Regional Attractions

People who live and work in San Jose are in a prime position to experience many of the nationally recognized attractions throughout Northern California.

In addition to San Jose's world-class attractions, the greater Silicon Valley area is full of exciting things to do. The Santa Cruz Mountains offer a quick outdoor escape for those who like to bike, hike, camp or go wine tasting. Shoppers will be delighted by the nearby Stanford Shopping Mall and Great Mall of the Bay Area, while thrill-seekers of all ages can enjoy Great America amusement park. In addition, Shoreline (in Mountain View) offers visitors 750 acres of recreational space right on the San Francisco Bay as well as one of the region's premier concert venues.

Within a short drive from San Jose are a number of other major destinations that can make for a perfect day-long excursion.

• The Pacific Coast is just 32 miles away, where you can relax along a dozen state beaches and visit the famous Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk. A bit further south, you can come face-to-face with fantastic sea life at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, shop and dine at Cannery Row and take the scenic 17-Mile Drive along the coast to play a round at the Pebble Beach Golf Links.
• San Francisco is just an hour's drive up the peninsula, where you can experience city's rich culture of arts, music, history and recreation, or visit national tourist attractions like Pier 39 and Fisherman's Wharf.
• Across the Golden Gate Bridge, you can explore the North Bay's renowned wine country, wonders of nature like Muir Woods and Point Reyes National Seashore. The area is also home to the Infineon Raceway, where you can watch exciting NASCAR & IndySeries action.
• In Sacramento (about a two-hour drive from San Jose), you can visit the historic State Capitol and Sutter's Mill, where the discovery of gold in the 1840s set off the California Gold Rush.

Throughout the Bay Area is a wide variety of professional sports to follow, with close to a dozen NFL, MLB, NBA and NCAA Division I clubs playing along side San Jose’s very own hometown teams. There is also an abundance of world-class venues for music, entertainment and performing arts, including the Fillmore, The Independent, Fox Theater and Yerba Buena Center of the Arts.

For outdoor enthusiasts, there are a number of other beautiful Northern California areas accessible for day trips and weekend adventures.

Yosemite National Park

The Sacramento River Delta (1.5 hours away) offers a perfect venue for boating and water sports. California's Gold Country (2.5 hours away) and the nearby American River offers numerous places to camp, hike, fish and experience whitewater rafting. Yosemite National Park (3.5 hours away) offers the state’s most scenic views, a rich outdoor history and unforgettable experiences with nature. Lake Tahoe (4 hours away) offers a relaxing weekend destination, with watersports, hiking and camping in the summer, and numerous nearby ski resorts during the winter.