Make the most of your family time in San Jose with these fun activity options for families of all ages to enjoy together!
The charming and vibrant city of San Jose in California is set on the southern shore of San Francisco Bay, just 11 miles from the Pacific Ocean. It is brimming with fun and family-friendly sights and attractions in and around the city. The city is set inside the world-famous Silicon Valley, and is just a short drive away from some of the most stunning beaches along the California coastline.
San Jose offers a wealth of interesting and unique things to do for visitors of all walks and ages. Here you’ll find a variety of stunning parks, historic sites, shopping districts, museums, amusement parks, recreation centers, and kid-friendly attractions. While the city is quite cosmopolitan, with a variety of urban offerings, you can also relish in the abundance of natural features just a short drive away from the center of San Jose. Enjoy beautiful vistas, beaches, and quiet natural areas while visiting restaurants and busy squares in the same day.
Whether you’re traveling with infants, toddlers, children, teenagers, or grown-up children, you’ll be sure to find plenty of things to make your stay in San Jose extra memorable. One thing is for certain: there’s never a dull moment in San Jose! If you’re looking for fun things to do in San Jose for kids, be sure to read this blog post all the way to the end and put all the activities on your next travel to-do list.
Explore Silicon Valley
Let’s start off with one of the best things to do in San Jose area. As the capital of Silicon Valley, San Jose is a great place to explore and understand some of the history of this flourishing tech empire. San Jose is home to some of the greatest tech companies in the world, including Apple, Google, Facebook, NASA, and many more. Families with older kids and teenagers might find it interesting to explore some of the tech innovations which emerged from this area.
Start off with a visit to the Computer History Museum, where you can get to the root of the tech information age. Browse real-life computer artifacts throughout the decades. Children will be amazed at how enormous the first computers are! See how video games, movies, and other tech devices have evolved throughout time. There’s not a better way to see how far technology and the internet have come and how it continues to affect our daily lives.
Also, while in Silicon Valley, kids will have a great time visiting the Hiller Aviation Museum, which depicts how aviation has evolved throughout the ages. If you or your kids are intrigued by “flying things,” this museum is not to be missed! Browse the incredible exhibits of real-life airplanes, fly a helicopter simulation in a real helicopter, and explore a real airplane cockpit.
Visit the headquarters of some of America’s most iconic tech companies, like Google, Instagram, and Facebook. While visitors are not permitted to enter certain areas of the buildings, you are allowed to visit and explore the grounds of the campuses. Apple Park is among one of the most impressive headquarters to visit, with its spectacular ring-shaped building surrounded by orchards, meadows, ponds, and trees. The Facebook grounds are also a spectacle to behold, with its 9-acre green roof covered in trees, cafes, and gathering spaces.
If you’re looking for things to do in San Jose, California, a visit to the iconic Silicon Valley is an absolute must!
Enjoy some outdoor adventures in San Jose’s beautiful nature
Recharge your batteries with a day spent outside in nature alongside your family. There are so many excellent outdoor spaces and natural areas to explore in and around San Jose. Whether you’re craving an action-packed day or a relaxing afternoon spent on the beach, you’ll be able to find all that and more.
If you’re looking for an action-packed day with breathtaking views of the surrounding forests and ocean in San Jose, opt for a zip line adventure. There are numerous zip line and adventure companies just a short drive from the center of the city, offering canopy tours. To zip across the tree tops, opt for a zip line adventure with Redwood Canopy Tour where you can fly 150-feet above the ground, soaking up beautiful views the whole way. For a briefer zip line experience with the same stunning birds-eye-views, opt for a tour with Mount Hermon Adventures. If you want to see the sea and the forests at once during your zip line adventure, go with Mountain Sea Adventures.
If you’re craving a relaxing day on the beach, head over to the nearby Santa Cruz Beach, which is just a short drive away. Be sure to come with a cooler full of snacks and drinks, some beach towels, and your favorite book in hand. There’s not a better way to relax while soaking up the sublime beauty of California’s Pacific coastline. Other nearby beaches worth visiting include Natural Bridges State Beach, Ano Nuevo State Park, and Gray Whale Cove. A day spent on the beach is one of the best activities in San Jose for kids!
Want to enjoy some spectacular nature without ever leaving the city? With so many excellent parks and recreation areas in San Jose, you’ll need multiple visits to explore them all! Visit Groesbeck Hill Park for excellent views of downtown San Jose and grassy picnic areas. Kids can run around and play at the playground at Frank M. Santana Park. Prama Park is another excellent option for kids, with a sprawling playground and various climbing areas. Townsend Park is one of the bigger parks in the city, with paved walking paths, community gardens, and playgrounds for kids. To feed ducks by a lake or to go fishing, visit Almaden Lake Park. Exploring all the parks and serene outdoor spaces in San Jose is an excellent (and free!) way to discover the natural beauty of San Jose.
Enjoy the perfect summer family fun day at Raging Waters San Jose
Are you looking for the perfect place to spend a fun and refreshing summer day in San Jose? Look no further! Raging Waters San Jose is Northern California’s largest water park offering endless family fun with numerous attractions. Come relax poolside while you enjoy scenic panoramic views of Lake Cunningham and the San Jose Foothills. Kids can have a blast on the numerous water slides, wave pools, and 23-acres of attractions!
Whether you’re looking for a relaxing day or an adrenaline-pumping adventure, you can find it all at Raging Waters San Jose. From kiddie rides, to water slides, wave pools, lazy rivers, and more, there’s an attraction for every member of the family here. Young children can splash around in the bubble pool at Little Dipper or climb around on the ropes and slides at Wacky Water Works. Older kids will have a blast testing their bravery on our thrilling water slides like Bombs Away, Blue Thunder, the Dragon’s Den, and more! For a relaxing, family-friendly activity, grab a tube to float down the lazy river, through streams and waterfalls as you work on your tan. Body surf in the 350,000-gallon Wave Pool, which offers varying depth levels and wave intensities throughout–it’s fun for the entire family!
Between all the water rides and action, you’ll be sure to work up quite the appetite during your visit. Refuel at one of the many dining and snack areas found throughout the park. Stop by Pacific Pizza for a delicious hot pizza, or Wacky Wieners Hot Dog Stand for a tasty all-beef hot dog. If you just want a snack, stop by Sharky’s Grab & Go for a quick fill-me-up. Refresh with a cool treat at Seaside Ice Cream, Dippin’ Dots, or at ICEE Mix It-Up. Even picky eaters will find something to enjoy at one of the many dining options throughout the park.
Did you forget to bring any pool essentials, or do you want to find the perfect souvenir to remember your day at Raging Waters San Jose? Stop by Oasis Beach Supplies, a surf shop filled with everything you could ever need for the perfect summer day. Browse pool essentials like sunscreen, towels, goggles, rash guards, Aquasox, and more! It’s also a great place to pick up a Raging Waters San Jose t-shirt or baseball hat. Kids can browse the fun toy selection, or grab a piece of candy or a cold drink. Oasis Beach Supplies is conveniently located in the Main Plaza, so you can easily pop in anytime throughout your visit.
A day spent at Raging Waters is one of the top family things to do in San Jose. Create fun and everlasting memories with your kids while they have a blast living up their perfect summer day. What are you waiting for? Start planning your next Raging Waters San Jose trip today. Browse the various ticket and pass options to find the best one for your visit. You can choose from single day tickets, season passes, and more.