San Jose is a symbol of Silicon Valley innovation, and since IBM set up there in the 1940s it has attracted technology giants including eBay, Adobe and Cisco Systems to its sunny streets. The Tech Museum details this, and big brand logos proudly adorn buildings like the HP Pavilion (also called the Shark Tank), home of the NHL team.
The J Lohr Winery is a good spot to forget about work, and California’s Great America theme park rollercoasters provide more high-octane thrills, while younger visitors prefer Happy Hollow Park and Zoo.
There is a weekly farmer’s market in San Pedro Square and a flea market in Berryessa. Great Mall and Westfield Valley Fair are 2 large shopping centres, while Santana Row has unique shops interspersed with restaurants.
The Downtown area is roughly midway between San Francisco Bay and the Santa Cruz Mountains and houses the Civic Center, Convention Center and nearby Institute of Contemporary Art. Other museums are the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Winchester Mystery House whose owner kept rebuilding it in an attempt to keep out ghosts, though apparently she may not have succeeded…
With the airport right in the city centre, it’s easy to find the way to San Jose’s luxury hotels and cheap motels on Accommodation Ohio, some offering park and fly options.
