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Ski Northern California nearest Bay Area!

Updated for the 2022-23 ski season.

No, it doesn’t often snow in Milpitas, and never enough to ski, but many love to head to the Northern California slopes near Truckee, Lake Tahoe and Yosemite. Here’s our favorite nearby ski areas within about a 4-hour drive of Silicon Valley or San Francisco.

The recent storm brought blizzard conditions to the Sierras. Many resorts are closing some or all lifts, and roads up in the Sierras are dangerous driving. As the Weekend of December 16-18 approaches, roads may be clearing up.

If I missed one, please email me with the URL if you have it.

Ski Clubs

Blue Angels
Next session: Winter 2022/23. The Blue Angels are offering our youth a ski and snowboard program. The Blue Angels ski program offers 5 Saturday ski trips to Sierra-at-Tahoe for ages 7 to 16, all ability levels. Nearest bus pickup is in Danville at 5:30am.

Ski Reports

Sierra Nevada Snow Report
Includes webcams, powder alert, opening dates, and snow forecast, and more.

Ski Lake Tahoe Ski Reports
Get the snow and weather reports for all Tahoe ski areas right here, as well as ideas for other things to do in the area.

Tahoe Weather Forecast
Check the snow and rain and for just plain “great” conditions for skiing here. 10-day forecast.

Ski Resorts

North Lake Tahoe
Some open by Thanksgiving, but with few lifts running. Check lift status.

Diamond Peak
Open. At Incline Village (Upscale area) on the Nevada side of Tahoe. Guaranteed ski conditions or your money back. 30 runs, even dog passes for $3. Community-owned, fiercely independent and community-driven – those are the key differentiating factors that make Diamond Peak distinct in the crowded Lake Tahoe ski resort scene. Check Facebook and Twitter for announcements.

Donner Ski Ranch
Opens Thursday, December 15, 2022. Check for opening of weekdays later. Webcams currently showing level of snow. Please check our Facebook page for the most up-to-date info on our operations or call (530) 426-3635. If you are searching for a simpler, more relaxed ski & snowboard experience, a resort that offers everything the major resorts do, without the hassles and expense, Donner Ski Ranch is the resort Playfor you and your family. Lift status. Please call (530) 426-3635 for the most up-to-date Chair Lift Operation Status.

Homewood Mountain Resort
Opens Friday December 16, 2022. Check lift status. Stellar views and kids 10 and under ski free (with the purchase of an adult ticket). On Tahoe’s west shore. Home of the 2000 Snowboard Junior Olympics.

Mt. Rose
Opened Friday, November 18, 2022. Santa Ski Day December 17. Come ski in your Santa Costume or come to watch. Special feature is the “Adaptive Ski School” open to individuals of all types of abilities to learn or improve skiing skills. Package includes adaptive equipment and lift ticket.

Northstar-At-Tahoe
Open. 52 INCHES IN 48 HOURS! This Storm Delivered! Great early season conditions continue with the newest storm. Say tuned to Lift and Terrain status for the most up to date info! Mountain Cam. Check for lift status. Check Facebook. Lake Tahoe’s premier year-round resort offering 2,420 acres of skiing and snowboarding. Open for golf in warm months.

Palisades Tahoe Name just change for Squaw Valley. Read more.
Open. The storm has delivered over 9 feet of snow to our upper mountains! The Base to Base Gondola opens this Saturday, 12/17. Check Facebook. Ready to start Trip Planning now?

Royal Gorge Cross-Country Ski Resort
Open daily. Check for trail conditions. North America’s largest cross country skiing resort, located near Lake Tahoe California. North America’s largest XC resort, Royal Gorge offers 6 distinct trail systems featuring 8 different warming huts across 6,000 acres, seamlessly integrated with the Village at Sugar Bowl. Not just cross country, but also skate skiing, snow shoeing, dog trails, and beginner trails for small children.

Sugar Bowl
Ski runs open now. Sugar Rush tubing opening December 17, 2022. Check Facebook for ski conditions and job openings. Season pass for children 5 and under includes free rentals and two 3-hour lessons. The new quad lift is a few steps off the deck of the classic Village Lodge. Check the Current conditions. It is located before Truckee. Here’s how to get there.

Achieve Tahoe, formerly Disabled Sports USA Far West
Open. Located within Palisades Tahoe. Achieve provides instruction and adaptive equipment for hundreds of students each winter. Our experienced instructors and highly trained volunteers make skiing possible for anyone with a disability. Miniature horses are not permitted on lifts, just incase you needed to know this.

South Lake Tahoe

Heavenly
Open. Check Facebook. Last post Nov. 10, 2022: “We’re stoked to be able to open earlier than anticipated. A HUGE thank you to our snowmaking team and to Mother Nature for making it all happen. We are next level stoked…and we can’t wait to see you!” Choose your own adventure at Heavenly! A mountain so big it has to be seen to be believed. And even then you won’t believe it. Diverse terrain.

Kirkwood
Open. Check Facebook. Dec. 12: “We have received 46 inches of snow throughout this storm!! This means there is LOTS of avalanche mitigation work to still do across our mountain. Uphill access is closed and it is extremely important that no one travels uphill in our inbound ski area. Always call the Uphill Access Hotline before heading out: 209-258-7444” Get a group-rated season pass. Claims to have the deepest snow in north America. Noted for its fine alpine cross country skiing. From The San Francisco Bay: Use Interstate 580, State Route 205 to Interstate 5 North, Route 4 East to Route 99 North, and Route 88 East (3.25 hrs.)

Sierra-At-Tahoe
Open. There is an updated map as of September 30, courtesy of Atlas Tree and the El Dorado RCD, that shows exactly which runs and terrain have been completed. As a reminder, ‘complete’ in green means the area has been assessed, fire damaged trees have been cut, decked, and are being hauled off the mountain to Tahoe Forest Products in Carson City. How to Play here this season. Check Facebook or Twitter. Downhill skiing and snowboarding resort. Family-friendly. Check for conditions.

Soda Springs
Open. Check Facebook. Soda Springs operating schedule. Open from 10am – 4pm. Families can take the kids snow tubing, skiing, snowboarding, sledding and snowshoeing, all on one lift ticket. Home to one of California’s first snow tubing areas. Located just off I-80 at Donner Summit.

Tahoe Cross Country Ski Area
Open…We are OPEN today for season pass holders, day tickets, retail, rentals, lessons. Cafe amenities are open weekend only, and we have nutrition bars, snacks and cookies daily. Stay tuned to this page for updates. Rentals available. Check Facebook. Day lodge. Welcomes dogs on 7.5 kilometers of trail weekdays and Sunday afternoons that aren’t holidays.

Truckee North

Boreal/Woodward
Boreal Mountain Is Open 7 Days A Week, 10am-6pm.
Shred on the Woodward Tahoe glacier. Check Facebook. Lifts and trails status and view web cam. Nearest ski resort, located in Truckee just off I-80. Has children’s and adult lessons. Has night skiing, freestyle, snowboarding, sledding areas. Group ski packages

Plumas Ski Club
Open when club members want to ski. Come try skiing on brand new 12-16 foot long board skis just like the old time ski races of the 1860’s. Holds long board ski races in January. Near the Eureka Gold Mine in the historic ghost town of Johnsville, California, and the top resorts in Graeagle, north of Truckee about 40 miles. Noted for longboard skiing. Depends on volunteers to open.

Yosemite South

Badger Pass – Yosemite Ski & Snowboard Area
Opens Friday December 16, 2022, conditions permitting. Check the Yosemite Park Facebook. Stay in lovely Yosemite and shuttle to the ski resort. Whether it’s a day of downhill skiing at Badger Pass or ice skating against the backdrop of Half Dome at alpenglow, the memories of winter in Yosemite will last a lifetime. Please call the Snow Phone at 209.372.1000 for conditions, weather and ski area information.

Big Bear Mountain Ski Resort
Open. Check Facebook. This new interactive site has been designed to bring the scene at Bear Mountain into the homes of snowboarders and skiers across Southern California and the world. Daily action photos, weekly video clips, live cams, the BS forum, live weather and current news. Have you ever ridden a snow bike or snow skate?

Dodge Ridge Skiing and Snowboarding
Open. 150″ of snow already. Check Facebook. Near Emigrant Gap, so closest snow to south Bay Area. Take the easy drive up Hwy. 108 for the Closest Snow to Home. Look for our new Half Pipe located on Center Bowl. 300 ft long and 13 ft high and cut by the new Zaugg cutter.

June Mountain Ski Area
Opens December 17, 2022. Kids ski and ride free though some blackout dates apply. Live cams. Explore June’s terrain using this interactive trail map.

Mammoth
Open. Conditions have been absolutely all-time these last few days. Check Facebook. Hours of Operation. They offer snowmobiling, x-country, skiing, snowboarding and a sports school.

Mysterious Rock Walls

East Bay Mysterious Rock Walls are also known as the Berkeley Mystery Walls. These crude, stone walls are located in the San Francisco Bay Area in California. In places, they are up to a meter high and a meter wide; the walls run in sections anywhere from a few meters to over a half mile long. The rocks used to construct the East Bay Walls are a variety of sizes. Some are basketball-sized rocks, while others are large sandstone boulders weighing a ton or more. Parts of the wall seem to be just piles of rocks, but in other places it appears the walls were carefully constructed. The exact age of the walls is unknown, but they have an old appearance. Many of the formations have sunk far into the earth, and are often completely overgrown with different plants. The purpose of these walls is still unknown. Since the wall is not continuous and is composed of multiple sections, they could not have been used as a fence. They are not tall enough to have been used as defense mechanisms. The walls function is unknown as well as the constructors. The East Bay Walls are accessible in several area parks, including Ed R. Levin County Park in Santa Clara County and Mission Peak Regional Preserve in Alameda County. The walls are found in the east bay of San Francisco.

The Real, True Story of the Mystery of the East Bay Walls | Bay Curious

East Bay Rock Walls and Alignments
There are many crude walls throughout the hills surrounding the San Francisco Bay Area. In places, they are up to a meter high and a meter wide and are built without mortar.The walls run in sections anywhere from a few meters to over a half mile long.

The rocks used to construct the walls are a variety of sizes. Some are basketball-sized rocks, while others are large sandstone boulders weighing a ton or more. Parts of the walls seem to be just piles of rocks, but in other places it appears the walls were carefully constructed.The exact age of the walls is unknown, but they have an old appearance.

America Unearthed: Ancient Ruins Discovered in California (S3, E7) | Full Episode | History

Berkeley Mystery Walls, Fremont, California
Neither Spanish settlers nor anyone since has been able to tell who built these strange California rock walls. There are remnants of ancient stone walls all over the East Bay, and no one knows how old they are, who built them, or why. Though people have been pondering the enigma of the Berkeley Mystery Walls for well over a hundred years, no conclusions have been reached, and despite wild speculation, no serious scholarly study has ever been undertaken.

Dikes and Sills
Visually, a dike looks like a natural wall of stone, sort of like a dam – or dike. A sill appears on a hillside or cliff face as a horizontal band of stone, like a window sill. Since both dikes and sills are originally of subterranean origin, some sort of regional uplift and/or erosion must have taken place to expose them at the surface. However, the East Bay Walls are definitely sandstone and full of shell fossils, so not volcanic by any stretch.

Walls of Rock
I’m assuming many of the walls – there are miles of them in total around here – are put up by families, not someone making a solo effort. The work must be dangerous: to drop a heavy rock, or have it topple after it’s positioned, can easily be a bone-breaking event. Up on the trails, I’m conscious that a twisted ankle or a sprained knee would mean a painful hobble to get help, but having 120 pounds of lava fall on my foot would be a whole other problem.So, I tip my straw hat to the guys who can construct and maintain these things. The walls are often a guide to the route I need to take, and they also indicate the long, long heritage of land cultivation around here.

Grand Natural Wall in Montana
It is easy to see how these walls are formed and broken down by erosion by looking at the Grand Natural Wall on the Eagle Creek in Montana, the biggest of many igneous “dikes” that formed within sandstone cracks millions of years ago. This “wall-like” appearance is quite common along this stretch of the river. Millions of years ago, during active volcanic periods, dark molten material was forced into cracks in the sedimentary rock. Over time the molten material solidified and subsequent erosion of the surrounding softer rock exposed the dark igneous walls you see today.

Mystery Walls – Bison Weirs?
The Spanish settlers in the area reported that the walls were already there when they arrived, and when they asked the local Ohlone American Indians, they said the same thing. Some think ancient Chinese navigators would have built the walls, but there would have had to have been thousands of them here well before the Ohlone Indians and over 10,000 years ago. However, the walls were the only structure left, which would have been odd for a civilization that knew how to build from stone.

Stone walls at Ed Levin County Park
Arlene, a local hiker, asked me about the stone walls at Ed Levin County Park. She said she’s been to the park but hasn’t seen the walls. Perhaps she’s among the sane folks who avoid hiking to the heights behind Ed Levin’s Sandy Wool Lake — the summits require 2,000 feet of climb in 3.9 miles, most of it unshaded and wind-blasted. The insane, like yours truly, have enjoyed the benefits of gazing upon these these interesting piles of stone.

To reach the walls you have to hike to the Monument Peak summit, about a quarter mile from the intersection of the Monument Peak and Agua Caliente trails. Either trail is a major slog, but the Monument Peak Trail is a little bit easier.

Unravelling the Mystery Behind the East Bay Walls: Who Really Made Them and Why?
In the hills around East Bay and elsewhere near San Francisco, there is a series of stone walls that extend discontinuously for miles. The walls are about 3-4 feet high in most places and are not enclosed. There is also no record of them being built or who might have built them.

New England Is Crisscrossed With Thousands of Miles of Stone Walls
Notice how farmers in the 1800s and earlier built stone walls out of rock debris in their fields. A lidar map on this site shows how each field was enclosed by a small square or rectangle of these discarded rocks, never in long, unenclosed areas. They were built from the ground up, never buried like our Mysterious Walls. Usually the remains of a farmhouse can be found nearby to these New England walls. No buildings or foundations have been found near the walls in our hills.

Sheep Jumping Fence

Including this to show how even sheep can manage to get over a wall made of sticks about 4′ high. Why would anyone try to contain wild game like elk or deer or farm animals like cattle or sheep with low rock walls? I can see how maybe more modern people saw these already half built walls, and reengineered them for their own purposes, such as hiding behind when hunting.

The Character and Function of Ancient Chinese Walls and Fortifications
Early Chinese were building huge, wide walls for fortifications against enemies and against flood waters. They were very good at constructing such walls, and they worked as they expected. They were not randomly piled rocks. Our walls are up in mountains and none are near rivers that need diverting, which they wouldn’t work for anyway. And if the walls were built for defense, defense against whom?

More about Ancient and Medieval History in the South Bay Area

Museums In and Near Milpitas

I’m not counting the “collection” in our garage, no I’m not! As some of you know, we homeschooled our son. So I’m going to talk about our favorite “field trips” in the area. I’m going to focus on museums for children and the young at heart.

Plans for Milpitas History Museum

Milpitas is the only large city in Santa Clara County without a museum.

Locating a museum next door to the Milpitas Public Library and Municipal Parking Garage is ideal and must be preserved.

The Children’s Discovery Museum

We were members for years when Scott was younger, going to the BIG PURPLE BUILDING where they “let you play in the street” almost once a month. Well, the “street motif” is gone, but the newer design provides room for more hands-on exhibits. The Children’s Discovery Museum is easily reached by the Light Rail, stopping right in front of the building. Getting there by train doubles the fun. The museum is located on Woz Way, named after Apple Computer’s inventor, Steve Wozniak, who was the prime benefactor for the museum. The museum is supported by individual and corporate members.

Children are encouraged to get right in exhibits and think and play with the concepts. Interactive workshops are scheduled for Sunday afternoons.

180 Woz WaySan Jose, CA 95110

Contact the Children’s Discovery Museum for more information. Their phone number is 408-298-5437.

Children’s Natural History Museum

Irvington Fossils. This fossil collection was excavated in the 1940’s-60’s in a quarry located in the Irvington area of Fremont by a group of young boys. The collection of fossils included mammoths, sabertooth cats, giant cave bears, dire wolves, camels, western horses, sloths, and pronghorn antelopes.

4074 Eggers Dr.Fremont, CA 94536
510-790-6284

Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum

Best time to visit is Saturday evenings when they show a double feature of classic silent movies. The town of Niles was the Hollywood of the silent movie era, and movies by Charlie Chaplin and Broncho Billy were made in the area. Tours of the town to see the old film day buildings are also available. The whole area is considered historic. You can also ride a train up the Niles Canyon, once scenery for cowboy movies. Things To Do In Niles.

We offer weekday tours and activities for school groups that will fill their day of fun in Niles.

NESFM Tour offers:

A viewing of one or two silent films made in Niles by Broncho Billy and Charlie Chaplin
A brief talk on early film making history and Niles role in it.
A tour of the Edison Theatre c1913, Museum exhibits and the original tin lined projection booth.
A “Zoetrope”, (moving pictures) workshop where the students get to make their own moving picture strip.
A guided walking tour of the historic Niles district with our local historian / docents.

The Tech

Now the Scott’s a teenager, The Tech Museum of Science & Innovation is by far the coolest museum in Silicon Valley. Upon entering, he makes a beeline for the submersible robots on the bottom floor.

Second Sunday each month is free admission.

We also like to see whatever movie is playing at the IMAX theater.

If you can’t make it to The Tech today, visit their online exhibits and mess around with science for a bit.

The Tech has STEAM activities for home education.

The Tech Interactive
201 S. Market St.
San Jose, CA 95113

The Intel Museum

At the Intel Museum in Santa Clara, you can experience the power of computer chips first hand, and the evolution of their development. Explore the pages of the site and interact with our Web movies to learn more about the museum and computer chips.

Intel Corporation’s Robert Noyce Building, Main Lobby
2200 Mission College Boulevard
Santa Clara, California
95052-8119
408-765-0503</a>

The Computer History Museum

Spend a day at the Computer History Museum. Find out why computer history is 2000 years old. Learn about computer history´s game-changers in our multimedia exhibitions. Play a game of Pong or Spacewar! Listen to computer pioneers tell their story from their own perspective. Discover the roots of today´s Internet and mobile devices. See over 1,100 historic artifacts, including some of the very first computers from the 1940s and 1950s.
1401 N. Shoreline Blvd
Mountain View, CA 94043
650-810-1010

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo

An affordable, sustainable, conservation-centered outdoor adventure for families with children.

Come play with us! The education department at Happy Hollow Park and Zoo encourages children of all ages to embrace their wild side. Join us as we explore our natural world and make new friends!

In the 1950’s, people from all over the USA fell in love with Disneyland, and wanted some place like Disneyland in their home town. Jaycees, Alden Campen and Ernie Renzel (former Mayor of San Jose) took this dream to heart, and following Oakland’s lead (the creation of Oakland’s Fairyland), approached City “fathers” in 1956 with the idea of developing a children’s park on property owned and for sale by the Kelley Family.

Beginning the week of Oct. 4, 2021, Happy Hollow’s new operating hours will be Thursday, Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This schedule will continue through the fall and will be reevaluated as we approach the winter holidays.

Parking Lot at 748 Story Road, San Jose.

San Jose Historical Museum

When you’ve completed your stay at the park and zoo, take the little train over to the San Jose Historical Museum, which is more of a city than a “museum.” I think all the historic buildings in the area are hauled here, renovated, and then opened to visitors. Children will like the horse drawn trolley rides and O’Brian’s Candy Store. The dentist office will help them appreciate their dentist even more!

1650 Senter Road
San José, CA 95112
Phone: 408-287-2290

Egyptian Museum

A four year old once told me he didn’t believe in mummies, so I took him along with us to the Egyptian Museum. Maybe ghosts are debatable, but mummies are in abundance here! The Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, architecturally inspired by the Temple of Amon at Karnak, houses the largest collection of Egyptian artifacts on exhibit in the western United States — including objects from pre dynastic times through Egypt’s early Islamic era.

Planetarium: Journey to the Stars 2:00 pm every day
Tomb Tours: Wed – Sun
1660 Park Avenue
San Jose, CA 95126

Winchester Mystery House

No feature about area museums would be complete without a note about our most famous tourist trap/historical house. You are kept waiting for the next tour in the gift shop, so it’s a bit hard not to spend more than you intended.

Not many remember, but the Winchesters not only invented rifles but also roller skates! One section of the store is dedicated to a “museum” of the inventions of Mr. Winchester. If you stick to this end of the premise before the house tour, you’ll have a much less expensive stay.

The mansion was continuously under construction for the life of its owner, Sarah Winchester. I’ll let the link tell the story. What is myth and what is fact is frequently debated locally. It’s an especially spooky place to visit in October and open all night on Halloween.

Directions:
525 S Winchester Blvd.
San Jose, CA 95128

Ancient & Medieval History in the South Bay Area

You can find out more about ancient and medieval times right here in the South Bay Area. Learn about the mysterious rock wall formations, too.

Paleontological

Boy Paleontologists
In the Irvington gravel pits, known as Bell Quarry, located off of Osgood Road from 1944 to 1960, the Boy Paleontologists of Hayward unearthed plant and animal fossils including mammoths, saber cats, horses, camels, and even rodents. A new species named Tetrameryx irvingtonensis, a four-pronged antelope, was the most significant find. Presently Freeway 680, between Washington Boulevard and Durham Road, covers this fossil field.

Children’s Natural History Museum
Including “Irvingtonian Fossils”, the “Boy Paleontologist” Room, “Bones of Vertebrates,” and “Environments through Time” exhibits. View the fossils from Irvington and Warm Springs District that provide clues for a changing landscape in the East Bay.
4074 Eggers Drive, Fremont, California
Open Tues and Thurs 2-5, first and third Saturdays (1-5).

Fossils of Fremont
Geology maps help to show where fossils may be located along the Mission Fault line.

Fossil treasure trove discovered at Silicon Valley construction site
The discoveries are revealing what Silicon Valley looked like 20 million years ago during the Miocene Epoch, when the ocean extended as far inland as Bakersfield. Since 2011, when work on the project began, crews have found nine whale skulls, to be exact. They have inventoried 529 types of fossils altogether. Of those, 168 are vertebrates, such as sharks; 267 are invertebrates, such as scallops — some as big as dinner plates. Thirty-nine 39 are plants, such as fossilized pine cones; and 55 are other ancient items, from animal tracks to burrows.

Mammoth Discovered in San Jose
On Saturday, July 9, 2011, Roger Castillo, a San Jose truck mechanic, was walking his dog along a levee next to the Guadalupe River, just north of West Trimble Road and the Mineta San Jose Airport. The bones may belong to a Columbian mammoth, Mammuthus columbi, a species known to have lived in the San Francisco Bay Area during the Late Pleistocene.

Trove of ancient marine fossils surprises Bay Area dam builders
Crews had no clue when work started on a Bay Area dam in 2011 that they would stumble onto a trove of marine fossils many millions of years old. Hundreds of specimens have been found at the Calaveras Dam site near Milpitas, Calif. Among the 529 specimens inventoried are scallops as big as dinner plates, a hippo-like mammal called a Desmostylus, megalodon sharks, and whales with and without teeth. Most of the fossils are believed to be about 20 million years old.

Ancient History

Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum & Planetarium
Temporarily Closed. While not exactly Milpitas history, you’ve never seen so many mummies and ancient artifacts in one place! Located in San Jose.

Medieval

Society for Creative Anachronism
The International Headquarters of this organization is in Milpitas! This is a link to the first page of their Heraldry section. Want a Coat of Arms?

The Principality of The Mists
Greater San Francisco Bay Area and Monterey Area SCA groups.

Amusement Parks Near Milpitas

Amusement parks to spend the day riding roller coasters, merry-go-rounds, getting dizzy, all close enough to Milpitas for a day trip.

Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park
Opening May 22, 2021. Unique theme park centered around trees and horticulture in a mid-20th century Silicon Valley historical setting. Family fun including amusement rides and attractions.
3050 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy CA
408-840-7100

Golfland
Amusement chain featuring mini golf courses & arcades, some branches with water slides & laser tag.
1199 Jacklin Rd.
408-263-6855

Great America
Fifteen minutes from Milpitas, in Santa Clara, an amusement park where the young and young at heart play. Opening May 22, 2021. Tickets and reservations now available.
4701 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054

Happy Hollow Park and Zoo
A favorite with the littlest children, for they’ll find small animals to pet, puppet shows, and pint-sized amusement rides. Located in San Jose. $1.00 Admission 2nd Tuesday of each month.
748 Story Rd, San Jose, CA 95112

K1 Speed
Go Cart racing. No Reservation Required. Adults and Juniors 48″ and Up. Map of the track.
2925 Mead Ave, Santa Clara, CA 95051
408-338-0579 – Front Desk

Legoland Discovery Center
Enjoy the ultimate indoor LEGO® playground and builds the BEST DAY EVER! Opening May 25th!
870 Great Mall Drive

Santa Clara County Fair
First week in August. Back to summer! Yeh! Exciting stage acts, new thrill rides, nightly concerts, draft horse competition, monster truck show, wild west show, Chinese acrobats, racing pigs … who could ask for more?
344 Tully Rd, San Jose, CA 95111
408-494-3100

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
OK, so it’s not strictly in Silicon Valley, but it’s where the geeks change into surfer dudes to cool off on the coast. Check here for group discounts.
400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060
831-423-5590

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Interact with dolphins in the new Ocean Discovery, a tropical getaway where you can get up close and personal with sea lions, penguins, stingrays and dolphins.
1001 Fairgrounds Dr, Vallejo, CA 94589
707-644-4000

Kiddie Train Rides

Take the kids on fun pint-sized train rides near Milpitas, in the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.

Billy Jones Wildcat Railroad
Vasona Park, Los Gatos. There are two locomotives, the primary one, Number 2, is a 1905 vintage steam engine of the 2-6-2 prairie type, weighing approximately four tons. Runs year ’round, unless it’s raining too hard. 233 Blossom Hill Road, Los Gatos, CA 95032.

Casa de Choo Choo
Casa de Fruta’s Narrow Gauge Railroad is fun for children of all ages. The two-mile long track meanders through the complex, passing along scenic Pacheco Creek, past the zoo and the enclosure that is home to peacocks and rare white deer that originated from William Randolph Hearst’s San Simeon menagerie. For the train rides’ schedule, call 408-842-9316.

Confusion Hill
The 30-minute train ride (more or less… it seems to depend on how actively the passengers interact with the engineer!) starts at the “station” atop a couple flights of stairs behind the gift-shop/ticket office. Piercy, Mendocino County, 75001 N. Hwy. 101.

Golden Gate Live Steamers
Located in Tilden Park in the hills above Berkeley, California, the Golden Gate Live Steamers is a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum whose mission is to operate a miniature live steam railroad, to teach, inform & promote model engineering craftsmanship for the benefit of our members and to educate the public on what live steaming & model engineering is all about.

Happy Hollow Park & Zoo Rides
Ride the “Danny the Dragon” train. Happy Hollow has new rides that will be sure to delight all ages. Please be aware of the height requirements and other restrictions for each ride. In some case an adult will be required to ride with a child that doesn’t meet the minimum height requirements.

Little Puffer
This 22-gauge Class “E” Cagney miniature train has given California children rides for about a century. It currently operates at the San Francisco Zoo. Come take a ride!

Outback Express Adventure Train
Like the Little Puffer, this train is located at the zoo—the Oakland Zoo, in fact. But, you can access it without buying zoo admission. You will still get a little glimpse of the wildlife: the train travels through the Australian exhibit (hence the name) and emus occasionally try to make a break for it when the gates open to let the train through. The ride is affordable at $3/person over the age of 2, however, you will still have to pay to park at the zoo. 9777 Golf Links Rd. Oakland, CA 510-632-9525.

Redwood Valley Railway
Train rides along a scenic ridge on a scaled-down steam train. For information, including hours and ticket prices, call (510) 548-6100. 2501 Grizzly Peak Blvd & Lomas Cantadas, Orinda, CA 94563

Sonoma Train Town
Train Town is located on 10 acres with one and a quarter miles of track. Scale is 3″ to a foot. Upon arrival at Lakeview you can stretch your legs and visit the petting zoo.

SPCRR Train Rides & Museum at Ardenwood
The Railroad Museum operates scheduled train rides on Thursdays, Fridays, and Sundays from April 1st until the weekend before Thanksgiving. 34600 Ardenwood Blvd, Fremont, CA 94555

See also:

Guides to Silicon Valley Civic Networks

Before Google Local, small cities relied on such guides to Silicon Valley and else where. The project was called civic networking, and GoMilpitas was one of these very early civic network sites. Many civic networks still exist, each giving a unique view of their local scene in a way Google cannot.

Civic Networks: Building Community on the Net
By Scott London

About Civic Networking

Zeise’s site is a one-woman operation that’s truly a grass-roots effort. Zeise, who believes a community guide can’t be done properly unless its creator lives in the town it covers, attends Chamber of Commerce meetings and watches city council meetings on television. by Deborah Kong, Mercury News. Read whole article.

The primary aim of this site, GoMilpitas.com, is not to make a significant profit, just enough to pay its bills. The ads pay the bills…just. The whole point of this site is to encourage all of us to work with each other, to connect to make purchases or exchange ideas with each other, and to make Milpitas a truly great small city. No local concern is ever charged for a link on this site, but some businesses may wish to appear on multiple pages, and we are set up to place their ads at a reasonable price.

GoMilpitas.com is under extreme competition from search engines like Google Local and review sites like Yelp, both of which have done their best to kill community networks where locals can determine what the most useful resources are in their towns. This is why I encourage you all to use the links you find on this site to explore resources that interest you in Milpitas. Use this page to look for things in other nearby cities. Support community networks everywhere rather than Google or Yelp. Tell the businesses you connect to that you found their resource on GoMilpitas.com, and drop a plug to advertise on the site so it can stay vibrant.

The Community Network Movement
Realizing that communication and information are increasingly dependent on networked digital information, community activists all over the world often in collaboration with government agencies, non-profits, or businesses are developing community computer network systems.

Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks
The Penninsula (San Mateo County)
South End
South Alameda County
Monterey Bay Area
California Community Websites
California Community Networks

Central Silicon Valley Civic Networks

Campbell
City site has many features of a good community website.

Cupertino
Mayor Sandra James says the entire community works together to provide the kind of community everyone desires. “Partnerships are what we [in Cupertino] are all about.”

Discover Milpitas
An attempt to rebuild GoMilpitas.com from scratch. Has a lot of things labeled as being in Brea. Looks pretty, but lacks content.

East Palo Alto
For most of its history, East Palo Alto was part of unincorporated San Mateo County. As such, it did not have an official boundary until it incorporated in 1983.

Los Gatos, California, USA
Helpful information for travelers and visitors is available, including maps of the area, pictures of the town, and lists of businesses with contact information. Interesting facts have been collected to provide you with “inside information.” You can even check the weather!

Palo Alto Online
Things to do and places to go in lovely Palo Alto.

San José
City government’s website.

San Jose Chamber of Commerce
The Chamber is the largest business organization serving the Silicon Valley.

San Jose.com
San Jose retains the small town heart of its orchard days when, it has been said, the only chips contemplated were left behind by wandering cattle. Metro’s website.

San Jose Convention & Visitors Bureau
Complete information on attractions, visitor travel and upcoming events in San Jose, California.

San Jose Downtown Association
The heart of Silicon Valley is experiencing a renaissance of culture and commerce. The 11th largest city in the United States has a world-class downtown. Come see for yourself.

Saratoga
A compendium of resources, – including wineries – news, events and weather presented by Dave Delgado.

Santa Clara
Whether you are new to Santa Clara, or a long time resident or business, our Web site is designed to help you learn about services provided by the City, and where you can obtain additional details.

Sunnyvale
Known as the “Heart of Silicon Valley,” Sunnyvale combines the advantages of an attractive suburban setting, a diverse population, metropolitan cultural opportunities, and a dynamic high-technology industrial foundation.

The Penninsula (San Mateo County)

Coastside 365
Half Moon Bay Coastside’s directory including El Granada, Moss Beach, Montara, San Gregorio, La Honda & Pescadero.

Los Altos
Tree lined streets and a small village atmosphere characterize Los Altos which is located in the heart of world famous Silicon Valley. Just 40 miles south of San Francisco, Los Altos is a residential community served by seven small retail areas. The seven square mile city is developed with small businesses, schools, libraries and churches.

Los Altos Hills
The Town of Los Altos Hills is located in the Northern portion of California’s Santa Clara County, situated between San Francisco and San Jose, just Southwest of Stanford University (Palo Alto, California).

Millbrae
The City of Millbrae is located on the Peninsula, 15 miles south of San Francisco. Chamber Site.

Montara
Surfers’ paradise located just north of Half Moon Bay on the coast just south of San Francisco.

Portola Valley
Home to 4400 people living in 1500 households, Portola Valley, California sits in a green and golden valley, astride one of the most dangerous earthquake faults in the world.

San Mateo
City services and events. Official city site.

San Mateo County
Our purpose in County government is to protect and enhance the health, safety, welfare and natural resources of the community.

San Mateo County Convention & Visitors Bureau
Gorgeous natural scenery, attractions, showplace homes and colorful fields and gardens offer a feast for the eyes. All this, plus fine dining, entertainment, shopping and accommodations to fit every budget, make San Mateo County the place for a memorable California meeting or vacation.

South Skyline Association
The purpose of the South Skyline Association is to foster a sense of community spirit, to keep residents and property owners informed of public agency actions or other items of concern in the South Skyline sphere of influence.

South End

Gilroy Visitors Site
Gilroy, California is famous as the Garlic Capital of the World, hosting the annual Gilroy Garlic Festival. Gilroy gives visitors a friendly, small town character with affordable places to stay, great restaurants, wineries, breweries, world-class shopping at Gilroy Premium Outlets factory stores, attractions and recreational opportunities for the whole family.

Hollister
Somethings almost always shaking in Hollister, but this lively community site makes you want to move in anyways. San Benito County.

Morgan Hill
With a population of 33,000, Morgan Hill is located just south of Silicon Valley. Combining great country living with well-known manufacturing and research firms, Morgan Hill prides itself as the “Small town that’s big on business”. Here is the Chamber Site.

South Alameda County

Livermore / Pleasanton & Tri-Valley
eLivermore.com / ePleasanton.org is a community service of Holy Cross Lutheran Church providing information and links to the Livermore and Tri-Valley areas.

Newark
Newark is located in Silicon Valley on the east side of San Francisco Bay. Part of one of the most dynamic urban areas in the world, Newark has maintained a strong and proud spirit rooted in community values.

Sunol.net
Disclamer: This web site is non-commercial and the sole property of Derek Johnson. Nobody pays me to put anything in it. I’ll add what I want, whenever I feel like it (or get around to it, whichever comes last). I disclaim any knowlege of what I am talking about.

Monterey Bay Area

Monterey – Explore
Once a hub of industry, the centerpiece of Monterey–Cannery Row–has been famously revitalized into a complex of world-class restaurants, hip boutiques, and trendy bars.

Pelican Civic Network
A civic network of community groups and people who care about natural and cultural history. Covers from Davenport to Morro Bay.

Santa Cruz City
Located on the sunny side of the beautiful Monterey Bay, 74 miles south of San Francisco. On this site, you will find information about City government, City departments, services, and programs.

Santa Cruz County
Many members of the Santa Cruz area have their own websites as part of “cruzio.com.”

Santa Cruz County
Official county website. Explore our majestic redwood forests and vibrant cityscapes. Taste our fresh cuisine and fine wines. Experience our rich history, acclaimed arts, and year-round events for everyone. In Santa Cruz County, our beaches are just the beginning!

California Community Websites

Berkeley Parents Civic Network
This web site contains thousands of pages of recommendations and advice from the Berkeley Parents Network, a parent-to-parent advice newsletter for the community of parents in the Berkeley, California area. Not limited to just Berkeley.

Davis Community Civic Network
Community resources for this college town in the Sacramento Valley.

East County Live
Civic network that serves Antioch, Pittsburg, Oakley, Brentwood, Byron and Discovery Bay.

Los Banos
Now a Facebook group with regular postings.

Napa Valley
Visit wine country. Covers Calistoga, St.Helena, Oakville/Rutherford, Yountville, Napa and Outlying Areas.

Petaluma Visitors
Locate things to do, and particpate in their many discussion boards. Vote on hot topics!

Point Richmond Online
Neighborhood site to bring a community together.

California Community Networks

There are a good number of free and low cost community networks in California.

KCBXnet formerly SLO Net
SLONET Regional Information Network – San Luis Obispo and northern Santa Barbara counties in California. Site has excellent internet use training course materials available.

Mendocino Community Network
A civic network owned and operated by the Mendocino Unified School District for the purpose of supporting our District’s Internet Node and to benefit our local and global communities. MCN price for residential basic DSL service is now just $14.99 for the first six months. Service now available in the Sacramento, Monterey, Salinas, Chico, Chowchilla, Stockton and LA areas! In the fall DSL is coming to the Kelseyville/Upperlake area.

Napa Net
Offers internet services to residents of Napa, California, including DSL services and virus-free email.

Silicon Valley Public Access Link
A non-profit computer network which makes on-line information accessible to people living in the Silicon Valley regardless of financial status and educational level.

Silicon Valley Unwired
Ten years ago, Milpitas’ free municipal wireless Internet system was a novel idea involving state-of-the-art technology that sought to provide greater web access to the community. A decade later, Milpitas’ citywide Wi-Fi system and its attendant equipment is still in place but now sits mostly unused.

SonicNet
A low-cost ISP as well as a comunity information website for those in Sonoma, California.

Air Travel

How to get to Milpitas and how to leave it via air travel. Most use SJC out of San Jose, as the closest airport to Milpitas.

Airlines

Airlines at the Norman Y. Mineta San Jose Airport
Page with the links to each airline, where you can find flight information.

Airplane Manufacturers

RnR Products
Our all composite miniature aircraft have flown the world including the first UAV to cross the Atlantic non-stop! 1120 Wrigley Way, 408-946-4751.

Airports

Norman Y. Mineta San Jose International Airport
Located five miles southwest of Milpitas, San Jose International Airport (SJC) is the closest air service for visitors to travel to and from Milpitas.

Airlines and Flights
This section contains a listing of all airlines servicing San Jose International Airport, their terminal locations, toll-free numbers and Web addresses. Reference our on-line Flight Guide to help you plan your air travel. If you’re checking on an arriving flight, you’ll find a link to Real-Time information with TheTrip.com’s Real-Time Flight Tracker.

To & From SJC
Come and go as you please. This section provides information on maps and directions, parking, meeting passengers, rental cars, taxis, rideshares, public transit door-to-door shuttles, hotel shuttles, limousines, scheduled buses, and bicycles and pedestrians.

Passenger Services
Here you’ll find a listing of all the maps of the Airport. These maps will help you locate all the services the Airport has to offer, including: restaurants services and amenities, shops, things to do, public art, and accessible services.

Cargo and Freight
Need information on shipping? This section contains names, toll-free numbers and Web addresses of all cargo carriers servicing San Jose International Airport.

About SJC
There’s more to the Airport than you might have imagined. This section is a compendium of news and information, including employment opportunities, and news releases.

Community and Environment
San Jose International Airport is involved with the community on many levels. This section provides links to the various areas of involvement such as the Noise Abatement, Curfew Monitoring, and Flight Tracking Program with a 10-minute delay.

Oakland International Airport
North of Milpitas about 30 miles. 2nd preferred airport, should you not be able to fly into San Jose.

San Francisco International Airport
The Airport is known as the Gateway to the Pacific for its premier position as a point of departure to many destinations in the Pacific Rim. Find airline flight schedules to and from SFO; ground transportation services; airport terminal guide; and airport parking. Kiss and Fly drop off area.

Planning

Airport Expansion Plans
How might airport expansion affect quality of life in the area. Metro story.

CAAPSO
CAAPSO is a collaboration of interested parties that want to maintain Reid-Hillview (RHV) airport as a vibrant resource for the general aviation community and a benefit to the local community. CAAPSO stands for what we believe in: a Community And Airport Partnership for Safe Operations.

How to stop commercial air hijackings without inconveniencing air travelers
I’ve listed many suggestions below for both increasing security and making the plane a less attractive with minimal passenger air travel inconvenience. Many can be implemented immediately, at virtually no cost. Steve Kirsch

Shuttle Service

Airport Parking Reservations
We’ve done the shopping and negotiated great parking rates for you. We offer you a selection of safe and secure parking operators within 5 minutes of the airport.

Public Transportation to San Jose-Mineta Airport
The Route#60 service schedule has temporarily reduced frequency, running every 20-minutes between the hours of 5:30 AM and end service after 9 PM, 7 days a week. Route #60 will continue to offer free rides from the airport, with a minimal fee to ride into the airport, or free with a transfer pass to the Milpitas Bart Transit Center and the Winchester Transit Center.

Shuttle companies
All over the Bay Area offer airport-to-door service to SJC. Discounts are offered for groups of 2 or more being picked up at the same location. List with phone numbers.

Travelers’ Information

City Hall will now accept Passport Applications
A benefit to residents, the move will also provide additional and much needed revenue. The City of Milpitas will be receive $30 for each processed passport. Applications will be accepted Monday-Thursday, 9a – 3p, and Fridays by appointment. Call the City Clerk’s Office for more information: 586-3001.

Applying For Passports
You may apply for passports at the County of Santa Clara, Office of the Recorder, mornings between 8 a.m. and noon.

Flight Aware
Live current status of any flights between major cities within the United States.

International Travel Information
Travel Warnings are issued when the State Department decides, based on all relevant information, to recommend that Americans avoid air travel to a certain country.

Security Procedures
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) manages airport security. Visit the TSA website to find up to the minute security procedures and how to best prepare for your next flight.

Roller Coasters

Milpitas is near enough to four theme parks for day trips to the best roller coasters in the country! All 4 parks are 20 minutes to an hour away during commute hours, faster on weekends and holidays.

Roller Coasters Nearby

From nearest to furthest…

Great America
Information about the nine roller coasters at Great America in Santa Clara: Demon, Flight Deck, Gold Striker, Lucy’s Crabbie Cabbies, Patriot, Psycho Mouse, Railblazer, The Grizzly, and Woodstock Express. Includes how tall you have to be to ride each.
Driving time from Milpitas town center: about 20 minutes. 6 miles away.
4701 Great America Pkwy, Santa Clara, CA 95054

Gilroy Gardens Quicksilver Express Mine Coaster
This thrilling mine coaster speeds you through dips and turns surrounded by nearly 600 trees! The fact that it is one of the first of its kind made by the manufacturer makes it unique.
Driving time from Milpitas town center: about 45 minutes. 40 miles away.
3050 Hecker Pass Hwy, Gilroy, CA 95020

Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk
Your grandparents can probably remember riding the Giant Dipper wooden roller coaster when they were kids. More than 60 million visitors have experienced the Giant Dipper since it first opened in 1924. The classic wooden coaster can be seen in several movies including “Sudden Impact,” “The Lost Boys,” and “Dangerous Minds.” More history. The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk is located at 400 Beach Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95060. For general information, call (831) 423-5590, email guest.services@beachboardwalk.com or visit www.beachboardwalk.com
Driving time from Milpitas town center: about 58 minutes over mountain. 38 miles away.
400 Beach St, Santa Cruz, CA 95060

Six Flags Discovery Kingdom
Looking for thrills? Well, you’ve found them. In fact, you’ve found some of the fastest, tallest, wildest, most gut-wrenching rides in the country-including a few record-breakers. Coaster rides include Boomerang Coast to Coaster – not only forwards, but also backwards; Cobra – it hisses; and Dare Devil Coaster – soaring and inverting coaster. Find out about more thrill rides here.
Driving time from Milpitas town center: about 1 hour 4 minutes. 62 miles away.
1001 Fairgrounds Dr, Vallejo, CA 94589

About Roller Coasters

Amusement Park Physics — Roller Coaster
The conversion of potential energy to kinetic energy is what drives the roller coaster, and all of the kinetic energy you need for the ride is present once the coaster descends the first hill.

History of Roller Coasters
From its beginnings as a modified ice slide with wheels, to the looping wonders powered by high voltage electro magnets, roller coasters have had a very colorful history.

Roller Coaster and Amusement Park History
Welcome to the Ultimate Rollercoaster, an extensive web site covering the topics of roller coasters, theme parks and thrill rides.

Career Advice – Jobs in Milpitas

Milpitas has a significant workforce, including many careers working in the latest technical advancements in Silicon Valley, such as self-driving cars and medical advancements.

About Working Here

Jobs, Employment in Milpitas
Indeed’s latest listings of employment opportunities in Milpitas.

Jobs, Employment in Silicon Valley
Indeed’s latest listings of employment opportunities in the Silicon Valley area.

The Silicon ValleyCultures Project
A ten year ethnographic study of the cultures living and working in the hi-tech communities of Silicon Valley.

Career Development

Career Closet
A volunteer-based, nonprofit organization that provides business attire and job counseling to economically disadvantaged women to help them gain and retain employment, advance their careers and improve family stability.

NovaWorks
A federally funded employment and training agency, administered by the City of Sunnyvale. It is directed by the NOVA Workforce Board which works on behalf of a seven-city consortium composed of Sunnyvale, Santa Clara, Cupertino, Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, and Milpitas.

Santa Clara County
Community Job Search & Career Centers. A list with links to a wide variety of career counseling and placement resources.

Youth@Work
A free, online service that links job seeking youth with hiring employers throughout Santa Clara, Santa Cruz and San Mateo Counties.

Databases

BAJobs.com
Established in 1997, BAJobs.com has become a staple for Bay Area employers and job seekers.

Dice.com
Dice is the best place to accelerate your career. We have the latest information on everything from salaries to trending skills, and can put you in front of the opportunities that make the most sense at every stage of your career.

Employment Connection, County of Santa Clara
Sections for employers, those looking for work, and those wishing to affiliate with the County Services.

Job Star SF Bay Area
Offers you a high tech jump start on finding a job in Silicon Valley. Other parts of site help with San Francisco Bay Area job hunting, too.

Net-Temps
Post your resumé, and look for consulting or full time positions. Recruiters also have their own forum here. On the day I created this link, they had 263 positions listed in Milpitas. Be sure to look in their Career Development section for advice about your resumé, cover letter and interview.

ZipRecruiter Jobs in Milpitas, CA
Entry level jobs in Milpitas and nearby.

Interview and Job-Seeking Advice

Do You Suffer From Premature Negotiation?
Through good intentions, and lack of awareness, many people cooperatively give information, giving up significant power and flexibility in the real negotiation at the time of the job offer. By Steven Brown, Effetti, Inc., Santa Clara.

The Job-Seeker’s Tool Kit: 25 Essentials
Getting ready to start a job hunt? Here are 25 essential elements you’ll need in your Job-Seeker’s Toolkit!