Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Santa Clara is a city in the heart of Silicon Valley, between San Jose and Sunnyvale at the south end of San Francisco Bay. It grew around Mission Santa Clara de Asís, founded in 1777, and for much of its history it was a quiet farming town surrounded by fruit orchards before the technology industry transformed the valley after World War II.
Today Santa Clara is home to major technology companies along with Santa Clara University, a Jesuit university whose campus surrounds the historic mission church and its gardens. The city is also a sports and entertainment center: Levi's Stadium, home of the San Francisco 49ers, hosts football, concerts and major events, and California's Great America amusement park sits right next door.
Away from the big venues, the Old Quad neighborhood near the university has blocks of restored Victorian homes, the Harris-Lass House preserves the city's last farm site, and Central Park offers a lake, trails and the city's main library. The Santa Clara Convention Center and Triton Museum of Art round out a city that mixes history with modern Silicon Valley.
Mission Santa Clara de Asís was founded in 1777 and is the only California mission located on a university campus. The present church is a 1920s recreation of an earlier mission church, with a painted facade, an old cross and rose gardens around it. Visit during the day, and respect services when they are held.
Santa Clara University is a Jesuit university founded in 1851, the oldest operating institution of higher learning in California. Its leafy campus has Spanish Mission style buildings, palm-lined walks and gardens around the mission church. Visitors can stroll the grounds and visit the free de Saisset Museum.
The de Saisset Museum at Santa Clara University shows changing art exhibitions and a permanent display on California history, including artifacts from the Native Ohlone people and the mission era. Admission is free. It is next to the mission church, so you can see both easily in a single visit to campus.
The Triton Museum of Art is a free art museum near Santa Clara's civic center, showing changing exhibits of contemporary and California art, with a sculpture garden outside. The historic Jamison-Brown House stands on the grounds. It is small and relaxed; check opening days, as it closes between exhibitions.
The Harris-Lass Historic Museum preserves the last farmstead in Santa Clara, with a farmhouse, a summer kitchen and a barn showing family life from the late 1800s to the mid 1900s. Docents give tours of the house and grounds. It opens on limited days, mainly weekends, so check the schedule before visiting.
The 49ers Museum inside Levi's Stadium tells the story of the San Francisco 49ers with Super Bowl trophies, interactive exhibits, game memorabilia and a hall of fame gallery. It is fun for football fans of all ages and can be combined with a stadium tour. Check opening days, as it closes on many event days.
Levi's Stadium is the home of the San Francisco 49ers, opened in 2014 and host of Super Bowl 50. Besides football it hosts concerts, soccer and college games. Stadium tours run on many non-event days and include the field, locker room and press box. On game days, VTA light rail is easier than driving.
California's Great America is a large theme park in Santa Clara with roller coasters such as Gold Striker and RailBlazer, family rides, a kids' area and the Boomerang Bay water park in summer. Halloween and winter events are popular. Buy tickets online, and go on a weekday to keep lines short.
Central Park is Santa Clara's main city park, with a lake, lawns, playgrounds, sports fields, tennis courts and the International Swim Center, known for training Olympic swimmers. The Central Park Library is next door. It hosts the city's summer events and is pleasant for an evening walk around the lake.
Ulistac Natural Area is a 40-acre open space along the Guadalupe River in Santa Clara, restored with native oak woodland, grassland and wetland habitats. Easy dirt paths make it a good spot for birdwatching and a quiet walk. Entry is free; it is near Levi's Stadium, so avoid big event days.
The San Tomas Aquino Creek Trail is a paved path that runs through Santa Clara along the creek, connecting neighborhoods with Levi's Stadium, parks and the San Francisco Bay Trail to the north. It is flat and good for cycling, running and walking. Several access points have street parking; bring water on hot days.
The Old Quad is Santa Clara's oldest neighborhood, laid out around the mission and university, with many Victorian and early twentieth century homes on tree-lined streets. A walk here shows how the town looked before Silicon Valley. Pair it with the university campus, and remember the homes are private.
Top-rated local businesses in Santa Clara, with real reviews on WiserMap.
4701 Patrick Henry Dr Bldg 16 Suite 101, Santa Clara
No reviews yet. Been to Santa Clara? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Santa Clara? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photos
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
Photo: JaGa, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Alexey Komarov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jim Bahn, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Flickr user roarofthefour, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Flickr user roarofthefour, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: David Sawyer, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Unknown author, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: EugeneZelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: bluesbby from Mountain View, USA, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Coolcaesar at English Wikipedia, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dvortygirl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dvortygirl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dvortygirl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Dvortygirl, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Omar A., Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: MARELBU, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: MARELBU, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: MARELBU, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0
Photo: Matthew Hendricks (SCUMATT at en.wikipedia), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Cristiano Tomás, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Matthew Hendricks (SCUMATT at en.wikipedia), Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.5
Photo: Tritonmuseum, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Matthew Roth, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Runner1928, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Runner1928, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Usbduong33, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Oleg Alexandrov, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jeremy Thompson from Los Angeles, California, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 2.0
Photo: DestinationFearFan, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dicklyon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Dicklyon, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
