The Best Things to Do in Gilroy

Gilroy, California sits in southern Santa Clara County at zip code 95020, about 30 miles south of San Jose off Highway 101. The Hecker Pass wine corridor holds three tasting rooms within a two mile stretch, and Gilroy's median home price was about 1.24 million dollars in June 2026. This guide covers three wineries, three restaurants, and three hiking and lake parks, each with current address and hours.

Gilroy is best known as the garlic capital of the world and hosts the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Beyond the festival, the city holds more than 30 wineries along the Hecker Pass corridor west of town, three county parks with a combined 60 plus miles of trail, several golf courses, and a downtown restaurant row along Monterey Street.

Gilroy's climate runs warm and dry in summer with cooler, wetter winters typical of the southern Santa Clara Valley, which keeps most of the outdoor activities below usable through most of the year.

Here at Sarah's Vineyard, proprietor and winegrower Tim Slater specializes in Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Rhone varietal blends grown on 24 acres in the cool climate Mt. Madonna district. The tasting room and outdoor patio are open daily; a picnic lawn and bocce courts are available on a first come basis with a bottle purchase.

• Address: 4005 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: Daily, 11:30 am to 5:00 pm
• Tasting fee: roughly $10 to $20
• Distance from downtown Gilroy: about 4 miles

Thérèse and Dan Martin have run Martin Ranch Winery for over two decades, producing more than 15 varietals including Cabernet Sauvignon, Malbec, Sangiovese, and Chardonnay across 17 acres in the eastern foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Unlike the other two wineries on this list, tastings here run on a limited schedule.

• Address: 6675 Redwood Retreat Rd, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: 1st and 3rd weekend of each month, Friday through Sunday, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm; office open Wed to Fri 10:00 am to 2:00 pm for pickups
• Groups of 6 or more should call ahead: 408-842-9197
• Distance from downtown Gilroy: about 7 miles

Solis Winery grows and produces all of its wine at the Vanni Estate Vineyard, on land first planted by Italian immigrant Alfonso Bertero in 1917. The winery specializes in Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sangiovese, and Zinfandel, and its Wine Club members get access to a seasonal live music series on the vineyard stage.

• Address: 3920 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: Daily, 12:00 pm to 5:00 pm
• Tasting: complimentary, $5 for the premium flight
• Distance from downtown Gilroy: about 4 miles

The Westside Grill is a family owned neighborhood restaurant that has served Gilroy since 2006, with a full bar and a daily specials menu that runs from weekday lunch through weekend brunch.

• Address: 8080 Santa Teresa Blvd, Suite 100, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: Mon to Thu 11:30 am to 8:30 pm, Fri 11:30 am to 9:00 pm, Sat 9:00 am to 9:00 pm, Sun 9:00 am to 8:00 pm
• Phone: 408-847-3800

Garlic City Cafe has served downtown Gilroy since 2007 with a menu built around Eggs Benedict, Cuban sandwiches, and its namesake garlic soup, plus vegan and gluten free options.

• Address: 7461 Monterey Rd, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: Tue to Sat 8:00 am to 7:00 pm (hours vary by day), Sun 8:00 am to 1:00 pm, closed Monday
• Phone: 408-847-7744

Housed in Gilroy's 1905 Mission Revival former city hall building on Monterey Street, Old City Hall Restaurant serves steak and seafood alongside its well known Gilroy Roasted Garlic Burger, in a dining room that still carries the building's original clock tower.

• Address: 7400 Monterey St, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: Mon to Thu and Sun 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, Fri to Sat 8:00 am to 10:00 pm
• Phone: 408-842-3454

Coyote Ridge Trail

is a roughly 3.4 mile loop reached from the Mendoza entrance of Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park, climbing through grassland and oak woodland to ridge top views of southern Santa Clara County.

• Access: Mendoza Ranch entrance off Leavesley Road, Gilroy
• Distance: about 3.4 miles, loop
• Fee: none at the Mendoza and Harvey Bear Ranch parking lots

Mt. Madonna County Park covers roughly 3,700 acres of redwood forest ten miles west of Gilroy on Highway 152, with a 14 mile trail system for hikers and equestrians, four campgrounds with 116 sites, and yurt rentals.

• Address: 7850 Pole Line Rd, Watsonville, CA 95076 (main entrance)
• Hours: Daily, 8:00 am to sunset; trails open at sunrise
• Fee: $6 vehicle day use fee

Coyote Lake Harvey Bear Ranch County Park spans about 6,695 acres east of Gilroy around a 449 acre lake stocked with black bass, bluegill, and Eurasian carp. Power boating and kayaking run mid April through mid October; swimming is not permitted, and more than 30 miles of trail wind through the surrounding hills.

• Address: 10840 Coyote Lake Rd, Gilroy, CA 95020
• Hours: Daily, 8:00 am to sunset
• Fee: $6 vehicle day use fee at the Coyote Lake entrance; no fee at Harvey Bear Ranch or Mendoza Ranch lots