Peninsula Communities and Housing
Millbrae
Near the San Francisco Airport, Millbrae has a busy commercial strip along El Camino Real, with well-kept apartments and homes surrounding the quiet downtown shopping district along Broadway. The western side borders Crystal Springs Reservoir, which offers numerous hiking trails.
Burlingame
Burlingame is a charming town with two Caltrain stations and two commercial centers — Broadway, the smaller, traditional shopping district and Burlingame Avenue, a more upscale shopping area with a number of boutiques and restaurants. Housing options here include apartments and single-family homes on tree-lined streets near the shopping district or luxury hillside residences.
San Mateo
A mid-peninsula city, San Mateo offers a wide variety of housing and shopping opportunities. The bustling downtown runs along 3rd and 4th Avenues, between El Camino and the Caltrain Station, with Central Park nearby. Hillsdale Mall is the regional shopping center with large department stores and smaller specialty shops. Gracious homes in San Mateo Park, residences with views in the hills, apartments close to downtown and the waterfront, and apartments on Mariner's Island cover the gamut of housing opportunities in this city.
Hillsborough
One of the most prestigious communities on the Peninsula and in the Bay Area, Hillsborough's mansions and large, old estates line the streets in the lower part of town, with newer homes lining the eastern hillsides. The three schools in Hillsborough are ranked among the highest in California.
Foster City
A planned community developed 40 years ago with townhouses, apartments and single family homes built on or around lagoons bordering the San Francisco Bay, Foster City is known for its jogging and bicycle paths that run along the waterways and its windsurfing haven at Leo Ryan Park.
Belmont and San Carlos
These cities are bedroom communities with their own Caltrain stations and downtown areas, but which otherwise share many services. Apartments are available near El Camino and in the Belmont Hills. Many of the hillside homes in both Belmont and San Carlos have impressive panoramic bay views.
Redwood City
The seat of San Mateo County, Redwood City, has a diverse population evident in its neighborhoods. Redwood City is primarily comprised of: a port on the bay, industrial sites, numerous apartments, modest single family homes and exclusive neighborhoods along Edgewood Road and Highway 280, many with impressive views.
