Page 99 - 2015 Travel Guide to California

Family Fun
For fascinating local lore, head to the Win-
chester Mystery House, the 160-room
Victorian estate built by Sara Winchester,
the heiress of Winchester Rifles. The huge
house is creepy but beautiful at the same
time, with its weird “Stairs to the Ceiling”
that lead to nowhere, séance chambers
and fine woodwork.
California’s Great America theme park
offers the most thrill rides in Northern
California and includes the massive Great
Barrier Reef wave pool. Additional fun is
found at 23-acre Raging Waters in San
Jose, which bills itself as the region’s
largest water park. San Jose’s Happy
Hollow Park and Zoo and Los Gatos’
Vasona Lake County Park, a lovely oasis
with a train and 1915 carousel, are two
other parks that kids love.
SPECIAL
»
EVENTS 2015
SILICON VALLEY AUTO SHOW Jan. 8-11, San Jose motortrendsautoshows.com
BLOSSOM FESTIVAL March 21, Saratoga saratogahistory.com
SANTA CLARA WINERIES SPRING PASSPORT WEEKEND
March 24-25, Santa Clara County santaclarawines.com
DOWNTOWN FARMERS’ MARKET Fridays, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., May-Nov., San Jose pcfma.com
MOUNTAIN WINERY CONCERT SERIES July-Oct., Saratoga mountainwinery.com
CONNOISSEUR’S MARKETPLACE July 18-19, Menlo Park miramarevents.com
GILROY GARLIC FESTIVAL July 24-26, gilroygarlicfestival.com
ART AND WINE FESTIVAL Sept. 12-13, Mountain View miramarevents.com
SARATOGA HERITAGE DAY Sept. 26, Saratoga saratogahistory.com
FUN AT CALIFORNIA’S
Great America, left; Obon
Festival, San Jose, above.
2015 T R AV E L G U I D E TO C A L I F O R N I A 97