San Mateo

===By plane===
San Mateo is near San Francisco International Airport (SFO). The Bay Area's other airports, Oakland (OAK) and San Jose (SJC), are less convenient.

By rail

The CalTrain calls at three stations in San Mateo: San Mateo (downtown), Hayward Park, and Hillsdale. The BART station Millbrae is also in the region.

By car

US-101 and I-280 run through the city. It is also connected to the East Bay via the San Mateo-Hayward Bay Bridge.

The most convenient way is by car. If you're using public transit, check out the trip planner on http://www.511.org.
Cycling and walking are also popular ways of getting around. There are two downtown shopping areas: the primary downtown is between 2nd and 5th streets, bordered by El Camino Real and the train tracks. The big, new San Mateo Public Library is also downtown. The "other" downtown is south about 15 blocks, at 25th ave on the West side of El Camino Real. Continuing south on El Camino Real is the Hillsdale Mall.

Central Park is off of El Camino Real between 5th Ave and 9th Ave. Inside the park is a beautiful Japanese Tea Garden. There is also a miniature railway for children that runs daily in summer and at weekends all year. During the winter, there is an outside ice rink that is open to the public daily (including holidays).
North of the park, downtown San Mateo runs along 3rd Avenue and 4th Avenue (spilling somewhat onto 2nd Avenue) between El Camino Real and the Caltrain train tracks; it's one of the more successful urban downtowns left on the Peninsula. The streets with the most restaurants and other establishments are B Street, 3rd Avenue, 4th Avenue and 2nd Avenue.
San Mateo used to be home to Bay Meadows, the only horse racing track on the San Francisco Peninsula. It's being redeveloped. The grounds are also home to the San Mateo County Events Center, where the annual county fair is held and various other events (including the recent Bay Area stops of Maker Faire. Take the Delaware Street exit off of Highway 92 and head south; the Event Center parking lot is directly off Delaware. What part of Bay Meadows remains visible are best viewed on foot from this area.
For fans of the local mid-century modern architecture, San Mateo is home to two Eichler neighborhoods - 19th Avenue park is a very early tract group of Eichlers, and The Highlands is a later neighborhood of custom Eichlers.
Coyote Point is a park in the north-east corner of San Mateo off of Highway 101 at Peninsula Avenue. A small boat harbor is there as well as a natural history museum. There is also a public shooting range, open weekday evenings.
Poplar Creek Golf Course, a municipal course, is there as well. A hiking trail allows easy access to San Francisco Bay.
Crystal Springs Reservoir is in the watershed area off of Highway 280 on the western edge of San Mateo. Crystal Springs dam is just south of Crystal Springs off of Skyline Boulevard.

Along with shopping and dining, there is a medium-size movie theater (12 screens, none of them huge) just off B-street between 3rd and 2nd Avenues.

• M is for Mystery

  phone: +1 650 401-8077
  address: 86 East Third Ave
  An excellent mystery bookstore, with knowledgeable staff. Holds many readings.

• Hillsdale MallA large enclosed mall with mid- to high-end shops. Features Macy's, Nordstrom, Sears.

• The area of downtown San Mateo around the intersection of 3rd Avenue and B street has a large number of local shops. There are also smaller shopping streets around 25th Avenue and 41st avenue, in both cases just west of El Camino Real.

Asian

• Thai Satay

  phone: +1 650 342-3617
  address: 173 E 4th Ave
  Decently priced, with an extensive menu, this Thai restaurant serves authentic dishes that could fulfill any kind of mood you're in. They also allow you to choose your level of spiciness!

• Yumi Yogurt

  phone: +1 650 341-0939
  address: 3955 S El Camino Real
  Amazing flavors of soft serve frozen yogurt and a huge topping bar. Also serve hand scooped ice cream.

• Little Shanghai

  phone: +1 650 573-7161
  address: 17 E. 25th Ave
  Cheap, authentic Shanghainese place. Always seems to be filled with local Chinese families getting their fill.
• San Mateo has a large Japanese community, and has a number of Japanese restaurants. A few that stand out are:

• Santa Ramen

  address: 1944 S El Camino Real

• Ramen Dojo

  address: 805 South B St
  A restaurant by the same owner as Santa Ramen, and these days more popular than the original one. Much smaller than Santa Ramen and harder to get into (people start lining up half an hour before opening time), no reservations taken.

• Ramen Parlor

  address: 901 South B St
  Another restaurant by the same owner as Santa Ramen and Ramen Dojo. A block away from Ramen Dojo, and easier to get into.

• Himawari

  address: 202 2nd Ave
  Another popular ramen shop in San Mateo.

• Sushi Sam's

  address: 218 East 3rd Ave
  Probably the most highly regarded sushi restaurant in San Mateo. The other candidate is Yuzu (54 37th Avenue).

• Hotaru

  phone: +1 650 343-1152
  address: 33 E 3rd Ave
  Authentic Japanese with an excellent all-around menu including sushi and cooked favorites. Very busy for weekday lunches, quieter at other times. Good value for lunch; prices go up on the dinner menu.

• Shabuway

  phone: +1 650 548-2483
  address: 145 E 3rd Ave
  One of only a few shabu-shabu restaurants on the Peninsula.

• Kaz Teriyaki Grill

  address: 71 East 4th Ave
  Very popular corner takeout Japanese food restaurant in Downtown, fairly authentic.
• Gongcha, 110 S B St. Popular milk tea place for young people near the San Mateo Caltrain station.

Mexican

• Taquería Pancho Villa

  phone: +1 650 343-4123
  address: 365 South B St
  The line out the door should give a clue to the quality inside. Well-roasted meats, tacos and real Mexican food made to order, and inexpensive. Their horchata is good, but their smoothies are better (and made with fresh fruit.)

• La Cumbre Taquería

  phone: +1 650 344-8989
  address: 28 N B St
  Pancho Villa's main competition. Excellent, huge burritos.
• There are two branches of the Bay Area-wide Celia's family of restaurants, one up in the hills (3190 Campus Dr. +1 650-349-0165) and one north of downtown on the border with Burlingame. Both serve excellent home-style California-Mexican food in a comfortable, sit-down atmosphere. Great for families.

American

• Fletch's Hot Dogs

  phone: +1 650-685-8301
  address: 385 2nd Ave
  Serves incredible house-made Chicago-style hot dogs, Italian beef, sliders and fries. Wonderful food, wonderfully quick and inexpensive. Very limited seating.

• Heidi's Pies

  phone: +1 650-574-0505
  address: 1941 S. El Camino Real
  A local diner; solid rather than distinguished food in general. but they're open 24/7/365 and they are by far the best all-night diner on this part of the peninsula.

• Jeffrey's Hamburgers

  phone: +1 650-348-8698
  address: 42 South B St
  Regarded by some as the best hamburger places in town, although fans of Jack's Prime(3723 S. El Camino) would disagree; you can't go wrong with either.

Pizza

• While there are a lot of pizza places in downtown, none of them are very good. Most of the local Bay Area chains (Amicis, Mr. Pizza Man, Pizza My Heart) are represented, but for a good New York-style slice you are going to need to drive a few miles south to Speederia (711 Laurel Street in San Carlos). For decent Chicago-style thick crust you will have to go further (Little Star in San Francisco; Patxhi's in San Francisco or Palo Alto; Zachary's in Oakland/Berkeley/San Ramon).
• If you're willing to go outside of downtown, Rainbow Pizza up in the hills (112 De Anza Boulevard #112, (650) 571-1848 ) serves a delicious California-Greek take on pizza as well as delicious Greek food.

Other

• Espetus Churrascaria

  phone: +1 650-342-8700
  address: 710 South B St
  A great choice if you're looking to indulge your carnivorous side.

Many of the restaurants in downtown have full bars - good for a pre- or post-movie drink, but many close relatively early and there is no urban nightlife scene to speak of. There are a few local bars (The Swinging Door on 25th, another on Pacific a few blocks south of Hillsdale) and a small nightclub at the Crowne Plaza Hotel in neighboring Foster City.

• Best Western San Mateo

  phone: +1 650 341-3300
  address: 2940 S Norfolk St

• Holiday Inn

  phone: +1 650 344-3219
  address: 330 Bayshore Blvd

• Residence Inn San Francisco Airport/San Mateo

  phone: +1 650 574-4700
  address: 2000 Winward Way

• San Mateo Marriott San Francisco Airport

  phone: +1 650 653-6000
  address: 1770 South Amphlett Blvd
  Near two major freeways, it's a good option for those in transit. Nice lobby for hanging out and a convenience store just 1 block away. Pool and exercise room. Abundant parking, but you have to pay for it (and it's controlled with gates)

• Courtyard San Mateo Foster City

  phone: +1 650 377-0600
  address: 550 Shell Boulevard, Foster City
  The renovated Courtyard San Mateo Foster City hotel gives you access to the entire Bay Area.

• Stone Villa Inn San Mateo

  phone: +1 650 458-6556
  address: 2175 South El Camino Real
  Just south of San Francisco, the renovated Stone Villa inn of San Mateo is within walking distance to the San Mateo Event Center,College of San Mateo, Oracle, AT&T Communications, Electronic Arts, Visa USA, Visa International and the San Francisco Airport.

• Public transport is best for traveling to San Francisco; Caltrain has three stops in San Mateo, although BART (a short drive north at the Millbrae station/terminal) is quicker and will take you to a part of downtown SF more interesting to most tourists.
• Drive east to the East Bay via the San Mateo-Hayward Bay Bridge or further south down US-101 to Silicon Valley.
• Some points of interest on the lower Peninsula and in Silicon Valley are reachable by Caltrain as well; notably the downtowns of Palo Alto, Mountain View, and San Jose.