Few locations are as stunning as California. The state has a few of the finest seashores, cities, and hikes in all the United States. Located in Northern California only one hour south of San Francisco, San Jose is without doubt one of the finest cities on the west coast.
San Jose is a vacationer scorching spot. There are many issues to do in San Jose, from heritage points of interest to pure surroundings and mountaineering trails. It can be identified for its cutting-edge tech motion and academic alternatives. It is residence to San Jose State University, Santa Clara University, and even Silicon Valley, the house of the tech trade.
Top issues to do in San Jose, California
Visiting San Jose is unquestionably a kind of issues that it’s best to take into account if you’re street tripping by way of this a part of the United States. The metropolis is fast-paced and at all times maintaining with the most recent developments and developments. However, it additionally has a powerful sense of historical past and heritage. Get prepared as a result of these are the twenty-five finest issues to do in San Jose, California.
You’ll discover enjoyable actions throughout this cool metropolis. Whatever you select, we’ve little doubt that you should have a good time. But make certain to try our options of issues to do in San Jose to get you began.
A good way to get round California is by automotive. This makes doing day journeys to locations like Monterey, Silicon Valley, and wineries a lot simpler to discover. Check automotive rental costs for San Jose right here.
1. Shop on Santana Row
San Jose’s Silicon Valley is fairly darn well-known. It’s identified for the most important assortment of tech corporations and is at all times concerned in the most recent and best tasks. But, if you’d like to choose up a brand new gadget as a memento, buying on Santana Row is without doubt one of the finest issues to do in San Jose.
Santana Row is the place you may choose the fruits of Silicon Valley labor. It is a industrial district, booming with life and flooded with eating places, outlets, and plazas. Shopping lovers and tech fans alike will get pleasure from strolling the streets.
There is sufficient to see (and purchase) on Santana Row to preserve you occupied for at the very least half a day. However, should you embrace a visit to the Santana Row cinema, enable a full day to admire the district.
2. San Jose Improv
Fancy fun? San Jose Improv has been a dependable venue for a giggle because it opened in 2002. The venue hosts superstar comedians and newcomers, performing as a ladder for up-and-coming west coast artists and a venue for in-demand performers.
The NYC-born chain opened in the 60s and branched out to San Jose on the flip of the century. Catching a comedy present is a enjoyable approach to spend a night. We suggest checking the schedule for occasions that coincide along with your go to to San Jose.
The San Jose Improv theater is lavishly embellished, with snug seats and each seat in the home presents good views of the stage. Don’t fear an excessive amount of about last-minute tickets having insufficient seating – in spite of everything, sitting additional again simply means you’re much less possible to get referred to as upon once you don’t need to be.
3. Institute of Contemporary Art
If you’re an artwork lover then you will have to spend a while in Downtown San Jose at one of many many artwork galleries. The Institute of Contemporary Art is the right spot for shopping and admiring and is break up into three totally different gallery areas. Some items are everlasting, however most are non permanent, which means the San Jose Institute is at all times recent and thrilling.
The Institute has a large proportion of native and lesser-known artists. We’d suggest a go to to anybody who desires a thought-provoking and recent outlook on artwork, San Jose, and society. Some items are extra summary than others; the Institute has even introduced video video games and LED lights exhibitions.
Just to fully seal the deal, the Institute of Contemporary Art can be free to enter. Interesting, budget-friendly, and appropriate to get pleasure from in all climate, the Institute is unquestionably an attraction in your itinerary.
4. California Theatre
The California Theatre is one other venue in your night itineraries. The Nineteen Twenties-built image home is gorgeous and hosts performs, live shows, and stay occasions. It has that elegant and intimate really feel, with seats curved round a stage you’re feeling that you could possibly virtually contact should you tried.
For a traditional theatre expertise, an evening at this venue ticks all of the packing containers. You can test the upcoming schedule to see what occasions align along with your go to dates. The theatre has hosted the West Side Story play, Die Fledermaus opera, and even lectures by physicists and different trade consultants.
There are occasions most nights, so there’s a excessive chance that you will discover one thing of curiosity. For an additional deal with, you should buy foods and drinks on the venue earlier than or after the present.
5. Almaden Quicksilver County Park
Sometimes you need to escape to nature with out having to ‘escape’ too far. Almaden Quicksilver County Park in San Jose’s finest reply to this conundrum.
The Mockingbird Hill Entrance to the nation park is only a twenty-minute drive south of San Jose City Center. You might be transported from San Jose’s streets to a stupendous, hilly panorama in lower than half an hour. Almaden Quicksilver County Park is nice for mountaineering to scenic viewpoints and has a number of mining historical past. You can incorporate visiting outdated mining infrastructure into your walks. The park is finest for many who need hills and historical past.
Almaden Quicksilver County Park has practically forty miles of mountaineering trails and thirty miles of bridleways. You can discover the nation park on foot or arrange a path trip with native stables. Either approach, the park is well a full-day exercise. You ought to enable at the very least a morning to admire the flora and stress-free, pure setting.
6. Lexington Reservoir County Park
Speaking of areas of pure magnificence, Lexington Reservoir County Park is one other wonderful place to go to simply outdoors the San Jose middle.
The 950-acre park will get its namesake from the huge synthetic lake in its middle. While swimming is prohibited, you may get pleasure from a stroll across the reservoir – stopping at picnic areas and fishing spots. The reservoir itself is 338 acres and absolutely stocked with trout and black bass, amongst different fish.
This county park is a good place to spend a day by the water. Fishing lovers and households will significantly admire the lake entry. It can be effectively mixed with a go to to Testarossa Winery, situated simply ten minutes up the street.
7. Tech Interactive
You can’t go to the house of Silicon Valley with out visiting the Tech Interactive Museum. Tech is an integral a part of San Jose’s historical past and future, so the place higher to be taught extra about this contemporary world we stay in.
Tech Interactive is ready in the midst of all of the Downtown San Jose motion. The museum has the whole lot from experimental labs to design problem experiences – deliberate to make you assume and uncover for your self, slightly than feeding secondhand data by way of boring exhibitions.
Tech Interactive is family-friendly however not at all excludes adults with out kids. Guests of all ages will benefit from the museum, so mark it down as a powerful possibility when visiting San Jose.
Where to Stay in San Jose
Recommended inns to get you began. If you’re questioning the place to keep in San Jose, first-timers will get pleasure from making a base downtown.
8. Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph
The Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph is undoubtedly one of many prettiest buildings in San Jose. The Catholic cathedral is filled with all that attribute extravagance, lined from ground to ceiling in gorgeous architectural options and spiritual significance.
The Odell Organ is especially spectacular and was constructed in 1886 – not that you simply’d guess that from its excellently maintained situation. The ceiling is gold-plated and options elaborate domes and ornament. Between the stained glass home windows, spiritual statues, and calming environment, the cathedral is sufficient to impress you no matter your spiritual beliefs.
A tour is one of the simplest ways to expertise the great thing about the Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph. Tours run on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 1 pm and three pm.
9. Guadalupe River Park
Guadalupe River Park is barely totally different from the parks we’ve lined. Guadalupe is an inner-city park situated smack bang in the center of Downtown San Jose. Behind the treetops, you may nonetheless see town’s skyscrapers, and the park has a pure solace in a metropolis really feel, slightly than feeling fully reduce off from civilization.
Guadalupe has 2.6 miles of mountaineering and biking trails, which is ideal for these wanting a stretch of their legs. It is widespread to see morning joggers or professionals taking lunch breaks in the park. But, as a vacationer, it’s good to be a part of them.
This park is a good place to expertise the city group and admire internal metropolis greenspace. Thanks to its downtown location, it’s simply added to even essentially the most packed itineraries.
10. Happy Hollow Park and Zoo
Happy Hollow Park and Zoo wears many belts. The park is an amusement park, petting zoo, and unique zoo all in one.
Happy Hollow Park is situated in Kelley Park, a 250-acre inexperienced house close to town middle. While the zoo is comparatively small, it homes over 150 animals – lots of whom are rescued or endangered members of a conservation breeding program.
Visitors can become involved with dealing with animals, come face-to-face with unique animals, or let free on the amusement park rides. You may attend particular workshops, with instructional and sensible alternatives to deepen your data of the animal kingdom.
11. Plaza de Cesar Chavez
Did we point out how superb Downtown San Jose is? Just to reiterate, Downtown San Jose is without doubt one of the finest locations to discover in town. And, if you’d like a selected spot to admire this space of San Jose, Plaza de Cesar Chavez is our high suggestion.
Plaza de Cesar Chavez is without doubt one of the hottest out of doors areas in town. In the middle is a statue of the Mayan god Quetzalcoatl and an space of water jets that spurt up from floor degree in a fairly show.
Plaza de Cesar Chavez is a must-visit should you go to San Jose in summer season or close to Christmas. In summer season, the water fountains and greenspace make the park a stunning, cool house to calm down open air. Near Christmas, the entire space is decked out with festive pop-up buildings and actions. Watch out for the ice skating rink, a spotlight attraction of the yr.
12. Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is unbelievable; there isn’t a denying that. The museum is devoted to historical Egypt, displaying the most important assortment on historical Egyptian artifacts in Western North America. It consists of exhibitions on burial processes and different notable traditions.
Some of essentially the most useful artifacts are mummies, together with a mummy from Usermontu’s coffin. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum isn’t one for the squeamish or loss of life averse, because it dives straight into all of the gory, sensible particulars about burials.
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is an interesting exercise should you like historical historical past. However, it is a fascinating sufficient museum to preserve the typical customer as effectively. Even Rosicrucian Park, the place the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is ready, is embellished in Egyptian type, with Egyptian buildings and palm bushes to set the scene.
13. San Jose Museum of Art
Are modern paintings shows not your factor? Or do you simply desire a bigger venue than that of San Jose’s Institute? The San Jose Museum of Art is a perfect place to indulge additional in your love of artwork.
The San Jose Museum of Art has the whole lot, from modern to trendy artwork. It has over 2,500 items in its everlasting assortment and extra non permanent exhibitions which might be consistently shifting and altering. It is well-worth permitting at the very least just a few hours to see all of it, plus longer if you’d like to take it in as an fanatic or skilled.
The San Jose Museum of Art is a good wet day exercise or only a place to broaden your creative consciousness and data. It has one of many largest collections of artwork in town, and it’s one in all our high suggestions on issues to do in San Jose.
14. Japanese Friendship Garden
The Japanese Friendship Garden is a small, walled, six-acre backyard in Kelley Park. If you haven’t visited a conventional Japanese backyard earlier than, you actually ought to. The Japanese Friendship Garden in Kelley Park is an ideal instance, with streams, bridges, and ponds interconnected in a meticulous backyard.
The backyard is designed to symbolize peace and friendship, and it has a particular environment of serenity. The little bridges are good to stroll in firm or alone, deep in thought. The Japanese Friendship Garden is a good possibility if you’d like a soothing factor to do in San Jose.
San Jose’s Japanese Friendship Garden is so stunning that it’s usually used for out of doors marriage ceremony ceremonies. Take a stroll by way of and admire it your self – you solely want a spare hour.
15. A day journey to the Santa Cruz Mountains
A day in the mountains is difficult to resist. The Santa Cruz Mountains break up Santa Clara Valley from San Francisco Bay and are solely an hour’s drive from San Jose Center.
The mountain vary is coastal, and plenty of of its mountaineering trails have ocean views overlooking San Francisco Bay. The Santa Cruz Mountains are additionally well-known for his or her redwood bushes – the tallest tree species on the planet. While Santa Cruz doesn’t have any redwoods of record-breaking top, they’re nonetheless imposing.
You might hike the tallest mountain, Loma Prieta. You might go mountain biking by way of steep forest trails. Or, you could possibly calm down and spend a day wine tasting in one of many area’s many wineries – simply be sure you’ve acquired a protected trip again to town.
This South Bay Wineries Tour takes you on a VIP journey to 4 wineries from San Francisco together with in the foothills of the San Cruz Mountains together with Cupertino and Saratoga. Learn about wine making course of and pattern the very best wines in the San Francisco Bay space. It features a picnic lunch. Details right here.
16. Japanese American Museum
The Japanese Friendship Gardens are fairly. But the Japanese American Museum is a superb place to be taught extra about Japanese American tradition and historical past.
The museum follows the story of Japanese immigration – from the preferred early roles taken in American society to the influence of World War Two on the group. The Japanese American Museum tackles heavy matters like discrimination whereas questioning the essence of the American identification.
Add this museum to your itinerary for a thought-provoking and insightful factor to do in San Jose.
17. Alum Rock Park
Alum Rock Park is an oldie however goldie. The public park is the oldest municipal park in California and a preferred afternoon journey from San Jose.
The park sits on the foothills of the Diablo Mountains and is roughly 720 acres in dimension. There are mountaineering, biking, horseback using trails, and mineral springs to bathe in. The park is lengthy established as a pure well being spa getaway and an important spot to go wild swimming.
In quick, this park is unbelievable. You can spot wildlife like red-tailed hawks and inexperienced herons. You can get lively on foot or on a motorbike. Or you may simply calm down and funky off in pure mineral water – which is at all times refreshing in Californian summers.
18. Yosemite National Park
A vacation in San Jose doesn’t imply limiting your self to spending the entire time in the San Jose space. The metropolis is ideally situated to discover California’s nationwide parks – so why not spend the day additional afield? You can simply lease a automotive in San Jose or buy a guided tour like this on GetYourInformation.
Tunnel View, Olmsted Point, Washburn Point, and Vernal Falls are viewpoints it’s best to prioritize on a flying go to to the nationwide park. If you spend various hours in Yosemite, you could possibly additionally sort out one of many shorter trails like Cook Meadow’s Loop, Sentinel Dome, or Mirror Lake.
Yosemite National Park is without doubt one of the most well-known parks in the United States, by no means thoughts simply California. The park is a four-hour drive away, so that you’ll want to set off early in the morning and should desire to have a number of drivers to make driving the space in someday possible. Alternatively, simply keep in Yosemite in a single day and add on the journey as a detour from San Jose.
You can ebook day excursions from San Jose to Yosemite National Park. This extremely rated tour
19. SAP Center
The SAP Center is a big area in the middle of San Jose. The area continuously hosts worldwide artists and is thought for its larger-than-life occasions. It has a capability of over 17,000 individuals and, on a very good day, you may guess that it fills it. When visiting it’s best to positively preserve a watch out for San Jose Shark video games on the SAP Center.
The San Jose Sharks are town’s ice hockey group, and the SAP Center is their revered residence floor. The SAP middle even has the nickname ‘the shark tank’. You’ll be rewarded with an electrical environment and a superb area expertise should you can catch a house recreation. The pleasure is infectious even should you haven’t watched ice hockey earlier than.
You can test the schedule on the San Jose Shark’s and SAP Center’s web sites. It’s finest to ebook tickets in advance to keep away from disappointment, as loyal followers rapidly snatch up accessible tickets.
20. Vasona Lake County Park
Vasona Lake Country Park is the cherry on the highest of San Jose’s nation parks. The park is situated in the residential space of Los Gatos. It spans a scenic 45 acres of trails, picnic areas, and inexperienced house.
In the middle of the park, very like Lexington Park, there’s a giant reservoir that’s appropriate and stocked for fishing. The reservoir is recognizable by many distinctive options, together with Goose Island (a tiny pure island on the lake) and the Vasona Lake Dam. Walking the lake perimeter is a stupendous approach to admire the park and the nice open air.
While Vasona Lake Country Park is far smaller than Lexington Country Park, it’s the only option if you’d like a brief lakeside expertise. A go to to Vasona simply suits into half a day, and you could possibly see the very best components in simply a few hours. If you’re quick on time, it’s a unbelievable possibility to get pleasure from suburban nature.
21. Winchester Mystery House
Visiting Winchester Mystery House is without doubt one of the most weird and creepy issues in San Jose. And if that isn’t sufficient to tempt you in for a go to, pay attention to this. Book this Winchester Mystery Tour
Winchester Mansion belonged to Sarah Winchester, a rich heiress of the Winchester Repeating Arms. With her fortune, Sarah commissioned the development of Winchester Mansion. However, the method was stricken by supernatural incidents. It quickly turned obvious that Winchester rifle victims have been haunting the home.
The building course of took a grand complete of 38 years. Even for a 160-room mansion, you’d be proper to assume that this timescale was on the excessively lengthy aspect. Your go to will make it extra comprehensible although, as Sarah commissioned many weird options to deter the hauntings. The mansion is sort of a real-life maze – with color-coded rooms and misleading routes like staircases main nowhere.
We suggest reserving a tour as, whereas a little bit costly, you’ll get essentially the most informative expertise this fashion. Winchester Mystery House is partly a San Jose heritage attraction and considerably a supernatural expertise. Either approach, although, it is without doubt one of the finest issues to do in town.
22. San Jose Flea Market
San Jose Flea Market is as a lot a cultural spot as it’s a market. Yes, you’ll discover all of the stalls with a various vary of products to purchase. But you’ll additionally discover free dance classes, trivia occasions, and a beer backyard.
The metropolis’s flea market has been in full swing because it opened its doorways in the Nineteen Sixties. You’ll discover over 800 sellers attending each weekend. However, there are additionally designated weekday market days, so don’t fret if you’re visiting San Jose through the week.
San Jose Flea Market has the whole lot – even stay music. The market has a stage that native performers can select to carry out to consumers on, and, as a rule, this stage attracts a little bit gathering. Visiting the market is a enjoyable factor to do in San Jose, whether or not you need to store or simply benefit from the environment.
23. San Pedro Square Market
San Pedro Square market has a barely totally different vibe. This market specializes in meals and appears like a casual meals courtroom.
You may very well be sampling a banh mi from On A Roll, a craft beer from Market Beer Co., or tucking into hand-rolled sushi at Hyland House of Sushi. San Pedro Square Market has the very best multi-cultural delicacies in all of San Jose, which is saying one thing, as San Jose has numerous scrumptious meals.
We suggest visiting San Pedro Market for lunch. A number of the meals is kind of snack-like slightly than sit-down meal dishes. Plus, you may at all times come again for dinner should you can’t resolve between two choices.
24. Los Gatos Creek Trail
Do you’re keen on a health problem? You ought to take into account strolling Los Gatos Creek Trail. The 11.2-mile path begins in Downtown San Jose and ends simply previous Lexington Reservoir. You’ll move Los Gatos County Park and Vasona Lake County Park – combining visiting a number of parks in someday.
After mountaineering in distant, pure areas, it’s good to combine issues up and take a suburban stroll. The trailhead can be remarkably straightforward to entry, which is useful if you’re quick on time or not hiring a automotive in San Jose.
As you will have guessed, Los Gatos Creek Trail follows Los Gatos Creek, a small river working south of San Jose. The path itself is tarmacked and bike-friendly, so you may at all times cycle it if you’d like to full the route faster. Otherwise, enable up to 5 hours to full Los Gatos Creek Trail on foot.
25. Children’s Discovery Museum
If you’re touring with younger companions, the Children’s Discovery Museum is a unbelievable, age-appropriate factor to do in San Jose.
The Children’s Discovery Museum goals to present simply that, with Montessori-style studying alternatives and specialised instructional areas. The museum is designed so mother and father can take the backseat and let their kids direct the household across the exhibitions. There are interactive theater performances, a water play zone, and a mammoth discovery exhibit.
How to Get to San Jose
The easiest method to get to San Jose is to fly. San Jose Airport is simply 3 miles from Downtown San Jose, so it’s fast and handy to switch from the airport to town middle.
Of course, if you’re street tripping the west coast or one other standard American street journey route, chances are you’ll want to drive to San Jose. Driving to San Jose is an effective possibility if you’d like to cease at locations en route, as town is surrounded by points of interest and pure surroundings. Make positive that your lodging presents parking; in any other case, parking might be problematic in town.
Getting Around
San Jose is extraordinarily well-connected by the VTA Light Rail and Bus system. While there isn’t a subway system, you don’t discover it and most positively aren’t inconvenienced with out one. The mild rail or bus is the best choice for a low-cost approach to get round San Jose.
If you keep centrally, you’ll find a way to discover many standard points of interest on foot. In Downtown San Jose, there are vacationer points of interest virtually in your resort’s doorstep.
Driving is sweet for day journeys and reaching points of interest on town outskirts. Avoid driving in town middle although, as visitors is terrible and typically strolling might be faster than driving.
Best Time to Visit
In quick, spring or fall are the very best instances to go to San Jose. Summer is heat however far too busy, and in winter, you miss out on having fun with the out of doors actions. Spring and fall are the very best of each worlds – not too busy however nonetheless well-suited to being open air.
To slender it down additional, May and October are the shoulder seasons and least expensive months to go to San Jose. Overall, May is a little bit hotter, so we suggest visiting then should you can.
To Conclude
San Jose is filled with unbelievable issues to do and see. The metropolis is without doubt one of the finest locations in Northern California. It is a superb various to the well-trodden streets of San Francisco.
You’ll be overwhelmed with leisure choices from the second you allow San Jose Airport – which, we predict, is essentially the most thrilling place to be in.