Booming Bleisure

To someone who doesn’t travel for work, business travel seems glamorous. But the road warrior knows that the reality is that it means lots of travel time only to sit in an office similar to the one left at home. But the rise of bleisure travel, the combining of work travel with leisure travel, could finally turn business travel into something to look forward to.

According to a recent BridgeStreet Global Hospitality survey, 60 percent of business travelers have taken bleisure trips, with 30 percent adding at least two days to the trip. While we think that millennials are the workforce’s digital nomads, the survey found that it was 45-55-year-olds that took the most bleisure trips, although the 25-35-year-old crowd was second. The reasons people are blurring the lines between business and leisure travel is to explore new cities and cultures and spend time with their families on the road.

In the United States, San Jose is one of the most traveled to business destinations and an ideal place for clients to try bleisure travel. With the sheer number of business trips, coupled with the unexpected leisure offerings it has, it’s an ideal destination to combine work and fun, for many types of travelers.

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Oenophiles

Nearby Napa and Sonoma garner all the attention, but the San Jose area offers several wine tours and trails.

Located in the Santa Cruz Mountains, Ridge Vineyards is my favorite winery. It was made famous by the performance of its Monte Bello Cabernet in the 1976 Judgment of Paris, where it came in fifth. When the tasting was recreated twice with the same wines aged to 2006 and then 2016, The Monte Bello came in first both times. Ridge wines consistency was helped by the fact that it had the same winemaker for more than 40 years. T

oday, its Estate tour and tasting (ask for Dawn to be your guide) are not to be missed.

Located in a historic Novitiate in cute downtown Los Gatos, Testarossa Winery is considered the most beautiful in the area. The family-owned winery is known for its Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

The winery can get crowded, especially on weekends, so for a more intimate experience book a private salon tasting or the wine and cheese tour, which includes a private tasting. Afterward, enjoy dinner at the new Pasta Armellino, an affordable Italian eatery from the Michelin star chef Peter Armellino. Do NOT miss the handcrafted chocolates for dessert.

READ MORE: Get Your Wine Home for Free

Total Relaxation

After a long workweek sometimes relaxing and being pampered is all you need. Start to unwind at Burke Williams Day Spa on famous Santana Row. Arrive early and enjoy the Moroccan-inspired spa and its hot tubs and fireplaces before experiencing the Burke Williams signature massage featuring essential oils, heat packs and Chinese herbs, that all work in tandem to release those knots from the week.

Enjoy a leisurely lunch of French classics at Left Bank on Santana Row before heading down the street to one of only four Dior boutiques in the country at the Valley Fair mall.

A hidden fact is that the boutique offers complimentary European facials followed by a makeover, and you’ll even get offered a glass of champagne before the service starts. Body completely relaxed, and with a new look, you’re ready to enjoy the evening at Adega, the first Portuguese restaurant on the West Coast (and only the second in the country) to earn a coveted Michelin Star.

Wine lovers will droll over a wine list of varietals rarely seen. Opt for the seven-course Chef’s Tasting Menu to experience the wines paired with dishes like abalone salad, carabinerio shrimp, caviar and gooseneck barnacle.

The Techie

While it was likely tech that brought you to San Jose, if you can’t get enough, there are plenty of fun tech experiences to be had. The Tech Museum of Innovation is one of the best hands-on museums I’ve ever experienced. From building your own robot to becoming a cyber detective, visitors of all ages can get immersed in all things science and technology. With some of the country’s top tech companies headquartered in San Jose, the museum features products not yet on the market from companies like Adobe and Google.

The newly opened Apple Park Visitor Center located on Apple’s campus gives visitors a glimpse into the inner workings of Apple through an augmented reality 3D model and offers exclusive merchandise only available here. Plan to have lunch at the café, which features local products.

Located on fun and funky Santana Row, the B8TA store is a techie’s candy land. The store features cutting-edge products, many of which aren’t available in other retail stores. Jump on the light rail to Samsung’s headquarters for dinner in their employee cafeteria. It’s the only tech company to open its employee dining up to the general public and serves an array of American and ethnic eats.

Outdoor Lover

The San Jose area is surrounded by natural beauty and affords nature and adventure lovers plenty of ways to experience the landscape. Hikers can enjoy trekking amongst California’s famed giant redwood trees at California’s oldest state park, Big Basin Redwoods State Park, or try the just opened Mount Umunhum, which serves up 360-degree views from the Pacific Ocean to the Sierra Nevada’s. An audio tour chronicling the history of the air is available for free download to your phone.

Rock climbers will enjoy Castle Rock State Park and kayakers should head to Alviso Marina County Park, the gateway to the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge. Kayak rentals are available from Laine’s Baits and Rentals. The area is also a great bird watching site. Enjoy a post workout meal at Alice’s Restaurant, an eco-friendly, local hangout named after the Arlo Guthrie song of the same name.