Kundera

I'll have a free Sunday in San Jose in August while on business. Any suggestions for a way to spend the day? I don't mind 1-2 hours of travel.

J T Kirk

Head over to Santa Cruz. It's a funky college town, right smack dab on the ocean. Got some cute shops and some nice restaurants.

Monica

You could go wine tasting in the Santa Cruz mountains on your way over to Santa Cruz. Here's what I'd do. While you're in San Jose, go to the J. Lohr winery--it's very close to downtown. Get a wine map of the Santa Clara Valley wine grower's association while you're there. Then drive to the wineries, and when you've had enough get on Summit Road (off of 17) and head towards Soquel San Jose road, stopping at the Burrel winery (I think that's what it's called, it's in a converted schoolhouse on your right along Summit Road). Take that to Soquel San Jose road to the ocean, and visit Capitola. This is what we do on a nice Sunday afternoon.

kam

You can add to the above a visit to Bonny Doon winery and a visit to Big Basin State Redwood park which is just near the summit, 9 miles NW of Boulder Creek. It's a beautiful redwood forest similar to Muir Woods in Marin. If you wanted to go farther, you can get to Monterey or Carmel in about 1 1/2 hours from San Jose by taking 101 and then cutting over where it's marked "Monterey Peninsula"--156 West. Pt. Lobos Park is super in Carmel, but allows a limited number of visitors at a time so you'd need to go early. A Sunday in August will most likely be quite crowded in Carmel but it'll also be crowded in Santa Cruz. An alternative would be to go up to San Francisco which you can do from San Jose within your 2 hours of travel. Have a great day.

John

Monica, please post here when you plan to do the above side trip from San Jose. "When you've had enough" of the wineries and head over the summit on 17, I want to be home and not on the highway (or any road) with you.

Monica

Hey John, ever hear of DESIGNATED DRIVER? Geez.

janis

Santa Cruz and the redwoods/wineries is the obvious choice. But a trip I would recommend if you want smaller crowds in a gorgeous setting -- Head N. on hwy 280 to hwy 92 which cuts across the peninsula to Half Moon bay. There you can see Montara Lighthouse, Pillar Point, and several state beaches along Hwy 1. Drive S. on hwy 1 to La Honda which takes you back across the mountains to either Woodside and back to 280, or catch Skyline which runs south on the ridge top all the way back to Saratoga which is near San Jose.

james

Monica's got the right idea - exactly what I would do/have done often.

Puzzled

Kundera, since you have given absolutely NO indication as to YOUR interests, I can't help.
Within 1-2 hour drive, you can do some:
1. Mega shopping
2. Drive and tour the wineries
3. Be in the mountains of Santa Cruz
4. Visit several coastal towns, Santa Cruz being only one of them; there's also Monterey/Carmel
5. Visit cosmopolitan San Francisco
6. Stay in San Jose -- yes, there ARE things to do. It has a small zoo, very near it is a lovely small Japanese Garden in which to picnic; visit the large Alum Rock Park for a picnic or some really serious hiking, huge indoor shopping malls at either Eastridge or Great Mall (the last is actually in Milpitas, a few miles up the road), see what's happening at the San Jose Convention Center, Theater for Performing Arts, San Jose also has a high grade minor leage baseball team and, of course, the San Jose Sharks Hockey Team, etc., etc., etc., etc.
7. Drive north a bit on Freeway 101 and visit Great America amusement park.

Blah, blah, blah. So, just what is it that interests YOU????