Recently I was invited to spend the weekend in San Jose, California with a great group of my Macaroni Kid sisters. While it was great to spend time with my “co-workers,” it was even better to enjoy many great adventures in San Jose! I know what you’re thinking…San Jose? Yes! You wouldn’t believe how much fun was packed into the 3 days.
We stayed at The Fairmont San Jose for three amazing nights! The hotel is elegant and the accommodations were fabulous featuring nice sized rooms with tasteful furnishings and a huge restroom with a shower and a bathtub. There were quite a few families enjoying the beautiful pool. The Fairmont San Jose is in downtown and walking distance to family friendly museums, parks and great restaurants too.
Here are some highlights of the wonderful weekend:
J. Lohr Tasting Room Did you know that there’s a J. Lohr’s wine tasting room in San Jose? They are open 10am to 5pm daily with no tasting fee except for J. Lohr Cuvee Series wines or limited wines! It was fun to see the bottles of wine running non-stop through the large window just like on Laverne and Shirley.
San Pedro Square Market Have you been here? If not, you are truly missing out on a great dining experience and fun time for all. The night we went there was live music by a Full Spectrum Jazz Big Band. Featuring two large buildings filled with a huge variety of restaurants…real restaurants, there is seriously something for everyone. This was great for our large group as everyone could select what they wanted for dinner (and dessert!) and then join together to enjoy our meal. The music was lovely. The mix of people was great from families with children, groups of friends and couples – young and old. It is an amazing gathering place, that’s for sure.
La Lune Sucree Yum! A European Pastry Café featuring a very yummy menu. We visited for breakfast and many of us enjoyed the crepes while others enjoyed scones, croissants and quiche. While I am not a coffee drinker, I must say that this European Hot Chocolate was the yummiest hot chocolate I’ve ever enjoyed.
Scott's Seafood Featuring American regional cuisine featuring the freshest seafood, pasta, chicken dishes and prime, dry-aged steaks. A sixth floor restaurant boasting views of San Jose and the surrounding hills as well as outside, rooftop seating. Dinner was fresh and tasted great and we dined outside which was lovely on a summer evening.
Scott's Seafood Featuring American regional cuisine featuring the freshest seafood, pasta, chicken dishes and prime, dry-aged steaks. A sixth floor restaurant boasting views of San Jose and the surrounding hills as well as outside, rooftop seating. Dinner was fresh and tasted great and we dined outside which was lovely on a summer evening.
First to Market Featuring from scratch, classic American cooking, special happy hour menu and handmade, from scratch pies and hand-crafted cocktails that will amaze you.
Savory Kitchen This place is awesome! Our group prepared a yummy three-course meal that included Corn-Tomato Lettuce Cups, Grilled Nectarine Caprese and Thai Steak with Jicama Slaw (recipes coming soon). It was fun to learn some cooking tips and tricks and cook with friends. It was even better to sit together and enjoy the meal when we were done. This would be a great place to spend some time with friends, or for a team building event, etc. We all loved it and I could fix and eat the Nectarine Caprese daily!
The San Jose Stage Company We enjoyed a very fun musical, Bonnie & Clyde, in this intimate theatre on 1st Street. Check their calendar and plan a fun night out.
Winchester Mystery House I have lived in the Bay Area my entire life so this was not my first visit to the Winchester Mystery House, but it was still fun to enjoy. A crazy maze of a Victorian home with stairways to the ceiling, doors that open into walls and chimneys that stop just short of the roof. The gardens are beautiful and they have a fun gift shop as well. Be sure and check out the upcoming Flashlight Tours they host in October.
Santana Row Shop, dine, enjoy events and even live here if you’d like. San Jose’s answer to Rodeo Drive, this is a great place to enjoy an afternoon or evening. Lots of places to sit and relax, shop, visit the spa, eat or even stay the night at the hotel. We enjoyed lunch at Left Bank (voted the amont the best french fries in the U.S. at number six on the list!) and some enjoyable, mini-spa treatments at Active Sports Clubs.
City National Civic We enjoyed seeing Ringo Starr and His All Star Band live in concert here! I love this theatre and have been here with the kids for Sesame Street Live, Disney Jr. Live and a few other shows. It’s on the smaller side and we’ve never had bad seats. The show was amazing and so much fun!
This was an amazing weekend escape. As I mentioned, I’ve lived in the Bay Area my entire life, but it is fun to visit the local area as a “tourist” would. At the same time, we live close enough to grab some friends and head to any of these great places for an afternoon, if we’d like. I highly recommend visiting some (or all) of these great places soon! I know I will be back to many of them in the near future.
The writer was a guest of Team San Jose for a three-night visit. Accomodations and most meals and activities were complimentary. No other compensation was received.
All photos within article by Michelle Elliot.
The writer was a guest of Team San Jose for a three-night visit. Accomodations and most meals and activities were complimentary. No other compensation was received.
All photos within article by Michelle Elliot.
