photo by gusto

Silicon Valley, San Jose’s more popular name, is just 50 miles south of San Francisco via US-101 or I-280. These 50 miles, however, often seem like 50,000 as traffic from rapid-growth technology businesses clogs the roadways. The city sits in the Santa Clara Valley, with the Santa Cruz Mountains to the east, the Diablo Range to the west, and the southern tip of the San Francisco Bay just 11 miles from the city center.

The greater metropolitan area covers 1,291 square miles; it comprises Santa Clara County and includes Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Mountain View, Cupertino, and Palo Alto. The population in San Jose itself is approximately 890,000; in the metro area it is 1.6 million and growing rapidly.

The Native American Ohlone people inhabited the southern bay shore for more than 1,000 years before the arrival of white settlers. In 1777, San Jose became the first civil settlement in Spanish California, and was named El Pueblo de San Jose de Guadalupe for St Joseph, the husband of the Virgin Mary. The area quickly developed primarily as an agricultural center, and the state’s thriving wine industry has its roots here. Concrete, strip malls, and housing developments now cover former orchards and vineyards, while areas such as the Napa Valley have set up agricultural preserves to avoid the same fate from rapid urbanization without long-term planning.

San Jose is the number one high-tech center in the United States, with specialties in aerospace and computer technologies. Apple, Intel, Hewlett-Packard, and IBM are all based here, as are Lockheed Martin’s missile and space divisions.

The climate is mild year-round, crime levels are low, and the thriving economy has attracted hundreds of shops, restaurants, and other services that supply the newly wealthy residents.

The San Jose Museum of Art features local and national art exhibits, while the Tech Museum of Innovation is a hands-on technology museum. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, architecturally inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak, houses a large collection of Egyptian artifacts, including objects from predynastic times through Egypt’s early Christian era. The Peralta Adobe and Fallon House Historic Site is a history park with 27 original and replica homes, businesses, and landmarks highlighting periods of the Santa Clara Valley’s past.

For those seeking something a little more exciting and an escape from the heat, Raging Waters has wave pools, inner-tube rides, waterfalls, and nearly a dozen types of water slides. Other major attractions include the Children’s Discovery Museum, the Lick Observatory, the Cathedral Basilica of St Joseph, and the Winchester Mystery House.

Lodging and dining options range from roadside motels and fast-food restaurants to five-star resorts and restaurants. Fast-food prices are generic across the nation, but nothing else here is cheap. Even the economy motels are expensive—visitors on a budget should make this a day trip.

The San Jose International Airport serves the area, as do rail and bus service from San Francisco.