Access

Mini-Bus & Tour Vans 

Smaller commercial passenger vehicles are highly encouraged to utilize Gilroy's public downtown municipal surface lots.

Lodging in Gilroy

Itineraries 

Seasonal hours and group accommodations vary; please confirm with each venue before booking. Not sure where to start? Visit Gilroy can help you find the perfect fit. Tell us your needs using our Travel Trade Form.
Farm-to-Table experiences at local farms can be arranged on request.

Family Group Itinerary

Two days of rides, farms and sweets, made for families of all ages.

Day One: A Day at Gilroy Gardens

• Morning: Arrive at Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, with more than 40 rides and attractions set among gardens and the famous Circus Trees. Tour buses with 10 or more guests park free.
• Lunch: In the park, with picnic areas and family dining throughout.
• Afternoon: Cool off with water play, then book a docent-led garden tour in advance at 408-840-7100.
• Evening: Dinner on the Taco Trail, followed by bowling at Gilroy Bowl and dessert at Savvy’s Downtown Sweets.

Day Two: Farms, Fruit and More Fun

• Morning: Pick your own berries, cherries or flowers in season, or browse LJB Farms and Garlic World. On Sundays, stroll the Gilroy Downtown Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
• Lunch: Casa de Fruta on Highway 152, with its fruit stand, restaurant, deli and sweet shop.
• Afternoon: Choose a second theme park: the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk on the coast or Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose.
• Evening: Wrap up with pizza or Italian downtown, or shop the Gilroy Premium Outlets before heading home.

Go Further

Ask about hotel packages that include Gilroy Gardens day passes. In winter, the Holiday Festival and Parade brings families downtown.

Gilroy for Adults

Two days of redwoods, wine, food and downtime.

Day One: Redwoods, Wine and Tacos

• Morning: Hike the redwood trails at Mount Madonna County Park, with views across the valley to Monterey Bay.
• Afternoon: Taste your way along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail, where several wineries sit right on the drive back into town. Choose a winery with a food truck for lunch, or stop at POP’s Public House, a local favorite.
• Evening: Follow the Taco Trail, with nearly 30 family-owned restaurants to choose from. In the mood for something else? Try Café Dolce Vita for Italian, Sun Palace for elevated California cuisine, or Chama Nativa for a Brazilian experience.

Day Two: Shop, Unwind or Take Flight

• Morning: Shop the Gilroy Premium Outlets.
• Lunch: Old City Hall Restaurant in downtown Gilroy.
• Afternoon: Relax with a wellness treatment at a local spa. Craving adventure instead? Book a glider ride or go skydiving.
• Evening: Dinner at Gilroy Ale House (don’t let the name fool you; the menu goes well beyond beer), then walk the Gilroy Ale Trail through downtown’s craft breweries and taprooms.

Go Further

For more hiking, the Mummy Mountain Trail in Coyote Lake–Harvey Bear Ranch County Park winds through oak-covered hills, with wineries along the way back to town. Time your visit for Barrel & Bites Weekend in late winter or the Heart of Gilroy Wine & Art Stroll later in the spring.

For History Lovers

Two days tracing 3,000 years of California history, from Indigenous gathering places to the Spanish missions and California’s first capital.

Day One: Gilroy’s Story

• Morning: Visit Chitactac-Adams Heritage County Park, a gathering place for Indigenous peoples for more than 3,000 years, where petroglyphs and bedrock mortars line Uvas Creek.
• Late Morning: Explore the Gilroy Museum, housed in the city’s 1910 Carnegie Library. Call ahead; the museum keeps limited hours.
• Lunch: Old City Hall, one of downtown’s landmark buildings.
• Afternoon: Walk downtown Gilroy’s Mural Trail, which tells the city’s story in public art. Guided downtown walking tours led by the Gilroy Historical Society on select first Saturdays.
• Evening: Raise a glass to one of California’s oldest premium wine regions with a tasting on the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail, then dine downtown.

Day Two: Old California

• Morning: Drive 15 minutes south to San Juan Bautista. Mission San Juan Bautista, founded in 1797, anchors a town that preserves “Old California.” The State Historic Park across the plaza adds 1800s adobes, a hotel and stables.
• Lunch: Choose from the family restaurants along San Juan Bautista’s Third Street.
• Afternoon: Continue to Monterey State Historic Park, at the heart of California’s first capital. The Custom House there is California Historical Landmark No. 1.
• Evening: Return to Gilroy for dinner at Sun Palace or on the Taco Trail.

Go Further

Make it a mission trail by adding Carmel Mission on the Monterey day or Mission Santa Clara on the way in from San Jose. Visit in October for the La Ofrenda Festival, which celebrates and preserves Indigenous traditions in South County.

Weekend Adventure: Gilroy as Your Hub

Stay in Gilroy, stretch your travel budget, and spend your days on the coast.

Day One: Monterey Bay

• Morning: Head 50 minutes to the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Book timed tickets ahead.
• Lunch: Seafood on Cannery Row or Fisherman’s Wharf.
• Afternoon: On the drive back, stop at Moss Landing to kayak or take a boat tour on Elkhorn Slough, home to sea otters, seals and shorebirds.
• Evening: Back in Gilroy, dinner at Chama Nativa for a Brazilian churrasco experience.

Day Two: Santa Cruz Coast and Boardwalk

• Morning: Drive scenic West Cliff Drive to Natural Bridges State Beach, where monarch butterflies cluster from fall through winter.
• Midday: Lunch on the Santa Cruz Wharf, then enjoy the rides, arcade and beach at the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
• Late Afternoon: Return via Watsonville for a cider tasting at Martinelli’s and a slice of pie at Gizdich Ranch.
• Evening: Wind down on the Gilroy Ale Trail.

Go Further

Add a day at Pinnacles National Park, about 70 minutes away, for talus caves, rock spires and a chance to see California condors. For big Monterey weekends like Car Week, the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance and the Monterey Jazz Festival, Gilroy is a quieter, budget-friendly inland base.

Attending an event in San Jose or Silicon Valley, like a tech or AI conference or auto show? Gilroy is a quieter, budget-friendly base about 35 minutes south.

FAQ's