Such a unique experience. I've lived in Pacifica for years and always wondered the history of this…read morecastle and what was inside. Now I know! Definitely worth a visit for anyone who likes unique history, movie buffs, and grand decor. Plus, delicious lemonade.

Who knew there was a castle in Pacifica? A nice visit if you're into history, architecture and want…read moreto see some views. Built in 1908 by the San Francisco rail magnate Henry Harrison McCloskey by the sea as a safe haven after his San Francisco home was severely damaged in the 1906 earthquake. It was later sold by his wife after her husband's death in 1914 Up until 1959, it had a reputation as a speakeasy, an illegal abortion clinic, a brothel and Coast Guard barracks during World War II. The castle was purchased and restored in 1959 by the late Sam Mazza, commercial painter and real estate magnate filled it with items from old theaters (fixtures, props) and items he purchased at garage sales...so a lot of kitschy items can be found. Place was never used as a residence but hosting parties and used as an event space. The place isn't as grand as I had imagined but definitely back in the day when Pacifica wasn't quite developed. A bit worn on the outside with no greenery and can see it providing a creepy backdrop at night. The docents (dressed as Mr and Mrs McCloskey) and Jeanette Cool, Executive Director of the Sam Mazza Foundation provided rich history that made it interesting and fun. The tour is 1.5 hours with a 10min video from 2000 of Sam Mazza at age 94...energetic and a bit quirky, eccentric with unique taste. All his real estate holdings, including the castle, and his art was left to his foundation after he passed in 2002. So now the castle provides tours, afternoon tea, holiday events and even a Halloween event with a medium...yeah friend bought tickets for that! An enjoyable visit with light refreshments after so grab a bite to eat before or after your tour

Saw this place one day out of the corner of my eye while lost on Kings Mountain Road when I saw the…read moresign... returned another day only to find it closed. Went today (open Saturday Noon till 4pm). Interesting place, a flashback to simpler but rougher times in the "old West". A little slow if you go on a day without the pre-mentioned & reviewed activities and/or events, but still nice to see how it was to live through memorabilia of that long-gone era. At one point I commented out loud that an item hanging from the ceiling looked to be a bedpan, and the attendant sitting bored behind the counter corrected me saying it was a popcorn popper, and the bedpan was 3-1/2 feet to the left, over the door. Interesting but boring unless you use your imagination. PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: Lots of bygone era items to photograph but very dark. If you're into history this is nice to visit, but bring an external flash so you don't kill your camera battery using your built-in flash extensively. The exterior of these old structures is very photographically excellent... hint, hint. http://www.historysmc.org/woodside.html NO parking anywhere except for the unpaved dirt parking lot - if the parking lot is closed, then the "store" is also. Hours Tuesday/Thursday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday/Sunday 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Admission Free (donations accepted within)

So during our little trip to Woodside, we decided to continue driving and drove past this huge old…read morewooden building, this place looked all old and such. Anyways, we decided to see what this place was and it turned out to be a museum of some sort. Simply put, back in the day this was the only rest stop between SF and SJ and most of the time people would stop here and take a break or so and then continue on their journey. Its a General Store/Post office/Dentists office/Shingle Making place. The owner of this place? Dr. Tripp. Him and this other guy who i forget the name of came from the East Coast and decided to go into the shingle business. And since they were surrounded by all these redwoods it was a pretty good idea. Anyways they opend up this general store for people passing by and etc. Dr. Tripp was also a dentist so he would also do dental check-ups for people too. Overall this place isnt very big, its got a lot of old stuff to look it. You can see some old food cans and wine bottles. Some real old piggy banks that do pretty neat coin tricks. Old shoes and stoves and a toaster which looks like a cheese grater. In the other rooms they have a bunch of huge saws and other gizmos and gadgets. There is also the old dentist chair and notary area/post office in the smaller room. So if your in the area take a quick look, our tour guide was Bill, or Bob dang I forgot but yea he or someone else will give you a tour and explain the story behind the place. And there is no fee and if you feel like donating money there is a barrel with the tag donation labeled on it. Also on every first sunday of May they have this little get together where they take you on a wagon ride and have little activites like making rope and ice cream etc, a pie eating contest, shingle making etc.. So bring some kids along, it might be a lot of fun. I mean seriously, when was the last time you actually went on a wagon ride?

Very cool, and very odd at the same time. Over the years while working nearby, I've come to…read moreappreciate the "wind harp" sculpture. A 92 foot structure of metal, it's actually very cool. When windy, this "thing" really howls with a tone like no other. If in a nearby building, you can actually hear it while inside at a meeting. At the same time, you get used to it. Recommendation: Pick a windy day to visit There's rumors about it (I suggest to try it): ================================= * If you throw a metal object, it will redirect and cling like a magnet to the sculpture * Try to throw a ball thru the sculpture, and it will bounce/reflect away and not penetrate. A Poem: ======== In South San Francisco's gentle breeze, A wind harp sculpture sways with ease, Its graceful form, a work of art, Sings a song from the depths of heart. A melody woven from the wind's embrace, Whispers secrets in an airy space, Strings of metal, resonating free, Echoing the city's symphony. Tall and slender, it reaches high, Against the clear, blue, open sky, Capturing the essence of the coast, In its harmonious, airy host. As the Pacific's breath does flow, Through this sculpted harp, music grows, A serenade for those who pass, A moment of peace, a breath, a class. So, in South San Francisco's grace, This wind harp sculpture finds its place, A reminder of nature's artful dance, In the city's embrace, a sweet romance.

We came on a cool and quiet day, there was a bit of wind, but not much. We also didn't go…read moreunderneath the structure, just around it, along the concrete pathways circling the grassy area where the towering piece of art is situated. We sat on a bench looking out into the distance. The area's not high enough to really offer spectacular views of any kind (the more desirable scenery is blocked by ordinary looking buildings). But the atmosphere at this site was peaceful. And the sculpture, stretching toward the sky, resembled a harp in its unique way, even if it didn't sound like one. We parked at a lot for TMB Baking since it was most convenient.

Beautiful Mission. We drove through the San Louis Obispo area and hit up a lot of those missions so…read morewe decided we should see our local mission. If you're following google maps, make sure you put in the actual Mission and not just Mission Dolores because it will take you to the high school or park. We followed the gps and ended up at the beautiful high school. We also walked along the park. The park is large and lush and attracted lots of people on this beautiful Sunday afternoon. Parking for the mission is challenging. There is lots of street parking, but everyone is parked and we didn't see anyone leaving. We did find Sunday Church Parking. I believe it said tow away zone except between 8:30 and 4:30 on a Sunday. It was a smidge after 4:30 and a space opened up and we took it. Thankfully we didn't get a ticket, but I did see 2 meter maids coming though when we left. The mission is beautiful. I wish we had come earlier so we could have taken a tour.

This is a well preserved California Mission, one of the 21 along the El Camino Real. Today it…read morestands as a reminder of a time in California history when Spain ruled the area. This mission held its first mass just one week before the signing of the Declaration of Independence. Today all that remains is the chapel, a couple of small rooms attached and a portion of the cemetery. The majority of the complex is long gone, buried beneath the city that built up around it. The chapel has been restored and could be used today. The alters, wooden pews and decor resemble what this church may have looked like in its prime over 200 years ago. Today it sits in the shadows of the Basillica. Admission is $10 for adults, $5 for kids and seniors. The site can be easily toured in under an hour. However, to get the full story one may want to spend some more time.

A magic sparkling gem of a museum hidden among the hills of California. Embedded in a row of houses…read moreon a mountain top, the Randall Museum offers science and art education for kids and adults alike. They have camps, weekend classes, outdoor activities like bird walks, even live animals. They also have a little café that opens daily at 9:30 AM. An amazing place to spend a day. NOT open Mondays.

Free museum; can't complain!…read more Fun for the whole family! Kids can see animals, miniature train motorized, learn about the ocean and redwoods, and more. Cafeteria is not bad, the coffee is strong which I like. Sweeping views of San Francisco downtown too!

Visiting the House is like stepping back in history. The Plymire Schwarz House is a must for…read morelifelong South City residents, new residents and visitors alike. Beautifully decorated, with knowledgeable docents, it's a great way to learn about the history of South San Francisco.

Thanks to my cousin's husband who shared the info regarding Bootleggers Steps, I would not have…read morechecked it out. We hiked up to Mori Point & yay, We found Bootleggers Steps. Bootleggers Steps in Pacifica, CA. is a 200-foot climb with 185 steps that offer breathtaking views of the Pacific Coastline . If you find get to Mori Point, you will find Bootleggers Steps. Hmm, I wonder why this place got its name and found out Bootleggers Steps got their name from the park's history as a site for bootlegging during Prohibition. Details: Distance: 0.11 miles, 200 foot climb Views: 360-degree panorama of Pacific coastline History: Former site of bootlegging and World War II structures Heading up to Mori Point/Bootlegger was a quick 9 minutes, ( per hubby's GPS) but longer for us because I stopped along the way to take photos. The path was safe leading to the spot, just rocky at some areas, but OMG, Wow, the view was breathtaking so worth it giving up other SF plans for this. I had fun going down the steps and back up, easy peasy, My Life's grateful moments was experienced here!!

Outdoor stairmaster. This is my happy place. I thought sunset was the obvious best time to come but…read moreone day I did a full moonlit hike and was converted. One the edge of a cliff someone was playing the violin it was a very special moment that almost felt like a simulation. Everytime I come here I see something new and fascinating, I suppose that is the art of noticing.

Too bad this wasn't open when we were wandering around the area…read more For those who don't know what this little structure is, it's essentially a camera you can walk into. There's a rotating mirror and a lens to project a 360-degree panoramic view onto a table inside the building. What's the point of doing that when you can just see it yourself in real time with your own two eyeballs? Good question. Answer - because it's cool. THE PARKING. Parking is available adjacent to the former Cliff House. It's free, but there's a warning sign not to keep valuables in your car due to frequent break-ins.

This giant camera establishment is closed for maintenance according to the hand written sign posted…read moreon the door. There's no specific dates when the closure started, and no clue how long it would take to reopen. I found it's a disappointing experience.