I am new to the area of San Jose and I am wondering what kinds of things there are for my sons and I to do. I am a stay at home mom with a 1 year old and a 4 year old. We are moving to South San Jose from Portland Oregon. In Portland we would go to child friendly cafes, play areas, story times, moms groups and museums and classes. I am hoping we have similar opportunities in SJ. Any reassurance that there are going to be fun activities for us would be appreciated.
Thank you.
Hi A., im M. and I am from San Jose. There are lots of things to do here:
Childrens Discovery Museum
http://www.cdm.org/
Raging Waters Water Park www.ragingwaters.com
The Jungle
http://thejungleisland.com/
Happy Hallow
http://www.happyhollowparkandzoo.org/
Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum
http://www.rosicrucian.org/
Winchester Mystery House
http://www.winchestermysteryhouse.com/
Have fun! Theres tons more I cant fit!
Check with your local larger churches for MOPS groups (mothers of Preschoolers) to meet other moms with kids your age. You usually don't have to be a church member to get plugged into the group.
Welcome A.!
I had the same worries some 30 years ago when we moved to South San Jose. Not to worry...there are still lots of kids in the area (I'm a retired school teacher from the area), and lots of Moms facing the same thing as you. Co-op preschool--check out the ones held at the Santa Teresa Swim and Racquet Club and Santa Teresa Hills Presbyterian Church. Although not a co-op, Clement on Branham was a good one. The libraries all have storytelling hours, and great kid sections. Barnes and Noble also has story time but I'm not sure how often. Find a church--great way to meet other families. I think all the local attactions have already been mentioned, but my kids loved Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. The Japanese Tea Garden is next to it, and the kids loved going to see the fish and blooming trees in the Spring. The Children's Discovery Museum is fantastic and has special attractions from time to time. Lots of good parks in the area too. Santa Teresa Park for a family walk/hike, Cahalan and Los Paseo Parks have good play equipment. Also, for a family outing, try Oak Meadow/Vasona Park in Los Gatos. Lots of nature areas and a train. Youth Science Institute--like a wildlife/history museums are in Vasona and Alum Rock Parks. There are also places of interest in the Santa Cruz Mountains--Felton Roaring Camp train ride, parks, and little towns. You are only an hour and 15 minutes away from the Monterey Peninsula--Aquarium, beautiful walking trails along the seashore, tidepools, and quaint little towns. My favorite is Pacific Grove. And then there's San Francisco--about 90 minutes away. Don't be afraid to explore--that's one of the beauties of a move!
Have fun, and again...welcome! N.
A.,
SJ is a big city with lots to do! You may want to check out the Children's Discovery Museum downtown. As for story times, I don't have any experience with this but I am sure the Barnes & Noble on Almaden Expwy offers them since they have a separate childrens book section, and I know the public libraries do these as well. As for classes there is a Gymboree in Oakridge Mall that has a lot of different class types available, and another place called My Gym that my friend has taken her child to. Also look into Happy Hollow. It is a park and petting zoo that has been in the San Jose area for years, and I know they closed it down for a total remodel not that long ago but it should be re-opening for the summer season. More south and closer to where I live is Gilroy Gardens which is a theme/amusement park excellent for kids your age. I have a season pass and we go all the time. For a park and play area there is Lake Almaden which has a trail that people bike/walk/run on that has a lot of grass area and a playground. Good luck, there is lots to do here and send me a message if you have any more questions!
Hi and welcome to San Jose! My husband and I moved here a little over a year ago, so I can appreciate the immensity of settling in somewhere new. In addition to all the great suggestions so far, you might want to check out lasmadres.org. They arrange playgroups by child's age and geographic location. We have found this to be a great resource for meeting other moms/kids our son's age.
There are a ton of places in San Jose and the surrounding areas! There is Happy Hollow (currently closed fro renovations), Gilroy Gardens, Great America, Golflands, The Jungle (2 different locations), Chuck E Cheese (at least 3 that I know of), many, many parks, and the Children's Discovery Museum...
Let me know if you need directions or have any other questions!
L.
You should check out the City of San Jose website Parks, Recreation and Neighborhood Services section (www.sanjoseca.gov/prns). There are lots of places to go like parks, libraries, community centers. Alot of the community centers have mommy and me classes, the libraries have story times, and the parks are always fun. Happy Hollow is closed right now, but when it opens it should be awesome. They are making it much bigger with alot more attractions, rides, animals, etc. Other than they city places, there are lots of fast food places with play areas. Those are all the places my kids loved when they were young. Good luck and welcome. :)
Welcome to San Jose A.! Happy New Year. I know there is a Gymboree located in Oakridge Mall close to your area. There are classes your kids can take. I think Friday is a free play day. Do check out your local community center to see what children or toddler classes for your kids. Good Luck.
Lucky you! There are soooo many things to do in San Jose and surrounding areas! There's Happy Hallow off Keys and Story Road, Roscrution Museum, Winchester Mystery House, Mystery Spot near Santa Cruz, and Santa Cruz itself, tons of parks, libraries, Dicovery Museum in downtown SJ, etc. The list goes on and on. There's just LOTS to do!
N. :o)
San Jose Children's Discovery Museum is fantastic! Both boys will find things they enjoy doing there. I'm a member and would recommend the same to you. It's great to have a stimulating, educational indoor place for the rainy season.
The Children's Discovery Museum is wonderful! The Tech is great too, but better for older children than the little ones. A co-op preschool is a wonderful way for you and your child to make friends and have fun, too. There are quite a few of them in San Jose.
Look for a freebie magazine called Bay Area Parent. There are just TONS of things for kids to do here, and much of it is listed in there.
San Jose is nothing like Portland, especially south San Jose which is very very suburban, but there are areas that are better for what you're describing. Check out the Willow Glen shopping district (Lincoln Avenue between Willow and Minnesota) for some of it; nice shops, coffee, hang outs. Downtown San Jose has a lovely park trail system, a neat urban playground (next to the sports arena, the park is called "Arena Green,") and a Childrens Discovery Museum that is wonderful. The downtown library is wonderful.
There are so many wonderful things for children further north (San Francisco, Berkeley) that you may consider broadening your stomping grounds. Hope you enjoy San Jose!
I'm in SF and don't drive down to San Jose often, but you can take them to Happy Hollow Zoo. There are free rides for the kids. The zoo itself is small, but you can spend the day outside of the zoo where the rides are.
