Silicon Valley, and San Jose in particular, has a vibrant craft beer scene that continues to evolve with new breweries producing everything from unique small-batch flavors to brews that are gaining momentum on a national level. Bay Area Ale Trails offers a great opportunity to visit some of the leaders in Silicon Valley's beer scene with public or private tours that include a catered lunch, trivia and roundtrip transportation from Caltrain. Tours are typically four hours with four or five stops at local breweries.

The Winchester Mystery House was home to Sarah Winchester, widow to firearms manufacturer William Wirt Winchester, until her death in 1922. The estate is shrouded in ghost stories complemented by odd architecture at the sprawling Victorian mansion. A nighttime "flashlight" tour adds to the spooky setting as well as the decidedly less scary, though still eerie, daytime tour.

The immediately recognizable mango and agave facade of The Tech Museum in downtown San Jose houses an interactive museum experience focused on Santa Clara Valley's current raison d'être. The Tech holds all sorts of interactive science exhibits, like building a robot or exploring biotechnology, plus large limited run special exhibitions, like the recent experimental electronic music showcase or the enormously popular Star Wars show.

Just beyond San Jose city limits in neighboring Santa Clara, Great America is one of the most popular attractions in the Bay Area, and one of only a few amusement parks. Great America packs in some intense roller coasters, including the classic Demon and the new wooden coaster Goldstriker, plus gut clenching thrill rides like Drop Tower. For the non-coaster inclined, the park claims to have the world's larges carousel with Carousel Columbia. The park also hosts Halloween Haunt every year, where numerous scary mazes and zombies fill the park, and other special events.

San Pedro Square is one of downtown San Jose's most popular destinations. Anchored by restaurants and bars at San Pedro Square Market, this neighborhood is home to some of the city's best casual dining options and there's a great nightlife scene with patio bars and live outdoor entertainment on warm weekends. San Pedro Square is also home to the Theatre on San Pedro Square, and San Jose's oldest building, the Peralta Adobe (built in 1797). A Farmer's Market offers local produce and other treats from May to October.

Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton has been in use since 1888 and was cited on the Smithsonian's list of the world’s greatest science labs, having aided in the discovery of hundreds of planets outside the solar system. Along with year-round visiting hours, Lick offers programs like the Music of the Spheres summer concert series and the Summer Visitors Program, where visitors can take a gander through the one of the observatory's high-powered telescopes. Plus, Mount Hamilton boasts one of the best views of the South Bay.

The Sharks are consistently one of the best teams in the NHL (though sadly not Stanley Cup winners...yet) and the city of San Jose hosts the team in the heart of downtown at SAP Center, also known as the Shark Tank. The regular season is from October to April.

• San Jose Bike Party

• Various Locations

Held the third Friday evening of every month, San Jose Bike Party is the largest regular community bike event in the Bay Area. Thousands of cyclists cruise the streets of San Jose for themed rides that change each month. The route also changes with each month but there is almost always a stop to take a break with music, dancing, food trucks and bike-related entertainment.

Nearly one-third of San Jose’s population is of Mexican descent—a fact that is not easily missed with several cultural institutions, restaurants and neighborhoods showing off the city’s Latino heritage. MACLA (Movimiento de Arte y Cultura Latino Americano) is an arts space dedicated to fostering multicultural arts in San Jose with regular visual arts exhibitions and special events. The Mexican Heritage Plaza also hosts several events throughout the year and, held at the end of each summer, !Vivafest! is one of the largest mariachi Festivals in the United States. San Jose is also home to some of the best Mexican food in the Bay Area, from contemporary restaurants like Mezcal (specializing in cuisine from Oaxaca) to the city’s most popular burrito joints La Victoria (don’t skip the world-famous orange sauce) and Iguanas.

Every first Friday of the month, galleries, restaurants and businesses in the SoFA District (Just south of downtown on First Street) open their doors for an evening art walk with visual, musical and performance art. Plus, once a year in June, South First Friday transforms into the SubZERO Festival, a huge celebration of Silicon Valley's counterculture and artists.

The San Jose Flea Market is open to with free admission every Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. The Flea Market has been a regional favorite since it opened in 1960. It covers 120 acres with more than 600 vendors selling a variety of wares. There is often live music and other entertainment on weekends.

• Little Saigon

• Story Rd between Senter Rd and McLaughlin Ave

Little Saigon is the epicenter of Vietnamese culture in San Jose, home to the largest Vietnamese population outside of Vietnam, according to census figures. The neighborhood south of downtown is full of delicious Vietnamese restaurants, grocery stores and businesses. Little Saigon also boasts two large shopping malls, the Grand Century Mall and Vietnam Town, and the Viet Museum, which focuses on the journey of Vietnamese Americans to the United States.

The San Jose Giants are often the last stop for baseball players before heading to the big leagues. San Francisco Giants all stars Buster Posey, Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain and Pablo Sandoval have all spent time in San Jose, honing their game at Memorial Stadium. With an intimate park just south of downtown San Jose, the San Jose Giants offer cheap tickets, fan giveaways and the chance to see some good old-fashioned baseball.

• Urban Farms

Harkening back to the city's days as an agricultural hub, San Jose (and many other parts of the South Bay) is scattered with urban farms, from the 7 acre Veggielution on the East Side to the quarter acre Yummy Tummy Farms closer to downtown. A growing movement of urban farmers is empowering the people of the South Bay to grow their own food and fueling the farm-to-table movement at local restaurants.

• Japantown

• Jackson St and 5th St, San Jose

San Jose's Japantown stands as one the last three remaining Japantowns in the United States. Centered on Jackson and 5th streets, this small enclave is home to authentic Japanese restaurants and businesses, plus numerous cultural festivals like Obon and Nikkei Matsuri festivals. Japantown is also home to a handful of art galleries and boutiques, many of which participate in regular evening art walks.

The Earthquakes are a San Jose institution, and the only Major League Soccer team in the Bay Area. Having got their start in 1974 as the city's first professional sports team, the Earthquakes have a dedicated fan base and have won two MLS Cup titles and two MLS Supporters' Shields, indicating the best regular season record in the MLS.

Those looking for some upscale fun can make a night of it at Santana Row. There are all kinds of restaurants with different price ranges including newly opened Brazilian steakhouse Fogo de Chao, beer lover's dream Yard House or gourmet burger spot The Counter. After dinner, there are movies at CineArts theater or maybe an epic game of chess on the life-size chess board in the middle of the strip. If finishing up the nights with a drink sounds appealing, there's Rosie McCann’s Irish pub and V Bar at the top of the Hotel Valencia with a great view.

For those who aren't art lovers, going to an art museum might sound a bit dull, but the San Jose Museum of Art has a little something for everyone. The museum's large art exhibitions have recently included everything from 19th century California portraitist Robert Henri's work to a contemporary multimedia response to SJMA's permanent collection. They have educational programs for kids as well as classes for adults. The most interesting offerings, however, might be the lunchtime lectures which occur on the first Wednesday of every month (yes, you can bring food and beverages), and Booze and Brushes on third Thursdays where you get to have drinks while practicing painting techniques with friends.

For those looking to go out and enjoy the outdoors, there are some great trails at Alum Rock Park that span 13 miles and are good for hiking, biking, and horseback riding. There is not much shade, so make sure to bring some sunscreen and a hat while checking out the 720 acres of wilderness. Alum Rock’s Boccardo Trail is a nice 6 mile loop to try out and is also just one section of the many parks around the Bay that are included in the Bay Ridge Trail, which is on its way to encircling the entire San Francisco Bay with 550 miles of trails!

A stroll through quiet atmosphere of downtown Willow Glen can sometimes be just the thing. There are several places to grab coffee, both main-stream and unique, and virtually every genre of food including sushi, Greek food, BBQ, crepes, and ice cream. There are activities and shops for all ages such as arts and crafts, boutiques, and a children’s bookstore. Of course, wine tasting is a must along with checking out the old-fashioned candy shop that is sure to bring anyone down memory lane.