San Jose has the most amazing landmarks and tourist hotspots. You can find out the more practical details such as time and phone codes as well as important locations in San Jose right here.
By me (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
History of San Jose
Founded on the 29th of November in 1777, San Jose is the biggest city in terms of size in Northern California. With a rich and chequered history and many firsts (San Jose is the site of the first state capital and one of the leading civilian settlements), this city is also home to a booming tech industry with a reputation for being the capital of the Silicon Valley. San Jose is known for its historical hotspots such as Alviso Historic District, Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph , and Circle of Palms Plaza. It also has several monuments and buildings of historical importance such as the Old Bank of America Building, Building at 27-29 Fountain Alley, De Anza Hotel, Hotel Montgomery and Hotel Sainte Claire. San Jose is the site of the famous Spanish villa, Hayes Mansion. San Jose is also close to several historical sites such as the Almaden mines.
Important Locations in San Jose
Downtown San Jose has many libraries, museums and galleries along with eminent eateries and vibrant shops. The famous Silicon Valley Beer Week is celebrated here. Japan town is another fascinating site to visit in San Jose whereby this 125 years old town is one of the only three surviving Japan towns across the globe. Another great sight seeing venue is Little Saigon and no trip to San Jose is complete without a visit to the beautiful Rose Garden and the stunning Willow Glen.
Sites to visit in this city include San Jose City Hall, Mount Hamilton/Lick Observatory, Mission Santa Clara, Mission San Jose - Fremont, CA, San Jose State University and Sikh Temple to name a few. It is also close to exciting attractions such as Las Vegas and the stunning Lake Tahoe, apart from the Big Sur and San Francisco.
Lake Cunningham Regional Skate Park
San Jose is home to California's massive skate park that includes 6 public skate parks.It has many largest worldwide- largest area of 68000square feet, largest cradle, largest full pipe and a rich profusion of terrains for all skill levels. Would you like to know more? Click here
Raging Waters
This is the largest water and amusement park in Northern California.It has over 23 acres of water rides and tons of family fun. From Bombs Away to Body Slide, the deal is that you can enjoy the perfect rides and have tons of fun. Thrilling, high speed slides such as Blue Thunder/White Lightning, Dragon’s Den and Barracuda Blaster.
Find out all about Raging Waters here.
San Pedro Square Market
San Pedro Square Market is located in Downtown San Jose. It is ideal for food, music and art lovers as well as history seekers and social media enthusiasts as well as those who are fond of their drinks. This is a lively market with over 25 unique vendors and goods of a wide variety as well as different kinds of food such as sushi and crepes. Weekly entertainment and showcases are also held whereby artists and craftsmen. From a relaxed stroll to an all purpose retail center, this market square has a lot of variety to offer.
Excited to find out more? Click this.
California's Great America
Northern California’s the best spot is California's Great America park, if family fun and adventure are right up in your alley. It an awesome place for those who enjoy speed and adventure, thrill rides including fight deck vortex. Family rides are also available for those in large groups. This amazing family park also has a water park with 13 water slides, heated lagoons and a wave pool. Live entertainment and excitement are a regular feature at California’s Great America.
Here's a list of fun filled activities you can take up in California's Great America
History San Jose
This is a collection of stories of cultural diversity and innovation. This historic complex features a History Park, Peralta Adobe Fallon House Historic Site and Collection Center. There is a collection of more than 500,000 artifacts including research library and archive. This orientation has close to 270 volunteers.
Just click here to know more about this tourist hotspot
Quilt and Textiles Museum
This is the only museum of its kind which focuses on quilts and textile as art form. Historical and contemporary textiles are the feature here. Quilts and textiles are seen as a form of expression that people have used for 1000s of years. The museum has a collection of around 850 quilts, ethnic textiles and garments and a research library of greater than 500 books on history. The Museum has close to 18,000 visitors each year and has multiple galleries.
Want to know more? Click here
San Jose Museum of Art
Museum of modern art forms the center for the arts scene in Silicon Valley. It was established in the late 1960s and has everything from modern masterpieces to works by emerging artists. Museum also has a permanent collection with works from 20th and 21st century featured. This museum has received accreditation from the American Association of Museums. This museum serves 100,000 persons per year.
Need to know more? Click here
Chinese Cultural Garden
This park was created in the 1960s and comprises 30 acres of lush and beautiful greenery. This park was inspired by the Lowes and serves as bridge between eastern and western cultures. Chinese cultural traditions are observed here and each item in the Park is to promote the beauty of Oriental culture.
Check out this link for more information.
Bakesto Park
For the park where you can play a wide number of games from Bocce to tennis, baseball and soccer, San Jose’s Bakesto Park is the best place to go. Located on North 13th Street at San Jose, this is the stronghold of Italian immigrants and their families where picnics and games abound. With traditional oyster shell surface, this park was renovated over a decade ago. They were first constructed in 1920s.
You can find out more here.
Tech Museum of Innovation
This is located in S. Market Street in San Jose. This museum can be contacted at 1 408.294.8324 and it is open Monday to Sunday from 10 am in the morning to 5 pm in the evening. The Tech is located in downtown San Jose and its original location in 1990 was San Carlos Street. The Tech has fascinating educational displays and folks from all over Silicon Valley love to visit this museum for its powerful exhibits. The museum is cosmopolitan and focused on technology and how it changes people’s lives. It showcases the impact of advanced technologies on human life. The Tech is a 132,000 square feet structure with 4 main theme galleries, the IMAX Hackworth Dome Theater, educational centre for laboratories and workshops and a trendy cafe as well as a retail store. This is one of the most well known and popular tourist destinations in California.
Need to find out more? Click here
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
Contact Number: 1 408.298.5437. This famous museum remains open from 10 am to 5 pm Mondays to Saturdays and 12 pm to 5 pm on Sundays. The Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose meets the educational requirements of children through its interactive exhibits and displays. The museum focuses on the 3 Cs- Connections, Community and Creativity. Through its educational displays, children can make connections between people and cultures with enduring themes. Having received over 5 million visitors since its opening in 1990, this 52,000 square feet facility is ideal for educational growth and a center for creativity.
Get more information here.
Are you planning a vacation to San Jose ? This guide will help you plan your trip better
People and Culture of San Jose
San Jose is known for its diverse cultures and communities apart from being the center of arts and popular culture. This teeming city is the location of various art galleries such as The Tech Museum of Innovation, Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose, San Jose Museum of Art, Hammer Theater Center, School of Arts & Culture at Mexican Heritage Plaza Montgomery Theater, California Theater and Center for Performing Arts.
Time Zone and Phone Codes of San Jose
Time zone is PDT (Pacific Daylight Time) or UTC/GMT - 7 hours. DST started a6 8th March 2015 and ends at 1st November 2015.
Standard time zone: UTC/GMT -8 hours
Daylight saving time: 1 hour
Current time zone offset: UTC/GMT -7 hour
Time zone abbreviation: PDT
Phone Codes of San Jose
San Jose: 408
International Country Code: 1
Best Time To Visit San Jose
This city offers access to many wide open spaces, trails and natural parks and it has moderate climate throughout the year. Apart from a temperate climate, San Jose has over 300 days of bright sunshine and average temperature pegged at 70 degree. Average rainfall in this part of Northern California is around 15 inches. San Jose can be visited at any time of the year and it is one of the best cities in the world for those looking for a blend of culture and modernity.
March to May
Cinequest Film Festival (March)
June to August
Subzero Festival (June)
Fountain Blues Festival (June)
Tahiti Fete (July)
San Jose Obon Festival (July)
Gilroy Garlic Festival (July)
Viva Fest (July)
Santa Clara County Fair (August)
San Jose Pride(August)
San Jose Jazz Summer Fest(August)
September to November
C2 SV Technology Conference and Music Festival(October)
December to February
San Jose Jazz Winter Fest (February)
San Jose Tet Festival (February)
San Jose Map Guide
Maps Data: Google, Digital Images
