I highly suggest Alum Rock Park, the oldest city park in California! Only about 15-25 minute drive from city hall. It follows Penitencia Creek through the East Foothills and provides miles of great hiking trails for beginners and more experienced hikers alike. Certain trails are open for horseback riding and/biking. There are various picnic areas with grills, some of which require reservations. You can get some amazing views of Silicon Valley, especially from Eagle Rock. A small animal exhibit can also be found, they’ve got an owl, a few snakes at least. Though you are guaranteed to see plenty of wildlife regardless, every time I’ve gone I’ve seen deer and plenty of unique birds. The trails also connect to Sierra Vista, another set of trails leading a bit further North, from which you get a real “mountain view”. Unfortunately, the park is only partially open at the moment due to some damage from the floods earlier this year, but there are still plenty of trails that remain open. The path to Eagle Rock for instance remains closed temporarily. Parking is free until the other parking lots are able to reopen, otherwise the parking fee is under $10 on weekdays I think, free on weekends if I’m not mistaken. Oh and there’s no entry fee.
My wife and I are planning a trip and will be going through San Jose. Thanks for the great tips! I would Falafel Drive In to your list. Great food and close to the Winchester House.
Great video!! I absolutely love San Jose and I have to visit some of these places on the list. I used to work at the Tech Museum and Aloha Fresh in Japantown is one of my fav places to eat!
As someone who’s lived in the San Jose area almost my whole life, this was so neat! Every time I thought, “oh what about this place,” it would be the next thing mentioned 😂 I think I’ve been to all but the last one. The only other things I could possibly think of are hiking at Alum Rock Park and taking the kids to the Emma Prusch Farm 🐓🐓🐓🙂
My great grandparents lived in San Jose when I was a kid in the 60’s. We lived in Santa Clara. I can’t believe Happy Hollow is still there ! Brings back great memories. Great Video. Thanks
I was there in November. I stayed at the Hotel Valencia in Santana Row. I didn’t go downtown, but I loved the residential feel of the city. I even walked down the street at night with no issues (even though I’m 5’11” 260lbs) I’m from Miami, and Miami is way more dangerous than SJ. One of the worst hoods in Miami is literally 2 minutes away from Miami PD headquarters and million dollar skyscrapers. I’ll move to SJ if given the right opportunity. The Westfield Valley Fair is awesome. I went to Campbell, Milpitas, and SF too. My mind hasn’t left Cali hahaha.
1:23 I graduated from there, my mom graduated from there, my dad graduated from there, my mom's brother graduated from there, my dad's brother graduated from there, you cut me, I bleed blue and gold.
Too many homeless now. when I first moved here 30 years ago, there was hardly any homeless. Today, there are homeless encampments under higway overpasses, next to a bank, and on Capitol Expressway next to the residentail areas. I actually got mugged in the Great Mall parking lot 3 years ago. They took my purse and everything in it. The cops said the perpetrators must have came from nearby Oakland. Gave the cops their license plate. Cops said the car they used was stolen so nothing could be done. Law endorcement ain't doing much. I'm paying so much property taxes for a low quality of life. Looking to move out of CA. GLTA.
Good video Josh as are your others but honestly San Jose is a place of zero interest to me, been to a few of the stops in your video but this place is a no for me
As a person that was born in San Jose and raised just south of SJ I will say, San Jose is an often times overlooked city, It has tons to offer and it's either 2nd or 3rd biggest city in California. It is beautiful there and about 40 minutes away from the ocean beaches/ Santa Cruz and 50 minutes from San Francisco. It's a great place!
You forgot to mention that the TECH museum has the IMAX DOME, which is very special as it I think the only one or one of the few DOME Style IMAX theaters in the country 😉
You nailed it! I was so excited to see you visited my town and impressed that you’ve visited more spots than I have. The only things I’d add are San Pedro Square and Christmas in the Park. Also, you NEED to come back in May or June when the roses are blooming! For Santana Row, I love Left Bank, Boba Guys and Sauced BBQ 😊
I'm glad that you chose to do this city in one of your videos. San Jose is the 10th largest city in all of the U.S. with over a million people according to the 2020 Census, but most people know very little about it. Thanks for the informative video!!!
I've lived in San José for almost 6 years and have only been to 5 of these places. Definitely will be trying out some of these other locations. My favorite place in Santana Row is Mai Do, they sell cute Japanese stationary. The parking to hike up to Mt. Umunhum is super small gets really full quick, so I recommend coming SUPER early.
Great list! At the end you showed San Pedro Square, which is one of the best areas to grab some food and drinks from local diverse restaurants and bars. It has a great outdoor area where local bands play music during the weekends. During large sporting events they'll play the matches on screens outside. Good place for the family. I would also second Municipal Rose Garden as being one of the best places in San Jose (don't confuse it with the Heritage Rose Garden, that one is bad). Unfortunately your pictures didn't show the beauty of when the roses have bloomed. May - August are the best times to visit. You can totally make a day or picnic out of it.
Thanks Josh for the nice video of San Jose! My grandfather brought our family down from San Francisco to the small farming town of San Jose in 1922 and it was nice to see a lot of our favorite places to visit here also. It was nice to see Saint Joseph's because my dad was a alter boy at the church back in the 40's and 50's and it was nice to see Mt. Umunhum because we live close to the base of the mountains and i took a nice hike at Quicksilver County Park today which are the first mines in all of California. Thanks again Josh!
I live near the Rose Garden, and this is the first year in several I remember the roses weren't in bloom by April. I think despite the normal pruning that occurred in January, they pulled out all the plants this year, so the bushes will take longer to grow. But once they do, it's an amazing variety of colors and patterns.
Wow! I can't believe you made a video on San Jose! I have always been looking for things to do in SJ but it always seemed like there was not much to do despite being one of the largest cities in America. I once opened a tourist guide for San Jose but it basically told me just to go to San Francisco (where the majority of attractions are)! Thank you for making this video! It has introduced me to lots of places I have yet to see here.
Excellent information in u'r Video. Thanks for that.I have also a Channel name Suty's. it’s one year old channel. I am at San Jose for three months & like to staying few months & try to visit those wonderful place. Thanks again,it will be helpful to me.
I’ve lived in CA for almost 38 yrs and tho I’ve been to the Bay Area several times but I’ve never actually explored San Jose. Honestly I’ve only ever been to San Francisco once as far as exploring it snd not just passing through. I’ve been to Fremont snd Hayward cuz I have friends there. Thanks for posting about San Jose. Gives me some ideas of what to do next time I’m up that way.
For 1973-1977, during summers and holidays, I worked my way through college as an elf at Happy Hollow. We rotated responsibilities and one day I would sell admission tickets, drive Danny Dragon or puppeteer. During college in San Diego, I found out my German language professor had worked his way through college operating the jungle ride at Disneyland 😊
Some things you left off the list were SAP Center (formerly known as HP Pavillion) which is the home of the San Jose Sharks and the Bay Area Panthers (a recently formed arena football team owned by Marshawn Lynch, and Oakland Native and former running back for the Seattle Seahawks). It also used to be the home of the San Jose SaberCats (RIP). Also in downtown is PayPal Park which is the home of the San Jose Earthquakes, which is a professional soccer team in the MLS.
You make great videos! I just found your channel and have subscribed. I lived in California for 20 years and left 20 years ago, it's nice to see it all again, thank you. How nice for you and your family to have all these superbly documented memories on video.
Good video but honestly Japan town is not that big or popular(not even little Italy is very big), I’d say that Vietnam town is a bigger deal since that there’s a lot of Vietnamese people and their culture is as big as the Mexican/Salvadoran culture in town. I’d also say that Coyote Creek Trail should’ve been included since it stretches down the west side of town a lot and popular among people in that area. The Westfield capitol flea market also is a big market in town with a drive thru theater used at night. There’s also Santana Row, the rich area part of town with its own huge mall and theater next to it.
I lived in the Bay Area for twenty-two years and no one ever says, "Hey! Let's go to hang out in San Jose." People go to San Jose when there is an event at the Convention Center or a performance at the SAP or Civic Centers, but that's it. It is not even safe there when you're in your car. Thugs surrounded my car and one bodyslammed onto the hood when I was by a downtown light-rail station where the Safeway used to be. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is definitely interesting and is the only museum with historical items in the whole Bay Area.
Great America Amusement Park was my go to place. I spent my summers there and used to call it my sons park when i had kids... we were season pass holds and went all the time. It was great!
As a person who was raised in san jose, I think like a lot of other people do that san jose is sometimes overlooked because it's right next to a very popular city ( san francisco), but there are so many things to do and so many hidden gems, like he says edit: I have been to japan town so many times ( almost every weekend) I totally suggest going to roy's station super nice place to grab some food and a drink 🥰
I live in SJ… unfortunately… and one of the best places to eat is Dumpling Time… also love LB steak. Stay away from pizza antica… There’s better pizza down the road at NY pizza.
Once thought that San Jose was the best place ever! Not any more! Lived there more then 35 years! It's turned into a hell hole of police corruption and super expensive rent The city caters to the rich foreigners and illegal aliens! The once great city is destroying the middle class! GLAD TO BE OUT OF THERE!
