Located in the heart of the Bay Area of California, San Jose is a city dominated by the Silicon Valley, the biggest IT development center in the world. Despite the emphasis on computer technology, the city still has much to offer, sporting good shopping, Japan Town and the largest exhibition of Egyptian artifacts in America.
Spread out over a huge area, most of the exterior of San Jose is dominated by high-tech industry. The downtown area and South Market street are home to the majority of the city’s tourist attractions like the Tech Museum and the new Museum of Art. The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is a must for history buffs, featuring a huge collection of artifacts from ancient Egypt.
San Jose’s shopping is among the best in the Bay Area. The Berryessa Flea Market is a huge outdoor labyrinth of stalls with a distinctly Spanish flavor which remains the best place to browse and strike a bargain. The recently opened Santana is a huge commercial area of shops, restaurants, bars and cafés that is busy day and night. Otherwise, the downtown area offers the highest concentration of bars and nightclubs which although inferior to San Francisco and Los Angeles, are rapidly improving.
Highlights
Tech Museum: no visit to the Silicon Valley would be complete without a stop at this museum of interactive exhibits which look at the growth of the local technology industry.
Japan Town: the heart of the local Japanese community with its sushi bars, Asian supermarkets and Shinto festival celebrations.
Santana Row: the latest addition to San Jose’s shopping scene, this European style complex also features places to eat and drink until late.
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum: a fine collection of ancient Egyptian artifacts unparalleled in the US.
Winchester Mystery House: a haunted mansion with a maze and eccentric architecture including stairs which lead to nowhere.