The Colonial Revival and Postmodern buildings of San Jose will frame your approach to the city’s downtown sections as you drive into town in your rented RV. Interesting museums and relaxing cafes beckon to you as part of your San Jose itinerary.
A rented RV will serve as your mobile accommodation, kitchen, family room, and place to unwind after an exciting day exploring San Jose, CA. You won’t have to deal with busy hotels or finding places to park your rented RV because you’ll have a campsite already booked before you arrive.
Search RV rentals in the San Jose area.
Preparing for Your San Jose RV Trip
You’ll be spoiled for choice among the more than 1,300 available RV rentals in the San Jose area. A Class A motorhome will be great for a big family or group, providing the extra space needed. Class B and Class C motorhomes or campervans will do for smaller groups, couples, or even people traveling alone. Should you want to bring ATVs, personal watercraft, or other small vehicles with you, then a toy hauler would be the perfect choice because of its onboard garage. Whichever size of RV you pick for your San Jose itinerary, be sure that the campsite you select can accommodate it. RVshare is the place to find these rental RVs.
Take the mystery out of renting an RV with these tips:
• Renting the RV
• Picking an RV of the Right Size
• What to Pack
• Parking Tips for Your RV
When you go to reserve your RV campsite, check through the list of amenities each campground provides. Then, pick the campground that has the most of what you want. These amenities can include laundry facilities, playgrounds for your children, if applicable, full hookups, complimentary Wi-Fi, and the like. Three representative campgrounds in the San Jose area are the Coyote Valley RV Resort, Santa Cruz Ranch Campground, and Gilroy Garlic USA RV Park.
Find other campground options in our comprehensive list of top-rated campgrounds in San Jose.
Day 1: Enjoying the Bay Area
Morning: A Relaxing Stroll Among the Roses
Begin your two days in San Jose with the San Jose Municipal Rose Garden, which opens at 8 a.m. Nearly 200 species of roses grow within the 5.5 acres of the garden, and this former prune orchard presents some 3,500 plantings.
Lunch: Breakfast for Lunch
Six locations of Bill’s Cafe are scattered around San Jose, so they’re as convenient as the food is good. The menu features a bevy of breakfast staples, such as bagels and lox, steak and eggs, and corned beef hash.
Afternoon: Egypt in California
The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum provides you with educational opportunities about artifacts from 5,000 years ago up to the Roman period in Egypt that began in roughly 30 BCE. The museum closes at 5 p.m., so it’s best to make this an early afternoon activity.
Setting up Camp
Reservation in hand, when you arrive at your campground, check in with the hosts, who will then show you to your reserved campsite. As soon as you get there, it’s time to level your RV. You can do this with either leveling stones or the equipment built into your RV. Once the RV is level, to prevent it from accidentally rolling out of your campsite, put chocks around the wheels. When you’re searching online to find just the right RV, be sure to check the listings to see if the person or business providing the RV offers delivery and/or campsite setup services.
Dinner: A Picnic With the Gray Whales
Gray Whale Cove State Beach, a 30-minute drive to the west of San Jose, has a picnic area on the bluff overlooking the beach. From there, you can sight gray whales offshore. Set up your RV in the lot with the awning out, and cook up a fine dinner in your RV’s kitchen. Just before sunset is the best time for a late picnic.
Day 2: Animals and Museums
Morning: The Children’s Discovery Museum
When you visit the Children’s Discovery Museum, you can explore mazes, art galleries, and several play areas. There’s even an area where you can learn about Japanese culture in a child-sized model of a Tokyo street.
Lunch: Soul Food in San Jose
Jackie’s Place is a soul food restaurant owned by People of the Global Majority, offering down-home dishes such as fried chicken, a full racks of ribs, and desserts like key lime pie and peach cobbler. It’s closed Mondays and Tuesdays, however, so plan ahead.
Afternoon: Review the Zoo
Happy Hollow Park and Zoo is a family-friendly place where you can interact with animals, stroll along flat, easy paths in the park, and participate in educational programs. The park is a popular place to unplug, and many people shut off their phones and other devices while visiting.
Evening: Bring Your Bikes
If you have bicycles, be sure to bring them along in your RV because the San Jose Bike Party is a fun activity for the family. Generally, it takes place on the third Friday of every month, but there are also themed events that happen throughout the year on different days. Check the website for more information.
Day 3 and Beyond in San Jose
How about staying in San Jose for a few more days? There is lots to see both in and near San Jose, so extending your trip is well worth it.
• Golden Gate Park and the bridge itself are just about an hour’s drive up the road to the north. You can fish, play basketball, and stroll through gardens at your leisure.
• Lick Observatory provides educational programs and other events throughout the summer each year. It’s only about 25 miles to the east of San Jose, so it’s an easy drive as you head out of town toward your next adventure
Seasonal Activities
Springtime is a good time for hiking in and around San Jose, and the Coyote Creek Trail is 22 miles long, gaining about 600 feet of elevation along its length. You can also choose to hike just a 6-mile portion of the trail within Hellyer County Park instead, which is part of the flat section of the trail.
The Winchester Mystery House provides flashlight tours during the fall, and you get to tour at least 110 of the 160 rooms at the mansion during these tours. Should you prefer daylight, you can take a tour before dark instead.
Indoor Activities
For science-based learning on a rainy day, check out the Tech Interactive. The interactive exhibits include virtually designing your own life form through DNA manipulation, studying the human body through both real and virtual displays, and being a cyberdetective.
At the San Jose Museum of Art, you can explore works of artists from all over the world. There are exhibitions from Vietnam, Mexico, and several countries in Europe.
Your trip to San Jose in a rented RV can help you make lifelong memories while enjoying quality time with your companions in comfortable surroundings. So, rent that RV, and start creating those fond memories!
