THE 15 BEST Things to Do in San Mateo - 2024 (with Photos) - Tripadvisor
Things to Do in San Mateo

Things to Do in San Mateo, CA - San Mateo Attractions

Things to Do in San Mateo

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See what other travelers like to do, based on ratings and number of bookings.

Top Attractions in San Mateo

These rankings are informed by traveler reviews—we consider the quality, quantity, recency, consistency of reviews, and the number of page views over time.
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*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

What travelers are saying

  • SFTRVLR
    San Francisco, CA2,099 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Gorgeous trail alongside a reservoir. Favorite local place to run or walk. Lovely on both sunny and rainy days.
    Written December 12, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • SitesAndFood
    California87 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a good place to visit if you are in the area. There is fish in the pond and plenty of shade if you are there during the summer
    Written June 28, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • SFTRVLR
    San Francisco, CA2,099 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nice area on the bay with frequent races . The bayside course runs up to SFO airport and down along the bay.
    Written December 12, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • SFTRVLR
    San Francisco, CA2,099 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    We enjoyed coming here when the kids were little. Very limited exhibits but managably sized for 2-3 hours with small kids.
    Written December 12, 2021
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Lifetraveler1
    Atlanta, GA1,353 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Great place to kill a few hours before a flight.

    Had a flight leaving in about 8 hours from San francisco, and decided to try a few places I had not been before. Seal point Park showed up on my list when I did an inquiry of parks near the airport.
    Here's what I found.
    1. The park is in San Mateo about 10 minutes from the airport.
    2. It consists of a mound of straw covered dirt about three stories tall. Could not tell whether it was a repurposed landfill.
    3. At the top of the hill there are 10 parking spaces, one of them dedicated to disabled car owners.
    4. There is a much larger parking lot at the bottom of the hill.
    5. There is a concrete walking trail at the base surrounding the hill.
    6. There are gravel walking past at the top of the hill.
    7. It has an excellent view of the Bay between the airport and the bridge that crosses between San Mateo and Oakland.
    8. In watching aircraft land, it provides an excellent view, for those who are into plane spotting, such as myself. A 300-600 lens is needed.
    9. There is a dedicated dog park for large dogs as well as small dogs. All those some people insisted on taking those dogs on the walking trails at top, so you have to watch where you're walking.
    10. There is no fee for entering the park and it opens around 8:00 a.m.
    11. I saw several places to sit at the top of the hill, but I did not see any tables.
    12. They have a couple of wind related pieces of metal art.
    13. There were walkers as well as bikers, in the park when I was there.
    So check it out if you want to kill some time while waiting for a flight.

    Written July 10, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Princess
    Washington DC, DC215 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Wow, beautiful mall. Quite the upscale feeling.
    Large and spacious enough not to feel too crowded.
    There's even a few spots just for selfies/photos.
    Written July 13, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • mini
    Fremont, CA199,283 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    We went to Central Park and enjoyed seeing the Japanese Gardens. There are also sports field. There are trails for walking and biking
    Written December 12, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • mini
    Fremont, CA199,283 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    We like the Peninsula area of San Francisco Bay, There are nice places to go such as parks, museums, sports facilities, Stanford University and San Jose State is there. This is also where many high technology firms are located.
    Written September 24, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • IMollyQ
    San Francisco, California, USA59 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Beautiful place for a hike. Nice clean area with beautiful views. Generally very safe, but always take precautions wherever you go. It is especially wonderful on warm summer days.
    Written March 11, 2018
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • LH L
    San Mateo, CA142 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    If one hikes to the top of Sugarloaf from this park, the views are spectacular. However the trails are NOT clearly marked, making it easy to get confused or lost. Even locals who go there regularly were not sure about some trails. Climb to the top whether by stairs or wooded trails is steep for some of us. There is also a lot of poison oak on some of the trails. The park also features a wonderful grassy area, new playground equipment for the kids and picnic area. There is a small parking lot and street parking. All FREE!
    Written July 21, 2016
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • caretaker690
    Santa Rosa, CA15 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    This is a FREE site to visit and take a break from driving! Rest stop on Hwy 280 corridore. Looks larger than from the road, and worth a stop to see.
    Written April 2, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
  • Happy vegan travel
    San Francisco, CA78 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The market has relocated to the back of the campus which is a bit more tedious to get to, but it is now larger and has the most beautiful panoramic view of the bay you can get than any other markets.
    They open on Saturdays, and go early to select your best produce or before the lines for the bread gets too long.
    Written July 2, 2019
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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