Best Areas to Stay in San Jose & Silicon Valley, California

Downtown San Jose is recommended as one of the best areas to stay in the Silicon Valley thanks to its cultural life , as well as for being the historic center of the city.

Downtown San Jose also has excellent transport links, thanks to the central train station and its 9 lines that run through the city on Cahill Street, as well as the bus stops on Santa Clara Street.

Among the attractions of Downtown San Jose are the Museum of Innovation, the Center for the Performing Arts, the Museum of Art, as well as shopping centers and department stores.

The east side of Downtown in San Jose has many restaurants and bars, where you can take a break from the busy center, and enjoy the best cuisine in the city.

Downtown San Jose is recommended among the best areas to stay in Silicon Valley thanks to its easy access to other districts, and its variety of options when it comes to entertainment.

North San Jose includes the areas of Berryessa and Alviso, as well as the North San Jose Innovation District.

As its name indicates, this district is located north of the city center, very close to San Jose International Airport and Santa Clara.

On the south end of the district lies the expansive San Jose Flea Market, filled with antiques, crafts, and food vendors.

The Guadalupe River Trail is a popular park spanning 12.5 mi from the shores of the San Francisco Bay in Alviso south to Downtown San Jose, along the banks of the Guadalupe River.

North San Jose is very a well-connected district in the city; several BART and Amtrak lines connect this area to other neighborhoods in San Jose, its immediate cities, San Francisco and Oakland.

Due to its proximity to the airport, North San Jose offers a wide selection of hotels and tourist apartments of all kinds.

Palo Alto is another Silicon Valley town located 20 minutes from San Jose, and known for being a green city because of its many oaks .

Palo Alto is home to Stanford University, ranked among the top five universities in the world in major education publications.

It is possible to move around this area using public transport since Palo Alto does not have a lot of public parking space for those traveling by car. However, you can use the municipal parking spots for two or three hours.

This area is covered by buses and trains, with stations in the center of Palo Alto, California Avenue and Alma Street, although many travelers and locals prefer to use a bike because of the residential and university environment of the area.

Palo Alto has its own airport, although the main one for those visiting Silicon Valley is the San Jose International Airport.

Most nightlife and leisure options in Palo Alto are around Stanford Univesity, home of the Stanford Shopping Center.

Palo Alto is among the best areas to stay in Silicon Valley for its offer in entertainment

It is also a great area for business travelers, especially for those who need to be close to tech giants Google, Facebook or Apple.

Santa Clara is another town in the Silicon Valley area.

Santa Clara is located northwest of San Jose and is considered a business area because of its tech companies.

This area is next to the San Jose airport, so it is recommended for travelers who want to make a quick visit, or for business travelers.

Those staying in Santa Clara can visit California’s Great America Amusement Park, the Intel Technology Museum, and several casinos to enjoy the lively nightlife.

Thanks to the University of Santa Clara, this area hosts a vibrant young community, which restaurants and bars filled with young adults.

To travel to other Silicon Valley districts or through Santa Clara, train and bus stops are available on W Tasman Drive.

Santa Clara is one of the best areas to stay in Silicon Valley for business travelers.

South San Francisco is divided into several important neighborhoods such as Sunshine Gardens, Avalon Park, Winston Manor, and Buri Buri Ranch.

South San Francisco is known as a business area, thanks to its industrial environment and offices with futuristic architecture.

Due to being close to San Francisco International Airport, South San Francisco is home to lots of hotels. It also has good connections to other towns and districts through public transport and taxis.

South San Francisco (or “South City”) is one of the recommended areas to stay in Silicon Valley for its wide range of hotels and proximity to the largest technology companies.