At KPAO the main thing to know is 1) on departure turn 10 degrees right after clearing runway for noise, and 2) they will often extend the pattern for more space when it gets busy. On the departure/upwind leg, they may extend you to the train bridge or the auto bridge (Dumbarton bridge) before you turn crosswind. On your downwind leg, they may extend you to the amphitheatre, which is the white tent looking thing near Google. This actually runs into KNUQ (Moffet) airspace but the controllers coordinate this so it's fine. And don't extend unless they tell you!

For KSQL, new pilots mostly get tripped upon the departure procedures. You can fly the Hillsdale departure, Oracle departure, Coyote Hills departure, or Woodside departure. KSQL is a short hop from KSFO and under their jet approach, so the procedures are intended to create more predictable incoming/outgoing traffic. Annoyingly, these departures are not charted and instead published as part of the "voluntary noise abatement procedures" by the airport. You can read them here (PDF) https://www.smcgov.org/media/57331

Both are great little GA airports. I learned to fly with West Valley Flying Club and wholeheartedly recommend them. Friendly pilots and a supportive community. If you have questions, just pop into their office and you're likely to find someone you can ask (and get stuck talking about airplanes for an hour :)).

For PAO specifically, also helpful to know where KGO (trio of radio antennas alongside bridges), the Dish / Stanford, Sunken Ship (what it sounds like), the Birdhouse (round structure between Amphitheater and PAO), Amphitheater (as well explained in top comment), 101, and train/auto bridges which often get used as visual landmarks.

For SQL, I can’t really remember too many landmarks that get used often other than Cement Plant (cement plant on the bay slightly past south side of the field) and AT&T (big grey building).