San Mateo

The largest city in its namesake San Mateo County, San Mateo is a vibrant community just south of San Francisco and in the heart of the San Francisco Peninsula. San Mateo’s vibrant downtown restaurant scene offers a bevy of gourmet selections, from international cuisine to home-grown American fare. With peaceful parks dispersed throughout, San Mateo attracts both the young and the young at heart. This top Bay Area city contains both grand estates on large lots and smaller, one-level homes for buyers getting into the real estate market along with downtown condos. The city even offers two distinct Eichler neighborhoods— San Mateo Highlands and 19th Avenue Park. Both public and private educational offerings are desirable in San Mateo— top schools include Aragon High, Baywood, and Nueva. Its rich parks and recreation options include the San Mateo Central Park, Japanese Garden and Laurelwood Park. A haven for commuters, San Mateo has three CalTrain stops, with easy access to highways 280, 101 and 92, making it easy to zip to Silicon Valley and San Francisco.