Several months ago I was contacted by fellow blogger Kendra Thornton, of Chicago, IL, who asked me to collaborate with her on a piece featuring several travel bloggers nationwide, each highlighting their own home cities. Here is my portion of the piece, followed by Kendra's portion about Chicago. Enjoy the beginnings of my first group effort!
Experiencing
San Jose
San
Jose is a fast paced and culturally diverse Northern California city, famous
for its transformation from an agricultural center to a hub of high tech
innovation. San Jose spreads over 180
square miles and is home to nearly one million residents, making it the 3rd
largest city in the state of California and the 10th largest in the
United States. It can take nearly 25
minutes to cross the city end to end while driving on the freeway, and that’s
without traffic!
Where am
I??—There are
many lovely neighborhoods within San Jose itself, such as Almaden Valley,
Evergreen, Cambrian, and Willow Glen, but these areas don’t offer much in the
way of accommodations. If you are
looking more for a bed and breakfast atmosphere with a quaint downtown area,
head to the nearby towns of Los Gatos and Saratoga, and check out the Hotel Los Gatos or The Inn at Saratoga .
Chances are, however, if you are staying anywhere in San Jose, you are
staying downtown. Websites such as
hotels.com and Travelocity.com can steer you to any type of accommodation to
suit your needs. Two of my downtown
favorites? The Hotel De Anza and the Hotel Montgomery….
Now that
we’re settled, let’s eat—Whatever kind of food you want you can get in San Jose. All budgets and tastes can be satisfied. Of course, San Jose has all the chain
restaurants and they are on every corner—but steer clear and eat
somewhere only
San Jose can offer . Two hubs of
gastronomic selection are Santana Row
and San Pedro Square. Santana Row is a busy collection of upscale
shops and trendy restaurants, such as Straits,
Left Bank Brasserie, Sino Restaurant and Lounge, and Lark Creek Blue. If you’re
after a more casual atmosphere, try The Yard House or The Counter. San Pedro Square is downtown and has grown
into a center of a wide variety of San Jose food and nightlife. If the urge to dine while there should strike you, try Bray Butcher Block and Bistro, Orchestria Palm Court or Vino Vino.
Santana Row by night |
One
of my faves, however, is the San Jose landmark Original Falafel's Drive-In.
Plastic trays, outdoor picnic tables, and great falafel! This restaurant was featured on Guy Fieri’s
Diners, Drive-In’s and Dives a while back.
Now that
we’re settled, let’s drink—It is a common mistake of visitors to the Bay Area to head solely
to Napa Valley to enjoy California wines.
The fact of the matter is that there is excellent wine tasting right in
San Jose’s backyard. The Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrower's Association is replete with wineries
making primarily Pinot Noir, but Zinfandel, Syrah, Chardonnay, and other varietals as well. Close to the beaten path in downtown Los Gatos on the site of a former monastery is Testarossa Vineyards, Savannah-Chanelle Vineyards on Highway 9 has music every Friday and Saturday night during the spring and summer months. Another fine spot is Mountain Winery , which hosts a long line of summer concerts featuring headliners such as Foreigner, the B-52's and Gypsy Kings.
Testarossa Vineyards |
Now that we’re settled, let’s shop—the San Jose environs has several areas of downtown type boutique shopping, including Willow Glen, the previously mentioned Santana Row, downtown Los Gatos, and downtown Saratoga. If the mall is more your speed, Oakridge Mall and Valley Fair Mall are extensive! There is outlet shopping available too, a few minutes north in Milpitas at Great Mall, and 30 minutes south at the Gilroy Premium Outlets.
Go team!—If sports
are your thing, many teams make their home in San Jose, the most notably the NHL’s San Jose Sharks. The Sharks
play at SAP Arena (formerly HP Pavilion) downtown. The indoor soccer team, the San Jose Earthquakes is currently
building a new stadium near the San Jose airport set to
open at the beginning
of the 2015 season. They currently play
in Santa Clara University’s Buck Shaw stadium.
My favorite however hands down are the San Jose Giants, the single A baseball affiliate of the San
Francisco Giants. They play April
through August in San Jose Municipal Stadium.
Many local merchants offer free tickets to SJ Giants games, making a
night watching baseball at “Muni” affordable family fun. Professional
football will make its way to the south bay next fall, as the San Francisco 49ers are making the move
to a new stadium in Santa Clara. These
tickets will be hard to procure, and will be anything but affordable!
San Jose Municipal Stadium |
Mom, I’m
bored!---Not
in San Jose! Happy Hollow Park and Zoo has been a San Jose fixture since
1961. Recent renovations have made this
16 acre playground/zoo/amusement park a must see for children 6 and under. The Children's Discovery Museum downtown
will also appeal to the younger set. The
museum has rotating exhibits and is frequented by many a preschool
field
trip. Older kids and tweens are more
likely to be interested in the Winchester Mystery House, northern California’s
own “haunted mansion.” If it’s summer
and the heat is making your brood cranky, head for the water park, Raging Waters, or “over the hill” to
Santa Cruz and the much cooler Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk.
The Winchester Mystery House |
Tis the
season-
If you get lucky enough to be here during the holidays, don’t miss downtown’s Christmas in the Park, a San Jose
tradition with an outdoor skating rink, Downtown Ice, as its centerpiece. Vasona Park’s drive through spectacular, "Fantasy of Lights," is a holiday
experience you can enjoy in any weather without even leaving your car. A
newcomer to the winter scene is Global Winter Wonderland which runs from Thanksgiving until after New Year. Sorry, no links on those last two.
That's all for my piece on San Jose! Here's Kendra's piece on Chicago!
If travel is an important part of your life,
you’ve probably taken a trip to Chicago at least once. If not, you really
should. As a travel enthusiast myself, I love living in a city known for its
hospitality. The attractions here can be enjoyed as much by locals as by world
travelers. I’d love to help you get acquainted with all Chi Town has to offer.
2. Chi Town on the Lakefront
3. Chi Town Hospitality
4. Chi Town Chow
Whatever brings you to Chicago; I hope you have
the time to enjoy a few of my favorite places while you’re here. My hometown
has a lot to offer people from all walks of life. Come soon, and stay as long
as you like.
Hope you have enjoyed our little piece about our own towns! Stay by GoFamilyGo for an upcoming post all about our getaway ski trip to Bend, OR and both snowy and sunny Mount Bachelor!
That's all for my piece on San Jose! Here's Kendra's piece on Chicago!
1. Chi Town Sports
Every sports fan knows about Chicago teams. We
have professional teams competing in almost every major sporting event. The
city’s popular rival baseball teams both play here in iconic parks. Our
basketball and football teams have participated in some of the most spectacular
moments in their respective sports. Our hockey team, the Blackhawks, took home
the Stanley cup last season, and this year looks promising as well. Whenever
you visit, be sure to catch a game with family or friends.
You know an attraction is good when locals
frequent it. Navy Pier
is one of my favorite spots to spend time in my hometown. Shopping and other
activities can be found here. Views of Lake Michigan are spectacular from the
pier. From the 150-foot-tall Ferris wheel, riders are treated to unparalleled
sights of the Chicago skyline.
There’s no shortage of great places to stay in
Chicago. One of the great things about visiting here is the opportunity to
explore neighborhoods and checkout the city’s infrastructure. Every part of
town has its own unique flavor and feel, but the entire city is uniquely
Chicago. When planning your trip, use Gogobot to search for places to stay near
the attractions and neighborhoods that most interest you. The variety of options available might surprise
you.
The food of Chicago is famous the world over.
People everywhere have heard about Chicago dogs and deep-dish pizza. Although
eating out in Chicago can get expensive, some of my favorite places are
reasonably priced diners. One of my favorites is the historic Lou Mitchell’s.
My kids especially like eating here because they always pass out Milk Duds to
kids and ladies eating here. I like it because the prices are reasonable and
the food is top notch. Besides, who can resist the great history associated
with the place where the Chicagoan who invented Milk Duds used to eat?
No comments:
Post a Comment
Leave me a comment! I would love to hear from you!!