21 Things No One Tells You About Leaving San Jose

1. The Rest Of The Country Isn’t So Shark-Friendly

Come the moment that your San Jose Sharks take the ice, you better hope you’ve got an expensive cable package if you want to watch the games. Fans of this team don’t seem to travel much outside of California and you’ll never find the game on while you’re at an out-of-town bar unless it’s late in the playoffs.

2. Get Your In-N-Out Fix Before You Leave

In-N-Out is the king when it comes to fast food, there’s a reason such a huge hype exists around the franchise nationwide. If animal-style fries are a staple of your weekly diet, it’s probably best you stay in California.

3. Technology Won’t Be As Advanced Elsewhere

The Bay Area is famously home to Silicon Valley and San Jose is commonly known as its capital, meaning that tons of people in the local area are employed by huge tech companies.
Regardless of whether or not you fall into this category, it’s impossible to live in San Jose without experiencing certain aspects of the world this culture facilitates, whether it’s a new parking app or a special way to crowdsource investors.
Expect other parts of the country to lag behind when it comes to tech compared to what you’ve grown used to.

4. Saying You’re A Fan Of The Earthquakes Will Get You Some Weird Looks

Obviously no one in San Jose is a fan of the actual earthquakes that tend to happen multiple times a year. However, most locals can’t help but cheer on the local San Jose Earthquakes major soccer team.
They haven’t had the most success in recent years, but you’ll still see plenty of blue jerseys being rocked by locals on game day. If you love soccer, be warned that some places in America hardly even recognize it as a sport.

5. The Food Scene Isn’t So Cultured Elsewhere

It’s easy to see how diverse the local population of the Bay Area is by simply looking at the long list of awesome variety of restaurants in the San Jose area.
One type of cuisine that especially stands out in San Jose is Vietnamese. A few great places to try one last time before you leave include Vung Tau, Bun Bo Hue An Nam, and Thien Long.

6. Look Forward To Saving Quite A Bit On Rent

If there’s one pro about leaving the San Jose area, it’s that you’ll be saving quite a bit of dough. With some of the most expensive rent and cost of living in the country, almost anywhere else you live will put less of a strain on your savings account.

7. No Taco Will Compare To San Jose’s Tacocs

Once you’ve been to the San Jose Taco Festival of Innovation, an event that brings dozens of the best taco trucks to town, you’ll have a hard time finding tacos that are up to your high standards elsewhere. Featuring multiple days of Mexican-style masked wrestling, live music, “air accordion championship,” and of course, San Jose’s favorite handheld snack, this is one event that’s hella hard to beat.

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8. You’ll Never Find A Place With Better Weather

This shouldn’t be too surprising, it’s always in the 70s and sunny. If you’re leaving San Jose for somewhere that truly experiences four seasons, do yourself a favor and invest in some nice winter gear before the first storm hits.

9. “Do You Put An Accent On That?”

If an outsider sees you write down San Jose, a lot of the time they’ll bring up the accent on the “e,” regardless of whether you use it or not. You’ll just have to explain that there really isn’t a correct way to write out this city’s name, as government documents tend to utilize both.

10. People Will Judge You For Your Reusable Shopping Bag

At a dime apiece, there’s a little incentive to be environmentally friendly in San Jose and it’s easy to see people in the city taking advantage of it. Don’t expect this green approach towards shopping in other cities. The cashier will always ask “paper or plastic?” before assuming you’ve got a bag of your own and other patrons might think it’s a bit pretentious if you bring your own.

11. You’ve Been Taking The Local Seafood For Granted

So close to the ocean, San Jose gets only the freshest of seafood. If you’re headed to a place that’s a bit more landlocked, ordering seafood out will only set you up for disappointment.

12. Learn To Drive In Snow ASAP

While San Jose residents are totally allowed to freak out in the rare event that a few flurries fall from the sky, the rest of the country tends to keep their cool on the roads throughout the winter months. If it’s your first time in slick conditions, practice your handling in a vacant parking lot. It could end up saving you big in auto repairs.

13. You’ll Really Miss Those Palm Trees

Home to plenty of pal tree lined boulevards, because even the city streets in San Jose are picturesque. You’ll never find a big city with so much natural beauty spanning out in every direction.

14. Don’t Forget To Visit The Redwoods Before You Say Goodbye

While the Big Basin Redwoods State Park is close to San Jose, a lot of locals and transplants have yet to explore these ancient forests and their larger-than-life scale. You’ll really regret missing out on this when it’s no longer an option. Once you see these redwoods, it’s impossible to look at trees in the same way again.

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15. Quit Rolling Through Stop Signs

Though it’s totally not a legal driving move, this practice of “basically” stopping at a stop sign is a normal sight on the streets of San Jose. While you might luck out of getting a ticket after doing this time to time in this city, most cops around the country will pull you over before you even make it across the street.

16. Fresh Food Won’t Be So Easy To Find

Farmer’s markets like the San Pedro Square Farmers’ Market make it easy to find locally sourced food from the San Jose area. Tons of local restaurants even capitalize on this city’s affinity for only the finest ingredients, making it easy to eat great while you’re out. Few cities around the country will have the same appeal.

17. It’s Not Always So Easy Dip Your Toes In The Ocean

With so many beaches within driving distance of San Jose, taking a trip to the water is something you can easily fit into your weekly routine here. If you’re the type of person that always seems to have sand in your shoes, moving away from this part of the country will have you craving the beach in no time.

18. Soak Up Those Gorgeous Mountain Views While You Can

Nestled in the shadows of the 4,216 foot tall Mount Hamilton, San Jose has a little bit more texture than most towns in the coastal region. Make sure you get plenty of hiking time in before you say goodbye.

19. Your Bike Will Be Sad You Left

San Jose has an awesome local cycling community, despite being a metropolitan area, including the presence of the San Jose Bike Party. With a goal of facilitating a fun environment for riders of all ages and skill levels, this group has made huge steps in improving the local bike scene around town in recent years.
Most cities around the country still lack the infrastructure to make biking everywhere this practical.

20. People Won’t Share Your Joey Chestnut Pride

Known for being great at eating enough food in a single setting to last most people a month, Joey Chestnut started his ascent towards food world fame at San Jose State University in 2005. It will be hard not to feel a little hometown pride with every water soaked hot dog he slams down his throat, regardless of where you’re at in the world.

21. You’ll Always Miss Your Life In San Jose

If you’re leaving San Jose, hopefully you have a good reason. With great weather, a vibrant mix of local residents, and all the outdoor recreation you could ask for nearby, it’s no wonder people are so crazy about this part of the country.
Sure, you can take yourself out of San Jose but you can never take the San Jose out of you.
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