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Where is Santa Clara located?
- Santa Clara is a city of 115,000 people and is located 45 miles south of San Francisco.
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How did Santa Clara get its name?
- In 1777, a Spanish Mission was established there and dedicated to Saint Clare de Asis, for whom the city is named.
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What role does Santa Clara play in Silicon Valley?
- Santa Clara is in the heart of Silicon Valley, and many high-tech corporations make their home there.
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What major sports team is based in Santa Clara?
- Santa Clara is home to the National Football League's San Francisco 49ers, who play in the city's Levi's Stadium.
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What are the best things to do in Santa Clara?
- Visitors can explore a variety of attractions, from tech-related landmarks to historical sites and entertainment venues.
Mission Santa Clara
Mission Santa Clara began its life as a Franciscan mission church in 1777, north of where it sits now on the grounds of Santa Clara University. Forced by floods, fire, and earthquakes to move from its original site, the church that stands now was built in 1822. The Franciscan mission to convert the Ohlone people had some success until smallpox and measles decimated the Ohlone.
In 1857, the mission was gifted to the Jesuits, who established Santa Clara University, California's first institute of higher education. The mission church, now the university's student chapel, is open seven days a week, and brochures for self-guided tours are available near the entrance. Artifacts and remnants of the mission era are preserved and may be viewed by visitors.
500 El Camino Real, Santa Clara, California 95053, Phone: 408-554-4000
Triton Museum of Art
The Triton Museum of Art displays local, regional, and national art, with an emphasis on art and artists from the Bay Area. It collects and exhibits contemporary and historical California works of art, and has a mission encouraging gender and cultural inclusiveness. The building itself is a piece of art, it high ceilinged with pyramidal skylights, and a graceful curved glass wall overlooking its seven acre sculpture garden.
The Triton Museum of Art emphasizes education, and teaches widely about art and the creative process. School groups are welcome. The historic 1866 Jamison-Brown house, which is a stellar example of the changing forces of American architecture over a seventy-year period, is located on museum grounds.
1505 Warburton Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050, Phone: 408-247-3754
California's Great America
California's Great America is a large and exciting theme park with rides, attractions, a water park, and dining opportunities. Thrill seekers will love the wide range of roller coasters at the park, as well as the twenty-two story drop tower, and the Xtreme Skyflyer, which mimics hang gliding and skydiving high above the park.
There are rides for families, including bumper cars, a carousel, swings, and a flume ride. Young visitors to Planet Snoopy will find child-friendly rides including a miniature roller coaster, kid-sized swings, and an adventure playground. Boomerang Water Park is fun for all members of the family, and has many water slides, a lazy river, a wave pool, and cabana rentals.
4710 Great America Parkway, Santa Clara, California 95054, Phone: 408-988-1776
49ers Museum
The 49ers Museum is housed in Levi's Stadium, the home of the San Francisco 49ers. The museum has eleven unique gallery and exhibit spaces, and is open daily year-round. It is an exciting and engaging interactive museum for 49ers fans and for football fans in general. Its education center uses football as a platform to teach schoolchildren about technology, engineering, science, math, and art, and field trips are welcome.
There is a twenty minute introductory movie near the entrance of the museum, a large exhibit of 49ers memorabilia which includes balls, jerseys, cleats, helmets, and Super Bowl rings, and an interactive area where visitors can try on jerseys and helmets, throw a football, and learn 49ers cheers. Lifelike statues of players past and present and a timeline of the 49ers history make great photo opportunities for fans.
Levi's Stadium, 4900 Marie P. DeBartolo Way, Santa Clara, California 95054, Phone: 415-464-9377
Central Park
Central Park is the hub of recreational activity in the Santa Clara community. At its heart are the 30,000 square foot Community Recreation Center, and the George F. Haines International Swim Center.
The park has two lighted tennis courts, and a eight more in the Santa Clara Tennis Club, two softball fields, basketball courts, a children's play area, an exercise course, a lawn bowling green, and an amphitheater. There are both family and group picnic areas with barbecue pits and public restrooms, and a lake. The Saratoga Creek divides the park into two halves. Parking is available.
969 Kiely Blvd., Santa Clara, California 95051, Phone: 408-615-3140
Ulistac Natural Area
Ulistac Natural Area is a 41-acre open space dedicated to the preservation of native Californian vegetation and wildlife. It has several distinct natural habitats, including grassland, coastal scrub, savannah, riparian woodland, and wetlands; the Guadalupe River runs through the park. There is a bird and butterfly garden containing nectar plants such as fuchsia and monkey flower, which attract hummingbirds and a variety of butterflies.
The park has nature trails with interpretative signs. The land of Ulistac Natural Area was once a seasonal camp for the Ohlone Indians; Ulistac was an Ohlone chief. The land has been used in various ways: as grazing land for cattle and sheep in the time of Spanish and Mexican conquest, as agricultural land for 19thcentury Chinese settlers, and as a golf course in the mid-20th century. The land now belongs to the city, and has been restored to a wild and native state.
4910 Lick Mill Road, Santa Clara, California 95054, Phone: 408-615-3140
The South Bay Historical Railroad Society
The South Bay Historical Railroad Society is run by railroad enthusiast volunteers who staff the society's library, buildings, and the Edward Peterman Museum of Railroad History. The museum is housed in the old Santa Clara railroad depot, and has a large collection of historical artifacts, including signals, locomotive headlights, and a velocipede, which is a three-wheeled hand-pumped cart used for track maintenance.
The museum maintains a business class car from the Oregon-Washington Railroad, and has two superb operational model train tracks, one in HO and one in N gauge, which depict various eras in railway history. The society has an extensive library of railroad-related books and materials which can be viewed by society members; admission to the museum is open to the public.
1005 Railroad Avenue, Santa Clara, California 95050, Phone: 408-243-3969
Harris-Lass House Museum
The Harris-Lass House Museum is the last farm property in the city of Santa Clara, and is named for the two families who lived in it over a 125 year span. Built in 1865 in symmetrical Italianate style, it was significantly enlarged and remodeled in the 1890s.
The museum consists of the farmhouse, a classic California barn, a tank house, a summer kitchen, a landscaped garden, and a Heritage Orchard. It is dtillfully furnished with Lass family belongings. There are occasionally docent-led tours; call ahead and make a tour reservation. School and group tours are welcome.
1889 Market Street, Santa Clara, California 95050, Phone: 408-249-7905
Best Time to Visit
Places to Stay
Tips for Visiting
Spring (March-May) – Mild temperatures and blooming landscapes.
Hyatt Regency Santa Clara – A comfortable stay near Levi’s Stadium.
Visit California’s Great America – Enjoy theme park rides before the summer crowds arrive.
Summer (June-August) – Warm and lively, great for outdoor activities.
Santa Clara Marriott – A modern stay close to tech hubs and attractions.
Watch a 49ers Game or Concert at Levi’s Stadium – Experience live entertainment at this state-of-the-art venue.
Fall (September-November) – Pleasant temperatures and fewer crowds.
Aloft Santa Clara – A stylish boutique hotel with modern amenities.
Explore the Intel Museum – Learn about Silicon Valley’s tech history.
Winter (December-February) – Cool but mild, great for a relaxed visit.
Hilton Santa Clara – A cozy stay near top attractions.
Visit the Winchester Mystery House – Tour this historic mansion filled with eerie architectural oddities.
Plan Your Trip
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