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Silicon Valley's Public University
San José State University is situated in the heart of the world's innovation and technology capital. Through dynamic, forward-facing teaching, research and a heritage of producing leaders across all industries, SJSU prepares students to enter the global workforce with a background and depth of experiences like no other. Explore what education in the heart of Silicon Valley can mean for you or your student.
Explore the Campus
Book an in-person, guided tour of the SJSU campus online or stop by the Welcome Center on the ground floor of the Diaz Compean Student Union.
Explore and learn about the main SJSU campus through a step-by-step tour of key locations.
From events and experiences to supportive services, and whether you're joining us on campus or virtually, we welcome new Spartans to Discover SJSU!
Getting Around
As the CSU's only urbanized, downtown campus SJSU benefits from the densest concentration of public transportation in Silicon Valley linking us with the entire Bay Area. Learn how to get to SJSU and get around.
While SJSU benefits from the densest concentration of public transit in Silicon Valley, with over a dozen bus lines and light rail, there are three campus parking garages and street parking for students, faculty and staff members, and visitors. Parking permits are required.
Campus parking garages fill up daily by 10 a.m. Park at the South Campus Garage at 1278 South 10th Street and take the free, frequent shuttle to Duncan Hall on the southern edge of campus. The shuttle runs Mondays to Thursdays during the academic year from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Explore Our Home
California's third-largest city is home to over a million people, dozens of neighborhoods and parks, unrivaled diversity and proximity to the outdoors, and endless opportunities for fun and excitement. Explore SJSU's neighborhood: the vibrant heart of downtown San José.
Check out the latest events, dining and retail listings and things to do with information from the San José Downtown Association.
SJSU Loves SJ is a showcase of the strong, collaborative relationship between San José State University and the city of San José.
Find Your Way to San José
The closest airport to SJSU is San José Mineta International Airport (SJC) - a 10-15 minute drive to the main campus and downtown.
Find short-term lodging in the downtown area, nearest SJSU.
Situated in the heart of downtown, SJSU benefits from being the core for all public transit in Santa Clara County and close proximity to freeways.
See What's Up in Downtown
The Susan and Phil Hammer Theater Center, owned by the City of San José and operated by SJSU, hosts a variety of events by SJSU and performing arts shows and exhibitions open to the community.
The Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Library is the nation's largest joint use library, combining the conventional services of a public library, as the City of San José's main location, and study, support, and research space for SJSU students and employees.
San José State Spartans compete in nearly two dozen NCAA Division I, Mountain West collegiate teams. Sporting events are held both on the main campus and at the south campus.
Eat at one of downtown's many restaurants with options from a variety of cuisines including establishments featured in the Michelin Guide.
Shop local at one of downtown's several small businesses. From clothing to art to souvenirs, get all your retail needs met in the heart of San José.
Experience downtown's year-round vibrancy with musical performances and festivals, comedy shows, street events and markets, and nightlife.
Explore Our City
Located approximately seven miles east of campus at the edge of San José, Alum Rock Park boasts over 700 acres of rugged terrain, open park space for social gathering and recreation, and hiking trails. Explore all of San José's parks and trails
Located on the western side of downtown, the Discovery Museum offers fun, engaging and interactive learning experiences for the whole family.
History San José is a cultural institution providing immersive educational experiences in and near downtown San José. Visit the interactive period recreation of early San José at History Park, tour the stunning grounds of the Japanese Friendship Garden, and bring the kids to the Happy Hollow Zoo all in Kelley Park, to the east of SJSU's South Campus.
Japantown, one of only three remaining in the United States, is a center for Japanese-American culture and heritage located several blocks north of the SJSU main campus.
The San José Tom McEnery Convention Center sits in the center of Downtown and boasts hundreds of varied events a year including Fanime, the Silicon Valley Auto Show, Silicon Valley Comic Con, annual tech conferences, and makers and crafts fairs, meetings and tradeshows.
The San José Museum of Art displays modern and contemporary art exhibitions in addition to a permanent collection. Located blocks from the main SJSU campus, SJMA offers year-round entertainment for visitors and locals.
The Egyptian Museum is an instutition devoted to the study and culture of Ancient Egyptian art, culture and society in the Rose Garden neighborhood near downtown San José.
Santana Row is San José's premiere shopping, dining, and lifestyle hub located approximately five miles west of SJSU and easily accessible via VTA bus lines.
This spooky history-themed mansion was once the personal residence of Sarah Winchester, widow and heiress of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company, producers of the "Gun That Won the West". The mansion is located across from Santana Row in west San José.
Outdoors: Parks and Nature
Almaden Quicksilver County Park
For 135 years, Almaden Valley in San José was home to quicksilver (mercury) mining. Now, the western hills of the valley is a preserved, natural landscape, county park, and landmark of California history covering 4,163 acres, spectacular wildflower blooms, and 29 miles of trails all within a 25 minute drive from SJSU.
At San José's northern edge, Alviso was once a bustling bayside port and home to the country's third-largest fish cannery. Now, visitors can experience the rugged coastal landscape at the edge of the San Francisco Bay in a 0.6-acre park with marshland and salt pond trails and boardwalks all within 25 minutes from SJSU.
California's oldest state park covers 18,000 acres of ancient coast redwood trees that have withstood centuries of change and recent devastating wildfires. Experience the 0.6-mile Redwood Loop Trail meandering through some of the world's tallest trees and more all within a 45 to 60 minute drive west of SJSU.
South of San José's urban core, Coyote Valley is a seven-mile-long, 7,400 acre floodplain and agricultural area. Several areas of Coyote Valley are protected from development with open access for recreational use such as the nearly 350-acre Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve with its four-mile Arrowhead Loop Trail, the 15-mile long Coyote Creek Parkway for walking, running, and biking, and the 1800 acre Máyyan 'Ooyákma - Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve.
Home to SJSU's premiere marine biology research facility consortium Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, Moss Landing in Monterey County boasts spectacular beach hiking trails, navigable waterways like the Elkhorn Slough, and fresh seafood one hour southwest of the SJSU main campus.
Overlooking Santa Clara Valley, Mount Hamilton rises 4,265 feet in height in the Diablo Range of foothills to the east of San José. One hour east of SJSU, visitors can find the Lick Observatory and, on clear days, see as far Mount Tamalpais in Marin County to the north, the Monterey peninsula to the southwest, and Yosemite Valley to the southeast. Winter storms dust the top of Mount Hamilton with snow visible for miles from San José.
Performing Arts: Comedy, Drama and More
Experience stage performances, music concerts and recitals, and cultural celebrations on campus in the Morris Dailey Auditorium, Student Union, Hal Todd University Center, and the Music Concert Hall. Find events at events.sjsu.edu.
The California Theater is a performing arts venue in the SoFA (South First Area) District of downtown San José that regularly hosts Opera San José, Symphony San José, and film screenings like Cinequest Film Festival.
The Center for Performing Arts in the western side of downtown hosts stage productions and Broadway shows.
The San José Civic adjacent to the Plaza de Cesar Chavez park in downtown San José hosts musical performances and touring performance shows.
The San José Improv in downtown San José, a few blocks west of SJSU, hosts touring comedy acts and shows and community events.
Sporting Events and Venues
Bay FC is the Bay Area's first National Women's Soccer League club that plays at PayPal Park in San José. Co-founded by San José natives and former professional athletes two-time FIFA World Cup Champion Brandi Chastain, Aly Wagner and Danielle Slaton.
Levi's Stadium is a National Football League stadium home to the San Francisco 49ers and other sporting and music events located approximately 10 miles northwest of SJSU. Get to Levi's Stadium via VTA light rail Green and Blue lines.
The San José Barracuda are an American Hockey League (AHL) team affiliated with the NHL San José Sharks. The Barracuda play at Tech CU Arena near SJSU's South Campus.
The San Jose Earthquakes are an American professional soccer team based in San José that competes as a member of the Western Conference of Major League Soccer. The Earthquakes play at Paypal Park, located approximately three miles northwest of SJSU.
The San José Giants are a minor league baseball Class A-Advanced affiliated with the MLB San Francisco Giants. The SJ Giants play at Excite Ballpark next to SJSU's South Campus.
The SAP Center is home to the San José Sharks, a National Hockey League team, and music and performance arts events throughout the year. SAP Center is located on the western edge of downtown, approximately 10 minutes from SJSU.
Transportation: Local and Regional
Students and employees can get free transportation on Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) buses and light rail trains with the SmartPass on Clipper Card available in the AS Transportation Solutions Office. Clipper Cards can also be loaded with cash value for use for contactless fare payment for all other Bay Area transit agencies.
Valley Transporation Authority
Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) provides bus and light rail service throughout Santa Clara County. Several local, rapid and express bus lines connect SJSU with the rest of the South Bay through downtown.
Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) is the region's metro that connects San José with cities across the Bay Area including San Francisco and Oakland via the East Bay. BART does not yet reach SJSU and downtown San Jose; take the VTA 500 bus from City Hall near SJSU to Berryessa/North San José Station.
Caltrain is a passenger rail service that connects San José to San Francisco via the San Francisco Peninsula passing cities in Santa Clara and San Mateo Counties. Take the VTA 500 bus from City Hall near SJSU to San José Diridon Station.
Amtrak connects San José with the rest of the U.S. from Diridon Station. Amtrak services include the Capitol Corridor which links San José and Oakland to Sacramento and points beyond and inter-state service with the Coastal Starlight from Seattle to Los Angeles.
The Altamont Corridor Express (ACE) is a commuter rail service connecting Stockton and San José and cities in Alameda County. ACE runs during commute hours only during weekdays.
