Car Rental - San Jose

 

Rent a car in San Jose to be enchanted by the cultural diversity of California’s oldest city. Officially established in 1777, it remains a hotbed of cultures and is now more famous for its tech industry. But there’s more to the capital of Silicon Valley than Google and Amazon HQs.

The city’s growing character is evident in its increasing number of interactive museums and downtown art scene. Hop in a San Jose rental car and you’ll see there’s fun to be found in nearby theme parks or high-end shopping down Santana Row. If you’re a lover of the arts, there’s also sporting and artistic performances to watch at the SAP Center and California Theater.

Pick up your rental car in San Jose at locations across the city, from San Jose Airport to the historic Alameda neighborhood.

Whether you’re staying local, planning a road trip up to San Francisco or down to Los Angeles, choose between sports cars, convertibles or spacious sedans in our collection best suited to your trip.

Reserve car rental in San Jose and discover the cultural Californian city’s best bits.

San Jose Locations

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Map data ©2026 Google
Map data ©2026 Google

A Quick Guide to San Jose

San Jose Winchester Mystery House

Winchester Mystery House

Sarah Winchester – heiress to her deceased husband’s Winchester Rifle fortune – started construction on this enormous mansion in 1886. Believing it haunted, its disordered design includes staircases leading nowhere, doors opening into walls and 161 (mostly empty) rooms – all aimed at confusing evil spirits. Today it’s a California Historical Landmark and one of the state’s most unique attractions. 

California’s Great America Theme Park

California’s Great America

Ride the thrilling Flight Deck rollercoaster, with its vertical loop and corkscrew twists and turns, at this fun-filled theme park in Santa Clara. It’s just a 15-minute drive from our Downtown San Jose car rental location, so you’ll reach in no time. There’s a real carnival feel, with a water park to cool off on those hot California days and plenty for young children in the Planet Snoopy section.

Santana Row San Jose

Santana Row

Rapid development in the early 21st century thanks to Silicon Valley’s boom has transformed this popular shopping stretch. Situated a couple of blocks from Westfield Valley Fair, the palm and oak tree-lined streets form a beautiful village vibe. Park up your San Jose rental car and browse the boutique and big-name brands, enjoy lunch at one of the restaurant terraces or visit the indie cinema.  

Japanese Friendship Garden

Japanese Friendship Garden

Twinned with Okayama in Japan, this ornate garden has celebrated the cities’ friendship since it opened in 1965. The tranquil garden could have been plucked straight from the Land of the Rising Sun, with its koi pond, babbling streams, delicate bridges, array of Japanese plants, and peaceful aura.

ADEGA

You’ll struggle to find finer dining across the city, as ADEGA is currently the only San Jose restaurant with a Michelin star. The Portuguese restaurant in Little Portugal – ten minutes east of Downtown – regularly welcomes guest Michelin-star chefs from their home country. Choose between the regular four-course meal or the seven-course Chef Tasting Menu.  

Henry’s World Famous Hi Life

Situated in Little Italy, just 10 minutes from our San Jose Airport car rental lot, this laidback steak and barbecue house is a San Jose institution. And it has been for more than 60 years. Tuck into a full rack of ribs or the whopping 24-ounce porterhouse steak to satiate your appetite. It’s also a short walking distance from the SAP Center – perfect if you’re heading to a Sharks game.

Signia by Hilton San Jose

The downtown location of the 13-storey Fairmont San Jose is perfect for getting amongst the action in the city center. Enjoy great views from any of the more than 800 rooms, with four onsite restaurants and elegant rooms, including marble bathrooms. There’s also private parking for your San Jose rental car.

Hotel Valencia Santana Row

Relax in this boutique and cozy hotel within the famous Santana Row district, around 15 minutes west of Downtown. Wonderfully furnished rooms with chic décor make it a popular spot for a romantic break. It’s complemented by the Cielo rooftop restaurant, outdoor pool and hot tub for a wonderful way to unwind. 

Tech Museum of Innovation

You can’t escape the influence of technology in San Jose and this interactive, family-friendly museum is testament to that. Kids can get hands-on building and programming robots, while learning about space exploration, biotechnology and more. Changing exhibits keep things fresh and exciting – keeping up with constantly evolving technology. 

San Jose Art Museum

This downtown art museum mostly celebrates contemporary artworks from the 20th and 21st centuries – and not just in the conventional sense. Permanent exhibitions feature paintings and photography, alongside video installations and more from the likes of Dale Chihuly and Deborah Butterfield. Temporary exhibits often focus on local north Californian artists.

Driving In and Around San Jose

  • Downtown parking is available at various lots and garages for your San Jose car rental. Find around 1,400 spaces at Market and San Pedro Garage (95113), room for more than 1,100 vehicles at 4th & St John Garage (95112), and City View Plaza (95113).
  • Many businesses offer parking validation at various City of San Jose garages. This includes free parking for two hours on weekdays before 6pm, from 6pm to 6am the next day, and all weekend from 6am on Saturday or Sunday until the next day. Perfect for your San Jose business car rental.
  • San Jose Convention Center includes its own parking for events, with extra space by South Hall – with no overnight parking. If you’re attending any events here, you’ll find space for your San Jose rental car in no time.

Morning rush hour in San Jose is between 7am and 9:30am. In the afternoon, traffic picks up from 3pm to 7pm – with a general peak around 5pm. Try to drive your San Jose rental car outside these busy times to avoid the Silicon Valley commuters.

Various highways and freeways connect San Jose to the rest of California:

  • Interstate 280 (I-280) is a 57-mile highway that connects San Jose and San Francisco, running north along the western side of San Francisco Bay.
  • Interstate 880 (I-880) is a 45-mile route between San Jose and Oakland to the north.
  • Route 101 stretches for 808 miles from Tumwater, Washington down to Los Angeles. It passes through central San Jose from San Francisco, for a more scenic route down to LA.

San Jose to San Francisco

The 48-mile route from San Jose to San Francisco takes just under an hour. Take your San Jose car rental north on the US-101 for a picturesque drive along the iconic San Francisco Bay.
 

San Jose to Los Angeles

There are two ways to drive from San Jose to Los Angeles. The quicker 339-mile route takes just over five hours mostly down the I-5. Or take your San Jose rental car on the coastal 373-mile, six-hour drive south along the US-101.

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