The major city located approximately 30 miles north of Hollister, California, is San Jose.
San Jose is the largest city in the South Bay and the seat of Santa Clara County. Hollister lies southeast of San Jose in San Benito County, with the two communities connected through Gilroy and California State Route 25. Depending on the measurement point and route, the distance may be described as roughly 30 to 50 miles, so the quiz’s “approximately” wording is important.
San Jose is best known as the largest city in Silicon Valley, a major technology and business center anchored by companies, universities, and research institutions. Hollister is more agricultural and serves as a smaller regional center, making San Jose the obvious nearby major-city reference.
Travelers sometimes confuse San Jose with San Francisco because both are prominent Bay Area cities. San Francisco is much farther north and west. Gilroy is closer to Hollister, but it is a smaller city rather than the major-city answer intended here.