Casa de Fruta Hollister: 10021 Pacheco Pass Hwy.; (408) 842-7282; www.casadefruta.com
Waterwheels, antique farm machinery and other mementos can be found throughout the grounds of this family-owned attraction whose 100-year-long history ranges from the first cherry stand run by three brothers in the 1940s, to the popular roadside stop it is today. Visitors from far and wide come for fresh produce, award-winning wines and gourmet foods, while a miniature locomotive, a 24-hour restaurant and a gift shop provide more reasons yet to stay.
Filoli Gardens & Estate Woodside: Cañada Rd., off Hwy. 280-Edgewood Rd.; (650) 364-8300. www.filoli.org
Surrounded by 650 acres of woodland, the Filoli estate is the sole remaining example of an early 20th-century Californian country estate. This 43-room mansion, furnished with 17th- and 18th-century pieces, has 17 acres of formal gardens where an expansive collection of antique and modern roses, camellias, rhododendrons, magnolias, and two European herb knot gardens grow year-round. Docent-led hikes are available on trails where you can enjoy the varied plants and wildlife that surround the area. Tues-Sat, 10-3:30 (last admission at 2:30pm); Sun, 11am-3:30pm.
Hiller Aviation Museum San Carlos: 601 Skyway Rd., off Hwy. 101; (650) 654-0200. www.hiller.org
Journey into the past and future of aviation in this museum showcasing over 75 replicas and restored aircraft, hands-on displays, models, and photographs. Begin with the Aviator, the first unmanned plane that touched the sky before the Wright Brothers took their first steps. Next, make your way through early attempts in aviation, like the Little Looper—the first plane to loop in America. Continue towards forward-thinking approaches to vertical flying and witness the Rotorcycle, a collapsible helicopter that could be assembled in seconds. After, test your pilot skills in a computerized flight simulator. Finally, marvel at the futuristic visions of flight in which the sky is no longer the limit, Check out the Restoration Workshop where plane guts are brought back to life and the Flight Store with aviation toys, books, and more. Daily, 10-5.
HP Paviion San Jose: 525 W. Santa Clara St.; (408) 287-6655. www.hppsj.com
A one-hour walking tour of this state-of-the-art building takes you behind the scenes from the arena floor to the top of the building. Sit in a VIP executive suite. Learn how the high-tech audio/visual system and video board work. Perfect your stick handling and take some shots on goal. Tours available Mon-Fri at 11am. Reservations required.
Mystery Spot Santa Cruz: 465 Mystery Spot Rd.; (831) 423-8897. www.mysteryspot.com
Experience mysterious and unusual variations in gravity, perception, velocity, light, and height in this unique area that has intrigued and astonished visitors since the 1940s. Daily 9-5.
Pigeon Point Lighthouse Pescadero: 210 Pigeon Point Rd., West of Hwy. 1;, (650) 879-2120.)
This picturesque lighthouse, one of the tallest in the U.S., is a photographer’s delight. It was built in 1872, after a series of shipwrecks along the rocky nearby coast.
Roaring Camp Railroads Felton: Graham Hill Rd. (Mt. Hermon Rd. exit from Hwy. 17 at Scotts Valley);
(831) 335-4484. www.roaringcamp.com
Ride authentic 1800s narrow- and standard-gauge steam trains through magnificent redwood forests to Bear Mountain or down the scenic San Lorenzo River Canyon to the beach in Santa Cruz.
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium San Jose: 1342 Naglee Ave. at Park Ave.; (408) 947-3635. www.egyptianmuseum.org
Travel back in time and discover the mysteries of ancient Egypt. See over 3,000 authentic artifacts, objects, and ritual items; marvel at the preservation of mummies thousands of years old; and tour through the full-sized replica rock tomb, complete with intricate hieroglyphics. Newly reopened at the museum, the Planetarium offers 35-minute shows on the ancient Roman "mystery religion" known as the Mithraic mysteries. Tues-Sun, 2 & Sat-Sun, 3:30. Also take time out to enjoy the new Peace Garden with its temple, pond, viewing dais, and medicinal plants. Tues-Fri, 10-5; Sat-Sun, 11-6.
St. Joseph’s Cathedral San Jose: 90 S. Market St.; (408) 283-8100. www.stjosephcathedral.org
Built in 1875 and designed by architect Bryan J. Clinch, this multi-domed edifice features extraordinary stained glass and murals. Originally built in 1803, this first church of the Pueblo de San José continues to house San Jose's oldest seat of Christian worship.
Stanford University Stanford: Off El Camino Real (Hwy. 82); (650) 723-2560.)
One of America’s top universities, Stanford was built in 1891. The distinctive style of California missions—high arches, covered walkways, and red tile roofs—influenced the design. At the Main Quad is the beautiful Spanish-style Memorial Church, (650) 723-2053. Free tours leave from here at 11 and 3:15 daily. Also on campus is Hoover Tower, (650) 497-2053, open daily 10-4:30 during the academic year. The top of this 285-foot tower provides a panoramic view of the surounding area; the base is the home of the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace. Head to the Iris & B. Gerald Cantor Center (see Art Museums) to view a wide range of 20th century European and American art. The campus also holds a vast collection of notable outdoor art (see Art Museums) including the Rodin Sculpture Garden, exhibiting more than 20 bronze pieces by August Rodin and the New Guinea Sculpture Garden, featuring totem poles and other wood and stone sculptures created by master carvers from Papua New Guinea. Cantor Center docents offer free tours of the outdoor art collection on the first and third Sundays of the month at 2. Call (650) 723-3469 for tour information. In addition, works by artists such as Henry Moore, Josef Albers, Joan Miro, Alexander Calder, and James Rosati are installed throughout the campus. Visitors can obtain campus sculpture maps at Cantor Arts Center lobbies and at Stanford's Visitor Information Center in Memorial Auditorium
The Tech Museum of Innovation San Jose: 201 S. Market St.; (408) 294-TECH. www.thetech.org
A trip to the Tech engages your senses in the technological revolution that created Silicon Valley. Find cutting-edge exhibits and interactive displays and experiences—from exploring the "miniature revolution" to taking a virtual bobsled rise. The new permanent exhibit, Genetics, Technology with a Twist, explores the latest discoveries in the field and offering an interactive option to grow bacteria in the museum's lab. And opening Sept 18, Scream Machines is an interactive exhibit that shows the physics of roller coasters and the physiology and psychology of thrill-seeking. Also at the museum, Northern California's only IMAX Dome Theater offers an immersive, wrap-around image and sound experience, currently featuring six different films, including Bugs! and India: Kingdom of the Tiger. Stop in at the museum store for Silicon Valley-inspired gift items, or at the cafe for refreshments. Call for more movie listings and ask about the "Second Sundays are Free" program. Tues-Sun, 10-5.
Winchester Mystery House San Jose: 525 S. Winchester Blvd. btwn. Hwys. 280 & 17. (408) 247-2000; 24-hr info (408) 247-2101. www.winchestermysteryhouse.com
This must-see attraction was once owned by Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester Rifle fortune. Influenced by a fortune teller who predicted eternal life as long as she continued to build her home, she lived in her unfinished mansion for 38 years amidst the daily pounding of hammers. The result is a 160-room architectural marvel combining Victorian beauty with unexplained features—such as doors opening to walls and stairways leading nowhere—that make it a mystery. Also on site are the Winchester Firearms Museum and the Antique Products Museum, both of which provide significant historic background on Western heritage, traditions, and culture. Guided mansion tours, self-guided garden tours, and "behind the scenes" tours offered. Cafe and gift shop on site. Daily, 9-5.
Filoli Gardens & Estate
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium
