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Milpitas

The Great Mall of the Bay Area

If you like enormous malls and giant deals this might just be the place for you! The Great Mall of the Bay Area is the largest outlet mall in northern California with it's 1.5 million square feet. The theme for this mall is outlets, and it boasts of having a grand total of 185 outlet stores, each of which offer 30 - 70 percent savings.

I'm the kind of person that gets lost in any old, regular-sized mall, so I feared that I was going to lose my way in this mega-mall. But actually, the mall has a sensible circular design, so I could just keep going and I'd eventually find my way back to where I started. Planners called it a "racetrack" design; I imagine a bunch a frenzied shoppers racing each other from store to store rifling through the racks and pulling off the items they want. In reality, it's much calmer than that. There are sit-down restaurants, an international food court, and a family entertainment center to boot.

Before this building was home to shoppers' nirvana, it was a Ford Motor Company Assembly Plant. The plant, described as an industrial giant, produced almost five million cars and trucks between 1955 and 1983. If you're interested in the history of the building, visit the Ford Historical Display adjacent to the Great Eats Court.

Mountain View

NASA Ames Research Visitor's Center

Before you visit the NASA Ames Research Visitor's Center, you need to read my two pieces of advise. When you drive up to the Moffet Federal Airfield, choose the booth on the left and tell the guard you are here to visit the NASA Ames Research Visitor's Center. If you leave out the "Visitor's" part (as I did) you'll be in for a 20 minute delay, as you try to get a visitor's pass, which you don't even need. All this because you forgot to say "Visitor's"! My advice is to think of it as your secret password and remember it!

My second piece of advice is to call about a month in advance and make a reservation to take a tour. If you are lucky enough to get a reservation, you'll get a 2-hour tour covering 2 miles, which gives you access to all kinds of stuff you can't otherwise see. Included in the tour are the field laboratory (you can see a wind tunnel), a gigantic flight hanger which is big enough for a dirigible (a dirigible is a cigar-shaped airship), and a flight simulator laboratory.

Without a tour reservation, you're stuck with the small displays outside and inside the Center. The

Center is pretty small, especially when you compare it to the size of the building in which it is housed. My guess is that the Center comprises about 5% of the building. Displayed items include models of streamlined fighter planes and the space shuttle, historical photographs, and some of the engineering and mechanical technology used in space travel. There are some interactive computer displays that "talk" to you about space and space travel. My favorite part of the Center was the Lunar Sample Glove Box. Imagine a Steel and glass case with a cluster of valves and gauges on top. There are two holes on the side into which you can put your hands. As you slide your hands into the holes, you realize you're putting on thick, black rubber gloves. This whole setup was created so scientists could look at lunar samples without contamination. The Center is open Mon to Fri and is free. Call 650-604-6274 for hours and information about the tours.

Formerly the Stanford Museum, this exhibition space was recently reopened after sitting closed for 10 years owing to damage from the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. During the time since the earthquake, the space has been renovated and expanded and the collections have been strengthened. The collection of art includes work from the Ancient Americas, Ancient Mediterranean, Africa, Asia, Oceania, Native America, Europe, and the United States. The collection has a broad range of art works dating from ancient times to contemporary in every medium imaginable. One exhibit you can't miss is called the "Last Spike". The last spike is also known as the golden spike because it is made of 17.6 karat gold. In 1869, Governor Leland Stanford tapped in the final link between the Central Pacific and the Union Pacific, creating the first Transcontinental Railroad. Take a close look and you can read the engraved names of all the Robber Barons including Stanford, Huntington, Crocker and Hopkins.

Located in the heart of the Stanford University campus, the museum is well worth a visit. It's surprisingly large and well-curated. After visiting the 27 galleries, you might feel like stopping in the the museum's cafe for a treat or dropping by the adjacent Rodin Sculpture Garden. The museum is open Weds to Sun and admission is free. Call 650-723-4177 for hours.

This small museum consists of 4 segments: the art room, zoo, exhibit hall, and clay room. The zoo is probably the most interesting element of the museum, featuring small animals representing each phylum of the animal kingdom. They also have rotating exhibits on topics like natural history, astronomy and environmental issues. Open Tues. to Sat., entrance is free. Call 650-329-2111 for hours and information.

Museum of American Heritage

The Museum of American Heritage is a hidden treasure in Palo Alto, set in a perfectly-

maintained house built in 1906. It is smallish for a museum, but packed full of antiques and oddities. The different rooms display varying collections and the permanent exhibits include a kitchen, doctor's office, and library. When I visited, on display was a special exhibit about music, which I really enjoyed. The volunteer docent walked with me through the rooms and even played an antique phonograph and a music player Edison had invented. I spent a quarter on a player piano and was delighted with the loud, raucous tune that reverberated throughout the house! When you exit the house, you can wander in the exquisite garden around the museum. Make sure to stop by the garage and see the exhibit of machines and tools needed to run a print shop. The exhibits are extensive and interesting, with a homespun feel. Admission is free, but a $2 donation is requested. Open Fri to Sun call 408-287-2290 for hours.

Rodin Sculpture Garden

If you can't make it to Paris, you might want to visit the Rodin Sculpture

Garden in Palo Alto. This outdoor museum, located in the center of the Stanford campus, is peaceful and inspiring. The most famous of the dozen piece exhibit is a bronze version of "The Gates of Hell"(1880-1917). This 18 by 12 foot work depicts sinning men earning their damnation. It's not a sight for the faint-hearted. Rodin's sculptures are beautiful and if you've never seen them, I highly recommend a visit. You can sit on a bench surrounded by art and palm trees and get a taste of France in California. (The Rodin Sculpture Garden is adjacent to the Cantor Center for Visual Arts). Admission is free. Call the Cantor Center at 650-723-4177 for more information.

If you're very passionate about quilts and you're in downtown San Jose, you might want to stop by this museum. It is small, in fact it is only two rooms, one of which is the museum's shop. The exhibits range from abstract and contemporary to historic and traditional. The quality of the displays are good, but the museum could have more depth or variety to be truly impressive. Open Tues to Sun, call 408-971-0323 for more information.

The Art Tech is more a gallery than a museum. It consists of two rooms, featuring contemporary art by local artists. The collection emphasizes art that integrates mediums such as video, sound, painting and sculpture with an element of technology. Call 408-971-9100 for hours. Admission is free.

Children's Discovery Museum

This is the largest museum devoted to children on the West Coast. When you walk inside you are instantly in an exhibit called "Street", which is a replica of downtown San Jose, complete with traffic lights, waste disposal systems and a real fire truck and ambulance that kids can climb in and around.

This is just the beginning! There are more than 150

interactive exhibits on two floors. The focus of the museum is fun rather than science; I decided it's a museum of big toys. One exhibit, named "Waterworks" is a scaled-down version of a water distribution center with springs, reservoirs, aqueducts and deltas. It consists of a big area with paddles and rudder-like things that you can spin and push. I watched three boys heavily involved in their goal of channeling all the water into one area. They were getting a little wet in the process, but that didn't seem to matter.

I enjoyed the extensive displays on puppets from around the world, especially the marionettes from Mexico. There are interactive puppet stations, puppet show areas where you can perform your own original show, and work tables equipped with supplies to make a puppet. I think my favorite exhibits had to do with sound. One was a big drum connected by wires to two metal plates cut into the shape of hands. You put your hands on the plates and the big drum starts to play your heartbeat. The other sound exhibit was in a little, cave-like room called a "Rhythm Hut". It had a series of drum sounds with adjustable tempos. With with the flick of a toggle switch, you could create your own, unique rhythm.

If you have kids 4 and under, there's a special room, named the Early Childhood Center, on the top floor dedicated to toddlers and their accompanying guardians. All in all, this museum is a gem: the kids will be engaged and absorbed for several hours without fail. Open Tuesday to Sunday. Call 408-298-5437 for admission fees and information.

Chinese Cultural Garden

Located in the Overfelt Gardens, the Chinese Cultural Garden is a refreshing and tranquil treat. San Jose has four sister cities, one of them being Tainan, Taiwan. A product of this sisterhood is a beautiful, refined garden. You can't miss the large, ornamental Friendship Gate, which welcomes visitors year-round. Once inside the garden, a 30-foot bronze and marble statue of Confucius greets you. I was energized walking around, pondering the elegance and symmetry of life mirrored by a reflecting pond, and surrounded by a memorial and pavilions. Open daily, 10 am to sunset. Admission is free.

Emma Prusch Farm Park

How do city kids learn about farm animals? They can visit the Emma Prusch Farm Park, located on King Road. Walking through a wide, green field you spot in the distance an authentic, gray farmhouse. At this point you ask yourself, "Am I really in the middle of a big city?" You actually feel as if you're in the serene countryside. The reality is, before San Jose was the bustling, metropolitan center it is today, this was one of many real, working farms. Once inside the beautifully maintained farmhouse, you can see sheep, pigs and steers. Nearby, there's an area with exotic chickens, hens, geese, rabbits and ducks. When I was there I ran into Sandy, a docent leading a group of 8 year-olds around. She said the groups are usually from schools or

children's programs and they pay for the tour. "But if you just have one or two kids, they can tag along and nobody will mind." Thanks for the tip, Sandy! Next to the bird area is the white, Victorian farmhouse. Beside the house, stand some small, freshly painted tractors, which make for some great pictures with the kids. This little farm park is terrific educational entertainment for any young person. Why not pack a lunch and have a picnic on the grassy lawn while you're there? Open daily, 8:30 am to sunset. Admission is free.

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo

Located in Kelly Park, close to the center of the city, is the Happy Hollow Park and Zoo. For a minimal admission fee, you can delight youngsters. When I was waiting in line behind ten moms and their little squirts I thought, "Is this worth it?" My conclusion? Definitely! Happy Hollow is divided into two main areas, the zoo and the amusement park. The zoo has exotic animals including snakes, monkeys, jaguars, wallabies, lemurs, fishing cats, alpacas, Sicilian donkeys, zebus (no, it's not a zebra, it's a zebu), goats, swans, turtles and many others. There is a petting area enclosed by a low fence. I spent a quarter to buy some kibbles for a hungry goat. There was a little girl next to me who was trying to hold onto her kibbles but the animals persistently kissed her little fist until she gave in.

Once you've toured the animals, you're only half-done! You still have the

amusement park to enjoy. There are three or four different carousels decorated in different themes. Personally, I loved the little pond with the automated boats you could control from the shore. It costs a quarter to be the captain of your ship for about 5 minutes. I threw my ship into reverse and tried to hit as much stuff as I could. I don't think I was the only one doing this. When you're done with the pond, there's a fun-house with those bent mirrors which make you look fat and thin. As I walked into the fun-house, there was a little boy pulling up his shirt so he and his dad could compare their bellies in the mirror. They were both laughing and loving it. All in all, I was thoroughly impressed with the Happy Hollow experience. Call 408-295-8383 for hours and ticket information.

Japanese Friendship Gardens

One of San Jose's sister cities is Okayama, Japan. In 1965, San Jose modeled this garden after Okayama's world-famous Korakuen Park. There are four heart-shaped pools. As you walk over the delicate foot bridges, you can look at the giant koi fish looking back at you. Spend a quarter and buy fish food for the koi if you want to get a closer look. In the spring,the cherry blossoms are in bloom and the air smells of fresh-cut grass. This garden is beautifully landscaped with unusual and colorful trees. I was amazed by the precision with which the grounds are maintained. I imagine there is a gardener working here 24 hours a day. I looked for a gum wrapper or even a blade of grass which was longer than the others, but I looked in vain. This place is pristine! For a piece of serenity practically in the middle of San Jose, visit the Japanese Friendship Gardens. Open daily, 10 am to sunset. Admission is free.

San Jose Historical Museum

Being a relatively new city, San Jose doesn't have an extensive "Big City" history to boast about. However, the San Jose Historical Museum offers an excellent representation of the town as it stood at the turn of the century. This outdoor museum is spread out over 25 acres and recreates San Jose's Main Street including a historic, working trolley. All the buildings were transported from their initial site and renovated or were constructed as replicas of original buildings. Each building has it's own mini-exhibit to explore.

I went inside the doctor's office on the corner and browsed the cases filled with the tools of the medical trade. I'm glad medicine has advanced since the early 1900's, because some of the contraptions gave me the heebie-jeebies. There is also a fire house and post office laid out in a similar style.

Interestingly enough, there is a replica of a Chinese temple, named Ng Shing Gung, or Temple of Five Gods. The original temple was built in 1888 in San Jose's Chinatown. The exhibit in the temple is a window into the history and culture of Chinese Americans in Santa Clara Valley. Down the street a little bit is The Pacific Hotel, complete with a museum shop and a gallery with continually changing historical exhibits.

If you get that museum overload feeling, stop by the O'Brien's Candy Factory for an ice-cream cone or a sundae. Apparently O'Brien's was the first place west of Detroit to offer up an ice cream soda, Yum!

The San Jose Historical Museum offers a lively look at history and is fun for adults and children. It's free if you want to walk around the grounds on your own. You pay a small fee if you want a tour guide to lead you through the exhibits. Open 7 days a week, call 408-287-2290 for information about fees and hours.

San Jose Museum of Art

This museum looks big from the outside, but is actually pretty small. There is a new, modern-looking structure attached to an older building, which was the original museum. When I was done poking around I felt like I had missed an entire floor or a wing. "You mean there's only 6 rooms?" I asked the guard in disbelief. Despite the small size of the building, the museum's collection of 20th century art is impressive and includes sculpture, painting, and photography. You might want to stop by the classy, urbane cafe, which serves pastries, hot coffee and other tasty snacks. The museum is open Tues to Sun, call 408-294-2787 for hours and admission prices.

Tech Museum of Innovation

While touring the Tech Museum of Innovation, I decided there are two kinds of people, those who read and ponder, and those who race from exhibit to exhibit seeing what they can "do" in 2 minutes or less. This is a museum which seems to require some reading and thinking in order to get the full educational impact. However, I noticed the 2-minutes-or-less people were having a blast too.

There are at least seven different areas in the museum, including Center of the Edge, Communication, Exploration, Cyber Place, Innovation, Life Tech Room and an IMAX Dome Theater. In the Exploration area you can pilot a robotic submarine or create and simulate your own earthquake! I especially enjoyed the Innovation area, which features a machine that spins a camera in a circle around your head to make a 3-D portrait of your face. Once your portrait is complete, you sit at a nearby computer and apply sample texture maps (surface texture and colors) until you find one that suits you best. You can embellish yourself rainbow psychedelic or Italian marble. Then you can print out a copy to keep!

In the Innovation area there are several "inventor's work benches", where you can sit down at a variety of

stations and try to understand how technology works. Here the aforementioned reading and pondering skills come in handy. The Life Tech Room demonstrates how technology is used in medicine and research. It describes the inner-workings of ultrasound, MRI scanners, heat sensitive thermo-cameras, genetics, DNA, and how lasers are used in operations. I loved the bobsled race exhibit. You can sit in a bobsled shell with a friend, or a stranger, and simulate being in a race. You pull on cords to control your path and your speed. I loved feeling like I was traveling at death-defying speeds, but knowing that I was really just a few inches above the soft carpet. After getting out of the sled, you see your time and can compare yourself to the other speed-racers visiting the museum that day. The Tech Museum of Innovation is a intellectually engaging for anyone between the ages of 10 and 100. Call 408-279-7150 for hours and ticket information.

Winchester Mystery House

I love the Winchester Mystery House, but if you're going there I have two important warnings for you. One, it's commercial and it seems like a tourist trap. Two, it's expensive! Bring a family of 4 and it will cost around $40! I conducted an informal poll and discovered that locals hardly ever bother to visit. It's really a shame, because the Winchester Mystery House is a beautiful and bizarre experience!

After Sarah Winchester lost her husband and her daughter, she went to a psychic in Boston for advice. The psychic told her if she wanted to avoid the evil spirits that killed her loved ones, she needed to move West, start building a house and never stop building. Her carpenters worked 24 hours a day for 38 years, as she poured her creative energy and money into the project. The mansion is interesting in historical sense, 24 of the 160 rooms are restored with Victorian era furniture and artifacts. It is also interesting in a psychological sense, as you walk through you wonder 'Why would a woman follow the advise of a psychic so completely and build a house like this?'

There are two rooms that I found especially interesting. First, is the room that hold a beautiful stained

glass collection. Most of the stained glass doors and windows are from Tiffany's, and some are even custom-made. The collection is worth over 250 million dollars! Second, is the seance room, which is a small and plain room in the center of the house. It was said that she would visit this room every night to communicate with the spirits and to get guidance for her construction plans. To begin her seance she would ring a big bell at midnight to invite the spirits in and and she would ring it again at two in the morning to release them.

There are two theories about why the house is constructed in the kooky the way it is. One is that Sarah was not an architect and didn't know what she was doing. The second is that she built it this way to confuse the spirits. Throughout the house, you'll find stairs that lead to the ceilings and doors and windows that open onto walls. The mansion has the feeling of constantly being under construction. You might see a room with gorgeous wood-paneling and decorative details, adjacent to a room that is roughly finished with lathe and plaster.

All in all, the Winchester House is an extraordinary place to visit. Touring the 160 rooms, or 24,000 square feet, is about a mile-long walk and every room is a new adventure. Children and adults will enjoy the eccentricity of Sarah Winchester and her strange house. Call 408-247-2101 for admission prices, and hours of operation.

Santa Clara

Paramount's Great America

I'm not a big amusement park fan, because I get too motion-sick to enjoy myself. But if I was even a little bit interested in amusement parks, Paramount's Great America would be my first stop. There are many roller coaster rides, including Top Gun, which leaves you dangling below the tracks rather than resting on top, or Vortex, which you ride standing-up. There are also a bunch of hyper-thrill rides, one of which is Drop Zone, which has a 224-foot plummet. Yikes! If water sports is your game, try the Rip Roaring Rapids, a simulated white-water rafting ride. If you're traveling with little ones, you can visit Kidzville, the "big, busy town built just for kids". Or come to Splat City, a collaboration between Paramount and Nickelodeon™ Recreation. All the rides have to do with Slime. Uck! For example, there's the Slime Bowl, Green Slime™ Zone Definery and the Emergency Slime Shower & Slime Pit (you stand under one of two shower heads, and pull the lever to see if you just might get a splash of Green Slime!) Open March to October, call 408-988-1776 for hours and admission prices.

Triton Museum of Art

The Triton Museum of Art has exhibitions of contemporary and historical works with an emphasis on artists from the Bay Area and California. The museum is set in an attractive, new building across the street from City Hall. The Triton Museum is on the small side, it's about 3 rooms, each with it's own exhibit. One room is dedicated to a permanent display of their Native American collection. The other two rooms have rotating exhibits of paintings, sculptures and photographs. It would only take about thirty minutes to take everything in at this museum. It's worth a quick visit if you're in Santa Clara. Call 408-247-3754 for hours and admission prices.

Sunnyvale

Murphy Street

There is one block that gives Sunnyvale some old-fashioned Main Street style. It's Murphy Street between Washington St and Evelyn St. As you stroll along the street, you can shop at a stationary store, flower shop, bookstore or gift shops. If you're hungry, there are a number a restaurants with varying cuisines: Mexican, Chinese and Italian for example. Visit one of Murphy Street's Irish pubs if you're looking for a fresh pint. Murphy Street looks like a movie set come to life. You get the feeling that everybody buys their life essentials in the strip malls and comes to Murphy Street to unwind, eat and have some fun.