San Jose Facts

Given the number of towns and communities annexed by San Jose in the 1950s, to say nothing of the many neighboring cities considered part of the San Jose metropolitan area (and not even considering the larger sphere of Silicon Valley), exact definitions of the city's neighborhoods are almost impossible. San Jose residents will argue amongst themselves about where one community ends and another begins. What can be said with certainty is that the whole metropolis is a fascinating, dynamic and almost infinitely varied mosaic.

Downtown San Jose

An extensive 1980s face-lift gave formerly downtrodden downtown San Jose a spate of five-star hotels and museums, a convention center, and an arena on par...

...of yesteryear -- a sleepy town of orchards, crops, and cattle -- is long gone. Founded in 1717, and hidden in the shadows of San Francisco, San Jose is now Northern California's largest city. Today the prosperity of Silicon Valley has transformed what was once an agricultural backwater into a thriving network of restaurants, shops, a state-of-the-art light-rail system, a sports arena (go Sharks!), and a reputable art scene. And despite all the growth, a number of surveys declare it one of the safest and sunniest cities in the nation.