Things to do & places to visit in San Jose, California, United States

Welcome to bustling San Jose, where Silicon Valley meets Spanish history and modern edifices sit alongside meticulously restored 19th-century buildings. Such is the contrast of this city rich in tradition and, thanks to the tech industry, just plain rich. Five star-hotels and fine restaurants line the streets of the restored downtown area, and the cultural scene is thriving with museums, theater and art to rival any world-class hub. Don't miss the Tech Museum of Innovation, an exploration of Silicon Valley and its impact on the area. History buffs will relish the old mansions and can delve into the city's past at the History Museum of San Jose. Save time for a round of golf or the locals' other favorite pastime, sipping coffee and people-watching at a crowded cafe.

San Jose city in California, United States. Timezone: America/Los_Angeles, current date and time: Friday, May 03, 2024, 22:01.

Top things to do (22)

Top places to visit (30 attractions) view more »

5.0 California Theatre (85 reviews)
- Went for a Symphony Show. Loved it. Fantastic performance by the musicians.
Theaters

The California Theatre in San Jose, California is managed and operated by San Jose Theaters, a division of Team San Jose. It regularly hosts major performances from Opera San Jose, Symphony Silicon Valley and other organizations. This beautiful theatre, originally built in 1927 and renovated starting in 2001, marries the opulence of its movie palace origins with state-of-the-art performing arts venue attributes. The California Theatre is Available to Rent * 1,122 seating capacity, with up to 14 wheelchair areas * State-of-the-art production and audio visual technology * Stage Size: 90'x40' * Several dressing rooms See more..
5.0 Japanese American Resource Center/Museum (37 reviews)
- A good history lesson
Speciality Museums

The Japanese American Museum of San Jose's (JAMsj)mission is to collect, preserve, and share Japanese American art, history, and culture with an emphasis on the Greater Bay Area. See more..
5.0 Ira F. Brilliant Center for Beethoven Studies (15 reviews)
- Magnificent collection of the beautiful Beethoven
Speciality Museums • Theaters • Educational sites

It’s such a beautiful collection inside the public library, there’s thousands of books, albums, documents, art, etc. The paradise of Beethoven’s world in America. Must visit when in California! See more..
4.5 Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum (925 reviews)
- So cool!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Speciality Museums • History Museums

Architecturally inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak, it houses the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts on exhibit in western North America, including objects from pre dynastic times through Egypt's early Islamic era. See more..
4.5 Municipal Rose Garden (613 reviews)
- Wonderful rose garden open to the public to enjoy
Gardens

We visited the rose garden over Memorial Day weekend 2021. Covid restrictions were being lifted so this outdoor space was popular. The rose bushes were covered with roses in bloom - a beautiful diversity of colors and styles. We spent about an hour walking around the different plantings and just enjoying the scents and sights. There are a couple of rose arches - one was being repaired so not accessible, but these were a popular spot for photographs with people. There is a fountain with a few benches in the middle of the garden to relax. My three adult children and I spent a wonderful hour there. If you are in the area, it is a lovely spot to stop in especially when the roses are in full bloom. See more..
4.5 Santana Row (591 reviews)
- Very nice promenade with high end shops and restaurants
Friday: 10:00 AM - 10:00 PM Shopping Malls

Santana Row is Silicon Valley's premier outdoor destination for shopping, dining, living and working. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, parks and plazas, Santana Row features over 50 shops, 30 restaurants, the boutique Hotel Valencia and a six-screen movie theatre. Santana Row hosts a variety of events ranging from fashion shows to live music, outdoor yoga classes to the annual tree lighting ceremony. In addition to the dynamic shopping & dining options, Santana Row offers 615 luxury rental homes, 219 privately owned condos and 690,000 square feet of Class A office space. See more..
4.5 Happy Hollow Park and Zoo (491 reviews)
- Decent zoo and attractions
Zoos

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo in San Jose has been a part of Bay Area families since it opened its’ gates in 1961. It’s a unique combination of family rides, amusements, a Puppet Theater, play areas and an accredited Zoo with over 140 animals, from endangered lemurs to miniature horses. Year round classes are offered for ages 12 months to adults as well as special events for all seasons. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo offers yearly Memberships for families and individuals. See more..
4.5 Children's Discovery Museum (460 reviews)
- Great place for young children
Friday: 9:30 AM - 12:30 PM Spent 2-3 hours Science Museums • Children's Museums

Since opening in 1990, Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose has become one of largest and most respected museums of its kind in the nation. With interactive exhibits and programs encompassing science, humanities, performing arts, and health and physical fitness, the award-winning Museum offers new exhibits each year that respond to children's diverse educational needs. With the broad themes of community, connections and creativity, hands-on exhibits invite self-directed, open-ended explorations. See more..
4.5 Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph (312 reviews)
- Nice architecture
Churches & Cathedrals

Built in 1876, this church serves the oldest parish in San Jose. See more..
4.5 Los Gatos Creek Trail (260 reviews)
- Certain sections of the trail are very scenic
Hiking Trails

Paved trail great for running: cuts through parks, ponds, and downtown Los Gatos. See more..
4.5 Almaden Quicksilver County Park (193 reviews)
- A lot of great trails along with interesting historical buildings, equipment, etc.
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Parks

Park featuring 29 miles of well marked woodland trails. See more..
4.5 Willow Glen (168 reviews)
- Nice Area for Cafes, Restaurants, Some Stores - Willow Glen, San Jose
Spent 2-3 hours Neighborhoods

The tree lined streets of Downtown Willow Glen offer a small-town feel nestled in the city of San Jose — the 10th largest city in the nation. Stroll along Lincoln Avenue and find sidewalk cafes, coffee shops, boutiques, vintage shops, strollers parked outside unique kid stores, and doggie water bowls everywhere. Grab breakfast, lunch, or dinner, deposit a check, book a trip, rent a costume, get your eyes or teeth checked, drop off your clothes for cleaning, or pick up your prescription. All this and more with free, convenient parking on the street and in the public parking lots, including a large number of public parking spaces located in the Bank of America lot. Downtown Willow Glen offers more than 250 retail, dining, service and professional businesses waiting to give you that personal service that only a small business owner can provide. Annual street festivals showcase our area to the greater San Jose and Bay Area to thousands of attendees. Visit us and discover San Jose's best kept secret! See more..
4.5 San Jose Center for the Performing Arts (161 reviews)
- Nice Theather .
Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Theaters

The Center for the Performing Arts is managed and operated by San Jose Theaters, a division of Team San Jose. It hosts major performances from Broadway San Jose and other organizations. It has 2,608 seats, including 20 ADA-compliant spaces. See more..
4.5 Alum Rock Park (144 reviews)
- A treasure of San Jose
Friday: 8:00 AM - 6:00 PM Parks

Alum Rock Park is 718 acres, has restrooms, 149 picnic tables, 85 BBQs, and 2 playgrounds. See more..
4.5 Heritage Rose Garden (110 reviews)
- Great Display
Gardens

Great collection, well maintained. In a park, so have a picnic. Bring the kids. Also visit new rose garden on Taylor near 87. See more..
4.5 J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines (105 reviews)
- Great wines. Great stories.
Friday: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Wineries & Vineyards

We invite you to explore our limited-production and club-only wines at our J. Lohr Wine Centers in San Jose and Paso Robles. These wines include many of our award-winning Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines and more. Effective January 2, 2019, visitors can choose six wines to taste for a $15 fee. The tasting fee is waived with club membership or a minimum two-bottle purchase from the tasting menu.(Closed New Years Day, Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas Day) See more..
4.5 Municipal Stadium (95 reviews)
- Old time baseball with spectacular food
Spent More than 3 hours Arenas & Stadiums

In addition to an old time ballpark with minor league baseball, Muni has the best ballpark food ANYWHER. Ballpark classics can be found at their general concession stands. The main attraction is the food down the 3rd base line (second to none). Turkey Mike's BBQ is a must. I arrive at the ballpark shortly before they open just to make a b line to the BBQ and avoids the lines. Add in the beer batter (potential half off beer if a specific opposing player strikes out), it's a great time for everyone. See more..
4.5 Sikh Gurdwara (64 reviews)
- Beautiful Gurdwara
Spent 1-2 hours Points of Interest & Landmarks

We have been to the largest Gurdwara in India... and now we can say we've visited the largest Gurdwara in North America. A beautiful temple. A main room that can hold 2600 people. The Sikh people are focused on SERVICE, and no one does that better. The Sikh people are famous for providing free meals to anyone. The Sikhs are like Hindus... You don't need to be Sikh to be welcomed. This is a beautiful temple with many buildings where you can learn a lot about the Sikhs and their mission. See more..
4.5 Mount Umunhum (44 reviews)
- Tourists and locals must visit
Spent 2-3 hours Mountains

Awesome trail. absolutely nothing challenging. slight gradient and wide well-groomed trail all the way up. perhaps rated moderate simply for the length? This trail is a geologic wonderland. And once you get to the top, there is so much awesome cold war history. 98% of this hike is under tree cover of some sort. the summit exposed. the trail redirects at the summit parking lot to a brand new staircase. I only saw two bicycles and they were very slow. Sketchy mobile phone service most of the way up the trail. nice bathrooms at the trailhead and at the summit. See more..
4.5 New Almaden Mercury Mining Museum (42 reviews)
- Excellent Mining Museum; By Casa Grande
Speciality Museums • History Museums

Trace the history of local quicksilver mining at this interesting specialty museum. See more..
4.5 Emma Prusch Farm Park (31 reviews)
- Fun Farm Park, Fun Seeing the Chickens and Roosters - Emma Prush Farm Park, San Jose, CA
Parks • Farms

Emma Prusch Farm Park is 43.5 acres, has restrooms, 35 picnic tables, and 5 BBQs See more..
4.5 Joseph D. Grant County Park (26 reviews)
- 30 minutes from DTSJ and yet a world away
Parks

This is an excellent park to camp and get away from the city and into nature. We camped over a weekend and had a variety of birds visit our campsite, before we even left for the trails! At the campsite, parking was easy, there was plenty of shade, and we had a pretty view of the sunset on the Observatory. With water, flushing toilets, and showers, and it not being too crowded a park (yet?!), I’ll definitely come back. I’d love to come in spring when the hills are green. Even with the brown hills, we still had a great time meeting so many new flora and fauna for the first time! See more..
4.0 Winchester Mystery House (3.129 reviews)
- Halloween attraction in a real haunted house
Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:00 PM Spent 2-3 hours Historic Sites • Mysterious Sites

The Winchester Mystery House is the beautiful but bizarre mansion of Sarah Winchester, heiress of the Winchester Repeating Arms fortune. Construction began in 1884, and didn't stop for 38 years. Haunted by the spirits of Winchester rifle victims, Mrs. Winchester built the Victorian mansion with many odd and mysterious features. The Winchester Mystery House is an architectural wonder and historic landmark in San Jose, CA. Self-guided garden tours are available. See more..
4.0 The Tech Interactive (963 reviews)
- bring the kids!
Friday: 10:00 AM - 3:00 PM Spent More than 3 hours Speciality Museums • Science Museums

There's always something tech-tastic happening at The Tech Interactive, a science and technology center located in the heart of Silicon Valley. Voted Best Silicon Valley Museum by Metro San Jose, it's a must visit! The staff offers facilitated experiences like the BioTinkering Lab as well as hands-on experiences in genetics, earth sciences, alternative energy, virtual design, and lots more. It's also home to the largest IMAX Dome Theater west of the Mississippi, which plays a variety of educational films and the occasional Hollywood blockbusters. The Tech Interactive offers field trips, kid birthday party packages, an onsite cafe, and special event rentals. Whether you are planning a slime-filled birthday party for your 8-year-old or a sci-fi themed wedding, The Tech Interactive delivers! See more..
4.0 SAP Center (722 reviews) from $21.69
- Excellent Venue with great loud fans
Friday: 8:30 AM - 5:30 PM Spent 2-3 hours Arenas & Stadiums

I am Sharks fan from Toronto every time have gone to a game the atmostphere has been better than Toronto. The amount of bantering between Vegas fans and Shark fans was absolutely amazing. I also attended a Sharks game when they played the Kings that also was a great time. There are so many great fans in San Jose! Go Sharks! See more..
4.0 Japanese Friendship Garden (217 reviews)
- A great walk
Gardens

This well-maintained park covers six acres of manicured landscape, waterfalls, bridges and bonzai plants. See more..
4.0 San Jose Museum of Art (192 reviews)
- A hidden Gem
Friday: 11:00 AM - 9:00 PM Art Museums

San José Museum of Art believes that art has the power to transform minds. For over fifty years, we have been a committed community resource for reflection, inspiration, and new perspectives. See more..
4.0 San Pedro Square Market (157 reviews)
- Nice setting, good choice of food vendors
Friday: 11:00 AM - 12:00 AM Spent 1-2 hours Flea & Street Markets

We are Downtown San Jose’s meeting place for foodies, music lovers, coffee perfection fans, tourists, barbershop hunters, social media followers and wine & beer imbibers. The Market is the best place to hang out with the open-air Plaza, sidewalk cafe or inside one of the three exclusive interior spaces. In Market Hall, the new Alma Bar will open in 2021 with an exciting touch of Hispanic cuisine, beverages and décor. There is always something new in this corner of San Pedro Square. This vibrant public market features everything from sushi to tapas and beyond – the culinary choices are truly endless. The Peralta Adobe Plaza provides outdoor seating where you can enjoy a morning coffee, a tasty lunch, or an evening dinner and cocktails with nightly music and entertainment. There is something for everyone. See more..
4.0 Japantown (San Jose) (141 reviews)
- Often Enjoy Going to Japantown, San Jose, CA
Neighborhoods

A quaint neighborhood with Japanese restaurants, shops and other attractions. See more..
4.0 History Park (88 reviews)
- Museum history park Sanjose
Friday: 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM Historic Sites

Restored historical landmarks, replicas and original old homes form a quaint village overlooking Silicon Valley. See more..