Sights & Attractions in San Jose and Silicon Valley

For years San Jose has played second fiddle to its more celebrated cousin just up the highway, but in truth this city of nearly 1 million people has a lot to offer. The city has nationally recognized art and science museums, and its own ballet and repertory companies. It's also a city of great diversity, for no ethnic group holds the majority here. Residents speak a total of 46 languages, and alongside machines vending the San Jose Mercury News, you'll find Nuevo Mundo and the Chinese World Journal. The city is also one of the safest in the country, with the lowest crime rate for any city of more than 500,000 people.

The diversity extends to San Jose's various neighborhoods. Downtown has wide streets and several parks for enjoying the usually warm weather from March to October. The SoFA (South of First Area) district, along 1st and 2nd streets south of San Carlos Avenue, is the best spot for nightlife, with its numerous music clubs. Japantown, around Jackson and Taylor streets between 4th and 6th streets, has modern shops and restaurants and many historical buildings. Willow Glen (Lincoln Avenue between Willow and Minnesota streets) is a place of boutiques, small cafés, and tree-lined streets—a welcome counter to downtown's urbanity.

Downtown can be easily explored on foot, and Guadalupe River Park, a 3-mi belt of trees and gardens, connects downtown with the Children's Discovery Museum to the south. (A walking tour of downtown San Jose is detailed in a brochure available from the Convention and Visitors Bureau.) A 21-mi light-rail system links downtown to the business district and Paramount's Great America to the north, but you will still need a car to get to such sights as the Egyptian Museum and the Winchester Mystery House.

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