San Jose Travel Guide
For details of what to do and see in San Jose check out our San Jose guide to car hire in San Jose.
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Located just to the south of San Francisco, San Jose is in fact larger than its near neighbour, and is notable for being the oldest city in north California. Home to almost a million people, San Jose attracts nearly 6 times that number every year, due to its reputation for being a fun place to visit. San Jose is a place where good weather combines with plenty of different attractions to create a relaxed atmosphere, that makes the city a superb place to visit, both as a base for exploring the state, and also as a place to explore and enjoy in its own right.
One of the main centres of the Silicon Valley high technology belt, San Jose is a place with a high standard of living exemplified by the sheer number of fascinating things going on all year round, and the many awards and accolades made to the city over the years.
Amongst the attractions in and around San Jose, you can visit several high quality amusement parks, such as Paramount's Great America, Six Flags Marine World, and Bonfante Gardens Family Park: which combines beautiful gardens with many rides.
In the city centre itself, there are a number of museums and art galleries - notably Anno Domini, The Bruni Gallery, and the incredible collection of Holographic images at Laser Reflections close to Plaza de Cesar Chavez.
Aside from technology, San Jose's other major contribution to the world is wine. The city lies almost centrally in one of the largest wine growing areas in the whole world, and within a short drive of a city centre hotel, you can find yourself in the rolling countryside of the California wine region. Many of the vineyards offer visitors the chance to tour their facilities, and pick up a few sample bottles of the latest vineyards. The impressive wineries in the Santa Clara area are some of the largest and most modern that you will see, but there are still plenty of smaller, more traditional places to visit that still produce high quality wine in an old fashioned way.
In the evening, diners are well catered for by a range of restaurants that serve practically any cuisine that you can imagine, from fast food through to gourmet French. The nightlife of the city is also highly recommended, particularly in the downtown bars and nightclubs, where there is plenty of music and entertainment to suit almost every possible taste and preference.
