Arrival: Sat Dec 5. The first two weeks stay close to San Jose around your workdays; every long trip is in your holidays, Dec 19–30. Departure is pencilled in for Wed Dec 30: fly Dec 29 and that day becomes departure day, fly Dec 31 and you gain a free day. The 2 pm landing time is a placeholder. Fares shown are adult fares; Mom pays less from age 65. No beef anywhere on the food list.
Overall expenditure
Category
3 of you
With +1
Getting around
$1,680
$1,862
Tickets and tours
$678
$860
Food
$1,785
$2,376
Total, 26 days
$4,143
$5,098
Per person
$1,381
$1,274
Average per day
$159
$196
Not included: flights, gifts and shopping, phone SIMs, travel insurance, and optional extras like the aquarium or skating.
Big day outYour workday: evening outingEasy dayArrive / depart
The must-dos, and where they landed
Golden Gate Bridge at sunsetSat Dec 19 from Baker Beach. Arrive by 4:00 pm for golden hour; sunset is 4:53 pm. Backup: Sun Dec 27, on the bridge itself.
A Waymo ride in San FranciscoSat Dec 19, Fisherman's Wharf to Baker Beach. More rides across Silicon Valley on Dec 12 and in SF on Dec 24.
Silicon Valley tech daySat Dec 12: Apple Park, the Computer History Museum, Google, then Stanford. All 20 minutes from home, so it fits the first two weeks.
'Welcome to California' photoSat Dec 12 at sunset on Stanford's Palm Drive, with the palms leading up to the Main Quad.
TemplesChinmaya Mission's Shiva Puja on Dec 14; the Livermore Shiva-Vishnu Temple on Gita Jayanti, Dec 20; the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple on Christmas Day; the BAPS Mandir in Milpitas on Dec 28.
Your San Jose listSJSU walk (Dec 6), Caltrain and Castro Street (Dec 7), Target and Whole Foods (Dec 9), RajaRani, Apni Mandi and Deccan Morsels (Dec 10), Costco (Dec 13), PayPal and Topgolf (Dec 15), Stanford (Dec 17), San Pedro Square (Dec 18), Great Mall (Dec 28).
Downtown San Jose holidaysChristmas in the Park on Dec 6 and Christmas night; Winter Wonderland rides on Dec 18. San Jose's holiday parade ended in 2010, so it isn't on the list.
Cable car, Ferry Building, Pier 39Ferry Building and Pier 39 on Dec 19; the Powell-Hyde cable car on Christmas Eve.
Coastal day trip by group tourTue Dec 22: Monterey, Carmel and the 17-Mile Drive with Gray Line. A cheaper coast day by bus: Santa Cruz.
How to read a day
Every pin button opens that place in Google Maps, and "Directions" buttons open the route, so you can navigate from your phone. Each card's bar shows the day from 6 am to 10 pm: night is dark, daylight is gold. The blocks beneath it are the plan, so you can see the outdoor parts sit inside daylight and dinner comes after sunset.
OutdoorsIndoorsTravelMeal
Sunrise and sunset come from the NOAA solar algorithm for each day's location [133], cross-checked against sunrise-sunset.org to within a minute [134]. 'Light until' is the end of civil twilight.
Day by day
Photo: Tony Webster from Portland, Oregon, United States · CC BY 2.0
Sat5Dec
Day 1 · Arrival
Welcome to the Bay
Land at SFO, ride straight home, and stay awake until about 8:30 pm so body clocks start to reset. Swap in your real landing time.
Sunrise
7:07 am
Sunset
4:49 pm
Light until
5:19 pm
Daylight
9h 42m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
2:00–3:15 pmTravel
Land at SFO, International Terminal
Immigration, bags and customs often take 60–90 minutes. The 2 pm landing is a placeholder.
A slow jet-lagged morning, then a short walk across San José State's campus and on to Christmas in the Park as the lights come on. Everything is free except rides and dinner.
Mostly free
Sunrise
7:08 am
Sunset
4:49 pm
Light until
5:19 pm
Daylight
9h 41m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
7:07–8:00 amOutdoors
Optional sunrise walk near home
Jet lag will wake everyone early anyway. Morning light speeds up the adjustment.
12:00–2:30 pmRest
Lunch at home and a nap of under 90 minutes
2:45–3:10 pmTravel
VTA light rail or bus downtown
3:10–4:00 pmOutdoors
SJSU: Tower Hall and the Victory Salute statue
The statue of Tommie Smith and John Carlos stands on Tower Lawn; the empty podium spot is there for visitors to stand in [3].
Spend longer in the King Library, then eat at San Pedro Square Market (mostly indoors, 11 am–10 pm Sundays [11]). The lights can wait for Dec 18 or Christmas night.
UberHome ↔ river park (morning); home → Target → Whole Foods → home (evening)5–10 min hopsAbout $12 a ride (estimate). Both stores are near Diridon, so VTA works too [7]
Budget dinner
Whole Foods hot bar · 777 The Alameda, San Jose
Fill a box from the hot bar and salad bar; it's priced by weight, typically about $12 a pound, though this store's price isn't published [24]. Lots of vegetarian choices.
An evening on El Camino Real: puffs from RajaRani Bakery, a thali and an Indian market at Apni Mandi, then Irani chai and Osmania biscuits at Deccan Morsels.
Apple Park, the Computer History Museum and Google's visitor center, all 20 minutes from home, then Stanford's Palm Drive at golden hour for the 'Welcome to California' photo.
Must-doGood day for a +1
Sunrise
7:14 am
Sunset
4:51 pm
Light until
5:21 pm
Daylight
9h 37m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
9:30–9:55 amTravel
Uber to Apple Park, Cupertino
10:00–11:00 amIndoors
Apple Park Visitor Center
Free. Saturday 10–7 [33]. An AR model of the campus on iPads, a rooftop terrace looking at the ring building, and Apple Park-only merchandise.
Stanford: Main Quad, Rodin garden, then Palm Drive at sunset
All free. The Rodin Sculpture Garden is open 24 hours [37]; Cantor Arts Center is free until 5 pm on Saturdays [38]. Hoover Tower's deck is closed until Jan 25, 2027 [39]. Sunset is 4:51 pm.
Walk down Palm Drive to University Ave, or take the free shuttle
The Marguerite Shopping Express runs hourly on weekends [40] until the winter closure starts Dec 21 [41].
5:30–6:30 pmMeal
Dinner at Oren's Hummus
6:46–7:15 pmTravel
Caltrain 6:46 pm, Palo Alto → Diridon 7:15 pm
Places today
Apple Park Visitor CenterComputer History MuseumGoogle, Mountain ViewStanford Main QuadRodin garden
Getting around
UberHome → Apple Park~25 minAbout $31 (Uber's Cupertino–San Jose average) [42]
WaymoApple Park → museum; Google → Stanford~25 min eachAbout $24 and $22. Estimates from Uber's averages [43]; Waymo ran about 13% higher [44]Directions
Most of the day is indoors already. If Stanford is wet, spend the last hour inside the free Cantor Arts Center and take the palm photo under an umbrella; you're back at Stanford on Dec 17 anyway.
A quiet day at home, an early dinner, then the monthly Shiva Puja at the Chinmaya Sandeepany Ashram in the east foothills.
Sunrise
7:14 am
Sunset
4:50 pm
Light until
5:20 pm
Daylight
9h 36m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
9:00 am–12:00 pmRest
Slow morning
1:00–2:00 pmOutdoors
A walk outside in daylight
5:45–6:30 pmMeal
Early dinner at home
6:50–7:15 pmTravel
Uber to the ashram on Clayton Road
7:30–9:00 pmIndoors
Monthly Shiva Puja, Chinmaya Sandeepany Ashram
Mon Dec 14, 7:30–9:00 pm [51]. The ashram is Chinmaya Mission San Jose's main center, at 10160 Clayton Rd [52]. Dress modestly; shoes come off inside. Email [email protected] to say you're coming.
Topgolf bays are covered and heated, so it works in the rain. Skip the PayPal photo if it's pouring.
Estimated cost
Item
3 of us
With +1
Uber to the Mission and back (Mom and sister)per group · Estimate
$24
$24
Light rail$2.50 each
$8
$10
Uber to Topgolf and homeper group · Estimate
$37
$37
Topgolf bay, 2 hoursper group · Estimate; prices vary by day and time, check the site
$100
$100
Dinner at Topgolf$18 each · Estimate
$54
$72
Breakfast and lunch at home$7 each
$21
$28
Day total
$244
$271
Good day for a +1: one bay fits all four of you, so the bay cost doesn't change.
Stops in order. Lines show the sequence, not the exact route.Open the whole day in Google MapsPhoto: Sandip Bhattacharya from San Jose, United States · CC BY 2.0
Wed16Dec
Day 12 · Workday evening
Midweek breather
A home day before Stanford tomorrow and the long trips from Saturday.
Mom and your sister take Caltrain on their own for an unhurried Stanford day: inside Memorial Church, the Cantor museum and the Rodin garden, before the campus winter closure on Dec 21.
The last workday. The art museum stays open until 9 on Fridays, Winter Wonderland's bigger rides have moved onto Market Street, and San Pedro Square Market does dinner.
Stops in order. Lines show the sequence, not the exact route.Open the whole day in Google MapsPhoto: Christian Mehlführer, User:Chmehl · CC BY 3.0
Sat19Dec
Day 15 · Big day out
Ferry Building to the Golden Gate at sunset
The first day of your holidays. Saturday farmers market, sea lions, a 100-year-old arcade, then your first Waymo to Baker Beach for the bridge at sunset: Mom's wish and the vision-board photo.
Must-doGood day for a +1
Sunrise
7:21 am
Sunset
4:53 pm
Light until
5:23 pm
Daylight
9h 32m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
7:56–9:16 amTravel
Caltrain 7:56 am, Diridon → San Francisco
Weekend trains leave Diridon at :26 and :56 and take 80 minutes [59]. Tap on and off with your own card.
9:16–9:35 amTravel
Muni N Judah to Embarcadero, walk to the Ferry Building
9:35–11:15 amOutdoors
Ferry Building and the Saturday farmers market
Market Sat 8 am–2 pm; building 6 am–10 pm [60]. Snack: an El Porteño veggie empanada, $7.84 [61].
Free entry to century-old arcade machines, 10 am–8 pm daily; games cost 25¢–$1 [66]. Skip the crab stands: the commercial Dungeness season is delayed to at least Jan 1 [67].
You hold the account, so you ride along; up to 4 riders [68].
3:50–5:15 pmOutdoors
The Golden Gate Bridge at sunset, from Baker Beach
Arrive by 4:00 pm; golden hour starts around 4:10 and sunset is 4:53 pm. Stay in the middle or south part of the beach near the main lot, where the restrooms are [69]. The far north end past Battery Chamberlin is clothing-optional [70]. From here the bridge glows warm and the sun drops into the ocean on your left.
Good Luck Dim Sum closes at 6:30 pm and takes cash only [71].
6:30–7:00 pmTravel
Uber to 4th & King
7:25–8:44 pmTravel
Caltrain 7:25 pm → Diridon 8:44 pm
Places today
Ferry BuildingSea lions, Pier 39Boudin, Fisherman's WharfMusée MécaniqueA Waymo in SFBaker Beach at twilight: the shot
Getting around
CaltrainDiridon ↔ San Francisco 4th & King, 4 zones80 min$10.75 each way; $5.00 for 65+ with a senior Clipper card [2]Directions
MuniN Judah to Embarcadero; F-line streetcar to Pier 3910–20 min$2.85 a ride by card [72]
WaymoFisherman's Wharf → Baker Beach~20 minAbout $20–25. Waymo averaged $19.69 a ride in SF, about 13% above Uber [44]Directions
Waymo/UberBaker Beach → Clement St; Clement St → 4th & King10 + 20 minAbout $12 and $25 (estimates from Uber's SF averages [73])
Bus backupMuni 29 Sunset stops at Lincoln Blvd & Bowley St, about 0.4 mi uphill from the beachEvery ~12 min on weekend evenings [74]
Budget dinner
Good Luck Dim Sum · 736 Clement St, Inner Richmond
Boxes of vegetable and shrimp dumplings and sesame balls; most sets of three cost about $2 [71]. Cash only; closes 6:30 pm. Running late? Waymo to Golden Boy Pizza in North Beach instead (slices $3.75–4.75 [77]).
Keep the morning (the Ferry Building, Musée Mécanique and Pier 39 all have cover). Swap Baker Beach for the Exploratorium at Pier 15: $39.95 adults, $29.95 for 65+, 10–5 [78]. The sunset moves to Sun Dec 27, the backup bridge day.
Gita Jayanti at the Livermore temple, then the outlets
The Bay Area's best-known Hindu temple on Gita Jayanti morning, then the big open-air outlet mall ten minutes away. Uber both ways: the bus-and-BART route takes about three hours each way.
Good day for a +1
Sunrise
7:18 am
Sunset
4:53 pm
Light until
5:23 pm
Daylight
9h 35m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
9:30–10:15 amTravel
Uber to Livermore, about 45 minutes
UberX averages about $65 and UberXL $90 on this route [79].
10:15 am–12:15 pmIndoors
Shiva-Vishnu Temple on Gita Jayanti
Weekends 9 am–8 pm [80]. Consecrated in 1986, with a Chola-style Vishnu shrine and a Kalinga-style Shiva shrine [81]. Gita Jayanti falls on Dec 20 this year by the Indian calendar [82]; check the temple's site for special pujas.
UberSan Jose ↔ Livermore~45 minUberX about $65, XL about $90 each way [79]Directions
Car-free optionLight rail to Milpitas BART, BART to Dublin/Pleasanton (about $7.90), Wheels bus 14 to the outlets ($2.50)2.5–3 hCheaper by about $65 for three, but it eats most of the day [84]
Budget dinner
Outlet food court · SF Premium Outlets, Livermore
An early, easy dinner before the ride home; pick vegetarian or chicken. The outlets don't publish restaurant prices.
A full-day coach tour down Highway 1. Every shared tour starts in San Francisco, so for a car-free San Jose family this means a 5:43 am train and a late return. Mom can nap on the coach.
Must-do
Sunrise
7:17 am
Sunset
4:56 pm
Light until
5:25 pm
Daylight
9h 39m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
5:15–5:35 amTravel
Uber to San Jose Diridon
5:43–6:53 amTravel
Caltrain 5:43 am Limited → San Francisco 6:53 am
Weekday trains start early enough [13]. On weekends the first train only reaches SF at 8:16 am [59], which is why the tour is on a Tuesday.
6:55–7:15 amTravel
Uber to Gray Line, 478 Post St (Union Square)
7:40–10:30 amTravel
Coach down Highway 1, with stops at Pigeon Point lighthouse and Davenport
Gray Line: about 11 hours, leaving 7:40 am from 478 Post St [85].
10:30 am–12:30 pmOutdoors
Monterey: Cannery Row, the wharf, lunch
About 2 hours here. The aquarium isn't included ($65 adults, $50 for 70+ [86]). Skip it to save money, or keep it as the rain plan.
Gray Line tour$129 each · List price; often cheaper on Viator
$387
$516
Caltrain round trip$21.50 each
$64
$86
Uber home → Diridon, 5:15 amper group · Estimate
$12
$12
Uber 4th & King → Post Stper group · Estimate
$15
$15
Waymo to dinner and to 4th & Kingper group · Estimate
$25
$25
Uber Diridon → homeper group · Estimate
$12
$12
Breakfast and snacks$6 each
$18
$24
Lunch in Monterey$16 each · Estimate
$48
$64
Dinner at Shalimar$15 each
$45
$60
Day total
$626
$814
With a +1 the coach tickets alone come to about $516, so check the private San Jose option.
Good to know
Book 1–2 weeks ahead and read the cancellation terms. Gray Line has the most reviews of any option (4.2★ from 2,239 on Viator [87]).
GoldenBusTours lists $125 but adds a $5 surcharge and a $15+ service fee [88].
Worth one email: a private tour with San Jose pickup lists $498 [89]. If that's per vehicle rather than per person, it beats the coach for 4 and saves the 5 am start.
Christmas Eve in the city: cable cars, Chinatown, Painted Ladies
One $15 Muni Visitor Passport covers every ride today, including the cable car up Hyde Street. Union Square's tree and holiday windows on Christmas Eve, then the Painted Ladies in late-afternoon light.
Must-doGood day for a +1
Sunrise
7:23 am
Sunset
4:56 pm
Light until
5:26 pm
Daylight
9h 33m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
8:58–10:16 amTravel
Caltrain 8:58 am → San Francisco 10:16 am
Caltrain runs a modified timetable on Dec 24, posted a few weeks before [91]. Check the times the day before.
10:16–10:35 amTravel
Muni T Third to Chinatown–Rose Pak
Buy the 1-day Visitor Passport ($15, cable cars included) in the MuniMobile app before boarding [72].
10:35–11:30 amOutdoors
Chinatown: Stockton St markets, Grant Ave lanterns, the Dragon Gate
The Dragon Gate at Grant & Bush is open 24/7 [92].
Plenty is shut today, including the Ferry Building [106] and the Computer History Museum [34]. So: a morning at the Sunnyvale Hindu Temple, a long lunch at home, and Christmas in the Park after dark.
Mostly freeGood day for a +1
Sunrise
7:20 am
Sunset
4:55 pm
Light until
5:25 pm
Daylight
9h 35m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
8:30–10:30 amRest
Slow breakfast, presents, calls home
8:30 am here is 10 pm in India and 4:30 pm in the UK.
10:45–11:10 amTravel
Waymo or Uber to Sunnyvale
11:10 am–12:30 pmIndoors
Sunnyvale Hindu Temple
Open daily 9 am–9 pm, with noon aarti on weekdays [103]. Rebuilt in 2013, it holds deities from many regional traditions [104]. Christmas Day hours aren't posted, so call first.
Waymo/UberHome ↔ Sunnyvale temple; home ↔ downtown~25 min / ~10 minAbout $25 each way to Sunnyvale and $12 downtown (estimates); holiday prices may be higher
Holiday serviceCaltrain and Muni run weekend timetables today[91][105]
The cheapest coast day of the trip: $14 buys a bus pass over the mountains and back. A seaside boardwalk, sea lions under the wharf, a cliff-top walk and thousands of monarch butterflies.
Good day for a +1
Sunrise
7:20 am
Sunset
4:58 pm
Light until
5:27 pm
Daylight
9h 38m
6a9a12p3p6p9p
Timeline
9:10–10:05 amTravel
Highway 17 Express, Diridon → Santa Cruz Metro Center
Weekend buses run about every 30–60 minutes from 8:10 am and take 50–55 minutes [107]. Pay cash or tap a card; Clipper isn't accepted [108].
10:15–11:30 amOutdoors
Santa Cruz Wharf and the sea lions under it
The end of the wharf was rebuilt and reopened in April 2026 [109].
The last weekend bus leaves Santa Cruz at 10:20 pm [107].
Places today
Beach BoardwalkWest Cliff Drive
Getting around
Hwy 17 ExpressDiridon ↔ Santa Cruz Metro Center50–55 min$7 one way or a $14 day pass that also covers local buses; $3.50 for 65+ [108]Directions
METRO 20Downtown ↔ Natural Bridges area~20 minIncluded in the day pass [108]
Budget dinner
Taqueria Los Pericos · 139 Water St, downtown Santa Cruz
Chicken or veggie burritos and tacos with a free salsa bar [114]; skip the asada, which is beef. Their Aptos branch lists the super burrito at $17.55 [115].
The east sidewalk is open to walkers 5 am–6:30 pm in winter [118]. Walk to the first tower, about 0.6 mile, and back. Sunset is 4:58 pm. It's windier and colder than the city, so bring hats and gloves.
5:20–5:40 pmTravel
Waymo to North Beach
5:45–6:30 pmMeal
Slices at Golden Boy Pizza
6:35–6:55 pmTravel
Muni T Third from Chinatown–Rose Pak to 4th & King
7:25–8:44 pmTravel
Caltrain 7:25 pm → Diridon 8:44 pm
Places today
Ferry BuildingThe bridge at sunset
Getting around
CaltrainDiridon ↔ San Francisco, 4 zones80 min$10.75 each way [2]Directions
FerryFerry Building → Sausalito~30 min$8.50 by card or Clipper, $14 paper; $7 for 65+, but not on a bank card [119]
UberSausalito → Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center~15 minAbout $25 including the toll (estimate)Directions
The ferry runs in the rain and the views turn moody. Skip the bridge walk. The de Young museum is free for everyone daily from 4:30 pm, and its Hamon Tower view is always free [120].
A +1 on just the 7 days marked "Good day for a +1"
+$365
Estimates for the days as planned: fares, tickets, rides and food out, plus a small grocery figure for home meals. Not included: flights, gifts, the optional aquarium, skating or boardwalk rides. Uber, Waymo and restaurant figures are estimates; fares and tickets are cited.
Week by week
Week
3 of you
With +1
Arrival week, Dec 5–11
$803
$975
Dec 12–18
$948
$1,145
Dec 19–25
$1,601
$2,002
Dec 26–30
$792
$976
Where the money goes (3 people)
Food$1,785
Getting around$1,680
Tickets and tours$678
Where to save
If Mom is 65+, get her a free senior Clipper card in the first week: Caltrain drops from $10.75 to $5.00 each way [2], and Muni, VTA and the Santa Cruz bus roughly halve too. On the four San Francisco days alone that saves about $45.
Livermore by BART instead of Uber saves about $65 for three, but adds roughly three hours of travel [84].
Book the Monterey tour on Viator when it's on sale: it was $118.68 against $129 direct [87], which saves about $30 for three.
Pack lunches on big days. Sandwiches from home instead of eating out saves roughly $30–40 a day for three.
Take the bus instead of a Waymo after the first ride. The 29 Sunset bus reaches Baker Beach for $2.85 each [74].
Pay by tapping. Since Dec 10, 2025, every Bay Area system takes contactless Visa, Mastercard and Amex cards and Apple or Google Pay. Each person needs their own card [128]. Foreign cards aren't mentioned, so your sister should carry a backup way to pay.
Transfers. Up to $2.85 comes off the next agency's fare if you board within 2 hours on the same card [129].
If Mom is 65 or older, a free senior Clipper card roughly halves most fares. A passport counts as proof of age, and staffed Clipper locations can issue one in person [130]. Bank cards always pay the adult fare.
Waymo covers all of SF and the Peninsula down to San Jose, Campbell and Cupertino [25]. Downtown San Jose was excluded as of January (Diridon excepted) [131], and a bigger expansion came Oct 27 [132], so check the app's map. You, the account holder, must ride with your guests; up to 4 riders [68].
Fare rises come after you leave: Caltrain on Jan 1, 2027 and Muni on Jan 4, 2027 [72].
Packing
December weather, and what to bring
SF high / low
58° / 47°F
San Jose high / low
60° / 42°F
Rainy days in SF
≈ 12 of 31
Sunset range
4:49 – 5:00 pm
Layers, not one heavy coat. A sweater or fleece plus a windproof, waterproof jacket. December averages: SF 58°F (14°C) by day and 47°F (8°C) at night; San Jose 60°F (15°C) and 42°F (5°C) [125].
Rain gear. Expect 10–12 days with some rain [125]. Late December 2025 brought a week of atmospheric-river storms (Dec 19–26) [126], so every big day here has a swap.
Hat, gloves, scarf for sunsets. By the ocean with a breeze it feels like 42–44°F (6°C) [75].
Shoes with grip for San Francisco's hills and wet bluff trails.
Plug adapters. The US uses Type A/B sockets at 120 V. Indian and UK chargers marked 100–240 V only need an adapter; a 230 V-only hair dryer needs a converter, or buy a cheap one here [127].
Small daypack with a water bottle and a power bank; the cold drains phone batteries.
To take home
A keepsake map, old-road-map style
Every place from the month on one sheet, with the way you travelled to each: Caltrain, the ferry, the Highway 17 bus and the coach down Highway 1. San Francisco gets its own inset. It's drawn for A3 paper (11.7 × 16.5 in) at print quality; 11 × 17 in tabloid works with "fit to page", and A4 or Letter is fine too.
