Peninsula (San Mateo County)

The San Francisco Peninsula reaches from its famous neighbor to the north to the high-tech region of Silicon Valley to the south, and spans from the San Francisco Bay to the Pacific Ocean. Within this geographical expanse, the Peninsula, which encompasses all of San Mateo County, offers a little bit of everything – from coastal towns and rural mountain communities, to vibrant downtowns and some of the country’s most affluent neighborhoods.

The Santa Cruz mountains run up the Peninsula and provide a large wilderness area that's great for hiking and mountain biking. You can enjoy extensive trails for horseback riding, as well as equestrian events in Woodside, take in the beautiful views while hiking the Portola Valley Loop, bike Skyline Boulevard to the city, or even go horseback riding on the beach in Half Moon Bay

Outdoor recreation isn’t all the Peninsula has to offer, with the downtowns of the communities that run up the bay all offering unique shopping, dining and entertainment options. Burlingame’s two downtown areas are lined with shops, gourmet wine stores, boutiques, and jewelers, while wonderful destination restaurants abound in downtown San Mateo.

High tech is not only for the Silicon Valley, with big names populating the view driving up 101, from veterans like Oracle, to relative newcomers like Evernote. And just in from 101, you will find some of the most affluent towns in the country, including Atherton, Menlo Park, and Hillsborough.