Page 84 - 2020 Travel Guide to California

SANTA CLARA
Silicon Valley city offers NFL and theme park fun, history, and high-tech
B Y L A U R A D E L R O S S O
»DINE, SHOP,
TOUR A
MUSEUM
Santa Clara Visitor
Information
santaclara.org
SANTA CLARA from the air, above; the
Saint Clare statue honoring the city’s
namesake stands in Civic Center Park as
a reminder of the city’s history and
connection to Mission Santa Clara de
Asís, below.
WITH ITS SPRAWLING HIGH-TECH offices,
Santa Clara at first glance may seem like
other Silicon Valley cities. But there’s much
more. In Santa Clara, you can trace California
history from the Ohlones onward, learn how
chips that gave the valley its name were
created and immerse yourself in a treasured
National Football League team.
The San Francisco 49ers are the reason
that, at least for sports fans, Santa Clara
burst onto the spotlight in 2014 with the
opening of Levi’s Stadium. The 69,900-seat
arena fills on game days but it’s a draw year-
round for other sporting events, concerts
and a 49ers Museum where exhibits bring
to life Super Bowl championships with Joe
Montana, Jerry Rice and other greats.
Close by Levi’s is one of the west’s largest
theme parks, California’s Great America,
known for thrilling rides, family-friendly
entertainment and a water park that’s
expanding as the South Bay Shores in 2020.
Galleries at the university’s de Saisset
Museum describe the world of the Ohlones,
who lived here for millennia, the early
missionaries, and also showcase art by
Chagall and Picasso.
A Santa Clara visit wouldn’t be complete
without delving into computers. Intel, the
pioneering company whose silicon chips
power smart phones and laptops, offers a
look inside the industry at its museum.
You’ll see a “fab” facility where chips—
whose origins are simple beach sand—are
made in a space thousands of times cleaner
than hospital operating rooms.
History, Culture & High-Tech
To get a sense of local history, head to Santa Clara
University and its lovely gardens and church,
founded in 1777 as the eighth of California’s
missions. Although the current church dates
only to 1925, it holds mission remnants, such as
a crucifix brought to Santa Clara in 1802.
Expanding Horizons
Like the rest of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara is
in the midst of development. There’s a
planned revitalization of downtown and a
hotel, restaurant and nightlife project
called Related Santa Clara in the works near
Levi’s Stadium.
The city already offers an array of
shopping and dining at Valley Fair, home to
Versace, Armani and other boutiques. And,
at Santa Clara Square, there’s a brewery—
Barebottle—opening in 2020, Fleming’s
steak house plus Indian, Asian, Italian,
Halal, Greek and Mexican restaurants that
reflect the area’s ethnic diversity.
82 2020 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA
SANTACLARA.ORG