Our most recommended things to do in San Jose, California

San Jose: Winchester Mystery House Tour

1. San Jose: Winchester Mystery House Tour

Come explore the fascinating Victorian mansion built by Winchester rifle heiress, Sarah L. Winchester. Marvel at this vast, strange and unusual place. Take a 65-minute guided tour of this architectural marvel, built for 38 years from 1884. Experience beautiful stained glass windows, ornate parquet floors, and turn-of-the-century craftsmanship. Discover strange oddities such as doors to nowhere, stairs to the ceiling, and windows in the floor. See rooms bare with remnants of the 1906 earthquake damage, and others furnished with lounge chairs, grand pianos, and chandeliers. After your tour, walk round the beautiful the gardens, and enjoy the fresh flowers, picnic benches and palm trees. Try your hand at axe throwing or the shooting gallery for an additional charge, or browse for souvenirs at the gift shop.

San Jose: Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip

2. San Jose: Yosemite National Park and Giant Sequoias Trip

Towering granite cliffs and giant sequoias headline this full-day Yosemite tour from San Jose. Expert guides will make sure you don’t miss the history, geology, wildflowers, and wildlife, that have made this glacier-carved valley the jewel of America’s national park system. Your Yosemite Giant Sequoia Tour from San Jose begins with pickup from your hotel, then heads east crossing through California’s fertile San Joaquin (aka Central) Valley and into the craggy Sierra Nevada mountains. This is the only Yosemite Valley tour where you will also experience the solitude of the Tuolumne Grove of giant sequoias, the largest living things on earth. You’ll reconsider your place in the world, 2,000-year-old trees can make people do that. Your heart (and camera) will be racing as you enter Yosemite Valley, enjoying stops at Inspiration Point and El Capitan Meadow. You will stop for moments at Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite Falls, and Bridalveil Falls, with plenty of time allocated to "take some selfies". Yosemite is open year-round, and if you visit in the winter months, you can picture Yosemite Valley covered in soft white snow, with animal footprints scattered about in the meadows and the snow-capped Half Dome casting its long shadow.

San Jose: Themed Escape Room Game Adventure

3. San Jose: Themed Escape Room Game Adventure

Solve puzzles and test your intuition at a live escape room adventure in San Jose. Choose between five immersive escape rooms and work as a team to complete your mission. Decide on a challenge to tackle with your team. You may find yourself as a spy sent to recover a stolen painting or one an underwater expedition. You'll work together with your team to find clues and solve puzzles within a series of elaborately designed rooms. Choose your escape adventure: Timeliner: Train Through Time: As part of the Time Crisis Management team, you’re tasked with addressing life-threatening issues, no matter what decade they happen in. Now, the fate of reality is in your hands — it’s up to you to restore the past and save the future. The Depths: The brilliant researcher, Dr. Humphreys, has gone missing and there have been rumors of mysterious experiments since his disappearance. It’s up to you to find the underwater lab, decipher Humphreys’ research, and discover what he’s been hiding. Gold Rush: Since the passing of prospector Clyde Hamilton, he has left behind quite a pretty penny in gold. As his surviving next of kin, he’s offered you a chance to claim the gold fortune as an inheritance for yourself…if you can find it! Special Ops: Mysterious Market: Your routine browsing of a spice market leads to an unexpected discovery… Now you’re left to combat an international crisis that threatens the state of the world as we know it. How deep does this conspiracy go? The Heist: A priceless Monet painting has recently gone missing from the Barclay Museum of Historical Art. We have reason to believe it’s been nabbed by the museum’s curator, Vincent Hahn. Your mission is to slip through the museum galleries undetected, break into Hahn’s office, recover the painting, and high-tail it out of there before he returns!

LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Bay Area

4. LEGOLAND® Discovery Center Bay Area

Explore the ultimate indoor LEGO playground at LEGOLAND Discovery Center Bay Area, located inside the Great Mall in Milpitas, California. Inspire the imaginations of children aged 3-10 with over 1.5 million LEGO bricks in one location. Discover a 2-3 hour play experience with a LEGO-themed ride, a 4D cinema where you can see all of your favorite LEGO characters come to life with special effects, and MINILAND™, a LEGO re-creation of the Bay Area’s most popular landmarks. Kids can get tips and tricks from the Master Model Builder in the Creative Workshop, design their own LEGO car and test it out in LEGO Racers: Build & Test. They can imagine and create their very own LEGO world in LEGO Friends: Heartlake City, and more. Create, build and play with the whole family.

San Francisco: Monterey and Carmel Tour

5. San Francisco: Monterey and Carmel Tour

Begin your tour by traveling south on the famous Pacific Coast Highway, California Highway 1. Head to Monterey and Carmel-by-the-Sea. At your first rest stop in Davenport, you will have a chance to take a selfie with the whole Pacific as your backdrop.  At Monterey, you will have 2 hours on your own to explore. You can visit the world-famous Monterey Bay Aquarium, rent a kayak or paddleboard, hike along the coast, or take a bike to roam. You can also stroll among the quaint boutiques and art shops along the historic Cannery Row. Grab a seafood lunch at Old Fisherman’s Wharf.  Enjoy another eyeful of Pacific beauty along the scenic 17-Mile Drive through Del Monte Forest and take photographs of the hardy Lone Cyprus Tree. This famous road winds its way by magnificent homes and the spectacular coastline, between the greens and tees of world famous golf courses, and among the last remaining forest of a rare species of the Monterey Cypress.  Your scenic drive finishes at Pebble Beach Village. Upon arrival in the enchanted town of Carmel-by-the-Sea, you can explore the boutique shops on Ocean Avenue and be dazzled by the white sandy beach. If there is time, you can visit the historic Carmel Mission. Then, it will be time to head back to San Francisco. 

San Jose: San Jose Sharks Ice Hockey Game Ticket

6. San Jose: San Jose Sharks Ice Hockey Game Ticket

Seeing the San Jose Sharks play ice hockey live at SAP Center is an experience that you won't soon forget. The atmosphere of the arena is electrifying, with passionate fans cheering and chanting for their team as they fight their way down the rink. From any seat in the stadium, you can get a great view of all the action on the ice. There are plenty of food and beverage options to choose from throughout SAP Center, so if you need a break there's something for everyone to enjoy. Watching your favourite NHL teams battle it out on the ice in person is a thrilling experience that no sports fan should miss!

From Los Gatos: South Bay Wineries Tour

7. From Los Gatos: South Bay Wineries Tour

Journey to the undiscovered South Bay winery region on this unique wine tour. Start in Los Gatos, a city in the San Francisco Bay Area and in the foothills of the San Cruz Mountains. Visit 4 wineries in the South Bay area including Cupertino and Saratoga, and learn about the wine making process from the professionals. Sample the best wines from the region on this custom-tailored tour. Enjoy refreshments in the vehicle to keep you hydrated and a nice picnic boxed lunch. After lunch, continue to visit family run wineries in the area and hear the amazing stories they have to share. Get the VIP experience at each of the winery tasting rooms and some of the wineries will provide exclusive access to their member’s only area. Discover the best wines and a behind the scenes look of the wineries.

California Self-driving Audio Guide in German Language

8. California Self-driving Audio Guide in German Language

Complete your road trip around California with an audio guide featuring 169 locations and 3 hours of audio in 1 app. Listen to the recordings as you take in views at Yosemite, Mt. Whitney, and Zabriskie Point, experience the unique cultures of Silicon Valley, Santa Monica, and Hollywood, and drive down Highway 1. Feel at ease taking in the views while the app uses GPS to find your location and suggest stops. From famous landmarks like the Golden Gate Bridge to lesser-known gems like Moss Landing, appreciate the wealth of beauty and history in California with detailed audio descriptions.   Stop and start your journey as often as you please, there’s no constraints once you download the app and activate your audio guide. If there’s a specific site you’d like to visit, manually choose audio guides from the built-in map or from a list.

San Jose: USA eSIM Roaming (Optional with Canada)

9. San Jose: USA eSIM Roaming (Optional with Canada)

Make your trip to San Jose hassle-free with your convenient eSIM. Stay connected on your travels with high-speed coverage in the USA and upgrade for coverage in Canada . Purchase and install your eSIM anytime and anywhere, and choose from a variety of data packages, validity options, and coverage in additional countries. Simply scan the eSIM QR code to access all your essential apps on your trip. Avoid the trouble of managing multiple SIMs with this zero-waste solution. Get one eSIM per device and top up by simply buying and activating additional eSIM plans as you go. Once activated, your coverage will begin according to your selected duration. Most devices released after 2019 are compatible with eSIM (e.g. iPhone XR, XS of models beyond, Google Pixel 4 and beyond). If you are unsure, please check the compatibility guideline photo to confirm eligibility. If you can not connect to the internet after install this eSIM, please follow the Self Help Troubleshooting Guide in your GYG voucher. Carriers to use: USA -T-mobile , Canada -Bell/TELUS

Yosemite’s Natural Wonders: Private Day Tour from San Jose

10. Yosemite’s Natural Wonders: Private Day Tour from San Jose

Embark on an enriching full-day private tour that commences in the vibrant city of San Jose and unfolds amid the majestic wonders of Yosemite National Park. Experience the awe-inspiring beauty of Yosemite Valley as you immerse yourself in the grandeur of nature’s masterpiece. Feel the spray of Lower Yosemite Falls against your skin and let the allure of Valley View capture your senses, where the Merced River winds through the embrace of towering granite peaks. As the journey unfolds, the trail leads you to the captivating realm of Giant Sequoia Redwoods in the Tuolumne Grove, where these ancient sentinels stand as living testaments to time’s enduring passage. With seamless transportation and the guidance of a local guide, this tour offers an immersive exploration of Yosemite’s iconic landmarks, ensuring every moment is a step into the heart of natural marvels.

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San Jose, California

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What people are saying about San Jose, California

Overall rating

4.5 / 5

based on 77 reviews

Great time learning and seeing the unique history of late Sarah W., her family and beloved staff. Hosted by knowledgeable staff eager to answer questions and make the most of the experience. My only gripe was that another tour group ended up so close to us;lead by a guide who was loud, it was hard to hear our own guide. But that was a minor thing! I really enjoyed the WM - thank you!

What a day!!! Once I got in the van, the adventure started! I felt safe, knew where we were going and the plan for the tour. Bud driver and guide were super friendly, went out of their way to make the most of the experience and were very thoughtful of the needs of the visitors. They really made it a great day I won’t forget. Thank you for a great experience, I’ll be back!!!

A wonderful tour, scenically wonderful. The bus driver Thomas was fantastic. He told a lot about the sights and the landscape and gave good tips. Although the day was long, it was definitely worth it. We don't want to miss the day.

Interesting house, shame it's a guided tour and not a free walk but still worthwhile visiting this house. Gardens are immaculate.

We loved it. Nine-year-old would be too old for it but there’s plenty of things to do for all different ages.