San Mateo

This coastal city lies along the western edge of San Francisco Bay, spreading across flat lowlands and gentle hills that rise toward the east. Residential streets lined with single-family homes alternate with low commercial buildings, shopping centers, and patches of green open space connected by wide avenues and local roads.

Spanish missionaries founded a small hospice here in the late 18th century, which later gave way to ranches and private estates during Mexican rule. The arrival of the railroad in the mid-19th century spurred rapid growth, and the settlement incorporated as a self-governing city in 1894.

Downtown streets fill with office workers at lunchtime, while neighborhood cafes and bakeries serve as daily gathering spots for locals who speak dozens of languages. On weekends, parks host family picnics and informal soccer games that reflect the mixed heritage of residents from across the Pacific and Latin America.

Several train stations and bus routes link the area with neighboring towns, making it easy to move around without driving. For walks and exploration, the downtown core and waterfront parks offer sidewalks and bike lanes, though some hillside neighborhoods require uphill effort.

A small Japanese teahouse built in 1894 remains tucked inside a public garden, making it one of the oldest surviving examples of its kind on the West Coast. Visitors can still see the original wooden structure and stone lanterns that have weathered more than a century.