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San Pedro Square Market

48 Hours in San Jose

So much to see, so little time! Make the most of your short stay in San Jose with this checklist of must-see places and must-try restaurants. Your 48-hour adventure starts now.

Day 1

Morning

Start the morning with a leisurely stroll down San Pedro Street and fuel up with a cup of coffee and pastry from Voyager Craft Coffee.

Walk off breakfast on your way to The Tech Interactive and prepare for a hands-on experience with the latest and greatest technology in Silicon Valley, not yet available to consumers. See current exhibits to plan your visit. After roaming the museum, escape reality with a cinematic adventure in the largest IMAX dome screen in the West. IMAX movies average about 45 minutes in length and it’s very easy to lose track of time playing with the gizmos and gadgets in the museum, so give yourself a few hours here.

Tech Museum Exhibit

Afternoon

Walk to the Convention Center light rail stop and hop on any northbound rail car for a short trip up North 1st Street to explore one of three remaining historical Japantowns in the U.S. Get lunch at Minato, a favorite among foodies, including Parts Unknown host Anthony Bourdain, for authentic Sushi, udon and katsu. After, wander through an enticing blend of traditional Japanese stores and modern boutique shops throughout well-groomed streets. Satisfy your sweet tooth at Shuei-Do Manju Shop for handmade Japanese pastries and shop boutiques along Jackson Street.

Japantown House

Use your day pass and catch light rail back to the Convention Center stop for a short walk to SoFA District, San Jose’s visual arts and entertainment district. Coffee or match from Academic Coffee is a perfect afternoon pick-me-up while you explore a wide range of galleries along this eclectic urban strip. Depending on your artistic interests, visit Anno Domini to see art from emerging artists around the world, MACLA for a contemporary arts space grounded in the Chicano/Latino experience, the Quilts and Textiles Museum - devoted solely to quilts and textiles as an art form - or the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art for rotating exhibits of contemporary art.

Art Museum

Evening

Your next stop is Mezcal for regional Oaxacan cuisine. This adventurous dining experience is known for homemade moles and Chapulines (fried grasshoppers) sautéed with garlic, lime and salt. On your walk to dinner take a moment for a photo op as you pass through the site of California’s first state capital at the Circle of Palms.

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Before heading back to the hotel, indulge in a nightcap along First Street and select from a cluster of spots like 55 South and Paper Plane for signature craft cocktails, as well as Nomikai for sake.

Bar Top

Day 2

Morning

Sleep in a bit and begin your day with a lovely breakfast at Tostadas where you'll find an extensive menu of Mexican-inspired breakfast plates. Then head west out of downtown to visit the world-famous Winchester Mystery House to tour the marvelous Victorian mansion of Winchester rifle heiress Sarah Winchester. Discover an extravagant maze of architecture with puzzling twists, like stairways to nowhere and windows opening to walls. It’s said that Ms. Winchester designed her mansion intending to confuse the spirits of Winchester rifle victims that haunted her. Keep an eye out - many visitors have claimed to have paranormal experiences.

Winchester House

Insider tip: If you get the chance to visit on Friday the 13th or around Halloween, you can take a special flashlight tour after hours.

Afternoon

Cross Winchester Blvd. to Santana Row and explore the European-inspired, pedestrian-friendly village in West San Jose, known for high-end shopping, dining, nightlife and spas.

Lovely Walk

After you’ve filled your shopping bags, take a lunch break at one of the many incredible restaurants here or head down the street for casual and walk-up-to-order food at Falafel’s Drive-In, a San Jose institution and featured on the Food Network’s Diner, Drive-Ins and Dives. Be sure to pair your gyro or falafels with their signature banana milkshake.

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Next up, head to the beautiful Rose Garden neighborhood for a visit to the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum where you can view the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts on exhibit in western North America. Among the 4,000 exhibits on display see authentic objects from pre-dynastic times through Egypt's early Islamic era. Step outside and wander through the replica 18th dynasty Rosicrucian Peace Garden. Just one block from the museum, smell the beautiful rose blooms at America’s Best Rose Garden, the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, a 5½ acre park with 4,000 roses and over 250 different rose varieties.

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Insider tip: Your ticket also gets you into a show at the Rosicrucian Planetarium, with showings every day at 2:00 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 3:00 p.m.

Evening

Before heading out to dinner, enjoy a peaceful moment back inside the Signia by Hilton lobby lounge while being serenaded by the sounds of classical piano, or unwind at the pool deck overlooking downtown, while taking in gorgeous views of the sunset over the Santa Cruz Mountains.

San Jose is fortunate to have warm evening weather, so don’t bundle up, but bring a light sweater for your 15-minute walk to San Pedro Square Market, a lively evening in a social dining atmosphere. Choose the cuisine that suits your mood from a variety of vendors at the food hall. Once you’ve made your entrée selection head to the outdoor patio and have a seat next to the Peralta Adobe to admire San Jose’s oldest building.

Stay on San Pedro Street for a night of bar hopping with craft cocktails at Five Points or tiki drinks from Dr. Funk.

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