Getting around - help pls

Hi... how easy.. short or long is getting from the Hyatt Santa Clara to downtown San Jose... or good places to go out in San Jose.

We are scheduled to stay at the Hyatt... but i%26#39;m a little worried about having to drive around too much. (plan on drinking.. thus driving is not an option)

Staying a full week with a hockey team...

Is staying at this Hyatt a bad idea based on this ? Or is this reasonable using the light rail ?

Thanks for your help..

Getting around - help pls

The Hyatt Santa Clara is walking distance from the Great America Light Rail Station. This area consists primarily of office parks. While the light rail does operate directly between Great America and both downtown San Jose and downtown Mountain View, it is a bit slow and I am sure you will find yourself terribly bored in no time flat.

If you can, I recommend finding a hotel *in* downtown San Jose so you can easily walk around to several attractions, restaurants, bars, and clubs. This will be far more enjoyable than waiting around for the light rail back to Santa Clara.

Getting around - help pls

Hi.. thanks for the advise.

The primary reason we are not staying downtown ... is the price.

We can stay at the Fairmont for about $40 per night....

does anyone know any cheap car parking around the Fairmont ?

We have about 5 Cars @ $25 per car per night.. add up..

If we knew a better way to transport the hockey team from SFO to the San Jose Airport.. and then back to SFO... we would consider it.

At this time... we have a car for 2-3 ppl.

Sorry.. $40 MORE per night.. but we are staying 6 nights.. not being cheap.. but that adds up..

Check http://www.sjdowntownparking.com for information on downtown parking. Unless things have changed recently, there is a parking lot on San Carlos between 2nd and 3rd (';2nd and San Salvador'; Lot) that permits overnight parking and charges a daily rate of $7. Most other lots in the area do not allow overnight parking and/or cost nearly as much as the Fairmont garage.

I wouldn%26#39;t call the light rail that slow. It is slow, but it%26#39;s still faster than Paris%26#39; train to Versailles (40 min for 9 miles?) or Frankfurt%26#39;s train to Michelstadt (2 hrs for 45 miles?).

Closer to downtown SJ along the light rail are hotels next to SJC (San Jose airport). There%26#39;s a few to choose from. Depending on what kind of hotel you%26#39;re looking for, there are some decent ones there.

How old are the hockey players? The Santa Clara VTA%26#39;s website should provide information on fares for different ages, group rates, passes, etc. There was a central downtown SJ zone where all transit use was free, but I%26#39;m not sure if that%26#39;s still in effect.

There are 10 of us... all guys.. 30+, no older than 35.. all there for 7 days.

We don%26#39;t mind driving the odd time... or some light rail..

We are currently lined up for Hyatt Santa Clara.. and have 3-4 hockey games downtown San Jose (1500 S. Tenth St).. but it%26#39;s not a big deal to drive in.

After more though.. and talking with the guys.. I think we will stay with Hyatt Santa Clara.

- Another question.. what time does the light Rail stop at ?

Thanks for the input..

http://www.vta.org/schedules/SC_902.html

Last light rail service northbound towards Great America leaves the Convention Center at 24h22 daily.

Frequency is once every half hour for the final few hours. The tracks will be shared by two different light rails. You%26#39;ll want the one that goes west to Mountain View. The other one goes east.

May I ask why in particular you want to stay at the Hyatt? If you do not want to stay in downtown San Jose, have you considered the area near the airport? It is *so* much easier to get from the hotels in the airport area to your games by driving straight down 10th Street, which is a one-way street with timed traffic signals. (You would return via 11th Street.) There are hotels of every class in this area.

From Santa Clara, you will have to cross through town, which will double your travel time to the games. Also, staying near the airport will cut your trip time on the light rail by 33% or so, plus you%26#39;ll be able to take either line rather than just the Mountain View line. (The Alum Rock line, which is the other line, runs more frequently and has later evening service.)

thanks again for the help..

Why are we staying at the Hyatt... simply because we don%26#39;t know any better, also because of the costs, and options we had.

Would you recommend any of the following instead:

HOLIDAY INN SAN JOSE

WYNDHAM SAN JOSE

CROWNE PLAZA

SAN JOSE MARRIOTT

??

We simply chose the Hyatt because it ';seemed'; like a good hotel, decent rates, and free parking....

Might seem like the wrong reason...but thus.. why i%26#39;m asking for advise.

Cheers !

After reviewing our list of available hotels, and making some calls, I have now reserved at the Marriott San Jose .. we got a rate of $119 per night and special of $10 parking per day...

Obviously a great rate.. and thus this solves my problem for not much $$.

Thanks for everyone%26#39;s help !!! Exactly why I love this website !

Hopefully the Marriott works out !

Cheers !