Alum Rock Park is one of California’s oldest municipal parks. Located within the Alum Rock Canyon in the foothills of the Diablo Mountain Range, the park’s 740 acres of natural, rugged, beauty provide visitors with many leisure outdoor activities including, hiking, jogging, bicycling and picnicking. Due to it’s proximity to rural, natural lands, the park is home to many wild animals. Those animals include mountain lions, bobcats, deer and a number of other smaller animals.
Contact number: (408) 259-5477
Location: 15350 Penitencia Creek Rd, San Jose, CA 95127-1348
Learn more here.
Happy Hollow Park & Zoo has been providing affordable family entertainment, education and fun since 1961. The Park is a peaceful, creative and safe place for children of all ages, with the main focus on “little ones” between the ages of 2-10. There are creative play areas, children’s rides, hand puppet and marionette shows, special events, and birthday areas. The Zoo is an accredited institution that participates in conservation and propagation of rare and endangered species while at the same time offering children the opportunity to see wondrous animals such as the ruffed lemur or the pygmy hippopotamus. It also gives hands on experience with many animals and the education that is needed to secure the future of endangered species. The petting zoo features llamas, goats, guinea pigs and miniature horses.
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in the Bay Area. They are part of the National League West Division. The team has been around since the creation of the major leagues, and has won the most games within the league. The team was once based in New York, but moved to California around the 50s.
Based in the Bay Area are the San Jose Sharks, a hockey team part of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League. This exciting and vivacious sports team was named for the many shark varieties that surround and explore the Pacific waters. This team has won a total of four Division Championships, all within the past decade. The team has consistently performed well in Stanley Cup playoffs, advancing to at least the quarter-finals for the past four years.
In 2007, the San Jose Earthquakes were announced as an official MLS team. Owned by Lew Wolff and John Fisher, this team has been active since the early days of the North American Soccer League.
San José Symphonic Choir is the premier volunteer choral society in California, presenting choral masterworks and contemporary pieces since 1924. It has been under the inspiring leadership of Maestro Leroy Kromm since 1985.
Covering the entire Bay Area, the San Jose Institute of Contemporary Art was founded in the late 1980s and features very high quality art exhibitions and educational programs, with relevance to the many different people who populate the area. The Parque de los Pobladores stands next door, should you fancy a quick stroll after your time spent appreciating the art works. Also close by is the SLG Publishing Boutiki and Comic Art Gallery on South Market Street.