Peninsula Moves!

By Will Reisman, @WillReisman

Pacifica’s Famous Castle Opens up to the Public: This weekend will offer up the rare opportunity to check out Sam’s Castle, a famous landmark on the cliffs of Pacifica. In 1908, Henry Harrison McCloskey built the reinforced castle as a way to protect himself from his fears of earthquakes, mudslides and other natural disasters. Over the years, the castle—which some claim to be haunted—has been the home to many different organizations and companies, but now it’s a protected site that’s open to visitors, but only four times a year. On Saturday and Sunday, the Pacifica Historical Society will offer a series of guided tours of the 108-year-old edifice. A shuttle will carry passengers to the castle from Oceana High School, which is directly accessible by SamTrans’ Route 110.

Muni to Roll Out Bigger Buses on Popular Line: On August 15, Muni will introduce new 60-foot articulated electric buses on the agency’s 5R-Fulton Rapid line, a popular route that carries passengers from the Outer Richmond neighborhood to the Financial District. Some 22,000 passengers travel on the 5-Fulton line every day, and adding capacity to the route is one of the key components of the Muni’s comprehensive service improvement plan. With the bigger buses, Muni will be able to provide passengers with 50 percent more capacity on each trip, a crucial upgrade for an increasingly-congested route.

Go Scavenger Hunting in San Jose: San Jose is the largest city in the Bay Area, but it’s often overlooked by its sister cities up north, San Francisco and Oakland. There is plenty to love about the South Bay hub, which is why SPUR—a local think tank—will lead a scavenger hunt in the city on Sunday morning. The purpose of the event is to discover the various attractions, cultural centers and special sites that make San Jose a unique city. The hunt will begin at 10 a.m. sharply at 76 South First Street in San Jose. Participants coming from the Peninsula can take Caltrain to the San Jose Diridon Station and transfer to Valley Transportation Authority’s Route 181 bus for a direct trip to the site.