I grew up in SJ. I don't think it will ever be a 'thing' if you're young and want things to do in a vibrant city, even if it does have Pedro square, Santana Row

I grew up in SJ. I don't think it will ever be a 'thing' if you're young and want things to do in a vibrant city, even if it does have Pedro square, Santana Row, close access to Santa Cruz and SF, etc. That being said, if you're looking for a quiet place to live with your family then it's a great city. IBM Research has a couple campuses in between SJ and Morgan Hill - probably interesting places to work.