SAN JOSE CALIFORNIA | DONNE TEMPO | RUTH
Nestled in the Santa Clara Valley, surrounded by the soaring Santa Cruz Mountains, lays lush and lovely San Jose, California.
Overshadowed by its more famous northern cousin, San Francisco, San Jose is a worthy destination. The bustling city boasts a huge variety of unique natural sites, cultural destinations, nightlife and a surprising calming beauty.
From the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum and Planetarium, to diverse wines in quaint tasting rooms, nights swaying to the salsa beat to morning hikes along the Guadeloupe River trail, there is no shortage of active and leisurely activities to chose from.
Flowers, Flowers Everywhere
Wherever you path wanders, you can’t help but be struck by the San Jose’s flowers.
They are everywhere, in every nook and cranny, in every road median and in every yard.
Every color, every shape, every smell.
The best day I had in San Jose was spent walking around downtown, with no particular destination in mind, just marveling at the flowers, trees, and plants.
…it doesn’t get much better than that…
The Plaza de Cesar Chavez, in front of the landmark Fairmont Hotel, is a fairy tale drawing brought to life, its jacaranda trees dripping with blue flowers frame pathways lined with vibrant red annuals.
Irises, roses, lilies, and a host of flowers I’ve never even heard of, await visitors on every step of their journey throughout the city.
Journey outside the city and fields of wildflowers grace the highway medians, ridges, hillsides, and small patches next to buildings.
It’s hard not to smile; even while slowed in traffic, when graceful flowers dance outside your window and perfume the air.
Fabulous Lodging
While it’s easy to wander around the city in a flower-induced haze ala Dorothy’s famous Wizard of Oz poppy overdose you do, eventually, need a place to lay your head.
Luckily San Jose offers a variety of uniquely special places.
The Fairmont, unparalleled for opulence; the Hotel de Anza, a comfortable and chic historic art deco destination; and the Hotel Valencia, a San Jose original offering sleek elegance in the upscale Santana Row shopping district are our top three choices.
The entrance to the Hotel Valencia is located in the middle of the bustling and upscale Santana Row shopping district. Outside activities are instantly calmed stepping into the Asian-flavored lobby where highlights include rich reds and saffron, sleek wood, and classic chic furnishings.
There are additional Eastern touches, such as the five-foot Buddha head, burbling fountains, and single, unadorned orchids, which reinforce the meditative calm of the Hotel Valencia.
As peaceful and welcoming as the interior lobbies are, the jewel of the property is the outside courtyard.
The center of the patio room features a large, lighted sculpture where water cascades off a table-like platform into the pool below.
Smaller fountains and individual fireplaces dot the perimeter of the marble-floored terrace, where guests can enjoy a meal from the Citrus restaurant or just talk and relax in comfortable, clean-lined wood chairs.
And there are flowers. Large bougainvillea, phalaenopsis orchids, and white annuals, all of which finish the sense of natural beauty woven throughout the hotel.
Step outside your hotel, and San Jose presents a bevy of restaurants, bars, and nightclubs from which to choose.
The vast culinary choices that San Jose offers includes pretty much everything you can think of. Chinese? Italian? Ethiopian? Persian? Japanese? Mexican?
Yep, they got that covered.
Our number one San Jose restaurant recommendation is Vung Tau Restaurant, located at 535 E. Santa Clara Street.
One of the many San Jose facts I did not know before visiting the city is that it houses the largest Vietnamese population in the United States. This has brought some of the best Vietnamese restaurants to the area.
While there are numerous choices, Vung Tau stands out, and we love its story as much as its food.
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