San Jose (California)
Discover San Jose (California)
Often called "the capital of Silicon Valley", San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, 3rd largest in California, and the 12th largest city in the United States, with a population of over 997,000 residents as of 2024. It was named the 6th safest big city in the U.S. in 2015. This clean, sprawling metropolis has sports, beautiful vistas, and ethnic enclaves and bleeds into the greater Bay Area for travelers who want to take their time in Northern California. El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe (literally, the Town of Saint Joseph of Guadalupe) was founded by José Joaquín Moraga in 1777 near the present day intersection of Guadalupe Parkway and West Taylor Street. In 1797, the pueblo was moved to the Plaza Pueblo (now Plaza de César Chávez), around which San Jose grew.
Famous Beaches
Taste of San Jose (California)...
San Jose has a rich history in Mexican cuisine and offers a wide range of restaurants ranging from casual taquerias to more sophisticated (and more expensive) venues. Be sure to try the "orange sauce", a salsa that was invented in San Jose. With the second-largest Vietnamese-American community living in San Jose, Vietnamese restaurants have proliferated here in the past few decades. Vietnamese cuisine features fresh herbs, often added to the meal at the table. The signature dish of Vietnamese cuisine is phở, a beef soup with rice noodles, usually with a choice of cuts of meat available. Bánh mì (sandwiches), noodle bowls, and rice plates are also common choices. In addition to the several Korean restaurants in San Jose, numerous Korean restaurants are concentrated in the "Koreatown" neighborhood on El Camino Real in neighboring Santa Clara. Nightlife in the Downtown area is a mix of lounges, clubs, and bars which, according to locals, have either greatly improved the scene or marked the beginning of its decline. Santana Row has a number of upscale clubs and bars and has been the new hotspot since 2005. If you arrive by train, there are no hotels adjacent to the train station, but there are a few that are less than a mile's walk away. Alternatively, from the train station's bus loop, you can take the local bus one or two stops along The Alameda to save your feet. Most of the foreign consulates are located in downtown San Francisco.
Festivals & Events
Experience the vibrant festivals and cultural celebrations of San Jose (California).
San Jose has a rich history in Mexican cuisine and offers a wide range of restaurants ranging from casual taquerias to more sophisticated (and more expensive) venues. Be sure to try the "orange sauce", a salsa that was invented in San Jose. With the second-largest Vietnamese-American community living in San Jose, Vietnamese restaurants have proliferated here in the past few decades. Vietnamese cuisine features fresh herbs, often added to the meal at the table. The signature dish of Vietnamese cuisine is phở, a beef soup with rice noodles, usually with a choice of cuts of meat available. Bánh mì (sandwiches), noodle bowls, and rice plates are also common choices. In addition to the several Korean restaurants in San Jose, numerous Korean restaurants are concentrated in the "Koreatown" neighborhood on El Camino Real in neighboring Santa Clara.
Essential Information
Getting There
Multiple OptionsPeople who ask, "Do you know the way to San Jose?" (in reference to the 1968 hit song recorded by Dionne Warwick) will be glared at. San Jose is home to one of the Bay Area's three international airports. There are two terminals at the airport, Terminal A and Terminal B, which are connected airside. Terminal A includes the international arrivals building, which houses departure gates 15 and 16 (for foreign airlines), U.S. Customs and Border Protection inspection facilities and a public arrivals zone for non-travelers to meet & greet international arrivals. International arrivals disembark through Gates 15-18 where passengers proceed downstairs for U.S. immigration and customs inspection. Passengers come out into the public areas (non-secured areas) to meet local contacts or proceed to the adjacent Terminal A or B to check in for the next flight. Passengers will have to go through security screening to access connecting flights....
Getting Around & Staying
Getting Around
The downtown area is compact and rather easy to get around on foot. Most of the streets are arranged in a grid, but the grid is not strictly aligned with north (more like north–northwest). Street address numbers increase (by 100 every 2 or 3 blocks) radiating from Santa Clara Street (an east/west street) or First Street (a north/south street). Furthermore, Santa Clara Street (and other east/west streets) carry the prefix East or West radiating from First Street; and First Street (and other north/south streets) carry the prefix North or South radiating from Santa Clara Street. This makes it somewhat easy to locate a downtown facility given its street address. Downtown Willow Glen, Campbell and Japantown are also easy to navigate on foot. Going from one neighborhood to the other on foot is not easily feasible except for some neighborhoods directly adjacent to Downtown (such as Japantown and the Alameda area).
Where to Stay
If you arrive by train, there are no hotels adjacent to the train station, but there are a few that are less than a mile's walk away. Alternatively, from the train station's bus loop, you can take the local bus one or two stops along The Alameda to save your feet. Most of the foreign consulates are located in downtown San Francisco. The following is in Santa Clara County: Just east of the city lies Alum Rock Park, a canyon through which Penitencia Creek flows, which is lined by sulfurous mineral springs and several small waterfalls. Above the park stands Mount Hamilton, one of the highest peaks in the Bay Area at 4,213 feet (1,284 m). The telescopes of Lick Observatory, operated by the University of California, crown the summit and are open to the public during daytime hours. Northeast of San Jose is the Livermore Valley, which includes wine country and the cities of Pleasanton and Livermore.
Money & Budget
San Jose has a rich history in Mexican cuisine and offers a wide range of restaurants ranging from casual taquerias to more sophisticated (and more expensive) venues. Be sure to try the "orange sauce", a salsa that was invented in San Jose. With the second-largest Vietnamese-American community living in San Jose, Vietnamese restaurants have proliferated here in the past few decades. Vietnamese cuisine features fresh herbs, often added to the meal at the table. The signature dish of Vietnamese cuisine is phở, a beef soup with rice noodles, usually with a choice of cuts of meat available. Bánh mì (sandwiches), noodle bowls, and rice plates are also common choices.