Secret San Jose: A Guide to the Weird, Wonderful, and Obscure

Which scientific landmark in San Jose moonlights as a mausoleum? Where can you find sacred street food? What’s the real story behind Sarah Winchester’s mysterious house? Find the answers to these and other questions you didn’t know you had right here.

From player pianos to disappearing lakes, ghost towns, and buried limbs, this unconventional guidebook will take you through bizarre fascinating stories that define San Jose’s history and shaped this one-of-a-kind city. Whether you are a lifelong San Jose resident, new transplant, or first-time visitor, local writer Cassie Kifer will introduce you to quirky and beautiful places and share stories about the city that never get told. Part tour and part scavenger hunt, this guide will take you to some of the weirdest and most wonderful places in Northern California’s biggest and most misunderstood city.