Are you planning to visit the Bay Area soon? If so, you may be inclined to book an overpriced hotel in the heart of San Francisco or maybe Berkeley. You may even find yourself in Oakland, just an jaunt over the Bay Bridge away. But what few people have realized is that San Jose vacation packages can get you there, for less, and still put you in a prime location to explore and enjoy the Bay Area.

Sadly, San Jose tends to get short shrift when it comes to tourist destinations. In fact, tourism in the city only tends to spike when the San Jose Sharks are in the playoffs and only then the tourists are from the rival team’s state or city. That’s unfortunate given the city’s robust array of sights, hotels, and restaurants.

Some people will give the city its due in terms of being the epicenter of the Silicon Valley, few really give it much more. That’s a big mistake, especially if value is something you cherish. While the BART doesn’t yet serve San Jose, you can easily get from your affordable hotel room to anywhere in the Bay Area in less than 30 minutes, traffic not withstanding.

Rather than pay two or three times the amount you’d pay at a San Jose hotel, many tourists are falling for the San Franciscan marketing. I mean, it’s hard to beat. San Fran is it’s own microcosm. It has its own flair and does not really need to work hard to make itself into a tourist haven. People just come, period.

San Jose, on the other hand, is more than willing to target frugal tourists to its sunny, palm tree-lined streets. From San Jose, many tourists have staged their forays into San Fran and Marin County. Yes, you’ll have to drive more, but it may well be worth it. Of course, that all depends on you disposition and your budget.

Some of the best San Jose Vacation Packages are offered by hotels. Be sure to check with a hotel before you check with a travel agent.