48 Hours in San Jose

Ok so this was a weird one for me. I was called off of standby just as I settled in to the Singapore F1 qualifying. Underprepared was an understatement. My hair wasn’t even up, disaster, right?

But it’s not all bad! I got to spend 48 hours in beautiful autumnal California instead of sitting with my Nokia brick phone playing snake in the Crew Report Centre at Heathrow. So here is my crew guide to a 48 hour layover in San Jose!

San José is around a 10 hr 40 flight from London, so definitely rest up before this one. Our flight path took us up over Greenland on a beautiful clear day, making me even more excited for that Cali sun! It’s a super short transfer from the airport, and Crew Purch is a must for night numero uno (if you make it out, unlike me).

DAY 1

This is a clear day. YOU MUST GO TO SAN FRANCISCO. It’s an hour or so on the bullet train from San Jose Diridon Station, a short 20 mins walk from the crew hotel. Tickets can be bought from the machines, and a day pass zones 1-4 is all you need for $20ish dollars. First stop must be a boozy brunch. Head to Don Piscos on Union Street. Not only do you get the best views of San Fran’s famous hilly streets en route, but the breakfast burritos and huevos rancheros were amaaaazing, and unlimited mimosas were $21 dollars!

Suitably fuelled, wander down the street towards the front for the primary glimpse of the Golden Gate Bridge. For me, this was my first time ever to San Fran, and we couldn’t have asked for a clearer day! Turning right and following the coast brings you to Fisherman’s Wharf, a super touristy area, but so worth a visit to see how buzzing everyone is to be there. There are souvenir shops to buy that sweatshirt you need but didn’t think of bringing when you left warm San Jose, and so many ice cream stops.

If you keep walking through the wharf, you’ll come to the ferry terminal which will take you to the other side of the bridge. We were feeling super drowsy so decided to Uber across, ending up at Sausalito, a cute little town looking over blue waters and skyline of San Francisco.

We found a gem of a fish restaurant called Scomas, which had the perfect seaside location for some seal spotting, dinner snacks, and an Aperol Spritz whilst enjoying the last of the day’s sunshine.

Finally, make your way back across the bridge, and if you’ve timed it right, it should even be Golden Hour!

DAY 2

Pick-up is pretty late, so make the most of what San Jose has to offer. Burning off some energy and exploiting the fresh air pre-flight, I began with a jog/hike through Almaden Quicksilver Park, one of the prettiest places with plenty of trails to explore.

A late morning visit to Target is always necessary on any American trip, and the nearest one is around 30 mins walk from the hotel. Finally, an all USA lunch at Johnny Rockets and a good nap are in order to last you through the painful 9.5 hour night flight home.

If you’re looking for a more adventurous day, try the hour long bus to Santa Cruz, or Alum Rock National Park for some warm springs and hiking trails – both things on my list for next time!