Stanford University050

One of the most spectacular university campuses you will encounter, Stanford University provides a day full of adventure for families including tours, and the chance to visit bookstores and an art center. Also hosts a variety of cultural events through it's Lively Arts program. The beautiful campus, predominately sandstone Spanish architecture, is situated on 8,180 acres of rolling hills, making it the second largest university in the world. Stanford University was founded in 1891 by Leland Stanford Sr., a railroad baron who helped to build the Transcontinental Railroad, and his wife Jane, as a memorial to their son, Leland Stanford, Jr. The school has since grown to an enrollment of 14,000 students, roughly half graduate and half undergraduate. Visitors' Center: For those unfamilar with the campus, consider starting at the Visitors' Center, located at Memorial Auditorium (different from Memorial Church), directly across from Hoover Tower. Here you can pick up maps, self-guided tour information and general tips on what's happening on campus. Memorial Church: The church, completed in 1903 and recently renovated after the 1989 earthquake, houses magnificent stained glass windows and is open year round to the public 10am-5pm, except during religious services, weddings and holidays. Tours of the church are available on Fridays at 2pm. Tours: Walking tours leave from Memorial Auditorium every day at 11am and 3:15pm, aside from mid-December through early January. For a more leisurely experience, take a tour by golf cart, which leaves Memorial Auditorium every day at 1pm. Golf cart tours cost $5. Call 650.723.2560 to reserve a spot. Hoover Tower: One of the most recognizable and memorable sights on campus is Hoover Tower, which rises above the campus and is visible from the foothills surrounding the campus. Take the elevator to the outdoor 14th floor observation platform to get a fabulous view of the campus and the surrounding area. Open every day 10am-4:30pm. Admission $2 for adults, $1 for children. White Plaza: From Hoover Tower, stroll up to White Plaza, the heart of student activity. You will pass - or perhaps your children will be unwilling to leave - dramatic water fountains, especially one in front of the Stanford Bookstore. While there, wander into the bookstore to stock up on Stanford clothing for tots and grown-ups or to browse the extensive book selection. The Cantor Arts Center offers a wonderful array of paintings, sculture and artifacts from all over the world and the adjoining Rodin Sculpture Garden will enchant even the youngest. New Guinea Sculpture Garden: A relatively hidden gem, particularly for kids, this garden is located at Santa Teresa and Lomita Drive and always open. Children will love the enormous totem poles and carvings tucked away in this eucalyptus grove. Camps: Stanford University opens its luxurious facilities up to kids every summer by offering a series of different sports camps - roughly 20 in all - and at least one camp for Pirates on sailing ships. Most of the counselors are students at the college. Camps are run out of the Arillaga Family Sports Center (650.723.4591).