San Jose's Capitol Flea Market and Drive-In

If you are looking for something fun to do in San Jose, but don't want to spend a lot of money, then the Capitol Flea Market is perfect for you and the entire family. Its official name is West Wind Capitol Public Market, but we locals all call it the Capitol Flea Market. The hours of operation and entry costs are 75 cents on Thursdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., 25 cents on Fridays from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., $1.50 for Saturdays from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and $1.75 for Sundays from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Children are free.

This shopping experience is open year-round but the hours and days of operation are dependent upon the weather. The Capitol Flea Market is located at 3630 Hillcap Ave., near Capitol Expressway and Snell Avenue. Their phone number is (408) 225-5800. If you are interested in setting up your own section to sell your treasures, then contact Nancy Crane at (415) 448-8325.

The Capitol Flea Market is a great place to take the entire family and not spend a lot of money. I recently took my family and we spent the entire day there. We all found something we wanted or had been searching for for years. Online auctions are great, but nothing beats bargain shopping in person. I found an old Gameboy Color to add to my Nintendo collection, and my son found a stuffed cat and a new DS video game. The produce area has a wide variety of fresh locally grown fruits and vegetables for great prices. If you like Mariachi music, then you will love the band that plays on the stage near the entrance of the grounds. I loved it and danced around. I looked around and I wasn't the only one having a great time. Many others were dancing, singing along or showing off their 'new' treasures.

The Capitol Flea Market also has one of the last drive-in movie theaters in the area. They offer the most recent movies, and most are double features. To view the most recent listing of movies, click here , find "San Jose" under locations in California and click "Showtimes". Adults are $6.75 each, kids from ages 5-11 are only $1 and kids 4 and younger are free. The first movie starts at 8:30 p.m.

Unlike the old days of putting a speaker in your car window, the new system plays through your car speakers. According to the FAQ section on their website, westwinddriveins.com/tips, if you have a newer car and have the key in the 'accessory' position, there should be no problems with your battery while the movies play. If you have an older car, and your battery does die, they can jump start your vehicle for you. If you do not have an FM radio in your car, they recommend you bring an FM-equipped boom box or radio. No pets, alcohol, BBQ's or firearms are allowed. The movies are not dependent on the weather, so they run rain or shine.

Sources:
Personal Experience
WestWindDriveIns.com