Hope this is posted in the correct board.

In about 3 weeks, my family and I am going to SJC for a Wedding. Our schedule is
Fri. Oct 8,2:00pm arrive in SJC
Sat. Oct 9 3:00pm the wedding,
Sun. Oct 10 1:30pm Depart

Needs suggestions for things to do (4 adults)
Friday afternoon/evening including dinner and Saturday afternoon.

We are considing driving up to San Fransico on Saturday to take a cable car ride and need to know where I should go, so I can park the rental car, take a short cable car ride and return back to the rental car.

Any ideas and/or suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks

Here are some things I have enjoyed.

Drive west from San Jose on the highway called wither I-880 or I-17 to Santa Cruz. (Stop in Las Gatos if you like; there's a very California mall in that expensive residential foothill community.) In Santa Cruz, walk up and down the Boardwalk, which is an amusement park. Ride the wooden coaster if you dare.

From Santa Cruz, take the Coast Highway, SR-1, all the way up to San Francisco. It's a beautiful drive. Do it in the daytime. I-280 is inland but also a lovely drive. US 101 is less fun.

San Francisco is famous for its restaurants. It's hard to go wrong, but some of my favorites are Oritalia, Le Jardiniere, and Waterfront. You might want to park in Union square to combine some nice shops with cable-car access.

The only nice hotel I have stayed in in San Jose is the Fairmont. Avoid the Hyatt, which is an embarrassment to the chain's name. Better yet, stay in San Francisco.

I really enjoy taking the "49 mile drive," but it's quite hard to follow the signs, so make sure you get a map at one of the souvenir shops that shows the drive route. The Palace of Fine Arts and The Exploratorium, on the 49-mile route and in Golden Gate Park, are both worth seeing.

Have a great time in one of Hunnybear and my favorite cities.

If you like scenery, you might drive to Monterrey where "Cannery Row" was written.
Near San Jose is a most beautiful Sheraton in the Silicon Valley area.
It usually has very reasonable weekend rates, some including breakfast. It used to be a four Diamond AAA property. You might at least drive through Chinatown. ALso, if you have time, Napa Valley is just north of San Francisco. Favorite is the Christian Brothers' Winery tour. You can take a cable car ride or balloon ride for much money if you like those things.

Thanks for the all suggestions.

I already have my hotel rooms. The wedding is being held at the San Claire Westin and we got rooms there for less than $100/night.

I need suggestions on what to see/visit in the small amount of "spare" time we have.

If you want to take the cable car from the Powell Street turnaround, there are several parking lots nearby. There is one under Union Square. Just keep circling it until you figure out which entrance is open. There is another lot at Stockton and Sutter (kitty corner to the Grand Hyatt). The third lot is across from the new Sony Metreon on Mission and 4th. All of these parking lots are within a very short walk to the cable car turnaround.

I just visited the Metreon today. It's got way too much to do (interactive displays, IMAX theaters, interactive games, movie theaters, etc.) in a short time, but you may want to take a looksee. There's a food fair and several restaurants in the complex. Avoid the 4th floor diner at all costs unless you have little kids.

The San Francisco shopping center is located across the street from the cable car turnaround. It's got a neato escalator that spirals and a nice Nordstrom's. Macy's is on Union Square. There's a Wolfgang Puck's Express, Jamba Juice, Boudin's Bakery and Tom's Cookie's downstairs in the Cellar. My favorite restaurant near Union Square is Kuleto's (Italian).

Have a good time.

If you don't have any obligations between your arrival and the wedding, you have an afternoon and evening of the best in the World available to you. (Rudi, correct me if you dare.)
All of the earlier suggestions are great. For your cable car ride, Union Square parking is the best bet.

philforest: I would dare - but don't know - perfect recommendations - enjoy it at San Francisco anddon't forget about the wedding!

You are staying at a great hotel and the food in its restaurant, Il Fornaio, is excellent, probably as good as any in SJ. The hotel is about 100 years old, renovated, and gorgeous. So Il Fornaio has loads of atmosphere, as well. If you want to understand how Silicon Valley ticks, the new Tech Museum is just down the street from your hotel and has an IMAX Theater with Living Sea and Everest. The Art Museum which has a Whitney exhibition of Landscapes and will have a new exhibit (I have forgotten what) is just on the other side of the Fairmont. The Fairmont has a lovely bar with nice coffees also. Across the street from the Art Museum is a Thai restaurant which we like a lot. If you want to see some movers and shakers of the lawyering variety at dinner, go to Eulipia or Bella Mia. If you go to Bella Mia (Italian), tell the owner, Bill Carlson, that Karen Anderson sent you. There is a small theater there also. San Jose also has a historical park and a Japanese Garden at Kelley Park, nearby but not walking distance. Check out theater, also across the street from the St. Claire.

Saratoga is also a nice town to hang out in on a Friday night. It is smaller than Los Gatos but considered Restaurant Row. An authentic Japanese Garden, called Hakone, is located in the foothills just a mile out of the village - looks like something out of Madame Butterfly - you will have just missed a festival there. Call Montalvo - 408 area code - for info on shows at Montalvo and Paul Masson Mountain Winery. Both ooze charm and have big names. If you go to Paul Masson, bring your woolies since it is in the hills - awesome view, wine tasting. VERY Santa Clara County!

If you choose Los Gatos, eat at California Cafe in Old Town. Great food (President Bubba ate there a few years ago). It is really a fun town for walking around and right next door to Saratoga in case you want to go to the Mountain Winery or Montalvo (Montalvo is also set in the hills on a 100 year old estate of a former state senator).

More info?? Write me. Needless to say, Silicon Valley is my stomping ground and has improved greatly in the last 10 years. If you like, I could even mail you a Calendar section of the SJ Mercury paper.

Another great idea for Fri night - post on FT Community and declare a SJ meeting - pick the spot! There are quite a few of us who live in Silicon Valley. Contrary to popular belief, there IS night life in downtown SJ!

If you're in SF, I say Muir Woods, about 15 miles north of the golden gate bridge is a must see. Nothing like a forest of redwoods.

I checked Calendar and the only two announcements for that weekend are Nadja Salerno-Sonnenberg at Montalvo (I personally have to confess that I have never heard of her but maybe it is my age!). There is a play at San Jose Rep across the street from your hotel entitled "Over the Tavern," which is about a less-than-angelic kid named Rudy (not Rudi, of course!) in Catholic school, circa 1959. You can combine the show with dinner at Eulipia for $98 per couple. Enjoy!

Since you only have Sat until 3 PM, I would say you would be seriously pressed for time to go to Muir Woods, however lovely. Ride cable car, eat touristy early lunch at Fisherman's Wharf, go to wedding. Parking is not free in SF on Saturdays so good luck.

CanadianFlyer: Directions to parking lot closest and most easily accessible to cable cars:

From San Jose it's about a 50-60 minute drive depending on traffic and how leaden your foot is. Take 101 north to the 4th Street exit - the last exit in SF. Turn right onto 4th Street. Take 4th 1 block south to Brannan. R on Brannan 2 blocks west to 6th Street. R on 6th Street 5 blocks (I think) north to Mission. Turn R on Mission and look for the 5th and Mission garage. It's a big, public lot that's about a block long. Park there.

Find the corner of 5th and Mission (across from the new Sont Metreon shopping center) and walk 1 block north to Market Street. The cable car turnaround will be across Market Street to your right.

I suggest you leave quite early as there can be very long lines to take the cable car as the day progresses. Be sure to allow 2-3 hours for your cable car adventure, and try to get on the Powell and Hyde line if you can - it's the most scenic of the two lines that depart from the turnaround at 5th and Market.

In my opinion, the cable car barn, which is midway on the ride from Market Street to the other end of the line, is a must if you have time. It has the guts of the cable car system, and there's a little museum in the barn that explains how the cable cars work, a bit about their history, and how the system was built and then restored in the '80s.

A walk through the Metreon is also fun.

I can recommend quite good dim sum places within walking distance if you enjoy dim sum. In addition, there is a terrific Farmer's Market - often rated the best in the country - not too far away, if you enjoy that sort of thing.

Half a day in San Francisco? Not enough time! But it will definitely wet your appetite for another visit.

If you would like company and I am around, I would be glad to join you for a mini-FT get together for either of the above. In any case, enjoy your visit.

So, CFlyer Baby, give us some clues. Are we on the right track for you? The San Jose Merc (which is on-line as well) had an article Sunday, Sep 19 about Saratoga's Hakone Gardens. You haven't told us what sorts of things you like, other than cable cars!

Thanks Everyone for the ideas.

Yes you are on the right track but the time is very limited.

Friday late afternoon after checkin and about 5 hours Saturday morning, will need to be back to the hotel by 1:00 pm to get ready for wedding.

I will need Sunday morning to "recover" and get our 1:30 flight.

Be forewarned that the lines to get on the Cable Cars can be horrendous, especially on a Saturday morning. You might do best to plan SF for Friday afternoon evening (maybe even before checking into your hotel): go to the Cable Car Barn (per dgolds' suggestion) before it closes, then take a late afternoon or early evening ride on the nation's only moving historic landmark. Also allows for a dinner in town (lots of good choices, in all price ranges).

Then Saturday morning either sleep in, or do something down closer to your hotel or the wedding. Much less angst if you're in their neighborhood, rather than an hour (or more) distant and wondering how much time to allow.

And don't worry: you'll leave your heart here (everybody does)!