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Photo: The original uploader was Gentgeen at English Wikipedia., Public domain via Wikimedia Commons
The legend is that Sarah Winchester, Winchester Rifle heiress, was afraid of being cursed by the ghosts of those who had been killed by Winchester guns. She thought that as long as construction continued, the ghosts would be kept at bay. Construction did continue (for 38 years!), resulting in a fantastic house full of mazes, stairs that go nowhere and other odd architecture. Two tours are available: the Mansion Tour, which takes you through most of the mansion and discusses the different theories about Sarah Winchester (fanatical spiritualist, self-taught architect, or both?), and the Explore More Tour, which goes to some of the unfinished rooms and parts of the house that were closed to the public for decades. Each tour takes about an hour, and a single ticket for either one is $39 for adults (13–64), $20 for children 6–12, and $32 for seniors, military, firefighters, and EMTs. A combined ticket is available at a discount for $54. There's a $3 fee for booking online, but it's a good idea to book in advance in case the tours fill up.
The Winchester Mystery House is a mansion in San Jose, California, that was once the personal residence of Sarah Winchester, the widow of firearms magnate William Wirt Winchester. The house became a tourist attraction nine months after her death in 1922. The Victorian and Gothic-style mansion is renowned for its size and its architectural curiosities and for the numerous myths and legends surrounding the structure and its former owner.
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A "European-style" village of shops, restaurants, and high-priced condos, with hotels and great nightlife. There's a year-round farmer's market on Sundays, and during the summer bands play free outdoor music every weekend. Santana row has become a hang-out spot for San Jose's residents. Has numerous restaurants, bakeries, cafes and central garden. Stores include Anthropologie, J. Crew, and surf shops. Its development has had a huge impact on the San Jose landscape and economy.
San Jose's 5½–acre Municipal Rose Garden, once a prune orchard, draws thousands of visitors each year. The Garden is exclusively devoted to shrubs of the rose family and features over 4,000 rose shrubs with 189 varieties represented. Hybrid–teas comprise 75 percent of the plantings.
This museum of Ancient Egypt features exhibits funded by the Rosicrucian Order, who have secured artifacts from archaeologists working in the area since the 1920s. Take a tour through a detailed replica of an Egyptian tomb and browse their collection of mummies and artifacts. The museum also houses a sizable library of occult books, that is open to the public.
The Bay Area's Major League Soccer team. The "Quakes" opened their new stadium, now known as PayPal Park, for the 2015 season.
The SAP Center, formerly known as HP Pavilion (aka "The Shark Tank"), hosts this National Hockey League team, which has enjoyed success since their inception in 1991. Watch one of the more famous traditions as the team enters the rink out of a 17-foot high shark head.
This garden was planted by volunteers in 1995. It has a collection of almost 4,000 plants of more than 3,000 rose varieties.