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High Tech or High Fun?
Ways to Play in San Jose, California
By Amy Carey Bowman
If your kids are interested in animals, there's no better place than San Jose to find them. From tiny, kid-oriented parks with touchable creatures to big, exotic zoos, you're just a short drive from almost any type of animal you'd like to see.
First, for small kids, Jarvis recommends Happy Hollow Park and Zoo in San Jose. Once you're in the park, it's an easy jaunt from the meerkats to the alpacas. Hand-feed goats and even watch a jaguar pace back and forth behind a wall of glass. When your little ones have seen enough, you can head to the carnival-type rides on the other side of the park.
If it's farm animals you're hoping to see, drive a short distance north to Los Altos and take an easy mile hike (strollers welcome) through the Rancho San Antonio open space preserve to Deer Hollow Farm. Kids can view the working farm complete with chickens, cows, pigs and more. You might also see deer or other wildlife on your hike.
Cows and goats not your speed? Take a longer drive up to the San Francisco or Oakland Zoo. Both cities are home to world-class zoos and are about an hour from San Jose. The Oakland Zoo also offers an amusement area with kiddie rides and a train for an extra fee.
The next time you're looking for a family-friendly, affordable vacation destination with a great variety of activities, think of San Jose. "Our family has long enjoyed the diversity [of cultures], the weather and the close proximity to all the attractions," says Siguenza. "We have entertained the idea of moving elsewhere more than once, but it always comes back to the fact that we have everything we could want here and more!"
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