If you’re keen to explore more of San Jose’s green side, the surrounding hills are threaded with hiking trails, and Almaden Quicksilver County Park’s 37-plus miles are the best of the bunch, shaded by heritage oak trees and dotted with wildflowers.
Afterwards, wind down at the Mountain Winery and enjoy the vineyard views from its stone chateau, or see who’s headlining one of the live summer concerts. Previous performers have included Diana Ross, Boy George and Willie Nelson, but you can enjoy a glass of California’s best on the beautiful grounds at any time of the year.
As this is the epicenter of the world’s tech industry, it would be remiss not to visit the Computer History Museum, 10 miles northwest of San Jose. Exhibits chart the evolution of the technological world, from early vacuum tubes to the self-driving car. From there, it’s a short hop to some of computing’s big-hitters: Facebook fans can snap a selfie at Meta’s ‘thumbs-up’ sign at 1 Hacker Way, before heading to the 42-acre Google Bay View Campus, opened in May 2022 You can’t go inside, but the buildings are a sight: a vast, sustainable complex with curving, tent-like canopies, surrounded by 17 acres of wetlands and woodlands.
Last, visit the Apple Park — think of it as a kind of giant Apple Store, with friendly guides on hand to show you around the futuristic building. If you’ve got kids in tow, don’t miss The Tech Interactive, a multi-storey technology center in the heart of San Jose, where hands-on exhibits explore a number of today’s big issues, from climate change to space travel.
Published in the December 2022 issue of National Geographic Traveler (UK)
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