Photo: Payton Chung / CC BY (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)
San Jose is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. The city is found in the beautiful state of California in the United States of America. The city of San Jose boasts several amenities like museums, beautiful and unique landscapes, national parks, and various rare species of animals and plants that you will enjoy seeing while visiting the city.
Here are the 10 best things to do in San Jose California:
# 10 – Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge
We open up our 10 Best Things To Do In San Jose, California article with a look at Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. This national wildlife refuge is a must place to visit. Every year around 300 bird species pause or nest at this national wildlife refuge located at the south-easternmost pocket of the San Francisco Bay. Besides, this national wildlife refuge spreads in over 30000 acres of salt marsh, open water, and vernal pools. If you visit this wildlife refuge during the spring seasons, you may see the marvelous spectacle of thousands of shorebirds and waterfowl that always pause here to refuel. Additionally, you may be able to see kites, hawks, eagles, and ospreys in case you have never come across any. Endangered animal species like the Ridgeway rail and salt marsh harvest mouse, among others, are also found here.
# 9 – Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
Ever heard of the mummies? Well, this Egyptian museum features the most extensive collection of artifacts in the Western Part of the United States. The museum is located along 1660 Park Avenue in San Jose in the State of California. In this museum, you will be able to view over 4000 pieces of artifacts that have been gathered of 5000 years. Additionally, when you visit this Egyptian museum, you will see the cat mummies, sarcophagi, and a replica of a rock-cut tomb found in middle Egypt. Besides, you will also see the ancient jewelry, sculptures, ritual objects, writing materials, textiles, tools, vessels, and some other pieces from Babylonia and Assyria in this museum. You can visit this museum every Wednesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and on weekends from 10 a.m. to 6. P.m.
# 8 – Children’s Discovery Museum
We are living in a world of advanced technologies. In this museum, some exhibits and programs will help your kids understand the world through experience, interaction, and inquiry. Moreover, a visit to this discovery museum will offer your children the chance to make gigantic bubbles, dig for mammoth fossils, and solve engineering issues. This museum features an art gallery and art loft, kids garden, and voyage to Vietnam, among others, that will inspire you, child, to be curious and creative in real life.
# 7 – Winchester Mystery House
Visiting San Jose without visiting and getting lost in this is like not being in San Jose. This mystery house has been there for over 100 years. The house boasts over 161 rooms, 40 bedrooms, two ballrooms, and more than 10000 individual glass panes. You will entertain yourself with the staircase to nowhere, secret passageways, bevy-mind-boggling designs, a séance room, and the hall of fires, among others. This house has been open for tours since the year 1923.
https://winchestermysteryhouse.com
# 6 – Happy Hollow Park and Zoo
If you love seeing animals and taking your kids to a fun place, this park and zoo is a place you must visit while you are in San Jose. In this Hollow Park and Zoo, there are animal enclosures, tides, and a fully-equipped animal hospital. This attraction place has been there since 1961, and it is home to some of the endangered species of smaller animals like meerkats, fossas, capybaras, guinea pigs, lemurs, turtles, owls, and macaws. You will be able to have fun seeing and learning more about the animals found in this zoo. Further, there are puppet shows, amusement rides in this zoo, and attractions in this zoo that will keep your children entertained while visiting this zoo. When hungry, restaurants in this zoo serve healthy foods and snacks made of sustainable ingredients using eco-friendly utensils.
# 5 – Municipal Rose Garden
Planning to go for a picnic, stroll, or have some good quality family time while in San Jose? Do not worry. This municipal rose garden in San Jose is home to over 1000 different varieties and species of flowers and shrubs that you will enjoy seeing and learning about while strolling during your picnic. The garden is opened daily, and the admission is free. This garden features manicured green space and a natural stage surrounded by a pocket of redwood trees suitable for holding wedding events. You will enjoy walking in the rows and rows of roses that are planted in the 5-acre plot. During the spring seasons, the flowers have delight colors that will help improve your mood even on a sad day.
# 4 – Japanese Friendship Garden
This place was built in 1965 as a symbol of everlasting friendship between San Jose and Okayama, Japan. Are you tired of noisy city life? Relax, this Japanese friendship garden is one of the quiet places that you will enjoy having quality times. Additionally, you can visit this friendship garden during the afternoons when you want to have a peaceful afternoon. Due to its quiet nature, you will be able to relax and cool off your mind while viewing the Japanese bridges, waterfall, and the koi fish in the ponds and ducks and geese swimming.
# 3 – Rancho San Antonio Preserve
This preserve covers almost 3990 acres of land in San Jose plus a 290-acre county park attached to it. If you like hiking, you will enjoy hiking out in the Santa Cruz Mountains located within this preserve. You can enjoy walking through the various ecosystems that are all shaped by their orientation towards the sun. Additionally, you will enjoy seeing the mountain lions, deer, and bobcats, among others, that inhabit this preserve and roam freely. The preserve features walking trails almost 30 miles long with an elevation difference of over 700 meters. When tired or hungry or taking a break from hiking, you can visit the 150-year old Deer Hollow farm located in the preserve to get some eggs and fresh fruits.
# 2 – San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles
This museum was opened back in 1977, and it celebrates the art, craft, and the creators and history of quilts and tiles. While visiting this museum, you will be able to view a c. 1830 mosaic quilt top made by Mary Taylor Lloyd key, scores of molas by the Kuna people of San Blas islands in Panama a rare linsey-wooley whole cloth quilt from c.1820. Besides, this museum is home to the notable 20th-century quilts like Ruby McKim and Ernest Haight.
# 1 – Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip
This is one of the places that you will enjoy visiting while in San Jose. You will be able to enjoy viewing some of the most iconic landscapes in the USA. You will be able to travel within the park in a luxury van fitted with Wi-Fi. You will enjoy viewing monuments like the Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and Bridalveil Falls, among others, during your trip. Furthermore, a visit to the parks Tuolumne Grove will allow you to see the growing 25 giant sequoias of unimaginable scale that have been there for over 2000 years.
Sorry but we just had to add this video because we kept hearing this song all the way through writing this article.
