San Jose, the third-largest city in California, is renowned as the commercial centre of Silicon Valley. Additionally, it is well renowned for its pleasant, sunny climate, which enables attractions like the Municipal Rose Garden to bloom all year long. San Jose, which has its roots in the agricultural sector, blends the old with the new in its vibrant downtown area, where historic thoroughfares like San Pedro Square connect to cutting-edge cultural venues like The Tech Interactive scientific centre.
Other enjoyable activities in the city centre include going to the San Jose Museum of Art and relaxing at the Plaza de Cesar Chavez. Another well-liked activity for NHL hockey enthusiasts is supporting the San Jose Sharks at the cutting-edge SAP Center. The Guadalupe River runs directly through the middle of the city, and both visitors and locals frequently take advantage of the park’s many pathways.
The 1851-founded Santa Clara University campus in San Jose, which is centred on the Mission Santa Clara de Ass from the 18th century, offers more opportunities to learn about the area’s past. Tourist destinations like the Winchester Mystery House and the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum offer family-friendly indoor activities on San Jose’s seldom wet days. The largest city in the Bay Area, San Jose, is connected to other cultural hotspots like Palo Alto and San Francisco via a variety of public transportation connections.
Our list of the top things to do in San Jose will help you find the greatest locations to go.
1. Public Rose Garden
The Municipal Rose Garden, which was first established in 1927, has grown to become one of the most popular tourist destinations in the city. This five-acre park in the centre of a charming metropolitan neighbourhood is largely defined by rows and rows of roses, with peak blooming occurring throughout the month of May. The Municipal Rose Garden, which is free to enter and open to the public seven days a week, is well-liked for strolling, picnicking, and family portrait sessions.
The Municipal Rose Garden, which also includes a groomed green area and a natural stage encircled by a pocket of redwood trees, boasts thousands of rose plants and hundreds of kinds, earning it another high mention as one of the greatest venues to be married in San Jose.
Address: San Jose, California, Dana Avenue & Naglee Avenue
Second, Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, which has the biggest collection of genuine Ancient Egyptian artefacts in western North America, is well-liked for day trips and school outings. The museum’s displays span everything from daily life to the afterlife in Ancient Egypt, from jewellery and household items that have been discovered to tours of tombs and instances of hieroglyphs. The Alchemy Exhibit, which is brand-new to the museum and the first of its sort in the country, includes a full-size replica of an alchemy lab.
The main museum is the focal point of the broader Rosicrucian Park, a lovely manicured area that displays the museum’s Egyptian-inspired architecture, and is only a short stroll from the Municipal Rose Garden. The ancient Rosicrucian Planetarium and the Rosicrucian Temple are two other popular sights in Rosicrucian Park. The planetarium conducts scheduled shows for visitors, and the museum often hosts events, workshops, and other special activities, such as workshops on mummification.
Location: San Jose, California, 1660 Park Avenue
Egyptian Museum’s official website is located at
3. San Jose’s downtown
The downtown area of San Jose, the largest city in the Bay Area and third-largest in California, is constantly bustling with activity. Downtown San Jose is full of sidewalk cafes, boutique boutiques, and local organisations like The Tech Interactive and the San Jose Museum of Art that combine contemporary cultural appeal with historic architecture. Attractions branch out from the two-acre Plaza de Cesar Chavez, a major green space, in all directions.
One of the oldest and trendiest portions of the city’s downtown is the pedestrian-only San Pedro Square, which has restaurants and outdoor seating as well as live music venues. Within the Square, there is a contemporary food hall called San Pedro Square Market that has an increasing number of restaurants. Every Friday of the year, a farmers market is held in San Pedro Square.
Santana Row 4.
Santana Row is a renowned shopping, dining, and entertainment area with a flurry of foot traffic. Name-brand boutiques like Kate Spade and Gucci line Santana Row’s pedestrian pathways in the Mediterranean outdoor shopping centre, which also houses well-regarded eateries serving anything from informal street tacos to exquisite Italian cuisine. Santana Park is a well-kept green area in the middle of Santana Row, close to an ice cream parlour.
Santana Row is a pleasant place to promenade, especially in the evening when neon signs and streetlights combine to create a welcoming atmosphere. A free Summer Music Series with local acts is offered by Santana Row, along with other community events like free yoga and a Children’s Bash at the end of the summer. Hotel Valencia, a boutique hotel with opulent rooms and suites overlooking Santana Row, is a chic place to stay.
Santana Row, 377, San Jose, California
5. Plaza de Cesar Chavez and The Tech Interactive
Cesar Chavez Park, also known as Plaza de Cesar Chavez, is the main draw of downtown San Jose. The park, which spans two vibrant acres amidst concrete surrounds, is a well-liked gathering spot with trees that provide shade, benches, and a general buzz of activity. The proximity of downtown museums to Cesar Chavez Park is another factor contributing to its popularity.
One of the most popular downtown museums is The Tech Interactive, which is located directly across from Cesar Chavez Park. This family-friendly museum combines education and fun with award-winning exhibitions by offering interactive exhibits and cutting-edge galleries that focus on technology. The Tech Institute also provides a wide range of educational opportunities for both adults and kids, in addition to an IMAX cinema showing documentaries and box office hits geared at families.
The San Jose Museum of Art and the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph are two other downtown attractions that are connected to Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park. The San Jose Center for the Performing Arts, which hosts regional musicals and Broadway shows on a regular basis, is a short walk from The Tech Interactive and provides additional cultural interest.
San Jose, California, 1 Paseo De San Antonio
the Plaza de Cesar Chavez Cesar Chavez Park listing on the official website, www.sanjose.org
Winchester Mystery House, no. 6
Sara Winchester, the widow of William Winchester and heir to the enormous Winchester wealth derived from the development of the Winchester repeating rifle, often known as “the gun that won the West,” once called the Winchester Mystery House home. Sara Winchester relocated to San Jose in 1886 and started a nearly 50-year remodelling project on an eight-room farmhouse after the unexpected deaths of her husband and baby child. The Winchester Mystery House, which welcomes thousands of tourists each year, was built by Sara Winchester over the period of fifty years.
The restoration decisions made by Sara Winchester are what lend such a mystery air to this well-liked tourist destination. According to local legend, she built the fake stairs, deceptive doors, and 160 separate chambers as a defence against ghosts connected to her family’s past. These theories and others are thoroughly covered during the guided tours, which are accessible seven days a week and provide visitors access to the meticulously maintained gardens that surround the mansion.
California’s San Jose is where 525 S. Winchester Boulevard is located.
Winchester Mystery House’s official website is located at
7. Happy Hollow Zoo
A 16-acre green space featuring amusement rides, puppet shows, and a small collection of endangered and rescued animals, Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is located southeast of downtown. The Association of Zoos and Aquariums has granted the zoo accreditation. There are many different species of animals, ranging from a huge anteater to a spotted jaguar. Daily special animal encounters allow visitors to engage with the animals at the zoo.
There are lots of amenities and kid-friendly play places in the park that surrounds the zoo. The park’s Crooked House offers a quirky journey that is slightly out of the usual, and a Dino Dig station enables children to find new points of interest. The park’s two gigantic play structures, which include enormous, winding slides and a lot of crawl places, are also very popular.
In San Jose, California, at 748 Story Road
Website of the organisation: happyhollow.org
8. San Jose Art Museum
The San Jose Museum of Art displays modern and contemporary art and is situated in the centre of the city close to Plaza de Cesar Chavez Park. This downtown art institution has a 2,500-piece permanent collection in addition to regularly changing exhibits that always provide something fresh to see. The San Jose Museum of Art hosts a wide range of events and programmes, including Facebook First Fridays at the first of the month, which provide free admission along with later nighttime hours and live music.
The Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph, which is situated next to the San Jose Museum of Art, is yet another alluring landmark in the area. This historic Roman Catholic church, which has been prominent on the street for more than a century, is simple to enjoy from the street. Any regularly scheduled mass is open to interested onlookers.
In San Jose, California, at 110 S Market Street
the official website is sjmusart.org.
9. The gardens and park at Guadalupe River
Guadalupe River Park & Gardens, located in the downtown area of the city, offers a nice respite from the nearby skyscrapers and streets. The Guadalupe River is followed by a three-mile linear park with a bike route that connects to several other of the city’s leading tourist destinations. The SAP Center, the home of the San Jose Sharks NHL hockey team, and the Children’s Discovery Center are both located on the southern end of the park.
In San Jose, California, at 438 Coleman Avenue
River Park Gardens’ official website is located at https://www.grpg.org/
10. Santa Clara de Assis Mission
The Mission Santa Clara de Ass is the main architectural feature of Santa Clara University, a Jesuit institution founded in 1851. The South Bay Area was first discovered by Spanish explorers in the 1700s, which is when the Mission’s history began. The public is welcome to attend regularly scheduled mass at The Mission, which is still a consecrated Roman Catholic church. The entire Santa Clara University campus is peppered with older buildings that are of architectural interest.
Santa Clara, California 500 El Camino Real
Website of the organisation: https://www.scu.edu/missionchurch
11. Trail around Los Gatos Creek
The Los Gatos Creek Trail, a regional cycling path that runs from San Jose to Los Gatos in the south, is a well-liked route for bikers, joggers, walkers, and anybody else looking to take in the creekside scenery. The Los Gatos Creek Trail, which is close to ten miles long, comes to an end in Downtown San Jose, close to Guadalupe River Park, where other paths can be found. The Creek Trail connects a number of regional parks, open space preserves, and other picturesque locations of the city and is a well-liked path on the weekends.