Closest major city:
San Francisco

State:
California

Appropriate age group(s):
Preschool and Younger
Elementary School
Middle School
High School & Beyond

Best time to visit:
Spring and Fall

Time needed for trip:
Full day

Description:
You'll find more than peace of mind in San Jose. Known as the Silicon Valley capital, San Jose is just 45 minutes southeast of San Francisco and features fine restaurants, interesting shopping, a wide-variety of festivals and of course the extremely popular ice hockey team, the Sharks.
Getting your fill of the city's arts and culture is easy. There are special events and numerous festivals to be enjoyed all year long. July 4th's America Festival celebrates the diverse cultures that make up San Jose. There's a Beer Festival, a Chinese Summer Festival, a Cinequest Film Festival, Irish Week and there's even a festival to celebrate art and technology called Silicon Planet.
If skating is your passion, it's easy enough to pick up some ice hockey tickets and see the San Jose Sharks in action first hand. Or you can do some of your own skating at the Ice Centre, the official training center of the Sharks.
For more information regarding specific events and your visit to San Jose, check out the San Jose Magazine Events Calendar.