Free things to do in Palo Alto, CA

10 AM – 12 PM·Rinconada Library, Embarcadero Room, Palo Alto

Join us for Tai Chi sessions with Nelson Ng! In this weekly class, participants will learn the basic principles and the philosophy behind Tai Chi, gaining flexibility and a better sense of balance through slow, gentle movement. Nelson started learning Chen's Tai Chi in 1989 from Master Gene Chen, who was a disciple of…

11 AM – 12 PM·Mitchell Park Library, Midtown Room, Palo Alto

Come join teen-led group NeuroSphere! NeuroSphere is a community for curious 2nd -7th graders about medicine! This session will dive into the basics of brain function, fun activities to test your brainpower, and an introduction to future career opportunities. There will be snacks- feel free to bring a friend! We're a g…

11 AM – 5 PM·Anderson Collection, 314 Lomita Dr, Stanford, CA 94305 · Palo Alto

1,000 Ways to Hold is the culmination of a year-long participatory project by Stanford Arts’ 2025–26 Visiting Artist Erika Chong Shuch, rooted in conversation and clay. Developed in response to a moment shaped by loneliness, fragmentation, and uncertainty, the project proposes a tender, human-scale intervention: two pe…

12:30 PM·Anderson Collection, 314 Lomita Dr, Stanford, CA 94305 · Palo Alto

Come by the Anderson Collection for a free guided tour of our collection! No pre-registration required, meet guide at the top of the stairs.

3:30 PM – 4:45 PM·Rinconada Library, Embarcadero Room, Palo Alto

Philosophy for Life A friendly reading and discussion group at the library, exploring big ideas about how we live and what we value. Why do we believe that success means constant hustle, that more is always better, or that everyone must go it alone? What other ways of thinking might help us make sense of everyday life?…

7 PM – 8 PM·Palo Alto City Library

Mindfulness meditation is a wonderful way to develop clarity, discipline, and perspective as well as improve your mental and physical health. Join online sessions with Phuong Pham, a Buddhist nun experienced in the practice of meditation. Each session is 45 minutes of meditating together followed by 15 minutes of group…

11 AM – 12 PM·Palo Alto City Library

Our ESL (English as a Second Language) / Learn English conversation group program is a friendly and informal environment for adults (18 years old and older) to practice speaking and listening in English. It is designed for English learners who enjoy meeting friends from various ethnic backgrounds and learning conversat…

7 PM – 8 PM·Peninsula Open Space Trust (POST) · Palo Alto

Tune into the soundscape of Bay Area forests and discover the birds that bring coastal redwoods and oak woodlands to life.

12 PM – 1:15 PM·Mitchell Park Library, Midtown Room, Palo Alto

Our ESL (English as a Second Language) / Learn English conversation group is a friendly informal environment for adults (18 years and older) to practice listening to and speaking English. It is ideal for English learners who enjoy making friends from various backgrounds and learning conversational English in a casual s…

10 AM – 6 PM·Downtown Palo Alto, CA (University Avenue)

More than 250 fine artists to browse and shop, continuous live music on multiple stages, an Italian Street Painting Expo, kids’ Chalk-a-Lot, play a piano at Chopin & Chandeliers, yummy food and drink, and new this year - Artistry in Action, in which artists will be demoing their techniques live!

10:15 AM – 10:45 AM·Rinconada Library, Palo Alto

Join us for a guided meditation experience with Sara. Welcome to all experience levels. This will be a seated meditation session that lasts about 30 minutes.