San Jose, California: what to do in the Silicon Valley capital
Attractions, neighbourhoods and why staying in San Jose makes sense when your schedule is in Silicon Valley.
San Jose is Northern California's largest city and the geographic centre of Silicon Valley. For business travellers it is the most efficient base; for leisure visitors it is a surprising stop.
What to visit
- Winchester Mystery House: the labyrinthine mansion with staircases leading nowhere.
- Computer History Museum (Mountain View, 20 minutes away): the best telling of technology's story.
- Santana Row: a boulevard of shops, restaurants and hotels, ideal at the end of the day.
- Japantown: one of only three historic Japantowns left in the United States.
- Municipal Rose Garden: 3,500 rose bushes, free, perfect at dusk.
A base for business
From San Jose you reach Apple Park, the Googleplex, Meta, NVIDIA and Stanford in 15 to 30 minutes. Staying here instead of San Francisco saves an hour a day on Highway 101.
The airport
SJC is small, fast and 10 minutes from downtown — often a better option than SFO for domestic flights.
How we serve you
Punctual executive transport between hotels, campuses and airports, with a bilingual chauffeur, a quiet vehicle and flight-monitored pickups.
Travel California in a 100% electric SUV
Request a quote or reserve a private chauffeur for airport transfers, wine country days and multi-day California journeys.
First trip to California: 12 tips that save you time
Private driver in California: how it works and what it's worth