Morgan Hill

Long before Silicon Valley come to be known as tech country, it was farm country. And the town of Morgan Hill, located about 20 miles south of San Jose, is still keeping that tradition alive. This mellow Santa Clara County community offers a thriving farm-to-table food and wine scene as well as railroad history, lots of green space, and a quaint downtown.

History of Morgan Hill

While the land where Morgan Hill lies was the home of the Muwekma Ohlone tribe for thousands of years, the town’s modern history began in the mid-1800s when pioneers settled here after crossing the Sierra Nevada range. The town became a stop on the Southern Pacific Railroad line and, by the 1920s, was known for its fruit and nut crops. Peaches, cherries, walnuts, and even wine grapes were prominent until Prohibition thwarted local wine production.

Explore some of that history by visiting Villa Mira Monte, the former home of Diana and Hiram Morgan Hill, who indirectly named the town. The San Francisco–based couple built their Queen Anne–style “country estate” in 1884 near the train depot, just north of downtown. The area around their home became casually known as Morgan Hill’s Ranch and as a result, train conductors started shouting “Morgan Hill” as trains rolled into the station. Today, the house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and sits next to the Morgan Hill Museum (a 1911 Craftsman house filled with local artifacts) and the Centennial History Trail, which has markers highlighting the area’s history. Stroll the 2.5-acre grounds of the house and museum on your own or take one of the scheduled docent-led tours from the Morgan Hill Historical Society.

Where to Explore and Play in Morgan Hill

Head south into downtown to experience more of the local culture. Start at the downtown parking garage which is home to a striking piece of public art: a giant tarantula sculpture and a stairway seemingly encased in a local gemstone known as Morgan Hill Poppy Jasper. Around the corner you’ll find a mural depicting the town’s agricultural history.

Take one of the Saturday guided walking tours, or browse the offerings of independent shops along Monterey and Del Monte avenues—such as the vintage housewares at Murphy’s Mercantile, the jewelry and crystals at The Secret Door, and ice cream at La Playa Ice Cream Shop. Check out Buy Local Morgan Hill for pop-up shopping events like Sidewalk Saturdays or the Holiday Boutique. To play outside, hike the trails of the majestic oak-dotted Henry W. Coe State Park (at 87,000 acres, it’s Northern California’s largest state park), see the waterfall at Uvas Canyon County Park, or pedal the 15-mile path at Coyote Creek Parkway, a nice spot for spring wildflowers.
 

Fruit and Farm Fun in Morgan Hill

For solid proof that Morgan Hill is still a farm town, start at Andy’s Orchard, which specializes in stone fruits, as well as rare and heirloom produce such as Sparkle and Mara De Bois strawberries. Then check out KoopHaus Apiaries to learn about beekeeping and pick up some award-winning honeys, such as the Cinnamon Creamed Honey. Depending on the time of year, you can also learn about growing tomatoes at Terra Amico Farms or gather your own cherries at U-Pick Orchards.

Where to Dine, and Taste Local Wine, Beer, and Spirits

You can also experience the town’s agricultural heritage just by pulling up a chair or barstool in the town’s thriving culinary scene. Downtown is home to more than 30 restaurants, including Mediterranean standout Odeum, helmed by Michelin-starred chef Salvatore Calisi, and Ladera Grill, which has won a Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. To focus on local produce, head to Craft Roots Vegan Bar & Grill or MoHi Farm restaurant, a health-conscious diner that offers salads, bowls, burgers, and even house wines created from local crops as well as herbs from the restaurant’s patio planters.

Indeed, the vineyards of Morgan Hill have rebounded well since Prohibition. There are now 15 Morgan Hill wineries along the Santa Clara Valley Wine Trail. Sample Cabernets, Pinot Noirs, and Chardonnays at wineries such as EmmaLily Vineyards, Alara Cellars, and Guglielmo Winery, or combine your tastings with live music events held regularly at the wineries along the trail. If you’d rather sip beer or cider, stop in at The Running Shop and Hops, where you’ll find dozens of rotating taps, or head to Kelly Brewing Company (try the apricot sour beer, fueled with fruit from Andy’s Orchard), or hard cider from TenFiveOne Cider Co., which uses local cherries for its Bada Bing cider.

Plan Your Trip

With a selection of hotels comprised of more than a dozen familiar chains, Morgan Hill makes a convenient and affordable home base for any Silicon Valley getaway. As you plan your trip, check out Morgan Hill’s calendar and consider options such as summer’s fruit-picking season or annual events including the Morgan Hill Plein Air Paint Out, the Morgan Hill Mushroom Festival, and The Poppy Jasper International Film Festival.