Surf California, San Jose & Santa Cruz
Surf California, San Jose & Santa Cruz7 nightsFrom £980 per person
Price includes: Fights, accommodation and car hire
Day 1- Fly from the UK to San Jose, California.
Collect your car and spend two nights in the heart of Silicon Valley, San Jose.
It may not be on the coast, but here in San Jose you can ‘surf’ in the technological sense! The centre of the booming, tech-centric Silicon Valley, San Jose is packed with worthy destinations. With so much of the magic of the modern era happening invisibly and at nano-scale, the Tech Museum of Innovation in downtown San José does a great job of creating a fun laboratory and learning experience for curious people of all ages, giving you a real insight into how it all happens.
Company names which are now part of our everyday vocabulary can be found in the area – Google, Facebook and Apple, to name a few – and while you can’t take a formal tour, just visiting the area will give you a real sense of just how fast technology is advancing.
And of course, there was life before silicon chips. Learn about San Jose’s rich agricultural and impressive ethnic roots at the expansive campus of History San Jose, on the south-east side of town. Enjoy fine dining and world-class California wines, shop in the boutiques of Santana Row, take a walking tour of historic downtown San Jose, or hit the hiking and biking trails in Alum Rock Park.
Day 3- Head to Santa Cruz, approx. 35 miles, and stay five nights on the coast.
Follow Highway 17 south over the rugged Santa Cruz Mountains toward the coast, where you can relax and play in this ultra-mellow beach town. At its heart, Santa Cruz is a surf town. This is where the sport was originally introduced in California, and top surfers know that the place to be is Steamer Lane. But it’s not all about surfing, you can enjoy the beach and the waves with a kayak tour or on a stand-up paddleboard, or sit back on the sand and watch tide roll in.
Then head to Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk, a yesteryear style esplanade lined with classic roller coasters, arcade games and a historic carousel, or check-out downtown Santa Cruz, where you can browse the shops for vintage and chic gifts, and dine in one of the relaxed restaurants where the focus is on organic, local ingredients.
Day 8- Return to San Jose airport
Drop off your car, before catching your flight home.
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