Car rental San Jose International Airport (SJC)

San Jose International Airport (SJC) is the gateway to Silicon Valley. It’s the region’s main airport, with instant access to Route 101 and State Route 87, and barely five kilometres north-west from downtown San Jose.

Most of what you’ll want to see in the city is located in Downtown, and there are plenty of parking garages and lots, as well as metered on-street parking, close to all of the main sights and shopping streets. Parking is easy elsewhere, too.

Driving around San Jose will feel familiar, with similar driving rules to Canada. An extensive road network means you’ll soon be on the road to where you’re aiming for. From the airport, it’s only a 45-minute drive north to fellow tech hub San Francisco.

For sun, sea and sand, point your rental car south-west and you can be in Santa Cruz in 40 minutes. It’s one of the Pacific coast’s most famous surfing spots, and – if you keep driving south – you’ll soon be in gorgeous Monterey Bay.

Speed limits vary in California. On two-lane, undivided highways the speed limit is 55mph (88km/h), while most highways are 65mph (104km/h) rising to 70mph (112km/h) in some areas. In built-up areas of the city, the speed limit is likely to be 25mph (40km/h), dropping to 15mph (24km/h) outside schools.

San Jose, like other Silicon Valley cities, can become congested around peak travelling times in the morning and late afternoon, so it’s worth planning your day and journeys accordingly.

San Jose combines 21^st-century technological innovation with a proud heritage. The city was founded in 1777 and is the state’s oldest Spanish civilian settlement, and today is known as the capital of Silicon Valley – a hotspot for entrepreneurial tech companies.

There are plenty of sights that showcase the city’s proud heritage, alongside a raft of modern attractions to keep you entertained. Make the most of your time in the city with car rental at San Jose Airport.

High tech and great art

A good place to start is the Plaza de Cesar Chavez, smack-bang in the centre of downtown. Overlooking the square is the Tech Museum of Innovation, a Silicon Valley landmark and one of the country’s best science and technology museums.

It’s a great place to find your inner tech-fan through a series of fun hands-on experiences, before letting your mind be boggled in front of the gigantic IMAX dome screen.

Afterwards, stroll down Paseo de San Antonio for a well-earned cup of coffee at Philz Coffee, a Bay Area institution. If you’ve worked up a hunger you can pop in next door to La Lune Sucrée for one of their delicious savory crepes, buttery croissants or tasty pastries.

Retail therapy

Shopaholics will head for Santana Row. This pedestrian-friendly village in West San Jose is home to over 50 high-end fashion stores featuring such famous brands as Madewell, Ted Baker, Anthropologie, Kate Spade, Ted London and Gucci. 

There are also dozens of great dining options with everything from burgers and Italian to Asian fusion and French. If you’re after something a bit different, head down Stevens Creek Blvd to Falafel’s Drive-In, a local institution, for gyro or falafels and to sample their signature banana milkshake.

Visit a haunted house

The Winchester Mystery House, one of the city’s most-visited attractions, is close by. This mansion was the former home of Sarah Winchester, heiress to the huge Winchester Rifle fortune. She endured a troubled life, reportedly haunted by the ghosts of those killed by the ‘Gun that Won the West’.

She built the house on such a massive scale in order to escape the spirits, spending most of her inheritance in the process. Visitors today can marvel at the beauty and sheer scale of the house and its gardens.

From redwoods to red wine

South-west from San Jose centre you’ll find the Big Basin Redwoods State Park, where you can hike among colossal, towering trees. There are around 130km of trails and roads, but one of the best is the circa-20km Berry Creek Falls, which is popular for its spectacular waterfall.

Explore everything this city has to offer with car rental at San Jose Airport. You’ll soon be able to tour around the sights and get out on the open road to discover more of what California has to offer.