San Jose
Around San Jose
Photo: Kabelleger / David Gubler (http://www.bahnbilder.ch) · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Metro area · California · 2.0M people
San Jose
Locals say South Bay · “Silicon Valley”
San Jose · Sunnyvale · Santa Clara · Cupertino · Milpitas · Mountain View · Palo Alto
Where innovation and sunshine are always in season
Deep Pacific TealCardinal Red
Welcome to the South Bay, where tech innovation meets laid-back living. Whether you're here for the Sharks, the garlic, or the endless trails, you'll find a warm community and plenty to explore.
Clubs for San Jose
No clubs for San Jose yet.
The room
One room for everyone around San Jose. It never closes; when it's busy it splits into tables. Once you're in, you stay until you leave.
Ask the neighbours
AllA good plumber, the best tacos, a lost cat: nobody has asked yet. Be the first.
Coming up
No events in the next month. Events made in the room show up here.
Marketplace
Things for sale, free and wanted, and rooms for rent, from people around San Jose. Sign in to sell something.
Things to do
- Winchester Mystery House Eccentric mansion with a maze-like layout
- The Tech Interactive Hands-on tech and innovation exhibits
- Computer History Museum Traces the evolution of computing
- Stanford University Beautiful campus with iconic architecture
- Levi's Stadium Home of the 49ers and major concerts
- SAP Center Home of the Sharks and big-name acts
- Outdoors Hike the trails at Alum Rock Park
- Outdoors Bike or walk the Los Gatos Creek Trail
- With kids Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
- With kids Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
- Evenings Catch a Sharks game at SAP Center
- Evenings See a concert at Shoreline Amphitheatre
- Locals love taco trucks
- Locals love Vietnamese pho shops
Through the year
- Gilroy Garlic Festival July Celebrating garlic with food and music
- San Jose Jazz Summer Fest August Multi-stage jazz festival in downtown San Jose
- Cinequest Film Festival March Independent film festival in San Jose
- Santa Clara County Fair August County fair with rides, exhibits, and food
- Palo Alto Festival of the Arts August Outdoor art show and street fair
Mediterranean climate with mild, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Best in spring and fall. Summer is sunny and dry, winter brings rain, spring has wildflowers, fall is harvest season. Best: Spring and fall are ideal with mild temps and clear skies.
Talk like a local
- “The City”
- San Francisco
- “The 101”
- Highway 101
- “The Valley”
- Silicon Valley
- “Caltrain”
- The commuter rail line
Getaways
- Santa Cruz Beach town with boardwalk and redwoods
- San Francisco Iconic city with Golden Gate Bridge and neighborhoods
- Salinas Agricultural heart of the Salinas Valley
- Modesto Central Valley city with a historic downtown
Local flavour
Teams
- San Jose Sharks NHL
- San Jose Earthquakes MLS
- San Jose Giants MiLB (Single‑A)
- Stanford Cardinal NCAA Division I
- San Jose State Spartans NCAA Division I
- San Jose Barracuda AHL
- San Francisco 49ers NFL
- Bay FC NWSL
Eat and drink
- Pho
- Garlic fries (Gilroy garlic) Gilroy, the Garlic Capital of the World, is part of this metro
- Bánh mì Vietnamese sandwich, widely available and beloved
- Vietnamese iced coffee Strong, sweet, and refreshing – a local favourite
Where people go
- Technology company campuses Google, Apple, and many startups define the landscape
- Taco trucks A ubiquitous and beloved part of the food scene
- Vietnamese pho shops San Jose's Little Saigon is one of the largest in the US
- Garlic farms (Gilroy) The garlic capital of the world, with fields and festivals
- Hiking trails in the foothills The Diablo Range and Santa Cruz Mountains are close by
- Downtown historic districts Victorian architecture and a growing urban core
Heritage and traditions
The South Bay is proud of its role as the heart of Silicon Valley, its rich agricultural past, and its vibrant multicultural communities—especially the large Vietnamese and Mexican populations that shape its food, festivals, and neighborhoods.
Say it like a local: “The Dish” — A term for the Stanford Dish loop trail
Festivals
- Tết Festival January or February Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration with food, music, and lion dances, held in San Jose's Little Saigon.
- Obon Festival July Japanese Buddhist festival with lanterns, taiko drumming, and folk dancing at local temples, especially in San Jose's Japantown.
- Dia de los Muertos November 1-2 Day of the Dead celebrations with altars, processions, and traditional Mexican food at various community centers.
- San Jose Jazz Summer Fest August Given already; we'll skip.
- Gilroy Garlic Festival July Given already; skip.
- Silicon Valley Pride August LGBTQ+ parade and festival in downtown San Jose, celebrating diversity.
Landmarks with a story
- Mission Santa Clara de Asís The 8th California mission, founded in 1777, now on the Santa Clara University campus.
- Peralta Adobe The oldest building in San Jose, dating to 1797, part of the History Park.
- Japantown One of only three remaining Japantowns in the US, with historic businesses and a cultural center.
- Winchester Mystery House Given already; skip.
- Computer History Museum Given already; skip.
- Stanford University Given already; skip.
Food traditions
- Garlic everything Gilroy's garlic heritage means locals enjoy garlic ice cream, garlic fries, and garlic bread at festivals and restaurants.
- Pho and bánh mì The large Vietnamese community brought these dishes; they're comfort food for many, with a distinct South Bay flavor.
- Mission-style burritos While more associated with San Francisco, the South Bay has its own taqueria culture with super burritos and salsa bars.
- Prune orchards and dried fruit The Santa Clara Valley was once the 'Valley of Heart's Delight' with orchards; locals remember the agricultural past.
- Farmers' markets Year-round farmers' markets in every city, offering fresh produce, including garlic, berries, and stone fruits.
Music and arts
- San Jose Taiko A renowned Japanese taiko drumming group based in San Jose's Japantown, blending traditional and contemporary styles.
- Mariachi music The South Bay has a strong Mexican heritage, with mariachi bands performing at festivals and restaurants.
- Punk rock scene San Jose had a vibrant punk scene in the 80s and 90s, with bands like Smash Mouth emerging from it.
- Mural art Colorful murals in downtown San Jose and neighborhoods like the Alum Rock district celebrate local culture.
A little history
- 1777-1830s Spanish mission era
- Late 19th-early 20th century Agricultural boom as 'Valley of Heart's Delight'
- 1885 Founding of Stanford University
- 1939 Birth of Silicon Valley with HP in a garage
- 1970s-1980s Vietnam War refugee resettlement
Rivalries
- Stanford vs Cal The Big Game college football rivalry
- San Jose State vs Fresno State Mountain West conference rivalry
- San Jose Earthquakes vs LA Galaxy California Clasico in MLS
- San Jose Sharks vs Los Angeles Kings Pacific Division hockey rivalry
- Game day Sharks playoff rituals
- Game day Stanford's 'Red Zone'
- Outdoors Hike at Alum Rock Park
- Outdoors Bike the Los Gatos Creek Trail
- With kids Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose
- With kids Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
The South Bay is a melting pot of languages and accents, with a strong presence of Spanish and Vietnamese. English speakers often use freeway numbers with 'the' (e.g., 'the 101') and adopt tech jargon. The area's diversity means you'll hear many languages, but the local English has a distinct Californian flavor with a slight Northern California tendency.
Only here
- The HP Garage is considered the birthplace of Silicon Valley.
- San Jose has the largest Vietnamese population of any city outside Vietnam.
- The city has one of the last three Japantowns in the United States.
- Gilroy is the 'Garlic Capital of the World' and hosts the annual Garlic Festival.
New here? A few tips
- Traffic on the 101 and 280 can be heavy during commute hours; consider using Caltrain or VTA light rail.
- The weather is mild year-round, but summer fog can roll in from the coast; bring layers.
- Embrace the diversity: try pho in Little Saigon, tacos in Mexican neighborhoods, and boba everywhere.
- Learn to say 'hella' if you want to blend in, but don't overdo it.
- The cost of living is high; be prepared for expensive housing and gas.
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Part of Bay Area
Nearby
Every areaSanta CruzCaliforniaSalt air and redwood shade.San Francisco–OaklandCaliforniaFog-kissed hills, salt air, and a city that never stops dreaming.SalinasCaliforniaWhere the fields meet the seaModestoCaliforniaHeart of the Central Valley, where the orchards meet the Sierra.StocktonCaliforniaWhere the Delta meets the valley's bounty.VallejoCaliforniaWhere the river meets the bay, and the ferry hums home.NapaCaliforniaWhere every hill is a vineyard and every glass tells a story.MercedCaliforniaThe gateway to Yosemite, rooted in the valley.
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA. Areas from the US Census Bureau and Statistics Canada; places from GeoNames. Local flavour was written with a model and may have mistakes. Team names identify teams; no endorsement.