Page 88 - 2014 Travel Guide to California

SAN JOSE &
SILICON VALLEY
High-tech innovation hub welcomes visitors
B Y L A U R A D E L R O S S O
TOP CITIES
San Jose, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Los Gatos,
Saratoga, Mountain View, Palo Alto, Menlo Park, Los Altos
INTERNATIONAL GATEWAYS
San Jose International Airport (SJC),
4 miles (6 km) north of downtown San Jose
San Francisco International Airport (SFO),
36 miles (58 km) north of downtown San Jose
TOURISM WEBSITES
sanjose.org
santaclara.org
sanmateocountycvb.com
POPULATION
1.8 million
SAN JOSE
& SILICON
VALLEY
San Jose and Silicon Valley are more than home to leading-edge
technology powerhouses Apple, Facebook, Google and other
familiar names, but a place of vibrant towns with cultural offerings
and vast recreational areas in the nearby Santa Cruz Mountains.
The valley has undergone a dramatic change since the mid-20th century
when farms, orchards and ranches lined Santa Clara Valley and the area
was called “The Valley of Heart’s Delight.” With the technology boom came
the development of acres of office parks and an influx of bright, young
entrepreneurs—and the new name, Silicon Valley.
In the last decade, the robust economy led to a revitalization of cities
whose residents are known more for their long workdays than nights on
the town. Visitors now find pedestrian-friendly towns, such as charming
Saratoga and Los Gatos, with Michelin-starred restaurants and chic shops.
Mountain View’s Castro Street and Palo Alto’s University Avenue are hop-
ping, and San Jose’s downtown and the Santana Row district are alive with
nightlife and attractions, including the Tech Museum that pays homage
to the valley’s innovative spirit.
Palo Alto, home of Stanford University, has long been a cultural center,
and now offers a tiny museum significant to Silicon Valley history: the HP
Garage, the garage where Stanford classmates Bill Hewlett and Dave
Packard founded Hewlett-Packard in 1939.
86 2014 T R AV E L G U I D E T O C A L I F O R N I A
ARIANA PEREZ