San Jose is a lively and artsy city in the techy South Bay Area that is often overlooked for day trips.

With the abundance of gorgeous places all within a couple of hours from San Francisco, spending one day in San Jose is not usually a top choice for visitors, but it should be!

I grew up in the East Bay, just one hour from San Jose, and never visited for fun once. As an adult living in the East Bay again after years in Southern California, I now visit San Jose regularly since my sister moved there.

It may be in Silicon Valley, home to tech bros, start-ups, and the giant tech companies, but San Jose has a rich culture, thriving art scene, and diverse gastronomy. There’s much more to San Jose than the tech culture if you know where to look.

San Jose may not get the same attention as San Francisco, but it is the largest city in Northern California, and second largest in the state by area and population. It’s also the 12th most populated city in the entire country, according to a 2024 estimate (10th if you go off the 2020 U.S. Census).

You can do an easy day trip to San Jose from anywhere in the Bay Area, as it’s just about 1 hour from San Francisco and the East Bay.

Explore the best of the city and indulge in the foodie scene with just one day in San Jose!

This post contains affiliate links that earn me a commission. For more information, read my disclaimer.

San Jose Day Trip Itinerary

With just one day in San Jose, start with breakfast (or brunch) before heading to the best rose garden in the country.

From there, visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, get lunch & shop at Santana Row, and tour the Winchester Mystery House.

End the day with dinner downtown, a comedy show, and drinks at an underground speakeasy.

Get Coffee & Breakfast

Voyager Coffee (multiple locations)

Voyager is a colorful, adorable chain of coffee shops around Silicon Valley, with two locations in San Jose. It’s owned by a couple whose goal is to spread love and kindness in the community (from their website).

One of their San Jose locations is in the heart of downtown and opened in 2025. Their other location is on Park Ave., and it's hard to miss with a large blue, pink, and purple mural on the facade.

They serve unique, crafted coffee drinks, as well as teas, traditional coffee drinks, and baked goods. Check out their seasonal drinks menu for delicious and creative concoctions!

Cafe Dolce Sicilia in Willow Glen

Hidden inside an old movie theater, Dolce Sicilia is an authentic Italian coffee shop serving espresso drinks, sweet pastries (dolci), and Italian dishes.

I was once a coffee hater; chai lattes are more my style (with oat milk, of course). When I visited Italy, I gave cappuccinos a try and came back with a craving like I’ve never had before!

After trying cappuccinos at more than a dozen coffee shops in the U.S., I’d yet to have one that lived up to the taste and quality of an Italian espresso, until I visited Dolce Sicilia.

Their cappuccinos taste just like the ones from Italy, and they have delicious Nutella croissants. Sure, I may add 2 packs of sugar because I’m part human, part ant, but the fact that it isn’t sweet to start with is how you know this is an authentic Italian cappuccino!

Meander Through the Rose Garden (Free)

My favorite part of all of San Jose is the magnificent Rose Garden in the Rose District. This sprawling park, filled with thousands of rose bushes, instantly transports you to Europe.

Why is it like Europe? For one, it’s a large piece of land with gorgeous blooms, but it’s also free! Something this beautiful and grand is rarely free in this country. It’s just there for the public to enjoy without tickets or entry fees!

The roses are at peak bloom between May and June, but have blooms almost year-round with all the different varieties. We caught them in mid-May, and they were thriving, fragrant, and an explosion of color.

If you want photos with the roses, the best lighting would be when the garden opens at 8 a.m., or golden hour: about an hour or two before sunset. We went around midday and had pretty harsh lighting.

This rose garden has been rightfully named “America's Best Rose Garden,” and I cannot believe I’ve lived in the Bay Area the majority of my life and only just now visited it for the first time.

One Day in San Jose, California – Rose Garden

Visit the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum

This easily makes my list of the most unique things to do in California. While there are various museums throughout the state with Egyptian artifacts, this is the only Egyptian museum in California!

It has real mummies, over 4,000 ancient artifacts, and a replica tomb you can walk through. I absolutely love Ancient Egyptian history, but even if you’re not wildly interested in it, this is a museum you should not miss.

In addition to the artifacts inside the main floors of the building, there is also an alchemy museum on the top floor, a lovely outdoor area called Rosicrucian Park, and a planetarium next door.

The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum is in the Rose District, within walking distance of the Rose Garden. It’s only open Friday–Sunday, so be sure to visit one of these days if you want to go into the museum!

Admission is $15/person.

Get Lunch at Taqueria Parranga

By this point, you’re likely getting pretty hungry. Make your way to Santana Row for lunch at one of the coolest of most delicious Mexican restaurants in the Bay Area!

Taqueria Parranga is a newer restaurant in San Jose; it just opened in April 2025. They have a large outdoor seating area, as well as some tables and counters with chairs inside.

The interior is a vibrant green with saturated orange pops of color and floor-to-ceiling windows. It looks straight out of Palm Springs or even a Wes Anderson film!

I could not get enough of the burrito and all the different sauces they provide. We left feeling incredibly full, but so satisfied! They have a limited menu, which makes it easy to make a decision. Plus, there are amazing vegetarian options!

Shop at Santana Row

Santana Row is an outdoor shopping mall with a pedestrian-only section in one area. There are shops, restaurants, and even some car showrooms!

I’m not a fan of malls or shopping, unless there are unique stores I can’t visit elsewhere. Santana Row has a few of those unique places, one of which is an adorable Japanese stationery shop called Mai Do. I came home with a few small notebooks and a pack of cat stickers.

Another spot in Santana Row is the Rivian showroom. Now, you can skip this if you have no interest in Rivians, but I am a huge fan of them. This was the first time I got to go inside the R1T and R1S, and I even test drove an R1T!

Other shops that may interest you are Sezanne, the upscale French clothing brand with fewer than 10 locations in the U.S., and Mejuri, the jewelry brand you’ve probably heard podcast ads for.

There are plenty of parking garages around, and usually the first couple of hours are free with each additional hour costing $1.

Tour the Winchester Mystery House

Is it really haunted? You have to visit and find out for yourself! At least, that’s what they ask visitors to do on their website and social media.

The Winchester Mystery House is another activity that landed a spot on my list of unique things to do in California. It’s a mansion just across the street from Santana Row (you can easily walk here) that was once lived in by Sarah Winchester.

A quick historical overview: Between 1866 and 1884, Sarah Winchester lost five family members, including her husband. As a single widow in 1885, she moved with her three sisters to San Francisco.

The following year, she purchased a ranch with a decent-sized farmhouse, which she expanded with her own architectural designs. This house later became the Winchester Mystery House we know and love today!

What makes it a mystery? Though the name draws visitors from all over the world, the truth behind the mystery is far less interesting than the stories of a “crazy” woman who was building a house for ghosts.

The lore may be what lures people in, but the unique layout of the mansion, with over 100 rooms, stairs leading to nowhere, doors opening to multi-story drops, and stained-glass windows, is what makes the Winchester Mystery House worth visiting.

Tickets start at $46/person for the mansion tour.

Have Dinner at Fox Tale Fermentation Project

Fox Tale is more than just a restaurant; they aim to create a welcoming space for the community in the vibrant heart of Downtown San Jose.

The friendly staff is there to greet you the moment you enter, as you walk past the large floral fox mural on the wall. Their menu is mostly vegan, though you definitely don’t need to be vegan to enjoy it!

They also serve unique mocktails (non-alcoholic), teas, and kombuchas, in addition to their own selection of beers. The menu changes often, but when I visited, I got a half portion of the Funky Nachos, “Just Bread and,” and a side of kimchi. It was all delicious!

Catch a Show at the San Jose Improv

While my sister lives in San Jose and I love to see her, my main reason for visiting was to see Rick Glassman perform standup at the San Jose Improv!

The only standup shows I had been to before were ones organized by a family friend at 3 Steves Winery in Livermore with comics I didn’t know. This was the first stand-up show I saw with someone whom I was already a fan of.

It’s a small, intimate theater with gorgeous architecture. There’s a 2-item minimum, so you have to order drinks and/or food, with the lowest-cost item at $7. I got a water and a Coke since we had already filled up at Fox Tale.

We loved the show, everyone who worked at the theater was so friendly, and it was a short walk from dinner!

End Your Day With Drinks at Haberdasher

You could end your day after a show at the Improv, or even after dinner if you want to get home sooner. If you’re up for staying later AND you have a designated driver, then a visit to the Haberdasher is next on the itinerary.

Haberdasher is an underground speakeasy-style basement bar with low lighting, deep red walls, and bartenders dressed like it’s the 1920s.

We actually stopped in twice, once before the show for cocktails and once after the show for some non-alcoholic drinks to end the night! The drinks we had were wonderful, and the bartenders were lovely.

It can get busy on weekends, but no reservations are needed unless you’re visiting with a group of 7 or more people and want to reserve tables.

I have to give a shoutout to Josh of California Through My Lens, because I discovered this place through his blog!

More Things To Do in San Jose

Looking for even more things to do in San Jose? Swap out the activities above or add more to your itinerary if you have extra time!

History Park

This 14-acre park takes you back in time to the early 1900s in America with historical buildings (both original and reproduced), old-timey shops, and landmarks like an old gazebo.

The more I think about it, History Park is almost like a mini Stars Hollow, complete with an old-fashioned ice cream & candy shop like Taylor Doose’s!

Japantown

There are only 3 remaining Japantowns in the whole country, and we in California are lucky enough to have two of them! One is in San Francisco and the other is in San Jose.

San Jose Japantown has restaurants, shops, bars, dance studios, and Japanese markets. This isn’t just a town for viewing, like History Park, but is an actual community within downtown San Jose.

The town was founded in the early 1900s, but became a ghost town for three years, starting in 1942.

This was due to the horrific period of American history when Japanese people in America were forced into internment camps or away from their homes on the West Coast, even if they were U.S. citizens.

Though it’s been through periods of growth and change, today, San Jose Japantown is a lovely area to visit and celebrate the Japanese culture.

San Pedro Square

In downtown San Jose, San Pedro Square is a trendy, eclectic area with diverse restaurants, bars, and breweries. You can catch live music there every day of the week and enjoy the vibes in their open-air plaza.

San Pedro Square is the place to go to kick back and vibe out.

Museums

If the Egyptian Museum isn’t for you, San Jose has other museums you can visit instead!

They have two art museums: the San Jose Museum of Art and the San Jose Museum of Quilts & Textiles. The Museum of Art displays modern and contemporary artwork from their collection of over 2,700 artworks.

The Tech Museum of Innovation doesn’t just have things to look at, but also allows visitors to partake in hands-on activities and get creative.

Tips for Visiting San Jose

There aren’t a ton of tips needed for just one day in San Jose, but these are a few that come to mind:

Avoid rush hour: If you visit on a weekday, the highways around San Jose get backed up with commuter traffic. This usually is between 3–6 p.m. During those hours, I recommend staying off the freeways and taking alternate routes.
Walk when possible: Many of the activities on this itinerary are grouped together by location, so you can walk between each one easily. A few require driving or public transit, but walking is a great way to see more of the diverse city!
Bring a backpack: This tip is for any day trips or travel, not just San Jose! I love wearing an anti-theft backpack when I’m out and about exploring because it holds a lot, looks cute, and discourages the pickpockets.