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City guide

San Jose, California

San Jose, officially the City of San José, is the most populous city in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, and the 13th-most populous in the United States, with an estimated 989,814 residents as of 2025. The city's metropolitan area is home to nearly two million people, while the broader combined statistical area has a population of over nine million.

Type CityPopulation 989,814

Why go

  • City in California, United States.
  • 2 curated must-see attractions on record, including Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum (REM).
  • 1 hand-picked place to stay.
  • 3 recommended spots to eat and drink.
  • Served by Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC).

History

San Jose, officially the City of San José, is the most populous city in the San Francisco Bay Area and Northern California, and the 13th-most populous in the United States, with an estimated 989,814 residents as of 2025. The city's metropolitan area is home to nearly two million people, while the broader combined statistical area has a population of over nine million. Located in Santa Clara Valley on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, San Jose covers an area of 179.97 sq mi (466.1 km2) and is the county seat of Santa Clara County.

Must-see attractions

1660 Park Ave, San Jose, CA 95191
Outdoor

Where to stay

4315 N First St, San Jose, CA 95134, United States
Indoor

Eat & drink

Restaurant — 1319 Lincoln Ave, San Jose, CA
Indoor
Restaurant
Indoor
Restaurant — 461 Perrymont Avenue, San Jose, California
Indoor

Airports

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC) 1.7 mi to the centre
San Jose, CA, US — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 15 airlines (Southwest Airlines, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, AirTran Airways…) · direct flights to 29 destinations incl. Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Denver, Kahului, Phoenix… (OpenFlights route data).
✈ Serves San Francisco (39 mi) — the low-cost way in
✈ Airlines & flight paths — 15 airlines, 29 direct destinations

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Indoor
Moffett Federal Airfield (NUQ) 6.5 mi to the centre
Mountain View, CA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Palo Alto Airport (PAO) 11 mi to the centre
Palo Alto, CA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
San Carlos Airport (SQL) 19 mi to the centre
San Carlos, CA, US — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day.
Indoor | Outdoor
Reid-Hillview Airport of Santa Clara County (RHV) 7.6 mi to the centre
San Jose, CA, US — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor
Hayward Executive Airport (HWD) 23 mi to the centre
Hayward, CA, US — Indoor waiting area, but you walk out to the aircraft to board — bring an umbrella or a coat if the forecast is poor.
Indoor | Outdoor

Where things are

Full geo-intelligence in Better Mapping →
Local search powered by Geoverts and geo-intelligence by Better Mapping base map © OSM

Photographs

When to go

Tourist season
May – September

The warmer, longer-day half of the year is the safest bet for a first visit.

Shoulder season
April, October

Cooler and quieter, with fewer visitors and better value.

Worth avoiding
Deep winter

Short days and the coldest weather — check local conditions before travelling.

Getting there & around

Getting there. The nearest airport on record is Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport (SJC); 1 other airport serves the wider area. Check rail and road links from the tourism sources below. By air: SJC has direct flights to 29 destinations on 15 airlines (incl. Los Angeles, Guadalajara, Denver, Kahului, Phoenix…).

Getting around. Use the map above to orient yourself; nearby hotels, attractions and places to eat are listed from the live Ultimate data for San Jose, California. Local transit details will be added as the guide is expanded.

Local transit

Bus · San Francisco, California · Schedules & GTFS data
Bus · San Jose, California · Schedules & GTFS data
Bus · Modesto, California · Schedules & GTFS data

Trains & rail

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach
Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Jet card, management · Managed fleet across US bases · Locally based jet card and aircraft management with private terminals in ~20 US cities.
Helicopter, by-the-seat · Helicopters, seaplanes, jets via partners · By-the-seat helicopters Manhattan–JFK/Newark and the Hamptons; jet charter through partners.
Membership charter · King Air 350i, Citation, Hawker, Global · US membership and on-demand charter; Delta Air Lines is a major shareholder.
Semi-private scheduled · Embraer 135 (16 seats) · First-class-only scheduled flights from Van Nuys to Aspen, Sun Valley, Cabo and Europe in summer.
Charter, management, FBO · Managed fleet, light to ultra-long-range · Charter, management and FBOs at Van Nuys and Orange County; the original Hollywood jet operator.

Tours & experiences