Chicago to San Jose Flights

  About Chicago

Located on the West coast of Gujarat is the quaint little city of Porbandar. The city is highly regarded for its pilgrimage as it has a strong mythological relevance. Many pivotal incidences from the tales of Mahabharat and Ramayana have taken place in the city, or so says the folklore. As the city is on the Saurashtra's coastal side, the city is blessed with a brilliant climate and geography. There are hills, coasts, rivers, lakes and more such geographical benefits that make Porbandar a beautiful city. Historically, the city adds another feather to its illustrious cap by being the birthplace of freedom fighter Mahatma Gandhi. With such intriguing stories that the city has to tell, it easily becomes one of the most visited places in Gujarat.

The flight connectivity to Porbandar from other major cities is also excellent. The coastal town connects with the rest of India through popular routes, making travel easy and convenient. Booking hotels in Porbandar are also useful as the city comes with exciting accommodations.

Best time to visit Chicago

Porbandar enjoys fair weather throughout the year. The temperature is mostly at a pleasant range between 23 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. Depending on the year and the humidity, the temperatures do see some changes, but mostly, it's sunny positive. The winters in Porbandar are quite enchanting as the cold breezy air adds quite a romantic charm to the place. The temperatures usually range from 10 degree Celsius to 36 degree Celsius. When you do plan for your Porbandar trip, try to choose this season. The pleasant weather will make sightseeing more comfortable. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar are also cheap and affordable, irrespective of the peak season. December and January are considered as best months to visit Porbandar.

The monsoon months in Porbandar are just as enjoyable as the winters. Between July to September, the monsoon drenches the city with a cool but humid atmosphere. While the humidity does increase during monsoon, the strong winds that pass through the city during the season help normalise the temperature to a pleasant level. You can book a hotel in Porbandar during this time and take in all the monsoon magic. You certainly wouldn't regret it.

Summers, though, could be a little hot. In comparison to the pleasant weather the city experiences throughout the year, the summer winds come with high temperatures that sometimes reach 40 degree Celsius. While it is not ideal for visiting Porbandar during summers, if you are already used to such temperatures and climate, you wouldn't have much trouble. Not to mention how the flight tickets to Porbandar during summers see a drop in prices.

Places to visit in Chicago

Porbandar does not have many tourist attractions as such. The place is a pilgrimage with many temples and shrines. During your trip, you can visit some of the temples, namely, Sri Hari temple, Krishna-Sudama temple, Kirti temple, to name a few. These temples have strong connections with the Hindu mythology tale Mahabharat. The city also has some relics from the Harappan civilisation which could add to a good historical venture.

One of the big highlights of Porbandar's tourism is the Huzoor Palace, built in the early 20th century by Rana Natwarsinhji, the last Maharaja of Porbandar. The structure has derived architectural inspiration from European styles and is quite beautiful. The vicinity also has fancy fountains and well-maintained gardens.

Things to do in Chicago

The city might have only pilgrimage as the most prominent tourist attraction, but you can tweak your itinerary and add some personal excursions of your own. Located a little away from the city are the Jambuvan Caves, known to be the resting place of the famous warrior Jambuvan, who has played an essential role in the mythological tales of Mahabharat. The caves are also known to have Ramayana relevance with Hanuman spending time in the caves. You can also visit the Porbandar Bird Sanctuary and indulge in some photography. The sanctuary has a scenic setting which adds to the charm and beauty of the place. The biggest attraction of the bird sanctuary is how it inhabits migratory birds such as jacanas, little cormorants, whistling teals, avocets, coots, grebes, pelicans, terns, to name a few.

Food and Restaurants in Chicago

Porbandar is famous for its Gujarati cuisine. The city, much like the rest of the state, is rich in vegetarian Gujarati delicacies. From lip-smacking dhokla with green chutney to divine khandwas, one can never get tired of these dishes. Porbandar also follows the Jain-style cuisine by eliminating potatoes, onions, etc. from their dishes. They substitute potatoes with bananas which manage to do the job perfectly well. In fact, Jain cuisine is just as tasty as a regular vegetarian cuisine. You should probably give Jain food a try when in Porbander.

Travellers with a taste for vegan and vegetarian food can head to Flavours. The restaurant is famous for its take on vegan-friendly dishes as well as a slew of global cuisine. You will definitely be happy and satiated with their take on international cuisine. The place is extremely healthy and something worth considering. If exquisite fine dine is in your itinerary then you should head to Blue Coriander and book a table. The place with its classy interiors has great food reviews. You can get some lovely Gujarati thalis here or even the sweet daal that they're fans of. The food is known to be fresh and tasty with a plethora of choices for vegetarians. You can also get a spicy vada pav at Goli Vada Pav. Mumbaikars know their vada pavs well, and they sure love Goli Vada Pav.

Finding a non-vegetarian restaurant in Porbandar might be challenging as the city primarily has a vegetarian population. However, there is one place where you can get some lovely Indian spin on dishes, including seafood. SaltWater, located on the Dwarka Porbandar highway, has the best seafood that you should certainly try. As for those who are tired of all the spices and want something savoury, you should check out Shiva Baker's Point and Midday Munchies.

How to reach Chicago(Transportation)

By Air

Porbandar Airport is located along the coast of the state of Gujarat. The airport is open for commercial use but also has a military presence. The city's airport is well-connected with some of the big cities in India such as Mumbai, Ahmedabad, Chennai, June, Jaipur and Bangalore, to name a few. Thanks to the consistent infrastructural development, the city has managed to find great connectivity with other cities in India. The flight connectivity to Porbandar is excellent as many flights from big cities have direct flights. SpiceJet and TruJet are the two airlines with dedicated flights flying to Porbandar. Even though it is a domestic airport, there are provisions of duty-free shops within the airport that one can avail goods from at a reasonable cost.

The airport also provisions a slew of restaurant chains and fast food shops to keep the passengers entertained. The most popular route to Porbandar is from Ahmedabad, Mumbai and Delhi as these three cities have regular flights flying in and out. The location of the airport is also convenient, enabling easy access to the city centre. You can hire a taxi cab from outside the airport, or if you have booked a hotel in Porbandar, they will probably send the airport shuttle, if you request it.

By Rail

Porbandar Railway Station is perfectly connected with major cities within Gujarat. There are dedicated daily trains to and from Porbandar to Rajkot, Ahmedabad, Somnath and more. The railway also connects well with other domestic routes from Porbandar to big cities like Mumbai, Delhi, Kolkata and Jaipur. Weekly trains to cities in the South such as Hyderabad and Kochi are also available. It is essential to know the train schedule before booking the tickets. Specific express trains are not reserved for Porbandar so you might end up spending a lot of your time in transit. The station is around 5 km from the city centre.

As frequent trains are entering and leaving the city regularly, transport via train is also considered to be a good and affordable option. Flight tickets to Porbandar could be expensive sometimes depending on the season in which you are booking your flights.

By Road

Major cities are connected to Porbandar through the domestic route of NH 8B. The national highway brings cities such as Ahmedabad and Rajkot closer to Porbandar. Public buses are also available to connect Porbandar to the rest of the cities in Gujarat. You can find them at the bus station where buses to Vadodara, Jamnagar, Surat and even Mumbai are available. Many travellers opt for roadways to reach Porbandar, especially if they are travelling from the coastal areas of Maharashtra. Tourists even drive down to Porbandar from Jaipur and other cities in Rajasthan as it is a good drive. From the bus station, rickshaws and buses are also available that can take you to the hotel you have booked in Porbandar. Taxi cabs are also present in the city, so transportation in the city is extremely convenient for travellers.

  About San Jose

San Jose is the capital of Silicon Valley, prominently recognised as the technology hub of the world, nestled perfectly in California. The city is surrounded by hills and Silicon Valley and is known to be a prominent and expensive city. Owing to the rich high-tech industry that it inhabits, the city's cultural, economic and political stance is quite high.

Best time to visit San Jose

San Jose is more of a dry city which has favourable winters as opposed to much of the cities in the US. You will notice that the city's best and most pleasant weather is in the months from December through April. The temperatures during the months of December to February are decently ranged between 16 degree Celsius to 25 degree Celsius. This is a good time to visit the city as the air is calm and perfect. However, you should ensure to carry a light jacket along with you to avoid the cold breeze. It can get pretty cold, and you wouldn't want to be in a position where you don't have the right clothes. You should know that San Jose also witnesses rain, in fact, heavy rainfall. The months from July through August are rather risky for you to travel to the city due to the excess rain. It might be a little inconvenient for you as excess rains in the city bring roadblocks and other such travel conundrums. It might not even be favourable for you to venture out to explore the city during the rains. Overall, it would be a sad trip if you opt for those months.

The dry winter season though is pleasant. With bare chances of snow and favourable cold weather, you will be able to soak in the city's beauty and its calm air. Summers might be perfect if you want to take in the sunlight and lit vibe of the city. However, the heat can get a little too much, since it is clubbed with humidity. The air is humid in San Jose most of the years. This makes their summers extremely hot. Spring surely makes the city pleasant and ideal for a tourist excursion. Plus, the city does not experience an excess crowd during the winter and spring months, adding to your benefit. You can make hotel reservations in San Jose without having to worry about the expensive hotel costs or anything. In fact, these seasons see fewer travellers which bring down the accommodation prices. You can actually make your hotel bookings in San Jose for a cheap and considerable cost. It would totally be worth the trip as you will get to save money and you might even be able to visit San Francisco, which is quite close to San Jose.

Places to visit in San Jose

San Jose is often crowded by business travellers who take a pit stop, especially to discuss business with potential clients. However, there are a few tourist attractions in the city that would captivate you. With proximity to Silicon Valley, there are only a handful of places to visit. Visit the Cathedral Basilica of St. Joseph and marvel at the beautiful architecture of the white structure. You can also check out the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum, which holds the largest collection of ancient Egyptian relics that can be found on the West Coast. The city also has a museum dedicated to technology and innovation as the home to Silicon Valley. The Tech Museum of Innovation would be quite an experience to undertake as the air is quite thriving. San Jose also has the Children's Discovery Museum, something to engage your minds if you're travelling with family. San Jose's very own theme park, California's Great America is a brilliant place to enjoy with water parks, adrenaline-charged rides and entertaining acts. The city also has the Winchester Mystery House, a tourist trap.

Things to do in San Jose

You can start by Santana Row, which is a lovely shopping spot with an array of shops to excite your shopaholic soul. The street also has fascinating eateries and food joints to elevate your experience. You can travel a little away from San Jose to make a day trip to Calypso Tortuga Island. You can make the most of it here by engaging in some cruise activities and beach fun. Further, you can check out the Arenal Volcano and take up zip lining as one of the activities to engage in. There is a Japanese Friendship Garden too that is calm and tranquil. It will be a good way to relax and step away from all the noise of the city.

Food and Restaurants in San Jose

San Jose faces tough competition with San Francisco when it comes to the dining experience. More like, San Francisco is acing the game. A majority of the crowd often head to San Francisco to explore the culinary delights of the city. However, that doesn't mean San Jose doesn't have a food scene. In fact, the city reflects the cuisines of its rich and diverse population. The crowd is majorly Hispanic and Asian, and much of the food culture is also inspired by the same. You can find some amazing food joints that glorify the food curated by many cuisines. San Jose witnesses a lovely melange of food culture, which you can find at the San Pedro Square Market. Located in downtown San Jose, the market has an abundance of local food vendors preparing snacks and dishes that can be purchased to go. Interestingly, you will find a vast diversity of food ranging from pizzas to coffee. There are over 20 vendors who are indulged in varied businesses which give a tourist enough options top peruse through before deciding which food to buy. It is the ideal place for you to visit if you're travelling with a group.

The city also has a slew of steakhouses. A majority of the crowd that visits San Jose are mostly from the business background. Hence, the crowd often expects steakhouses as the best place to dine and unwind. You will find many steakhouses in the city such as LB Steak, Morton's and The Grill on the Alley. The juicy meat and sides are a big hit among tourists who have raved about these places. However, if you want more than steak on your menu, you can visit Santana Row. It is a restaurant that caters to all kinds of moods that you might have in terms of trying out cuisines. They have Mexican, Asian, French and Italian. You can also check out Le Papillon, which is San Jose's famous French food establishment. It is also one of the best and is an upscale from the usual restaurants in the city. You might need to make reservations before visiting the restaurant.

How to reach San Jose (Transportation)

Flight connectivity to San Jose from India is quite poor. There are not many flights that directly fly to San Jose, even from the US. Most of the flights to San Jose are directed towards San Francisco as it is the closest international airport. There are extremely few options to fly to San Jose and only airlines such as Alaska Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Qatar Airways, American Airlines and United Airlines have provisions of flights to San Jose. In fact, flights to San Jose often require far too many connecting flights to reach from India. There are options from Kolkata, Mumbai and Delhi but they are very few. The most popular international route to San Jose is from San Francisco. Travellers often opt to fly to San Francisco from India as the availability of flights is high and the connectivity is also good. Dedicated airlines such as Cathay Pacific travel from India to San Francisco and from here, provisions of rentals, taxi cabs are available to reach San Jose. Flying to San Jose can be quite tedious as there are far too many layovers and connectivity errs to deal with.

Aside from San Francisco, there are connecting flights to San Jose from Los Angeles too, which many prefer. United Airlines has flights flying to San Jose from Los Angeles on a regular basis. The flight tickets to San Jose are quite steep. Owing to the bare minimum connectivity and many layovers, the flight tickets to San Jose automatically become expensive. Another reason why many opt to take a flight to San Francisco and drive down from there. Some even opt to fly to Oakland and drive down to San Jose. The airports surrounding San Jose have better flight connectivity. The living expenses in San Jose are quite decent and can be maintained. However, it is advised that you make prior hotel bookings in San Jose to avoid a surge in the prices of rooms. The city witnesses a lot of travellers and hence, accommodation can get a little expensive. As long as you're able to save up on the flight ticket cost to San Jose, you wouldn't have to worry about the accommodation. There are always some great online flight and accommodation deals running online that you can avail.