Visiting Silicon Valley (Google, Apple, and Meta)
This April, I had a chance to visit Silicon Valley for the first time (San Francisco the second time!). I was super excited because I have never been and heard so much about the area, and I was eager to check out Google, Meta, and Apple! My first impression was that I totally loved the creative street signs such as “Innovation” street.
First Stop: Google
The first stop was Google and the campus buildings looked very fun with all the vibrant colors and furniture. Google has always had a big positive impact on me from allowing me to excel on multiple design projects to building out successful businesses with my team using the company’s useful products. I also did a couple Google Sprints during university and they were tough indeed! It was amazing to see the main office in real life.
Nearby was a big park area and also the new campus being built. I took a lot of photos outside Googleplex of course (and with the Android robot and dinosaur) and also tried out the Google bike for a bit. People there seemed super friendly. Unfortunately as there were still some COVID restrictions, I didn’t get to see the inside of the office (and check out the slide). I was able to visit a couple other offices in Washington with other Googler friends though and loved the atmosphere there. Can’t wait to go into this one another time!
Me riding on a Google bike!
Second Stop: Apple
Next stop was Apple Park Visitor Centre as we couldn’t visit Apple office. I have always loved Apple for their focus on the users, design, and minimalism. The visitor centre looked really big, had a lot of exclusive merchandise, and was crowded. I especially liked the cafe and balcony area to chat with friends. We saw a lot of employees get picked up by the Apple bus after work!
This Apple store was so beautiful (they even had a balcony area).
Third Stop: Meta
To wrap up the day, we took a stop at Meta and it also looked beautiful. There was a garden you can visit too, we didn’t get to spend too long there but took some photos and admired the architecture! I grew up with Facebook and saw the platform change over the years. It was interesting to see the iconic Facebook sign with the thumbs up get changed to this new Meta sign and branding now. I am excited for what Meta will be building.
The short trip to Silicon Valley was very memorable, as I got to see the main offices and how much effort Google, Apple, and Meta put into creating a positive employee experience. I look forward to visiting these main offices again soon!