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Best of the South County

Braiding Bunch: Garlic World in Gilroy takes the South County's No. 1 cash crop to new lengths. SOUTHERN SANTA CLARA COUNTY has always felt further removed from downtown San Jose than the 20 or so miles in actual distance. Along the drive south down 101, high rises and 12-lane highways give way to barns and roadside fruit stands. The northernmost town, Morgan Hill, is only a 20-minute drive from San Jose's urban hub, but it is filled with beautiful natural parks and reservoirs, many only a few miles off the highway. The quaint and quiet downtown areas of Morgan Hill, Gilroy and San Martin invite shopping, especially for antiques, and the hilly, winery-strewn drive along Hecker Pass Road rewards lovers of wine and scenery alike. And then, of course, there's the stinking rose, which grows in such abundance in these parts. Gilroy Morgan Hill San Martin [ Metro | Metroactive Central | Archives ]