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San Jose's most famous landmark is the Winchester Mystery House, 525 S Winchester Blvd, just off I-280 near Hwy-17 ($12.95 and 22.95; daily 9am5pm, until 7pm June - Sept).

Sarah Winchester, heiress to the Winchester rifle fortune, was convinced upon her husband's death that he had been taken by the spirits of men killed with Winchester rifles, and believed that unless a room was built for each of the spirits and the sound of hammers never ceased, the same fate would befall her. Work on the mansion went on 24 hours a day for the next thirty years resulting in stairs that lead nowhere and windows that open on to solid brick.

The Rosicrucian Museum , 1342 Naglee Ave (TuesFri 10am5pm, SatSun 11am6pm; $9), houses a brilliant collection of Assyrian and Babylonian artifacts.

The Tech Museum of Innovation (daily 10am5pm; $9), downtown at 201 S Market St, contains hands-on displays of high-tech engineering.

San Jose's visitor center is at 333 W San Carlos St, Suite 1000 (Mon - Fri 8am - 5.30pm, Sat & Sun 11am - 5pm
tel 408/295-9600 or 1-800/SAN-JOSE, www.sanjose.org

Downtown accommodation is grossly overpriced, serving as it does high-tech executives and conventioneers.

Good old-fashioned American food is dished up at Original Joe's , 301 S First St (tel 408/292-7030). Grab a stool at the counter or settle into one of the comfy booths and enjoy a burger or a plate of pasta at this San Jose institution, where $10 goes a long way. For fresh coffee and pastries, head to Caf Matisse , 371 S First St (tel 408/298-7788), in the heart of the popular "SOFA" district.