09.00 – Midtown morning
There’s no better way to start your day than a hearty meal at The Breakfast Club, a newly opened midtown eatery offering omelettes, pancakes, and steaks. If you’re feeling adventurous try The Bulldog, a rip-roaring alternative to a Bloody Mary consisting of gin, sriracha sauce and celery salt.
11.00 – Culture vulture
Venture into the heart of downtown, and check out the permanent collection of 20th- and 21st-century works at The San Jose Museum of Art. The building is small and easily walkable, ideal for an early morning culture fix. Afterwards, dive into the city’s colonial past on a tour of Mission San Jose, an 18th-century Franciscan monastery with a picture-perfect chapel.
13.00 – Say hello to Palo
If you’re keen to rub shoulders with the titans of tech, consider treating yourself to lunch in the well-healed neighbouring city of Palo Alto. Sample farm-to-table Californian fare at the wood-panelled Saint Michael’s Alley, a legendary brasserie that helped launch the careers of Joan Baez, The Grateful Dead, and Jefferson Airplane. Or stroll across the street to the low-key Calafia Café, serving ultra-fresh, organic burgers, noodles and salads.
15.30 – Tech tours
Embrace the modern age on a self-guided tour of San Jose’s top tech destinations. Start at the newly opened Apple Park Visitor Centre, which features an interactive 3D model of Apple’s brand new Cupertino campus. Afterwards, stop for a selfie at Facebook’s new Frank Gehry-designed headquarters. Then finish off with a trip to The Tech Museum of Innovation where you can try out a NASA jetpack at the space-engineering exhibit.
19.30 – Asian delight
With a population of over 150,000, San Jose’s Little Saigon has more Vietnamese residents than any other city in the world outside of Vietnam. The food court in Grand Century Mall offers a smorgasbord of Vietnamese specialties, including soups, spring rolls and shrimp cakes. After your meal, walk to nearby Nuoc Mia Vien Dong to satisfy your craving for sweet Boba tea and Pandan waffles – a match made in foodie heaven.
22.00 – Vintage adventures
Sip craft cocktails with the city’s movers and shakers at Five Points, a Manhattan-inspired speakeasy on one of downtown’s most fashionable strips. Try Paradise Square, a potent concoction of vodka, pineapple, orange blossom and egg white. Just around the corner, catch a classical concert or an opera performance at the California Theatre, a lovingly restored 1920s movie theatre-turned-music venue.
