On behalf of the Silicon Valley Transit Users, I wish everyone a Happy Memorial Day. Please use this weekend to remember our nation’s Armed Forces who protect us from harm every day.
To that end, here is your Caltrain and Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) transit guide to some of the many events in and around Santa Clara County this weekend.
San Jose Giants Baseball
This weekend, the San Jose Giants host the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes in California League baseball action. Games are on Saturday at 6pm (with fireworks after the game ends), Sunday at 1pm and Monday (Memorial Day) at 2pm.
Our transit guide to San Jose Municipal Stadium features VTA’s 73 bus line, linking downtown San Jose with the bus stop for the stadium behind the 3rd base line. In case the game runs late at night, fans can take a 10-minute walk west to Monterey Street for the 66 or 68 bus lines back to downtown San Jose.
San Jose SaberCats Arena Football
On Saturday at 7:30pm, the San Jose SaberCats look to keep their unbeaten record as they host the Cleveland Gladiators at SAP Center in downtown San Jose. (It’s also Military Appreciation Night at this game, with a “sports necklace” giveaway.) Our transit guide to the SAP Center features Caltrain as well as VTA bus and light rail service to help you beat traffic gridlock to and from the game.
Before you go to the game, take a few minutes to thank those from San Jose who died during the Vietnam War at the San Jose Vietnam War Memorial. The memorial is only a few steps from the SAP Center.
San Jose Earthquakes at Levi’s Stadium
On Sunday at 4pm, the San Jose Earthquakes host Orlando City at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara.
While VTA will have enhanced enhanced bus and light rail service to and from the match at Levi’s Stadium, not all services will be running. For instance, for the express buses from sites to and from Levi’s Stadium, only the 251 express bus line serving Fremont BART station will run. There will be NO other direct express bus service from sites like Eastridge Mall, Gilroy, Ohlone-Chynoweth, Almaden/Camden or Vallco in Cupertino for the match.
FanimeCon (San Jose)
This Memorial Day weekend at San Jose’s McEnery Convention Center features the annual FanimeCon convention. This fan-based celebration and gathering of fans of Japanese animation (anime) runs from May 22-25.
Want to beat traffic gridlock to/from FanimeCon? Use our VTA bus and light rail guide to the Convention Center. VTA’s 23 local and 323 limited stop bus lines, in addition to light rail, serve FanimeCon at the Convention Center light rail and bus stop in downtown San Jose.
4th Annual San Jose Taco Festival of Innovation
At History Park at 1650 Senter Road in San Jose, the 4th Annual San Jose Taco Festival of Innovation takes place. The event runs on Saturday from 1pm-8pm and Sunday from noon-6pm.
VTA’s 25 bus line (from East San Jose, West San Jose, and Cupertino) and 73 bus line (from downtown San Jose or South San Jose serve History Park for this event. See our transit guide to the area (a short walk from San Jose Municipal Stadium) for more information.
Events On Memorial Day Monday
All Silicon Valley transit services (VTA, Caltrain, BART, SamTrans in San Mateo County) will be running on a Sunday/holiday schedule on Monday. Please plan accordingly.
Amongst other events celebrating Memorial Day in and around San Jose:
- There’s a Memorial Day Pancake Breakfast and Patriotic Ceremony that will be held at 5700 Comanche Drive in southern San Jose. The breakfast and ceremony is a 10-15 minute walk from VTA’s Snell light rail station.
- A public ceremony at the Veterans’ Plot at Oak Hill Memorial Park in San Jose honors those who died serving our Armed Forces at 11am. Oak Hill Memorial Park is at 300 Curtner Avenue in San Jose. VTA’s 26 bus line stops in front the Memorial Park’s main entrance. The Memorial Park is also a 10-15 minute walk from VTA’s Curtner Light Rail station, and the bus stop for the 66 and 68 bus lines on Monterey Street.
- Visit the Cupertino Veterans’ Memorial inside Cupertino Memorial Park. The Park is located at Mary Avenue off Stevens Creek Boulevard in Cupertino. Several VTA bus lines serving De Anza College, across Stevens Creek Boulevard from the Park, can help you beat traffic gridlock to and from the park.
Let us make sure to remember that Memorial Day is not just for barbeques and beach going. It is primarily there to help remember members of our Armed Forces that make all of this possible. Happy Memorial Day!
Eugene Bradley
Founder, Silicon Valley Transit Users