1. This Taco Festival Will Blow Your Taste Buds’ Minds
What’s better than a massive food truck festival when you just eat taco after taco after taco? Oh, the answer is nothing, but San Jose adds a little more spice by changing up the theme every year at the Taco Festival of Innovation.
2. These Are The Scariest And Most Delicious Donuts You’ll Ever Eat
Blood, guts, fingers—it’s all the name of the game at Psycho Donuts, home to the zaniest and most delicious sweet donut treats.
3. Locals Are At Home When They’re In The Shark Tank
San Jose is Sharks territory. Every local will let that fact be known loud and proud, and not just on game day.
4. The SJ Flea Market Will Make You Believe You Need Everything
A sword? Check. A poncho? Check. A picture of Elvis for your wall? Check. The San Jose Flea Market is the definition of impulse buying.
5. A Night On The Town Means Heading to SoFA
SoFA is the exact opposite of a place to sit and relax. It’s the hot nightclub spot around South First in San Jose where everyone goes to party at places like 55 South or check out cool art at Anno Domini.
6. You And The In-N-Out Employees Will Be Best Buds
You will argue till the end of time about how In-N-Out is the best fast food in the universe, and locals probably also know a couple of the favorites off the secret menu.
7. Stop Everything And Go To The Boiling Crab
Nobody in the history of San Jose has regretted stuffing their faces at the Boiling Crab. Put the Whole Sha-bang sauce on everything you order.
8. Chinese New Year Is As Big As January 1st
Check out the Free Lunar New Year celebration at the San Jose Museum of Art.
9. The Better Giants Team Isn’t In San Francisco
Even non-baseball fans love to head to a San Jose Giants game because there’s a killer barbecuing area next to left field so you can stuff your face before you watch your favorite players.
10. That One Time It Snowed Everyone Freaked Out
Remember when it snowed? So maybe it melted as soon as it touched the ground, but hey, there was snow and it was crazy.
11. You’ll Wish You Were A Kid Again Purely For The Field Trips
The Children’s Discovery Museum, Frontier Village, Happy Hollow, Mission Santa Clara... San Jose locals would trade places with a grade schooler just so they could spend their days on field trips there.
12. Going To LaFondue On An Anniversary Is Practically A City Mandate
No matter who you are, if you’re celebrating an anniversary, you’re making the trip to LaFondue in Saratoga as much for the eclectic decor as for the food.
13. The Ice Rink Is Surrounded By Palm Trees Because That’s Normal Here
You can’t get much more California than to surround the city’s skating rink Downtown Ice by a bunch of palm trees. Just lace up your skates and go with it.
14. They Don’t Call It “Man Jose” For Nothing
With a six-to-one guy-to-girl ratio, there’s definitely a reason the city is nicknamed Man Jose. But the women don’t seem to mind.
15. Reusable Bags Are A Required Investment
File “paper or plastic” under Things You Never Hear in San Jose because everyone uses their tote bags when shopping, unless they want to pay 10 cents for a paper bag.
16. Everyone Knows Someone Who’s A Tech Nerd
If you’re in San Jose and you don’t know someone at Adobe, Google, Apple, or another tech company, you’re definitely the minority in the Capital of Silicon Valley.
17. Willow Glen Has The Best Halloween Candy
All the kids know that when Halloween rolls down, Willow Glen has those full-size candy bars you crave. And at Christmas, they also had the best light displays.
18. Everyone Goes To Golfland, But Not Just For The Golfing
Okay, yes, there’s mini golfing, but you’ve gotta try the nachos and top it off with some soft serve.
19. It’s Not Summer In San Jose Until The Fountain Is Turned On
The true summer season only hits once the fountains are turned on in San Jose and all the kids (and the coolest adults) start jumping around in the water.
20. Look Both Ways When You Step Onto The Sidewalk Downtown
If San Jose locals could give tourists one piece of advice it would be this: Watch where you’re going on the sidewalk because the light rail can come out of nowhere.
21. Joey Chestnut Is A Local Legend
Joey Chestnut can eat—he’s famous for having consumed 69 hot dogs and their buns in 10 minutes, and San Jose loves him for it.
22. Starlight Cinemas Takes Its Name Seriously
The best way to cap off a Wednesday evening in the summer is dragging your lawn chair to San Pedro Market Square to enjoy a movie under the stars at Starlight Cinemas.
23. San Pedro Square Farmers’ Market Is A Must-Go On Weekends
Fresh and local fruits and veggies. Enough said.
24. A Birthday Outing Isn’t Complete Without Farrell’s Ice Cream
Every kid finishes off their birthday with a treat from Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlor. It’s just an unspoken rule.
25. San Jose Has Its Own Personal Sundance
Every March San Jose celebrates the movies with Cinequest, only one of the top 10 film festivals in the world, no big deal.
26. For Real Mexican Food, Hit The Nearby Grullense
Don’t you dare bring your Taco Bell to San Jose, because locals know the real Mexican food is from Iguanas Burritozilla, La Vic’s, and some other holes in the wall only they know about.
27. Circle May 5 On Your Calendar Twice
You’ve never celebrated Cinco de Mayo quite like San Jose, when everyone packs Guadalupe Park for some music and major fun.
28. In San Jose, Earthquakes Are A Good Thing
Well, they are when you’re talking about the San Jose Earthquakes because the fans’ cheering them on could definitely register on the Richter scale.
29. You’d Have To Go To Vietnam To Find Better Vietnamese Food
With Bun Bo Hue An Nam, Vung Tau, Pho Kim Long, and others, San Jose locals are surrounded by riches if they’re dying for some pho.
30. San Jose Is Home To The Only Monopoly Game That Won’t End In Frustration
The Monopoly Board in Guadalupe River Park is 30 square feet, which means it’s the largest Monopoly board in the world.
31. Raging Waters Will Cool You Off In The Summertime
Thank goodness for Raging Waters in the hot summer heat, because with one step into the waters of this gigantic park, your skin is cool and your heart is warm.
What do you love about living in San Jose? Tell us in the comments below! 
