Shoreline Amphitheatre is one of the major outdoor concert venues in the Bay Area, with a lawn capacity of around 22,000. The venue sits at the edge of Shoreline Park, right on the bay, and on a clear evening the sight lines extend to the hills across the water. The lawn seating is the democratic option — bring a blanket, arrive early, and you have one of the better outdoor concert experiences in Northern California.
The amphitheatre has hosted virtually every major touring act since it opened in 1986: the Rolling Stones, Metallica, Paul McCartney, Phish. It also has a close relationship with Google, whose campus sits next door — employees sometimes walk over from work for evening shows. Check the schedule before you visit Mountain View; if anything worth seeing is playing, the show is a legitimate reason to base yourself here rather than San Francisco.
Parking is extensive but expensive. The Shoreline boulevard bike path offers a pleasant alternative from downtown Mountain View, roughly three kilometres each way.