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Local & General Info
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Location:
Located on the corner of South Market Street and San Fernando, in the heart of California's largest city in Northern California near Cesar Plaza Park. The Fairmont San Jose is San Jose's only luxury hotel and is conveniently located in the city centre, near public transportation & restaurants and one block from the convention centre, walking distance to live theatre, symphony, opera, and ballet. Across the street from the Tech Museum of Innovation.
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Areas Served:
*San Francisco to the North - about 1hr drive *Monterey/Carmel to the south - 1.5hr drive *Palto Alto is 40min *Santa Clara is about .5hr drive *Santa Monica is 6hr 15min drive.
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Area Airports:
*San Jose Intl Airport - 3.9mi from Hotel *San Francisco Intl Airport - 36.24mi *Oakland Intl Airport - 36mi
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Directions from San Jose Intl Airport to Hotel:
Distance: 3.90 miles; Estimated Travel Time: 6 minutes --
-Begin at Starting Point on Terminal Dr and go Northwest for about 100 feet
-Turn hard right on Terminal C Acc and go Southeast for 0.2 miles
-Continue on Airport Exit and go East for about 300 feet
-Turn left on Airport Blvd and go Northwest for 0.3 miles
-Turn right on Airport Pky and go Northeast for about 300 feet
-Turn right at sign reading "CA-87 South" and go East for about 200 feet
-Bear right on CA-87,Guadalupe Pky and go Southeast for 2.0 miles
-Bear right on ramp at sign reading " Coleman AveMarket St" and go South for 0.3 miles
-Turn left on Coleman Ave and go East for 0.4 miles
-Continue on N Market St and go Southeast for 0.5 miles to Destination
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Directions from San Francisco Intl Airport to Hotel:
Distance: 36.24 miles; Estimated travel time: 34.08 minutes
-Begin at Starting Point on Old Bayshore Hwy and go South for less than 100 feet
-Turn hard right on Departing Flights Acc and go West for 0.2 miles
-Continue on Airport Exit at sign reading "Long Term Parking/Rental Car Return/Freeway" and go Southwest for 0.4 miles
-Continue on ramp at sign reading "US-101 South to San Jose" and go South for 0.7 miles
-Continue on US-101,Bayshore Fwy and go Southeast for 31.2 miles
-Bear right on ramp at sign reading "CA-87 Guadalupe Pkwy" and go Southeast for 0.3 miles
-Continue on CA-87,Guadalupe Pky and go Southeast for 2.3 miles
-Bear right on ramp at sign reading " Coleman AveMarket St" and go South for 0.3 miles
-Turn left on Coleman Ave and go East for 0.4 miles
-Continue on N Market St and go Southeast for 0.5 miles to Destination
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Directions from Oakland Intl Airport to Hotel:
Start out going West on PASSENGER TERMINAL towards PARKING.
-Turn LEFT onto AIRPORT DR.
-Turn RIGHT onto 98TH AVE.
-Take the I-880 S ramp towards SAN JOSE.
-Merge onto I-880 S.
-Take the FIRST ST exit towards DOWNTOWN.
-Turn LEFT onto ramp.
-Turn LEFT onto N 1ST ST.
-Turn RIGHT onto W JULIAN ST.
-Turn LEFT onto N MARKET ST.
-Turn LEFT onto S MARKET ST. TOTAL ESTIMATED TIME: 45 minutes
TOTAL DISTANCE: 36.0 miles ( 58.0km)
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Beaches:
HALF MOON BAY
Half Moon Bay is about 45 minutes away from The Fairmont San Jose and includes downtown shopping, fishing, golf, horseback riding and miles of coastal hiking and biking trails.
Website: www.halfmoonbaychamber.org
SANTA CRUZ
Santa Cruz is about 35 minutes away and includes the Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk amusement park, restaurants, and surfing.
Website: www.beachboardwalk.com
MONTEREY COAST
Monterey Coast is about 1 hour south of San Jose and is home of the Monterey Bay Aquarium located on Monterey's historic Cannery Row.
Website: www.montereybayaquarium.org
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Winchester Mystery House:
(There is a free shuttle which picks up and drops off guests at 6 of the downtown hotels (including the Fairmont San Jose)
In 1884, a wealthy widow named Sarah L. Winchester began a construction project of such magnitude that it was to occupy the lives of carpenters and craftsmen until her death thirty-eight years later.
The Victorian mansion, designed and built by the Winchester Rifle heiress, is filled with so many unexplained oddities, that it has come to be known as the Winchester Mystery House.
Sarah Winchester built a home that is an architectural marvel.
Unlike most homes of its era, this 160-room Victorian mansion had modern heating and sewer systems, gas lights that operated by pressing a button, three working elevators, and 47 fireplaces.
From rambling roofs and exquisite hand inlaid parquet floors to the gold and silver chandeliers and Tiffany art glass windows, you will be impressed by the staggering amount of creativity, energy, and expense poured into each and every detail.
No one has been able to explain the mysteries that exist within the Winchester Mansion, or why Sarah Winchester kept the carpenters' hammers pounding 24 hours a day for 38 years.
It is believed that after the untimely deaths of her baby daughter and husband (who was the son of the Winchester Rifle manufacturer), Mrs. Winchester was convinced by a medium that continuous building would appease the evil spirits of those killed by the famous "Gun that Won the West" and help her attain eternal life.
Certainly her $20,000,000 inheritance was sufficient to support her obsession until her death at 82!
Amazing Facts
Number of rooms: 160
Cost: $5,500,000
Date of Construction: 1884 - September 5, 1922 (38 Continuous years!)
Number of stories: prior to 1906 Earthquake - 7; presently 4
Number of acres: originally 161.919; presently 4
Number of basements: 2
Heating: Steam, forced air, fireplaces
Number of windows: frames 1,257, approx. 10,000
Number of doors: doorways 467 approx., 950 doors not including cabinet doors.
Number of fireplaces: 47 (gas, wood, or coal burning)
Number of chimneys: presently 17 with evidence of 2 others
Number of cars at her death: 2 (1 1917 Pierce Arrow Limousine & 1 1916 4 cyl. Buick truck)
Number of bedrooms: approx. 40
Number of kitchens: 5 or 6
Number of staircases: 40, total of stair steps - 367
Number of skylights: approx. 52
Number of gallons of paint required to paint entire home: over 20,000
Number of ballrooms: 2 (1 nearly complete and 1 under construction)
Blueprints available: No, Mrs. Winchester never had a master set of blueprints, but did sketch out individual rooms on paper and even tablecloths!
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Great American Amusement Park:
Located 8 miles away, accessible by light rail (Public Transportation).
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Wineries:
-BYINGTON WINERY & VINEYARD /LOS GATOS
-J. LOHR WINERY / SAN JOSE 3 MILES
-HALLCREST VINEYARD/ THE ORGANIC WINE WORKS / FELTON
-MARIANA VINEYARDS / SARATOGA
-MIRASSOU CHAMPAGNE CELLARS / LOS GATOS
-MIRASSOU VINEYARDS / SAN JOSE
-NAPA VALLEY WINE TRAIN / NAPA 2 HOURS
-SUNRISE WINERY / CUPERTINO
-THOMAS KRUSE WINERY / GILROY
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Museums:
-ALBA MUSEUM OF LATIN AMERICAN ARTS -- SAN JOSE
-AMERICAN MUSEUM OF QUILTS AND RELATED ARTS -- SAN JOSE
-CHILDREN'S DISCOVERY MUSEUM -- WALKING DISTANCE FROM THE FAIRMONT SAN JOSE
-COYOTE POINT MUSEUM FOR ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION -- SAN MATEO
-DE SAISSET MUSEUM/MISSION SANTA CLARA -- SANTA CLARA UNIVERSITY
-RODIN SCULPTURES GARDEN -- STANFORD UNIVERSITY
-ROSICRUCIAN EGYPTIAN MUSEUM -- SAN JOSE
-SAN JOSE HISTORICAL MUSEUM
-SAN JOSE INSTITUTE OF CONTEMPORARY ART
-SAN JOSE MUSEUM OF ART -- NEXT DOOR TO SAJ
-STANFORD UNIVERSITY MUSEUM OF ART, STANFORD
-THE TECH MUSEUM OF INNOVATION -- ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE FAIRMONT SAN JOSE
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Imax Theatre:
Unlike traditional flat-screen IMAX??? theaters, the new, state-of-the-art Hackworth IMAX??? Dome Theater features a giant eight story domed screen and six-channel, digital wrap around sound with 13,000 watts of power coming from 44 speakers. It seats 295 people in special reclining chairs that accentuate the feeling of actually being in the movie. The Hackworth IMAX??? Dome Theater is the only theater of its kind in Northern California.
The azure dome on The Tech's new home has become a stunning landmark in downtown San Jose's skyline. The theater is named for Mike and Joan Hackworth who contributed the first $1 million individual gift to The Tech's Capital Campaign in 1992.
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Kelley Park:
10 minute drive from the Fairmont San Jose
Kelley Park is one of San Jose's most diverse facilities, offering visitors an opportunity to enjoy a picnic or barbecue amid beautiful lawn areas and shade trees; a visit to the Happy Hollow Park & Zoo to see the many animals or take in a puppet show; a walk through the tranquil Japanese Friendship Garden with beautiful koi-filled ponds; and step back in time to turn-of-the-century San Jose at the Historical Museum.
Picnic Areas in the Park
There are numerous picnic areas throughout the park which can accommodate small to very large groups. Several are available on a first come, first served basis (One adult may save only one table). Designated picnic areas are available through advanced reservations for a nominal reservation fee. For group picnic reservations call (408) 277-5561.
Leininger Center
Leininger Center provides a central location for making group picnic reservations for San Jose's Regional Parks (Kelley, Lake Cunningham, Almaden Lake, Alum Rock), Family Camp reservations, and application for special events.
If you are planning a wedding, you can make your reservations at Leininger to use one of the wedding sites at Overfelt Gardens or the Rose Garden. The Okayama Room and patio at the centre is a lovely place to hold a wedding reception for 175 people, or it can be rented for meetings.
Amphitheatre
A Greek-style amphitheatre located behind Leininger Center, it can be reserved by groups for wedding ceremonies and other similar events. It can accommodate approximately 200 people. Musical and theatrical groups have been among those to use the amphitheatre; however, no amplified sound is allowed. This area is not available for reservations from Memorial Day Weekend through Labour Day Weekend.
Park Hours: 8:00 a.m. until one-half hour after sunset
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Happy Hollow Park and Zoo:
Just a quick 10 minute drive from the Fairmont San Jose, Happy Hollow is located in Kelley Park at 1300 Senter Road in San Jose, California, on the corner of Story and Senter Roads across from San Jose Municipal Stadium and the SJSU Spartan Athletic Fields. 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 animal contact area features alpacas, goats, guinea pigs and miniature horses.
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Japanese Friendship Garden:
10 minute drive from the Fairmont San Jose - located in Kelley Park
Patterned after the Korakuen Garden in San Jose's sister city, Okayama, Japan
The park contains hundreds of exotic koi fish and quaint foot bridges.
The face of the traditional Japanese garden was molded by three major forces: religion, a love for nature, and a heavy use of symbolism. These three forces blended together to create a beautiful, culturally enlightening area.
While visiting the Garden, take some time to feed the exotic koi fish. Two feeding stations are available and you may purchase food for a small fee.
Koi are an ornamental variety of the common carp, Cyprinus carpio, bred especially to reveal their distinctive colour characteristics. Originally bred as a food source, it was in Japan during the Hei-an period, 794-1184, that the first selective breeding for colour occurred.
In 1966 Okayama, Japan sent a gift of koi to San Jose that was released into the three ponds inside the Garden. Some of the koi you see here could be from that original stock as koi usually live between 35-40 years and can reach lengths of around 30 inches.
Open: Daily from 10:00 a.m. until sunset.
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Children's Discovery Museum:
Located 6 blocks from the Fairmont San Jose
Fabulous "hands on" museum for children - The purpose of Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose is to serve the needs of children, families and schools as a centre for learning and discovery.
For children, it is first and foremost a place to call their own, offering interactive exhibits and programs in a warm and inviting setting.
Its educational mission encompasses the themes of Connections, Community, and Creativity.
In its unique environment, children actively make connections among ideas, people and cultures.
The Museum's programs also encourage children to define their role in and contribution to both local and global communities. Finally, as a centre for creative play and expression, Children's Discovery Museum of San Jose provides opportunities for all of us to discover the world through the eyes of children.
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The Fairmont San Jose 
