Day 1 You'll See:
Day 2 You'll See:
Day 3 You'll See:
This 3-day sample itinerary will provide your group with the most fun, exciting, and educational attractions in San Jose all in one trip. This is truly a 'best of all worlds' type of trip.
1
Happy Hollow Park and Zoo
Part zoo and part amusement park, Happy Hollow features several different family-friendly ride options alongside animal education and observation exhibits. Your group can spend some time having some fun in the 'park' side of things, where you can visit the Education Center, Crooked House, Doc's Critter Care, Double H Ranch, Lemur Woods, Redwood Lookout, and several more animal-based exhibits. After you've had your fair share of animal education head over to the rides, store, or onsite eatery. There are rides for the whole family, like the Pacific Fruit Express Coaster or Danny the Dragon Ride. Head to Explore and More Shop for the perfect souvenir, then grab a bite to eat onsite at the Picnic Basket Restaurant!
Kelley Park
Aside from the parks natural beauty, it also holds the Japanese Friendship Garden, a 'stunning compilation of stone features and immaculately trimmed shrubs around a large pond.'You will also find a Greek-style amphitheater holding regular events behind the Leininger Center, which is the main San Jose park office. Perhaps the most popular feature of the park is the onsite living history museum, History Park. This 14-acre area holds 32 buildings reminiscent of small-town America in the early 1900s. Explore pioneer day relics and shops, including a post office, doctors office, smith shop, and so much more. There are running trolleys to take you about the park, as well as a working ice cream shop on site!
Santana Row
There are over 50 shops and 30 restaurants, a boutique hotel, and a movie theater within this popular upscale district. Shopping-wise, your group will be able to find apparel, accessories, home supplies, and salon and spa ware. This spot is considered to be 'the ultimate destination for style', with stores from Amazon Books to Z Gallerie. Food-wise you will find everything from casual to gourmet. Some favorites include The Counter Custom Burgers, Amber India Restaurant, Hello Kitty Cafe, and Pizza Antica. If you have some extended time here check out what's playing at Century's CineArts 6, the 'art and indie' house that plays independent, foreign and art films, and box office hits.
Winchester Mystery House
The Winchester Mystery House is one of the most famous 'haunted' houses in America, a sprawling landmark mansion in San Jose, California, holding over 24,000 square feet of secrets and stories! Take the basic 1-hour Mansion Tour and see 110 out of the 160 rooms, the Explore More tour, with access to 10 more never before toured rooms (no kids allowed due to safety issues), or perhaps the VIP Caretaker Tour, a 2-hour in-depth viewing of the home complete with an onsite luncheon. There are also 2 different seasonal tours (Friday the 13th and Halloween), as well as a 45-minute Video Access Tour for those with difficulties walking. During your visit, you will also have the chance to explore the many Victorian gardens outside, see the onsite Firearm Museum, the onsite Antique Product Museum, and even Sarah's Attic Shooting Gallery and Arcade.
2
California’s Great America
While here your group will be able to enjoy a wide selection of thrill rides, water attractions, live entertainment, and food options. Here is a highlight of some of our favorite rides here at the park:
- Flight Deck - A visitor favorite steel inverted coaster that holds a Tom Cruise Top Gun theme. (Check out the POV video at the bottom of the page).
- Gold Striker - A consistent choice for the World's Top 10 Wooden Roller Coasters.
- Drop Tower - Anxiously await a drop from a 225-foot ascension!
- Celebration Swings - Great family-friendly classic swing ride.
- Great Barrier Reef - Large wave pool within the waterpark.
- White Water Falls - An exciting coaster meets water experience!
While here you will also want to take in a live show and enjoy a good meal at any of the many sit down eateries or concession stands. Grab some pizza at Crocodile Canteen, a sweet treat at French Quarter Funnel Cake, or some of your familiar favorites at Subway, Starbucks, or Panda Express.
3
Tech Museum of Innovation
Located near Plaza de Cesar Chavez in the heart of downtown, The Tech, as it is more commonly called, provides guests of all ages with several different hands-on, accessible exhibits and experiences, plus it supports an onsite IMAX showing both educational and current popular films. Inside, your group will be able to explore several different STEM-based exhibits such as BioDesign Studio, Cyber Detectives, Social Robots, and The Tech for Global Good. Each exhibit is hands-on and works to educate guests on the power of engineering and creative innovation. There are various labs and educational resources available to field trip groups, as well as different experiences like Girl Scout Badges, Stanford Day, Girls Day, and our favorite, Birdly, a virtual reality flying experience. Before you go stop by the onsite Tech Cafe and grab a bite to eat!
San Jose State University
There are 8 different colleges a part of this university system that provides the best education in Arts, Business, Education, Health, Humanities, Protective Services, Science Technology and Math, and Trades and Professional Services. San Jose State University is considered the be the '#1 supplier of education, engineering, computer science, and business graduates to Silicon Valley'.While visiting your group can take a self-guided tour around campus, drop in on a 1-hour docent-led group tour, take a King Library tour, or even set up student and/or professor meetings if you are serious about wanting to attend. Eat lunch on campus, check out the student store, then see if there are any sports games happening during your visit, SJSU an NCAA Division 1 sports school.
Apple Park
The Visitor Center across the street from Apple Park's main campus provides a combined exhibition, store, rooftop terrace, and cafe that serves as an 'architectural extension of the main private campus'. Inside this center you will be able to 'explore, shop, and attend Today at Apple sessions', all of these experiences together providing fans of Apple with an unmatched company experience. Of course, first and foremost this center is an Apple store, providing all the normal merchandise plus some exclusive Visitor Center only merchandise to all guests. There is also an exhibition on site describing the architecture of the main campus as well as an Augmented Reality experience that allows you to 'peek into the campus through an iPad''. Head up the Jony Ive-designed stairs and you will reach the rooftop terrace, which provides the closest view of Apple Park Campus available. Head to the cafe for a quick pick me up, then try to attend any of the happening Today at Apple sessions you can!