Answer: San Jose and the surrounding South Bay area have a rich Italian dining scene, ranging from casual trattorias to more upscale experiences. Since you are visiting at the end of June, it’s a good idea to make reservations for popular spots, as weekends can be busy.
Answer: The area around the new TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Downtown San Jose (near Josefa St and San Carlos) is generally considered an urban downtown setting. As with many downtown areas, safety can vary block by block, but in general, this section is reasonably safe for visitors who plan to stay in their hotel and avoid wandering late at night.
Answer: For a dinner stop after picking up your daughter from San Jose airport, you have several good options that are either near the airport or conveniently along the route to Monterey. Since you’re looking for casual dining with good atmosphere, here are some suggestions:
Answer: Keeping a car in San Francisco for a week can get expensive, but there are several strategies and alternatives to consider if your hotel’s $67/night valet seems too steep.
Answer: For your drive from San Jose International Airport (SJC) to Monterey, traffic is typically light on weekends, but you may encounter heavier traffic on weekdays, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. Since your flight departs early at 6:30 am, you shouldn’t face much traffic during your drive to the airport, but it’s always good to leave with a little extra time, just in case.
Answer: San Jose has a vibrant Asian dining scene, and while it doesn't have a Chinatown as large as San Francisco's, you can still find excellent dim sum and other Chinese specialties within the city and nearby areas.
Answer: Short answer: yes—there are several good hotels within an easy, well-lit walk of the San Jose Civic (downtown near the Convention Center) so you and your daughter can reasonably walk to a 6pm show and back around 11pm if you stick to main streets and common-sense safety precautions. That said, $100/night for a downtown San Jose hotel is optimistic most nights; you’ll usually find the best downtown selections in the $140–$250 range, while cheaper rooms under $100–120 are more likely nearer the airport or in farther neighborhoods.
Answer: For a 49ers game in December while flying into San Jose, staying within 30 minutes of the airport gives you multiple convenient options that balance easy access to the stadium, sightseeing, and wine country experiences. Since you plan to use the Light Rail, proximity to a station is key, and San Jose itself or nearby cities with transit access are ideal.
Travel FAQ list for San Jose
San Jose
Question: Italian Food
Answer: San Jose and the surrounding South Bay area have a rich Italian dining scene, ranging from casual trattorias to more upscale experiences. Since you are visiting at the end of June, it’s a good idea to make reservations for popular spots, as weekends can be busy.
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Question: Area around new TownPlace Suites in Downtown
Answer: The area around the new TownePlace Suites by Marriott in Downtown San Jose (near Josefa St and San Carlos) is generally considered an urban downtown setting. As with many downtown areas, safety can vary block by block, but in general, this section is reasonably safe for visitors who plan to stay in their hotel and avoid wandering late at night.
View MoreSan Jose
Question: Restaurant near airport or on the way to Monterrey?
Answer: For a dinner stop after picking up your daughter from San Jose airport, you have several good options that are either near the airport or conveniently along the route to Monterey. Since you’re looking for casual dining with good atmosphere, here are some suggestions:
View MoreSan Jose
Question: San Francisco City multiple day parking
Answer: Keeping a car in San Francisco for a week can get expensive, but there are several strategies and alternatives to consider if your hotel’s $67/night valet seems too steep.
View MoreSan Jose
Question: Car rental at SJC
Answer: For your drive from San Jose International Airport (SJC) to Monterey, traffic is typically light on weekends, but you may encounter heavier traffic on weekdays, especially during the morning and evening rush hours. Since your flight departs early at 6:30 am, you shouldn’t face much traffic during your drive to the airport, but it’s always good to leave with a little extra time, just in case.
View MoreSan Jose
Question: Dim Sum or any other specialties like San Fran chinatown
Answer: San Jose has a vibrant Asian dining scene, and while it doesn't have a Chinatown as large as San Francisco's, you can still find excellent dim sum and other Chinese specialties within the city and nearby areas.
View MoreSan Jose
Question: Walk from hotel to San Jose Civic
Answer: Short answer: yes—there are several good hotels within an easy, well-lit walk of the San Jose Civic (downtown near the Convention Center) so you and your daughter can reasonably walk to a 6pm show and back around 11pm if you stick to main streets and common-sense safety precautions. That said, $100/night for a downtown San Jose hotel is optimistic most nights; you’ll usually find the best downtown selections in the $140–$250 range, while cheaper rooms under $100–120 are more likely nearer the airport or in farther neighborhoods.
View MoreSan Jose
Question: Where to stay within 30 minutes of San Jose?
Answer: For a 49ers game in December while flying into San Jose, staying within 30 minutes of the airport gives you multiple convenient options that balance easy access to the stadium, sightseeing, and wine country experiences. Since you plan to use the Light Rail, proximity to a station is key, and San Jose itself or nearby cities with transit access are ideal.
View More