22 hindu temples in the san francisco bay area (2026) — silicon valley to SF, the complete guide

tldr: the SF bay area has 22+ hindu temples — one of the highest concentrations outside india. the must-visits: shiva-vishnu livermore (largest in northern california, stunning gopuram), ISKCON berkeley (free daily lunch + legendary sunday feast), vedanta society SF (the first hindu temple in the western hemisphere, built 1906), and BAPS milpitas (modern glass design). the south bay/silicon valley corridor has the densest cluster — milpitas alone has 5 temples.

the bay area temple scene

the san francisco bay area has one of the highest concentrations of hindu temples outside india. the reason is obvious: silicon valley. google, apple, meta, nvidia, cisco, and hundreds of tech companies have drawn an enormous indian workforce to the south bay, and the temples followed.

the result: 22+ temples spanning every tradition — south indian, north indian, swaminarayan, ISKCON, shaivite, shakta, vedantic, pushti marg, and more. most are clustered in the south bay (milpitas, sunnyvale, san jose, santa clara) and east bay (fremont, livermore, concord). san francisco proper has only two — vedanta society (historic) and BAPS (community hub).

there’s also a mountaintop hanuman temple in the santa cruz mountains overlooking monterey bay. because of course there is.

quick comparison: all 22 temples

#	temple	location	tradition	food	best for
1	shiva-vishnu temple (HCCC)	livermore	pan-hindu (dravidian + nagara)	canteen + prasad	largest in NorCal, architecture
2	fremont hindu temple	fremont	pan-hindu	sunday priti bhoj	east bay community, est. 1984
3	BAPS mandir	milpitas	swaminarayan	snack store	modern design, well-organized
4	BAPS mandir	san francisco	swaminarayan	prasad	only BAPS in SF proper
5	sunnyvale hindu temple	sunnyvale	pan-hindu	preeti bhoj (multiple days)	community meals, yoga
6	karya siddhi hanuman	fremont	hanuman (SGS)	prasad	hanuman devotees
7	shiv durga temple	santa clara	north indian (durga)	community kitchen	durga devotees, hindi classes
8	vedanta society	san francisco	ramakrishna-vedanta	no	history (first western hindu temple)
9	ISKCON berkeley	berkeley	hare krishna	FREE daily lunch + sunday feast	free food, accessible by BART
10	ISKCON silicon valley	mountain view	hare krishna	free food 3x/week	south bay tech crowd
11	shiva murugan temple	concord	south indian (tamil)	festival prasad	tamil community, east bay
12	ashtalakshmi temple	fremont	lakshmi (8 forms)	prasad	lakshmi devotees, granite maha meru
13	shirdi sai darbar	sunnyvale	shirdi sai	prasad	sai baba devotees
14	VEDA temple	milpitas	south indian (satyanarayana)	prasad	telugu community
15	radha krishna temple	san jose	JKYog (vaishnavism)	prasad	sunday satsang
16	balaji matha temple	san jose	south indian (tirupati)	prasad	tirupati devotees, homeless feeding
17	shreemaya krishnadham	milpitas	pushti marg (shrinathji)	prasad	gujarati community
18	sri krishna balaram	milpitas	krishna-balaram	prasad	arts + cow sanctuary
19	sankata mochana hanuman	newark	hanuman	prasad	hanuman devotees, east bay
20	siddhi vinayaka center	fremont	ganesha	prasad	ganesha devotees
21	VVGC hindu temple	san martin	ganesha + venkateswara	prasad	largest campus (13 acres)
22	sankat mochan hanuman	watsonville (mount madonna)	hanuman	cafe on-site	mountaintop pilgrimage

the flagship temples

1. shiva-vishnu temple (HCCC) — livermore

address: 1232 arrowhead ave, livermore, CA 94551 | phone: (925) 449-6255

the largest and most prominent hindu temple in northern california. inaugurated in 1986 on a 10-acre parcel acquired in 1981, this temple uniquely combines south indian dravidian and north indian nagara architectural styles — you’ll see both the towering gopuram with intricate carvings and the north indian temple elements in one campus.

deities: lord shiva, lord vishnu, lord jagannath, kartikeya, ganesha, mata parvathi, sridevi, bhudevi, ram darbar (ram-lakshman-sita), hanuman, navagrahas, radha-krishna, balaji-sridevi-bhudevi. whatever your tradition, there’s a shrine here.

the free food program is core to this temple’s identity. they serve tamarind rice, sambar, vadai, yogurt rice. prasadam is distributed after pujas. there’s also a canteen serving vegetarian meals and snacks.

visitor tips: arrive early on weekends — this is one of the most visited temples in the bay area. modest clothing, remove shoes. free parking on the temple grounds.

2. ISKCON berkeley — berkeley

address: 2334 stuart st, berkeley, CA 94705

if you want free food in the bay area, this is your temple. ISKCON berkeley serves free vegetarian lunch daily from 1-2 pm. the sunday love feast at 5 pm is legendary — chanting, bhagavad gita discourse, and a full vegetarian feast, all free. it’s one of the oldest ISKCON temples in the US (opened 1975, originally from SF).

the annual rathayatra festival (chariot parade) is a major bay area event.

this is also one of the few temples accessible via public transit — you can get here by BART (ashby station) and a short walk.

3. vedanta society of northern california — san francisco

new temple: 2323 vallejo st, san francisco, CA 94123 | old temple: 2963 webster st | phone: (415) 922-2323

this is history. the vedanta society was founded in 1900 by a direct disciple of swami vivekananda. the old temple at 2963 webster st, built in 1906, is the FIRST hindu temple built in the western hemisphere. the architecture is wild — a mix of taj mahal influences, bengal temple design, and european castle elements, symbolizing the harmony of all religions. it survived the 1906 earthquake. people often mistake it for the russian embassy because of its onion-domed towers.

the new temple (dedicated 1959) at 2323 vallejo st is the active worship center. this isn’t a traditional temple — it’s more of a spiritual society focused on vedanta philosophy, meditation, and interfaith dialogue. open mon, wed-sat 10 am-5 pm, sun 1-4 pm.

visitor tip: use the intercom at the front door. they have a bookstore with spirituality texts.

4. BAPS shri swaminarayan mandir — milpitas

address: 1430 california circle, milpitas, CA 95035 | phone: (408) 263-2277

nestled within a glass structure blending traditional faith with modern elegance — one of the more visually striking BAPS mandirs in the country. part of the global BAPS network. fully wheelchair accessible. very well-organized, clean, and welcoming to visitors of all backgrounds.

in-house store sells indian snacks, puja materials, and groceries at reasonable prices.

darshan hours: mon-fri 7-11 am, 11:30 am-12 pm, 4-5:45 pm, 6:30-8:30 pm | sat-sun 7-11 am, 11:30 am-5:45 pm, 6:30-8:30 pm | aarti at 7 am and 6:30 pm daily

silicon valley corridor (milpitas, sunnyvale, santa clara, san jose)

this is where the density is. milpitas alone has 5 hindu temples. the south bay corridor mirrors the tech workforce — google (mountain view), apple (cupertino), meta (menlo park), nvidia (santa clara) — and the indian communities that surround them.

5. sunnyvale hindu temple & community center

address: 450 persian dr, sunnyvale, CA 94089 | phone: (408) 734-4554

one of the most active temples in silicon valley. preeti bhoj (community meals) served by volunteers on sundays, wednesdays, first friday of the month, poornima, and all big festivals. devotees can sponsor specific days.

yoga and spiritual discourses on sundays in the adjoining community center. multiple priests available. well-maintained.

hours: 7:30 am - 9:00 pm daily | day aarti: weekdays 12 pm, sat 11:30 am, sun 1:30 pm | evening aarti: 8:30 pm daily

6. shiv durga temple of bay area — santa clara

address: 3550 flora vista ave, santa clara, CA 95051 | phone: (408) 738-8273

goddess durga as the main deity plus sri ram darbar, radha krishna, ganesh, hanuman, shiv parvati, sai baba, gajanan maharaj, and navgraha. strong north indian devotional tradition. 100,000 hindu pilgrims visit per year.

inaugurated december 2012. runs a community kitchen, hindi classes, and yoga sessions. weekly aarti, kirtan, and religious discourse.

hours: daily 9 am-12:30 pm & 5-8:30 pm

7. ISKCON of silicon valley — mountain view

address: 1965 latham st, mountain view, CA 94040 | phone: (650) 336-7993

serving the massive indian tech community near google HQ. free food distribution after services on sundays, saturdays, and wednesdays. sunday programs 6-8 pm with lectures and aarti.

hours: mon-fri 4:30 am-1:30 pm & 6-8:30 pm | sat 4:30 am-8:30 pm | sun 4:30 am-5:30 pm

8. VEDA sri satyanarayana swamy devasthanam — milpitas

address: 475 los coches st, milpitas, CA 95035 | phone: (408) 971-7852

south indian tradition. run by VEDA (vedic education and devotional academy). started 2007, permanent building since 2010. active telugu community hub.

hours: mon-fri 10 am-1 pm & 5:30-9 pm | sat-sun 9 am-9 pm

9. shreemaya krishnadham — milpitas

address: 25 corning ave, milpitas, CA 95035

lord krishna worshipped as shrinathji following vallabhacharya’s pushti marg tradition. one of the west coast’s largest pushti marg temples. important hub for the gujarati community.

hours: sun 10 am-8 pm | mon-fri 2-8 pm | sat 10 am-8 pm

10. balaji matha temple — san jose

address: 5004 N first st, san jose, CA 95002 | phone: (408) 203-1036

tirupati-style temple with sri venkateswara and padmavati as main deities. also houses ganesha, durga, murugan, shiva, and others. daily worship, meditation, vedas/upanishad study, hatha yoga, and cultural programs. satyanarayana puja on every poornima.

what sets this apart: they feed local homeless every third thursday. community service built into the temple’s mission.

hours: mon-fri 9 am-8:30 pm | sat-sun 7:30 am-8:30 pm

11. radha krishna temple of bay area — san jose

address: 4411 hyland ave, san jose, CA 95127

associated with JKYog (jagadguru kripaluji yog). growing community around devotional practices. daily prayers mon-sat 7:30-8:30 pm. sunday satsang 11 am-1 pm.

east bay (fremont, concord, newark)

12. fremont hindu temple (vedic dharma samaj) — fremont

address: 3676 delaware dr, fremont, CA 94538 | phone: (510) 659-0655

one of the oldest temples in the east bay — community purchased the building in 1982, officially established 1984. traditional hindu temple construction completed in april 2006. three buildings: religious space, cultural center + priest quarters, and a dedicated 1,000 sq ft kitchen.

sunday priti bhoj serves 200-400 people with community-cooked vegetarian food. deities: shiva, hanuman, sri lakshmi, sri balaji, ganesh, navagraha.

13. karya siddhi hanuman temple — fremont

address: 4300 hansen ave, fremont, CA 94536 | phone: (888) 368-5748

lord hanuman as the main deity. associated with sri ganapathy sachchidananda swamiji’s ashram tradition. daily nitya pujas at 8:30 am and 5:30 pm. kakada aarti every day at 8 pm.

hours: sun 9 am-1 pm & 6-8 pm | mon-fri 8-10 am & 6:30-8 pm | sat 9 am-1 pm & 6-8 pm

14. sri ashta lakshmi temple — fremont

address: 37270 niles blvd, fremont, CA 94536 | phone: (510) 676-6635

dedicated to the eight forms of goddess lakshmi (ashtalakshmi) representing health, wealth, prosperity, and success. features a sri chakram/maha meru made of granite (three-dimensional) — a standout feature you won’t find in most US temples.

hours: 8:30 am-12:30 pm & 5:30-8:30 pm

15. shiva murugan temple — concord

address: 1803 2nd st, concord, CA 94519 | phone: (925) 326-1746

south indian tamil tradition. lord shiva and lord murugan (kartikeya/subramanya). serves the east bay/contra costa county hindu community.

hours: mon-fri 10 am-12 pm & 6-8:30 pm | sat-sun 10 am-8:30 pm

san francisco proper

16. vedanta society

(covered above)

17. BAPS mandir — san francisco

address: 333 tunnel ave, san francisco, CA 94134 | phone: (415) 859-9316

the only BAPS mandir in SF proper. serves the city’s hindu community.

the pilgrimage: mount madonna hanuman temple

18. sankat mochan hanuman temple — watsonville (mount madonna)

address: 445 summit rd, watsonville, CA 95076 | phone: (408) 847-0406

this is the bay area’s hidden gem. a mountaintop hanuman temple overlooking monterey bay, about 1 hour from silicon valley, in the santa cruz mountains. north indian architectural style. the setting is unlike any other temple in the US — dense forest, mountain air, ocean views.

important: open to the public only on tuesdays and saturdays. morning arati sat/tue at 6:30 am (arrive between 6-7:30 am, no reservation needed). vehicle parking booking required for other times.

anjaneya’s world cafe on-site: saturdays 11 am-5:30 pm, tuesdays 4-5:30 pm.

visitor tip: treat this as a day trip/pilgrimage, not a casual visit. the drive up the mountain road is narrow and winding. worth every minute.

more temples

19. sri krishna balaram mandir — milpitas

address: 680 E calaveras blvd, milpitas, CA 95035 | phone: (408) 657-8485

india heritage foundation initiative. also operates sri krishna balaram goshala (cow sanctuary) at 2425 old calaveras rd, milpitas.

20. sankata mochana hanuman temple — newark

address: 35463 dumbarton ct, newark, CA 94560 | phone: (510) 378-1770

dedicated hanuman temple in the east bay. smaller, community-focused.

hours: mon-fri 7-9 pm | sat-sun 11 am-1 pm & 7-9 pm

21. siddhi vinayaka cultural center — fremont

address: 40155 blacow rd, fremont, CA 94538 | phone: (510) 403-4256

ganesha-focused cultural center in fremont.

22. VVGC hindu temple — san martin

address: 11355 monterey rd, san martin, CA 95046

the largest hindu devotional campus in the south bay at 13 acres. lord ganesha, lord venkateswara, and goddess devi. founded 2003, purchased the san martin property in 2012. over $10 million invested in the campus.

festival calendar

festival	month	best temples
maha shivaratri	feb/mar	shiva-vishnu livermore, shiva murugan concord
holi	mar	ISKCON berkeley, ISKCON mountain view
ram navami	mar/apr	shiv durga santa clara, shiva-vishnu livermore
janmashtami	aug/sep	ISKCON berkeley + mountain view, shreemaya krishnadham
ganesh chaturthi	aug/sep	VVGC san martin, siddhi vinayaka fremont, fremont hindu temple
navaratri	sep/oct	shiv durga santa clara, sunnyvale hindu temple
diwali	oct/nov	all temples — BAPS milpitas and shiva-vishnu livermore draw the biggest crowds

practical tips

south bay temple crawl: milpitas has 5 temples within 10 minutes of each other. you could visit BAPS, VEDA temple, shreemaya krishnadham, and sri krishna balaram in a single morning. add sunnyvale hindu temple (15 min south) for a full day.

free food guide:

ISKCON berkeley — free lunch daily 1-2 pm, sunday feast at 5 pm
ISKCON mountain view — free food sun/sat/wed
sunnyvale hindu temple — preeti bhoj on sun, wed, first friday, poornima
fremont hindu temple — sunday priti bhoj (200-400 people)
shiva-vishnu livermore — canteen + prasad after pujas

public transit: ISKCON berkeley is BART-accessible (ashby station). vedanta society SF is accessible by muni bus. everything else requires a car.

the mount madonna experience: budget a full day. drive the mountain road carefully. bring layers (cooler at the summit). only tuesdays and saturdays. the cafe is worth eating at. this is a pilgrimage, not a quick stop.

what the auto-generated guides miss

the first hindu temple in the western hemisphere is in SF — vedanta society’s old temple at 2963 webster st, built 1906, survived the earthquake. no guide treats this with the historical significance it deserves.
ISKCON berkeley is a bay area institution — the free daily lunch program and sunday feast have been running for decades. this isn’t just a temple — it’s a community food resource.
the silicon valley temple density is unmatched — milpitas alone has 5 temples. sunnyvale, santa clara, san jose, and mountain view add another 6+. you could visit a different temple every day for three weeks and not run out.
mount madonna is a genuine pilgrimage — a hanuman temple on a mountaintop overlooking monterey bay, reachable only by a winding mountain road, open only two days a week. this is the kind of experience that can’t be templated into a holidify card.
balaji matha feeds the homeless — every third thursday. community service as dharma. most guides list temples as tourist destinations. this one integrates service into its identity.