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12 San Mateo Must-See Must-Do’s in 2016

With an easy commute by foot power or Caltrain—at Bay Meadows, you’re going to find a lot more play time on your hands. And here, you’ll find plenty of ways to spend it. Here are a few local gems to add to your 2016 bucket list, in no particular order.

  1. Forget Japantown, Head to San Mateo. Enjoy serenity and a stroll, Koi to Bonsai and Sushi to Green Tea, plus an amazing Japanese Market! Included in the list and steps away from downtown San Mateo, tucked away in a landmark location of Central Park, you’ll discover an authentic Japanese Tea Garden.
  1. There are so many ways to enjoy San Mateo on two wheels. Whether you are enjoying Bicycle Sunday, Crystal Springs or Seal Point – Bay Meadows and other surrounding areas offer many different paths to ride and sights to see. You can also explore Meetup bicycle groups in the area for fellow enthusiasts. Here is a bike map that you can download and plan your day with great places to pedal.
  1. Discover a few of the very special local, small businesses that dot the downtown: Shop San Mateo. The list includes KitchenTown, a commercial production facility for food start-ups on a sunny corner of San Mateo. The Café is open 9am to 4pm Tuesday-Sunday, where you can enjoy a cup of Scarlet City coffee, and nosh on pastries and scones. Dig into fresh salads and farmer’s market inspired fare for lunch, plus take some food from makers and local artisans home for later. Shop for cozy kitchenware and more!
  1. Grab a friend or two and meet up for brunch! San Mateo is THE best small town for food…Here’s how we brunch and some of our top menu picks: San Mateo Brunch Date.
  1. Coyote Point Recreation Area is a regional recreation area that provides a wide variety of opportunities: picnicking, swimming, windsurfing, bicycling, jogging, fishing, boating, and sailing. Kids will love the giant, castle-and-dragon-themed Magic Mountain Playground. Spectacular natural history exhibits of the Bay Area can be found at CuriOdyssey, where you can observe and listen to live animals at the Wildlife Habitats.
  1. Save the Date! Maker Faire Bay Area 2016 is scheduled for May 21-22. Maker Faire is the Greatest Show (and Tell) on Earth—a family-friendly festival of invention, creativity and resourcefulness, and a celebration of the Maker movement. Another must-attend event is the community favorite Downtown San Mateo Wine Walk. Downtown merchants open their shops as Tasting Rooms where you can sip and savor wines from California and beyond. Merchants also partner with local restaurants or provide light bites to nibble while you taste. Keep your eyes open for the 2016 date.
  1. Celebrate San Mateo’s art scene on the First Friday of each month for art, music, drinks, and fun at San Mateo’s monthly Art Night. First Friday is San Mateo’s monthly art night for creative connoisseurs. Event locations and times may rotate. Be sure to join us at Philz to cast your vote in the Annual San Mateo Photo Pop-Up…YOU determine the $500 WINNER! (Finalists, that means you’ll want to get out your friends and family to join you this February’s First Friday – Feb 5th 6-8:30pm. RSVP and learn more here.
  1. Noodle your way through San Mateo, the San Francisco Bay Area’s premiere place for Ramen aficionados. The smaller noodle shops are some of San Mateo’s best kept secrets, check each of your list one week or one month at a time: Ramen Crawl.
  1. Momdays and Dads too at Bay Meadows. Everyone knows it takes a village to raise great kids. Bay Meadows welcomes San Mateo parents to our village for some family-friendly shenanigans every Monday 3-5pm. Join the Bay Meadows community at Paddock Park for everything under the sun – live music, puppet shows, crafts – the events change monthly. Every Monday from 3-5pm, make your escape to the great outdoors with other parents of kids from all around the city. If you are a parent to a furry four-legged creature, join us in Landing Green Park on Thursday evenings as Twilight Tails makes a return in 2016.
  1. Bay Meadows is located on Caltrain, a hub of public transportation on the peninsula which makes travel and commutes that much easier. Whether you’re planning a trip to San Jose to enjoy a cultural event or museum, a ballgame with friends or night on the town in San Francisco – Caltrain makes it a breeze. Simply take a walk over to the Hillsdale Station and begin your adventure. You’ll find lots of benches (some with shade), in this great location across the street from the mall. Catching a life after a bike ride? Here are a few tips on bringing your bike with you.
  1. Head downtown to the Bay Area’s largest outdoor ice skating rink in Central Park, San Mateo. The outdoor ice rink features 9,000 square feet of REAL ice. Skaters will be able to skate in the sunshine during the day, and under the stars at night. San Mateo on Ice will open to the public on Saturday, November 14th, and will be open daily (including holidays) through Sunday, January 10th, 2016.
  1. DIG IT! Get your hands dirty at the Bay Meadows monthly garden series at Persimmon Park. The monthly Edible Gardening classes hosted by Homestead Design Collective offer tips and tricks to help us grow together as a community. Whether you have a bed here at the Persimmon Park Community Garden, or a home container garden, we welcome the San Mateo community to join us. This is a series of fun, educational events where you will gain insight on a whole host of edible garden topics as we progress through the year toward a bountiful harvest.

Conveniently located between San Francisco and Palo Alto in San Mateo, Bay Meadows offers new homes for sale and for rent within walking distance of Caltrain. Ease of transportation is only one of the many amazing aspects of Bay Meadows. Beautiful, new, clean homes sit among 18-acres of parks, a community garden, and within walking distance of Whole Foods, Chipotle, Crunch Fitness and more. Learn more about our ‘hood by following our Facebook page.