A common complaint in Silicon Valley and Bay Area is the high cost of living. However, Silicon Valley is full of free things to do indoors and outdoors every month of the year. Here’s a guide to some of the best ways to spend the day, not your cash.
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Metro Silicon Valley is a free weekly newspaper that serves the greater Silicon Valley area, encompassing the cities of San Jose, Los Gatos, Campbell, Saratoga, Santa Clara, Sunnyvale, Cupertino, Milpitas, Mountain View, Los Altos and Palo Alto. Metro’s newspapers have won numerous state and national awards for excellence in such categories as investigative journalism, writing, design, arts criticism, food writing, business coverage, typography, community service, editorial cartoons, opinion pages, features, general news and columns. Metro’s arts and entertainment coverage has been chosen four times as the best in California.
Free Museums
Housed inside an 1854 hotel known as La Casa Grande, the New Almaden Quicksilver Mining Museum traces the rise and fall of quicksilver mining in the once-flourishing town of New Almaden. A museum visit can be combined with a walk around Almaden Quicksilver County Park, which covers 4,000 largely undeveloped acres, with 33 miles of trails for hikers. Another great option is Kelly Park's reconstruction of what San Jose looked like a century ago It's a perfect spot for a quiet lunch amid the Victorian architecture. There is no admission charge Tuesday through Friday, although there is a summer parking fee (but try around the corner on Phelan). History Park park also sponsors free Family Sunday events.
Free Rides
DASH provides free shuttle service from San Jose Diridon Caltrain and Amtrak station and circles downtown to San Jose State and the edge of the SoFA district. Just look for the DASH logo near street transit stops. More free ride services include an airport shuttle from the Santa Clara Caltrain station and the Metro/Airport Light Rail station and an arena shuttle that travels from the Santa Clara and Paseo de San Antonio Light Rail stations as well as downtown parking garages before and after all Sap Center events.
Take a Hike
Silicon Valley in its most physical sense is a valley, and naturally, there are numerous places to hike in the valley. A few of our favorites include Castle Rock, Mission Peak, Guadalupe River and Alum Rock Park.
Smell the Roses
The summer heat suits San Jose's gardens, especially sun-loving roses. A number of spectacular floral displays are available for strolling and lingering throughout the city from the San Jose Heritage Rose Garden to the Japanese Friendship Garden.
Look to the Skies with the Lick Observatory
The famed astronomical outpost is open to visitors 12pm to 5pm weekdays and 10am to 5pm weekends (closed for major holidays). Short guided tours of the main refracting telescope are available. Don't underestimate the time it takes to negotiate the extremes twists and turns of Mt. Hamilton Road to the observatory's 4,300-foot redoubt.
Laugh a Little
Local comics often cut it up at no charge during the week at San Jose Improv. The dates and times are vary and sometimes require a minimum drink purchase.
Free Legal Advice
The billing hours aren't accumulating faster than the national debt as local attorneys from the ProBono Project offer free legal advice Mondays, 6pm at 8pm, at the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. public library. ProBono also offers its Lawyers in the Library service in Mountain View, Sunnyvale, Milpitas and Santa Clara. Appointments are recommended. San Jose: (408) 808-2382, Mountain View: (408) 998-5298, Sunnyvale: (408) 730-7300, Milpitas: [email protected], Santa Clara: [email protected].
Farmer's Markets
Farmers Markets are held at multiple locations in Silicon Valley including Santana Row, downtown Campbell, San Pedro Square and Japantown. Admission is free and so is the entertaining people watching and acoustic bands that often accompany farmer's markets.
Flee to the Fair
The Santa Clara County Fair, an annual celebration of the valley's agricultural roots, is free. A parking charge remains, but that's still a considerable savings for unlimited access to music, fireworks and exhibits.
Catch a Flick
Going to the movies is quickly becoming a lavish affair, so let Starlight Cinemas pick up the tab with its outdoor summertime movie screenings. Once a week during Summer, Starlight features a film in one of several downtown areas including San Pedro Square, St. James Park and the Circle of Palms. Just bring your own chair and get ready for a drive-in experience without the car.
Groove to Free Music
Santana Row features a variety of live performances for strollers and shoppers most Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays in the afternoons and evenings. Another great outside venue is San Pedro Square, where free music is played on most weekends. Other venues offering free music on most nights in San Jose include Cafe Stritch, Blackbird Tavern, The Hedley Club and Poor House Bistro.
Absorb Art
S. First st.
South First Fridays Art Walk is a free, self-guided tour through art galleries, museums and independent creative businesses in downtown San Jose. A few of the galleries available for viewing every first Friday of the month include Anno Domini, Seeing Things Gallery and Kaleid .
