from
WorldWeb.com Travel Guide
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Downtown
San Jose, California |
The heart of the Silicon
Valley, San Jose
is one of the largest cities in California.
While innovative companies such as Cisco Systems, IBM, Adobe and Hitachi
are major employers here, there is much more to San Jose than the technology
industry. Historical attractions, festivals
and around 300 days of sunshine each year make San Jose an easy choice
for a vacation destination.
ORIENTATION
San Jose is located at the southern tip of San Francisco Bay, south of
San Francisco
and Oakland, offering
a prime location to explore both the Bay Area and California's
Central Coast. To the east, across the Diablo Mountains, is Modesto
and to the south are the smaller centers of Santa
Cruz, Salinas
and Monterey.
HISTORY
For thousands of years prior to European discovery, the Ohlone people
lived around the San Francisco Bay Area, hunting, fishing and gathering
fruits and vegetables that thrived in the fertile land. In 1769, Gaspar
de Portola led a Spanish expedition to California, naming the area south
of the Bay the Plain of Oaks (Llan de los Robles). The Spanish settlement
of El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe, named after the patron saint of
California, followed in 1777 to support the nearby Mission Santa Clara
de Asis.
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| Fountain
at Ceasar Chavez Park |
|
In 1822, California gained independence from Spain and joined Mexico.
Less than thirty years later, in 1848, Mexico ceded California to the
United States of America
following the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which ended the Mexican-American
War.
California became the 31st state to enter the union of the United States
of America 1850, with San Jose chosen as the state's first capital. Farms
and businesses grew, partly supported by thousands of veterans of the
California Gold Rush and their new-found wealth. Farming sustained the
area's economy with wheat and fruits, such as prunes and apricots, leading
the way. With the advent of food preserving methods such as drying, canning
and freezing, as well as the arrival of the city's first railroad in 1864,
San Jose was able to provide produce for the large markets of the eastern
United States.
Agriculture continued to support the San Jose's economy well into the
20th century, but the region's economy began to shift in the 1950s, when
IBM started a research lab in San Jose and eventually opened a magnetic
disk drive factory.
In the coming years, with the help of Stanford
University in neighboring Palo
Alto and the Stanford Industrial Park, numerous high technology
companies, such as Hewlett-Packard, General Electric and Lockheed, came
to the region.
During the 1980s, San Jose's downtown was redeveloped, with both a light
rail system and the Children's
Discovery Museum becoming new features.
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Month |
Avg.
Daily Temperature |
Average
Rainfall |
|
Min |
Max |
| Jan
|
41°F
(5 °C) |
58°F
(15 °C) |
75
mm |
| Feb |
44°F
(7 °C) |
62°F
(17 °C) |
63
mm |
| Mar
|
46°F
(8 °C) |
65°F
(19 °C) |
57
mm |
| Apr |
48°F
(9 °C) |
70°F
(21 °C) |
28
mm |
| May
|
51°F
(11 °C) |
74°F
(24 °C) |
10
mm |
| Jun
|
55°F
(13 °C) |
79°F
(26 °C) |
2
mm |
| Jul |
57°F
(14 °C) |
82°F
(28 °C) |
1
mm |
|
Aug |
57°F
(14 °C) |
82°F
(28 °C) |
2
mm |
|
Sep |
56°F
(13 °C) |
81°F
(27 °C) |
5
mm |
|
Oct |
52°F
(11 °C) |
75°F
(24 °C) |
18
mm |
|
Nov |
46°F
(8 °C) |
65°F
(18 °C) |
44
mm |
|
Dec |
42°F
(5 °C) |
58°F
(15 °C) |
62
mm |
|
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Climate
data from the
Western Regional Climate Center |
CLIMATE
San Jose averages more than 300 days of sunshine each year—one of. Temperatures
fluctuate slightly over the year with maximum temperatures in the 70-82°F
(21-28°C) range from April through October. The winter months cool
off slightly with low tempearures in the low 40°F (5°C) range.
TRANSPORTATION
Do you know the way to San Jose? Well, even if you don’t there are numerous
ways to reach this city on the Bay. Flying in is easy, whether to the
Norman
Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport, the San
Francisco International Airport or the Oakland
International Airport. At these airports and throughout the city,
rental
car dealers can be found, offering everything from economy vehicles
to mini vans and luxury cars.
Driving is another way to reach the city. Interstates 280, 880 and 680,
as well as Highway 101, all intersect San Jose.
San Jose is also served by Caltrain,
which connects San Francisco and San Jose with stops along the way. The
Santa
Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) offers public
transportation throughout Santa Clara County, including shuttles,
buses and a light rail system.
Taxi
service is also offered throughout San Jose and the surrounding
areas.
FEATURED ATTRACTIONS
Neighborhoods
San Jose's downtown hosts the SoFA
(South First Area) Entertainment District. A lively atmosphere
is created by the collection of clubs, galleries,
restaurants
and performing arts venues. Attractions in this area include the
San Jose Stage Company, Movimento
de Arte y Cultura Latino America (MACLA) and the
San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art.
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| San
Pedro Square |
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For those wishing for an evening out or a change of pace while touring
downtown attractions there is San
Pedro Square. An historic arts and entertainment district, San
Pedro Square is home to restaurants, a summer farmers' market and the
Theatre
on San Pedro Square. The theatre presents performances by Opera
San Jose, the
American Musical Theatre of San Jose, the
San Jose Repertory Theatre and more.
Boutiques, antique
stores, coffee
shops and restaurants can be found along the Lincoln Avenue shopping
district. This district is located in Willow Glen, a former town that
merged with the City of San Jose in the 1930s.
Japantown,
located north of downtown San Jose, is rich in culture and activities.
One of the last remaining Japantowns in the United States, this neighborhood
is over 100 years old and features an abundance of Asian restaurants and
shops, as well as the Japantown Farmers' Market every Sunday morning.
Mexican
Heritage Plaza is a must-see San Jose destination. Helping to
preserve the Mexican heritage of San Jose, the plaza features events such
as the
San Jose International Mariachi Festival and Conference, and is
home to five performing arts groups. Other attractions at the plaza are
art, music and dance classes, as well as a weekly Sunday farmers' market
during the summer months.
West of downtown, Santana
Row is a new development that features a pedestrian-friendly neighborhood
of shops,
boutiques and restaurants.
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Tech
Museum of Innovation |
Museums
San Jose is a wonderful place to experience a range of educational topics,
from history to new technology. At History
Park, located at Kelley
Park, enjoy replica and original homes and businesses, trolley
cars and an exhibit gallery, all highlighting the past of the Santa Clara
Valley.
For more of a hands-on experience, visitors should take in the Tech
Museum of Innovation and the Children’s Discovery Museum. Highlighting
technology and how humans use it, the Tech Museum has four theme galleries
of exhibits—Life Tech, Innovation, Communication and Exploration. There
is also an IMAX theatre on-site. For the younger audience, the Children’s
Discovery Museum aims to aid learning through exploration, experimenting,
manipulating and touching.
Patrons of the arts will enjoy a stop at the San
Jose Museum of Art (SJMA). Presenting contemporary art, the SJMA
hosts special exhibitions as well as a permanent collection of 20th and
21st century visual artworks, including photographs, sculpture, paintings
and more.
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| Children’s
Discovery Museum |
|
Host to the largest Egyptian artifact collection in the western USA,
the
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium is located in Rosicrucian
Park. With architecture inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak,
this museum presents more than 4000 artifacts, including six mummies.
Festivals
Lauded as one of the largest free jazz festivals in the United States,
the
San Jose Jazz Festival brings world class performances to multiple
venues throughout the city, most of them outdoors. Started in 1989, the
festival is centered around Plaza de Cesar Chavez (Cesar
Chavez Plaza) and runs over one weekend in August each year.
An annual July event, the San Jose International Mariachi Festival offers
another opportunity to experience live music. Each year the festival celebrates
Mexico and its music through concerts and workshops, all designed around
a distinct, regional theme.
For the visually-oriented or cinefile visitor, the
Cinequest Film Festival brings films from around the world and
film forums to venues throughout San Jose. The festival is held in early
March each year.
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San
Jose Museum of Art |
Other Attractions
Open since 1961, Happy
Hollow Park & Zoo has been entertaining families with a selection
of animals and a wide range of events throughout the year. The Park features
picnic areas, a puppet theater and children's rides and amusements. At
the Zoo, guests can see meerkat, jaguar and aviary exhibits.
The San Jose Sharks play home games in the National Hockey League (NHL) at the HP Pavilion between October and April each year.
For amusement enthusiasts, Paramount's
Great America offers plenty to get excited about. Thrill rides,
family rides, a waterpark and live stage productions are only part of
the experience. This park also presents concerts,
festivals
and sporting
events.
