San Jose, located 70 miles North of Monterey is the largest City in Northern California. When I was in my twenties and early thirties, I would drive up to San Jose with friends and visit Santana Row, downtown nightclubs, concert halls and other “adult” hot spots. Now that I have a family, it’s time to do some research on the kid-friendly venues offered in this popular city. Here are five to add to your “must visit” list.
Children’s Discovery Museum of San Jose
- 180 Woz Way, San Jose
- www.cdm.org
This Children’s Museum had been on my list of places to visit for a few years, but I wanted to make sure my son would be able to enjoy all they had to offer. Since he is entering Kindergarten in the Fall, I knew it was time to visit.
The Museum is open on Mondays until Labor Day from 10-5pm, Tuesday-Saturday 10-5pm, and Sundays 12-5pm. (Member-only 11-12pm). General admission for ages 1-59 is $15, 60+ is $14 and infants under one year old are free.
Be prepared to spend hours in this interactive, hands-on museum filled with activities for every type of child. My son was instantly drawn to the water, gardening and fossils exhibits. Some activities engage children in art, technology, archeology, architecture, farming and so much more.
Make sure to check out the newest exhibit, based on Disney Junior’s award-winning series, Doc McStuffins. This exhibit, full of active participation will be at the museum until September 17th.
At lunchtime, we decided to try their Food Shed and was pleasantly surprised. The Food Shed offers healthy Kid’s Bento Boxes filled with your choice of items like chicken tenders, pasta, or grilled cheese, and one fruit or vegetable on the side. I ordered a Chicken Tikka Tart, a delicious Indian dish and loved it.
Our final stop after hours of playing was The Shop. My son enjoyed browsing the many interactive games, art activities, maker kits and science experiments. We received a free Children’s Museum tote bag. It was a fun-filled day and we will definitely return.
The Tech Museum of Innovation
- 201 S. Market Street, San Jose
- www.thetech.org
The Tech Museum of Innovation in San Jose has always been one of my favorite indoor spots to explore. They offer many hands-on activities that help us explore how technological advances are changing our way of living.
General admission to the Galleries is $24, Student/Seniors (65+) $19, Child (9-13) $19 for the Museum Galleries, the Educational IMAX Film alone is General admission is $11, Students/Seniors (65+) $9, Child (9-13) $9 & the combo of both IMAX and Galleries is General Admission $29, Student/Seniors (65+) $23 & Child (9-13) $23.
The Museums hours are 10-5pm daily. They are closed September 4-September 14, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day.
The Tech Museum features many exciting and intriguing exhibits including my favorite, Body Metrics, which allows museum visitors a window into their physical and emotional selves of today as well as the most promising health care techniques of tomorrow. Have a pre-teen or teenager? Make sure to pay a visit to the Cyber Detectives exhibit to learn how to become empowered to protect your own digital life.
My son’s pick of our visit was the build a robot activity. Wanna-be engineers of all ages can design, construct, and program a real robot using sensors, controllers, and actuators. Another favorite for the younger crowd is the Tech Studio. In this hands-on exhibit, people can explore their problem-solving potential with guided experiences in STEAM: science, technology, engineering, arts, and math. We enjoyed designing a windmill and learning about physics by building a better ice skate.
Feeling adventurous? My husband took a flight in a bird simulator. Equipped with a VR headset, you will experience the closest thing to bird flight possible with modern technology. It was definitely worth the $8 for a 2-minute ride ($5 for members).
Emma Prusch Farm Park
- 647 King Road, San Jose
- https://www.sanjose.gov/Facilities/Details/131
I had no idea that Emma Prusch Farm Park in East San Jose even existed until one of my son’s teachers recommended a trip. Native San Josean Emma Prusch bequeathed 87 acres to the City of San Jose in 1962 with the intention of it being a place of relaxation, recreation, and enjoyment for the people of the City of San Jose. The fertile agricultural land was once a working dairy farm located in the heart of the Valley of Hearts Delight at the intersection of King and Story Roads. The park consists of the remaining 47 acres from the original gift.
The Emma Prusch Farm Park is open daily from 8 am to 30 minutes before sunset. The original Prusch family farmhouse, along with other historic structures are located within the park, which has one of the most substantial free-standing wooden barns in California. The barn is home to large 4H animals including beef cattle, sheep, and swine. There are also many agricultural displays and educational events held at the farm.
Emma Prusch Farm Park includes heritage, high density, and rare fruit orchards, a Plant Science Center, two community gardens, pollinator, and butterfly gardens, as well as acres of lush green lawns for picnics and playing. The Park also has a Friendship Forest planted with trees from all around the world. The Santa Clara Home Composting Program maintains a demonstration site here as well. The small farm animal enclosure is home to many typical farm animals including chickens, pigs, and rabbits. Chickens, guineas, ducks, geese, and peafowl can be found roaming the park.
The barn is a central attraction at the park and my son loved it. Local 4H youth use the barn to raise their market and breeding animals. The barn serves as a residence to steers, goats, sheep, and pigs. The barn is open to the public during certain park hours.
Every first Sunday of October is the Prusch Farm Park Mountain Music Festival. This year’s event will include all-day live entertainment, hay wagon rides, farm animal displays by 4H, tours of the Park, historical farmhouse, barn, orchards and “Emma’s Heirloom German Kitchen Garden.”
Winchester Mystery House
- 525 S. Winchester Blvd., San Jose
- www.winchestermysteryhouse.com
The spookiest and most intriguing place that I have ever visited is the Winchester Mystery House. I am waiting to bring my five-year-old until he is older, but I have visited several times in the past. Sarah Winchester was a real woman of independence, drive, and courage who lives on in legend as a grieving widow.
Today you can tour 110 of the 160 rooms of the Winchester Mystery House mansion and see the bizarre architecture such as windows built into the floors, stairs leading to ceilings, doors that open onto blank walls, and an obsession with the number “13” and spider web motifs.
Some of the highlights of the 65-minute Mansion tour include the “25,000 Room”, hayloft, Sarah’s bedroom, Séance room, Grand Ballroom, Venetian dining room, “Hall of Fires” and much more. The Mansion Tour includes admission to the Victorian Gardens, Historic Firearms Museum, and Specialty Gifts and Antique Products Museum. The price ranges from $20.00 to $39.00.
For a limited time, you can add on the Explore More Tour–a new experience that takes guests to never-before open to the public areas in the mansion. Guests will gradually make their way deeper and deeper into the mansion’s unsettling corridors and dark hideaways. Children 10 and under are not permitted to go on the Explore More Tour. Tour Duration: 2 hours and 15 minutes (combined with the Mansion Tour). Prices range from $20.00 to $49.00.
The most popular time for people to venture to the mansion (besides the summer months) is in October. As autumn leaves start to fall, the Halloween Candlelight Tour begins. The Winchester Mystery House’s Gothic vibe will chill you to the bone while you are guided through the 160-room Victorian mansion. Check the website for more details.
Besides enjoying the Mansion Tour, I have had the opportunity to attend the Friday the 13th Flashlight Tour. On this spooky tour for adults only, visitors will be guided through the darkness with nothing but a flashlight. The final date is Friday, July 13th so check now to see if tickets are still available. Tickets: $49 Adults
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo
- 748 Story Road, San Jose
- www.hhpz.org
Have a little one who wants to go to the zoo? Don’t want to drive to San Francisco or Oakland? You are in luck. The perfect place to meet and greet animals and enjoy age-appropriate rides is only an hour away in south San Jose. Happy Hollow Park & Zoo is home to a wide variety of animals such as the Black & White Ruffed Lemur, Capybara, Giant Anteater, Jaguar, Monkeys, Tortoises, many different species of birds and much more.
General admission to Happy Hollow (ages 2-59) is $14.25, $11.25 for ages 60+ and babies under two are free. The park is open daily from 10-5pm, except for major holidays. Parking is $10 per vehicle.
My son was so excited to visit Happy Hollow, so we planned a visit before the weather became too warm. The first activity on our agenda was an animal meet and greet. We visited many different mammals, reptiles, birds and even saw some honey bees. We caught part of a cute puppet show featuring an imaginative little fox. I was so delighted to learn that the American Alligator Exhibit had just opened. The public can view the alligator training sessions during the week on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 2:30 pm.
After enjoying a tasty picnic lunch in the Picnic Basket Restaurant, it was time to try the rides. My son enjoyed the Carousel, Frog Hopper, and Mini Putt Putt Ride to name a few. My favorite was the somewhat more thrilling Pacific Fruit Express Family Roller Coaster.
We all enjoyed looking at The Crooked House and exploring The Animal Barn. We spent the last part of our adventure playing at the Redwood Lookout. It’s nestled in the Redwoods complete with ropes, swings, slides, and climbing areas.
Happy Hollow organizes many events and classes throughout the year. On Saturday, July 14 there is a Beekeeping & Beyond Workshop planned for 9 am, occasional guest storytelling from Kristi Yamaguchi and ½ price admission days each month throughout the year. Check their Facebook page for many more fun events and updates.
Leave a Reply