25 Issues to do in San Jose, California in 2022

Few locations are as lovely as California. The state has among the greatest seashores, cities, and hikes in your entire United States. Positioned in Northern California only one hour south of San Francisco, San Jose is without doubt one of the greatest cities on the west coast.

San Jose is a vacationer sizzling spot. There are lots of issues to do in San Jose, from heritage points of interest to pure surroundings and mountaineering trails. It’s also identified for its cutting-edge tech motion and academic alternatives. It’s residence to San Jose State College, Santa Clara College, and even Silicon Valley, the house of the tech business. 

Prime issues to do in San Jose, California

Visiting San Jose is certainly a kind of issues that it is best to take into account if you’re street tripping by means of this a part of the USA. Town is fast-paced and at all times maintaining with the newest traits and developments. Nevertheless, it additionally has a robust sense of historical past and heritage. Prepare as a result of these are the twenty-five greatest issues to do in San Jose, California.

You’ll discover enjoyable actions throughout this cool metropolis. No matter you select, now we have little doubt that you should have a good time. However make certain to take a look at our ideas of issues to do in San Jose to get you began.

An effective 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. Examine automotive rental costs for San Jose right here.

1. Store on Santana Row

San Jose’s Silicon Valley is fairly darn well-known. It’s identified for the biggest assortment of tech corporations and is at all times concerned within the newest and biggest tasks. However, if you wish to decide up a brand new gadget as a memento, purchasing on Santana Row is without doubt one of the greatest issues to do in San Jose.

Santana Row is the place you may decide the fruits of Silicon Valley labor. It’s a industrial district, booming with life and flooded with eating places, retailers, and plazas. Procuring lovers and tech fans alike will get pleasure from strolling the streets.

There is sufficient to see (and purchase) on Santana Row to maintain you occupied for no less than half a day. Nevertheless, for those who embody a visit to the Santana Row cinema, enable a full day to understand the district.

2. San Jose Improv

Fancy amusing? San Jose Improv has been a dependable venue for a giggle because it opened in 2002. The venue hosts celeb 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 within the 60s and branched out to San Jose on the flip of the century. Catching a comedy present is a enjoyable technique to spend a night. We advocate 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 affords 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 prone to get known as upon while you don’t need to be.

3. Institute of Modern Artwork

In case you are an artwork lover then it would be best to spend a while in Downtown San Jose at one of many many artwork galleries. The Institute of Modern Artwork is the right spot for looking and admiring and is cut up into three completely different gallery areas. Some items are everlasting, however most are momentary, that means the San Jose Institute is at all times contemporary and thrilling.

The Institute has a large proportion of native and lesser-known artists. We’d advocate a go to to anybody who needs a thought-provoking and contemporary 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.

Simply to fully seal the deal, the Institute of Modern Artwork can be free to enter. Attention-grabbing, budget-friendly, and appropriate to get pleasure from in all climate, the Institute is certainly 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 dwell occasions. It has that elegant and intimate really feel, with seats curved round a stage you are feeling that you could possibly nearly contact for those who tried.

For a basic theatre expertise, an evening at this venue ticks all of the bins. You possibly can verify the upcoming schedule to see what occasions align along with your go to dates. The theatre has hosted the West Facet Story play, Die Fledermaus opera, and even lectures by physicists and different business specialists.

There are occasions most nights, so there’s a excessive probability that you’ll find one thing of curiosity. For an additional deal with, you should buy food and drinks on the venue earlier than or after the present.

5. Almaden Quicksilver County Park

Typically you need to escape to nature with out having to ‘escape’ too far. Almaden Quicksilver County Park in San Jose’s greatest reply to this conundrum.

The Mockingbird Hill Entrance to the nation park is only a twenty-minute drive south of San Jose Metropolis Heart. You will be transported from San Jose’s streets to a ravishing, 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 possibly can incorporate visiting outdated mining infrastructure into your walks. The park is greatest for individuals who need hills and historical past.

Almaden Quicksilver County Park has practically forty miles of mountaineering trails and thirty miles of bridleways. You possibly can discover the nation park on foot or arrange a path journey with native stables. Both method, the park is definitely a full-day exercise. It’s best to enable no less than a morning to understand the flora and stress-free, pure atmosphere.

6. Lexington Reservoir County Park

Talking of areas of pure magnificence, Lexington Reservoir County Park is one other wonderful place to go to simply outdoors the San Jose heart.

The 950-acre park will get its namesake from the huge synthetic lake in its heart. Whereas 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 notably admire the lake entry. It’s also effectively mixed with a go to to Testarossa Vineyard, situated simply ten minutes up the street.

7. Tech Interactive

You possibly 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 study extra about this contemporary world we dwell in.

Tech Interactive is about within 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 suppose and uncover for your self, moderately than feeding secondhand info by means of boring exhibitions.

Tech Interactive is family-friendly however in no way excludes adults with out kids. Friends of all ages will benefit from the museum, so mark it down as a robust choice when visiting San Jose.

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 flooring to ceiling in gorgeous architectural options and spiritual significance.

The Odell Organ is especially spectacular and was in-built 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, non secular statues, and calming ambiance, the cathedral is sufficient to impress you no matter your non secular beliefs.

A tour is one of the simplest ways to expertise the fantastic thing about the Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph. Excursions run on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays between 1 pm and three pm.

9. Guadalupe River Park

Guadalupe River Park is barely completely different from the parks we’ve lined. Guadalupe is an inner-city park situated smack bang in the course of Downtown San Jose. Behind the treetops, you may nonetheless see the town’s skyscrapers, and the park has a pure solace in a metropolis really feel, moderately than feeling fully minimize 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 not uncommon to see morning joggers or professionals taking lunch breaks within the park. However, as a vacationer, it’s good to hitch them.

This park is a good place to expertise the city neighborhood and admire inside metropolis greenspace. Because of its downtown location, it’s simply added to even essentially the most packed itineraries.

10. Completely satisfied Hole Park and Zoo

Completely satisfied Hole Park and Zoo wears many belts. The park is an amusement park, petting zoo, and unique zoo multi functional.

Completely satisfied Hole Park is situated in Kelley Park, a 250-acre inexperienced house close to the town heart. Whereas the zoo is comparatively small, it homes over 150 animals – lots of whom are rescued or endangered members of a conservation breeding program.

Guests can get entangled with dealing with animals, come face-to-face with unique animals, or let free on the amusement park rides. You can even attend particular workshops, with instructional and sensible alternatives to deepen your information of the animal kingdom.

11. Plaza de Cesar Chavez

Did we point out how wonderful Downtown San Jose is? Simply to reiterate, Downtown San Jose is without doubt one of the greatest locations to discover within the metropolis. And, if you’d like a selected spot to understand 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 within the metropolis. Within the heart is a statue of the Mayan god Quetzalcoatl and an space of water jets that spurt up from floor degree in a reasonably show.

Plaza de Cesar Chavez is a must-visit for those who go to San Jose in summer season or close to Christmas. In summer season, the water fountains and greenspace make the park a beautiful, cool house to calm down open air. Close to Christmas, the entire space is decked out with festive pop-up buildings and actions. Be careful for the ice skating rink, a spotlight attraction of the yr.

12. Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is unbelievable; there isn’t any denying that. The museum is devoted to historical Egypt, displaying the biggest assortment on historical Egyptian artifacts in Western North America. It contains exhibitions on burial processes and different notable traditions.

Among the most respected artifacts are mummies, together with a mummy from Usermontu’s coffin. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum isn’t one for the squeamish or dying averse, because it dives straight into all of the gory, sensible particulars about burials.

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is a captivating exercise for those who like historical historical past. Nevertheless, it is an interesting sufficient museum to maintain the common customer as effectively. Even Rosicrucian Park, the place the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is about, is embellished in Egyptian type, with Egyptian buildings and palm bushes to set the scene.

13. San Jose Museum of Artwork

Are modern art work shows not your factor? Or do you simply desire a bigger venue than that of San Jose’s Institute? The San Jose Museum of Artwork is a perfect place to indulge additional in your love of artwork.

The San Jose Museum of Artwork has the whole lot, from modern to fashionable artwork. It has over 2,500 items in its everlasting assortment and extra momentary exhibitions which are continuously shifting and altering. It’s well-worth permitting no less than a couple of hours to see all of it, plus longer if you wish to take it in as an fanatic or skilled.

The San Jose Museum of Artwork is a good wet day exercise or only a place to broaden your inventive consciousness and information. It has one of many largest collections of artwork within the metropolis, and it’s one in every of our high suggestions on issues to do in San Jose.

14. Japanese Friendship Backyard

The Japanese Friendship Backyard is a small, walled, six-acre backyard in Kelley Park. For those who haven’t visited a conventional Japanese backyard earlier than, you actually ought to. The Japanese Friendship Backyard in Kelley Park is an ideal instance, with streams, bridges, and ponds interconnected in a meticulous backyard.

The backyard is designed to represent peace and friendship, and it has a particular ambiance of serenity. The little bridges are good to stroll in firm or alone, deep in thought. The Japanese Friendship Backyard is a good choice if you’d like a calming factor to do in San Jose.

San Jose’s Japanese Friendship Backyard is so lovely that it’s typically used for out of doors marriage ceremony ceremonies. Take a stroll by means of and admire it your self – you solely want a spare hour.

15. A day journey to the Santa Cruz Mountains

A day within the mountains is tough to withstand. The Santa Cruz Mountains cut up Santa Clara Valley from San Francisco Bay and are solely an hour’s drive from San Jose Heart.

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. Whereas Santa Cruz doesn’t have any redwoods of record-breaking top, they’re nonetheless imposing.

You could possibly hike the tallest mountain, Loma Prieta. You could possibly go mountain biking by means 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 to’ve bought a protected journey again to the town.

This South Bay Wineries Tour takes you on a VIP journey to 4 wineries from San Francisco together with within the foothills of the San Cruz Mountains together with Cupertino and Saratoga. Study wine making course of and pattern the very best wines within the San Francisco Bay space. It features a picnic lunch. Particulars right here.

16. Japanese American Museum

The Japanese Friendship Gardens are fairly. However the Japanese American Museum is a wonderful place to study 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 impression of World Battle Two on the neighborhood. The Japanese American Museum tackles heavy matters like discrimination whereas questioning the essence of the American id.

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 general public park is the oldest municipal park in California and a well-liked 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 wash in. The park is lengthy established as a pure well being spa getaway and an incredible spot to go wild swimming.

Briefly, this park is incredible. You possibly can spot wildlife like red-tailed hawks and inexperienced herons. You may get lively on foot or on a motorcycle. Or you may simply calm down and funky off in pure mineral water – which is at all times refreshing in Californian summers.

18. Yosemite Nationwide Park

A vacation in San Jose doesn’t imply limiting your self to spending the entire time within the San Jose space. Town is ideally situated to discover California’s nationwide parks – so why not spend the day additional afield? You possibly can simply lease a automotive in San Jose or buy a guided tour like this on GetYourGuide.

Tunnel View, Olmsted Level, Washburn Level, and Vernal Falls are viewpoints it is best to prioritize on a flying go to to the nationwide park. For those who spend various hours in Yosemite, you could possibly additionally sort out one of many shorter trails like Cook dinner Meadow’s Loop, Sentinel Dome, or Mirror Lake.

Yosemite Nationwide Park is without doubt one of the most well-known parks in the USA, by no means thoughts simply California. The park is a four-hour drive away, so that you’ll must set off early within the morning and will desire to have a number of drivers to make driving the gap in in the future possible. Alternatively, simply keep in Yosemite in a single day and add on the journey as a detour from San Jose.

You possibly can guide day excursions from San Jose to Yosemite Nationwide Park. This extremely rated tour

19. SAP Heart

The SAP Heart is a large area within the heart of San Jose. The sector ceaselessly 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 is best to undoubtedly hold a watch out for San Jose Shark video games on the SAP Heart.

The San Jose Sharks are the town’s ice hockey group, and the SAP Heart is their revered residence floor. The SAP heart even has the nickname ‘the shark tank’. You’ll be rewarded with an electrical ambiance and a superb area expertise for those who can catch a house sport. The joy is infectious even for those who haven’t watched ice hockey earlier than.

You possibly can verify the schedule on the San Jose Shark’s and SAP Heart’s web sites. It’s greatest to guide tickets prematurely to keep away from disappointment, as loyal followers rapidly snatch up obtainable tickets.

20. Vasona Lake County Park

Vasona Lake Nation Park is the cherry on the highest of San Jose’s nation parks. The park is situated within the residential space of Los Gatos. It spans a scenic 45 acres of trails, picnic areas, and inexperienced house.

Within the heart of the park, very similar to Lexington Park, there’s a massive 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. Strolling the lake perimeter is a ravishing technique to admire the park and the nice open air.

Whereas Vasona Lake Nation Park is far smaller than Lexington Nation Park, it’s the only option if you’d like a brief lakeside expertise. A go to to Vasona simply matches into half a day, and you could possibly see the very best components in simply a few hours. In case you are brief on time, it’s a incredible choice to get pleasure from suburban nature.

21. Winchester Thriller Home

Visiting Winchester Thriller Home 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, take heed to this. Ebook this Winchester Thriller Tour

Winchester Mansion belonged to Sarah Winchester, a rich heiress of the Winchester Repeating Arms. Along with her fortune, Sarah commissioned the development of Winchester Mansion. Nevertheless, the method was suffering from supernatural incidents. It quickly grew to become obvious that Winchester rifle victims had been haunting the home.

The development course of took a grand complete of 38 years. Even for a 160-room mansion, you’d be proper to suppose that this timescale was on the excessively lengthy facet. Your go to will make it extra comprehensible although, as Sarah commissioned many weird options to discourage the hauntings. The mansion is sort of a real-life maze – with color-coded rooms and misleading routes like staircases main nowhere.

We advocate reserving a tour as, whereas a little bit costly, you’ll get essentially the most informative expertise this manner. Winchester Thriller Home is partly a San Jose heritage attraction and considerably a supernatural expertise. Both method, although, it is without doubt one of the greatest issues to do within the metropolis.

22. San Jose Flea Market

San Jose Flea Market is as a lot a cultural spot as it’s a market. Sure, you’ll discover all of the stalls with a various vary of products to purchase. However you’ll additionally discover free dance classes, trivia occasions, and a beer backyard.

Town’s flea market has been in full swing because it opened its doorways within the Sixties. You’ll discover over 800 sellers attending each weekend. Nevertheless, there are additionally designated weekday market days, so don’t fret if you’re visiting San Jose in the course of the week.

San Jose Flea Market has the whole lot – even dwell music. The market has a stage that native performers can select to carry out to customers on, and, most of the time, 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 ambiance.

23. San Pedro Sq. Market

San Pedro Sq. market has a barely completely different vibe. This market makes a speciality of meals and appears like an off-the-cuff meals courtroom.

You could possibly be sampling a banh mi from On A Roll, a craft beer from Market Beer Co., or tucking into hand-rolled sushi at Hyland Home of Sushi. San Pedro Sq. Market has the very best multi-cultural delicacies in all of San Jose, which is saying one thing, as San Jose has quite a lot of scrumptious meals.

We advocate visiting San Pedro Marketplace for lunch. Lots of the meals is sort of snack-like moderately than sit-down meal dishes. Plus, you may at all times come again for dinner for those who can’t resolve between two choices.

24. Los Gatos Creek Path

Do you like a health problem? It’s best to take into account strolling Los Gatos Creek Path. 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 in the future.

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 brief on time or not hiring a automotive in San Jose.

As you might have guessed, Los Gatos Creek Path follows Los Gatos Creek, a small river operating south of San Jose. The path itself is tarmacked and bike-friendly, so you may at all times cycle it if you wish to full the route faster. In any other case, enable as much as 5 hours to finish Los Gatos Creek Path on foot.

25. Kids’s Discovery Museum

In case you are touring with younger companions, the Kids’s Discovery Museum is a incredible, age-appropriate factor to do in San Jose.

The Kids’s Discovery Museum goals to supply simply that, with Montessori-style studying alternatives and specialised instructional areas. The museum is designed so dad and mom 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 one can Get to San Jose

The best technique 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 the town heart.

After all, if you’re street tripping the west coast or one other in style American street journey route, chances are you’ll want to drive to San Jose. Driving to San Jose is an efficient choice if you wish to cease at locations en route, as the town is surrounded by points of interest and pure surroundings. Make it possible for your lodging affords parking; in any other case, parking will be problematic within the metropolis.

Getting Round

San Jose is extraordinarily well-connected by the VTA Mild Rail and Bus system. Whereas there isn’t a subway system, you don’t discover it and most undoubtedly aren’t inconvenienced with out one. The sunshine rail or bus is the most suitable choice for a low-cost technique to get round San Jose.

For those who keep centrally, you’ll be capable to discover many in style 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 the town outskirts. Keep away from driving within the metropolis heart although, as visitors is terrible and typically strolling will be faster than driving.

Finest Time to Go to

Briefly, spring or fall are the very best instances to go to San Jose. Summer time 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 slim it down additional, Could and October are the shoulder seasons and least expensive months to go to San Jose. Total, Could is a little bit hotter, so we advocate visiting then for those who can.

To Conclude

San Jose is filled with unbelievable issues to do and see. Town is without doubt one of the greatest locations in Northern California. It is a wonderful different 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 expect, is essentially the most thrilling place to be in.