The Tech Museum of Innovation - hands-on technology and science museum for all ages, including an IMAX Dome Theatre, thetech.org

Winchester Mystery House - enormous Victorian mansion of Sara Winchester who kept it under continuous construction for 38 years--come tour its very odd floor plan and learn about its history, winchestermysteryhouse.com

Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum - inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak, this museum has the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts in the western US, egyptianmuseum.org

Mt. Hamilton/Lick Observatory - read this travelogue, complete with photographs, of a day trip to the observatory, for a first hand impression of the site, daytripping.com; see their homepage at mthamilton.ucolick.org

San Jose Museum of Art - free to all, this museum houses a permanent collection is 20th and 21st century art with an emphasis on West Coast artists; it also hosts special exhibits and various programs and events for all ages, sjmusart.org

Children's Discovery Museum - interactive, hands-on museum for learning and discovery, cdm.org

Alum Rock Park - this is the oldest and largest of San Jose's parks; even though the legendary Alum Rock "meteor" isn't there any longer (and wasn't a meteor after all) the park is 720 acres and offers a place for leisure activities such as bicycling, horseback riding, picnicking, hiking, a stream and a playground, as well as the Youth Science Institute, which houses a variety of live animals, sanjoseca.gov

Flea Market - giant flea market (over 2,000 sellers) open Wednesday through Sunday, since 1960, sjfm.com

Raging Waters - billed as Northern California's largest water park, the website will give you a peek at all the attractions you'll find--something for people of all ages, rwsplash.com

Paramount's Great America Themed Amusement Park - thrill rides, family rides, live shows, parades, concerts, Boomerang Bay Beach Club, and more, www3.paramountparks.com