FiFty Super thingS to See and do in San Mateo County/SiliCon Valley

Fifty Super Things to See and Do
in San Mateo County/Silicon Valley
1. Watch the Wounded Warrior Amputee football game against NFL Alumni at the College
of San Mateo on Saturday, February 6, 1 PM- 4 PM. www.WWAFT.org, San Mateo
2. Take in “the Big Catch” in Half Moon Bay, an upscale crab, seafood, wine and beer fest
along the Pacific Ocean. January 30 and 31, 11 AM – 5 PM, Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, www.crabweek.org.
3. Head to the biennial San Francisco Antiquarian Book and Paper Fair at the San Mateo
County Event Center on February 5 and 6. Offerings include over six centuries of creativity,
from the earliest illuminated manuscripts to 21st century autographed sketches by contemporary rock stars. (www.sfbookandpaperfair.com). After you’ve browsed, enjoy lunch or
dinner at Paul Martin’s (San Mateo) or Baltica (San Mateo.)www.paulmartinsamericangrill.
com; www.mybaltica.wix.com/baltica *
4. Appeal to your gentler side and visit Filoli Mansion and Gardens after the Super Bowl.
This National Historic Landmark has been featured in numerous movies and TV shows and
opens for the spring on February 9, resplendent with tulips and spring flowers of all types.
www.filoli.org, Woodside
5. Duplicate the hike on which San Francisco Bay was discovered, taking in both Bay and
Pacific Ocean views. (Paved path from Sneath Lane in Brisbane, or a more challenging path
from Fassler Ave. in Pacifica.) www.cityofpacifica.org
6. Hike or bike the Devil’s Slide Trail, a 1.3 mile long paved cliff trail overlooking the Pacific
Ocean. (Parking lot/entrance located off of Highway One as you drive south out of Pacifica
or on Highway One as you head north out of Half Moon Bay.) Incredible views, fantastic
birdwatching. 650-355-8289, www.parks.smcgov.org
7. Hike “The Dish”. A giant, operational radio telescope is at the top of this recreational
hiking trail with views of San Francisco Bay. (Enter near the intersection of Campus Drive
and Junipero Serra.) www.dish.stanford.edu, Palo Alto
8. Wine taste at Thomas Fogarty Winery overlooking vineyards and the San Francisco Bay
(www.fogartywinery.com), Woodside, Head to San Carlos and visit Russian Ridge Winery
, Cuvée Wine Cellars and Domenico Winery or taste some Woodside Winery wines and
feast your eyes on an incredible collection of classic cars at Autovino ( www.auto-vino.com),
Menlo Park
FIFTY SUPER THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SAN MATEO COUNTY/SILICON VALLEY
9. Tour the Stanford University campus on foot or in a golf
cart. Visit the Cantor Arts Museum on the Stanford Campus and see the world’s second largest Rodin sculpture exhibit. www.visit.stanford.edu, Palo Alto*
17. Bike or walk along Canada Road with a view of the
Crystal Springs Reservoir and the hills. Closed to traffic on
Sundays, from Belmont to Woodside. 7.3 mile trail (oneway), Canada Rd and Edgewood Rd., Belmont
10. Take Caltrain or Lyft and explore any or all of three
urban wineries and a brewery in San Carlos. Cuvee Wine
Cellars, Domenico’s Winery, Russian Ridge Vineyards and
Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company all have tasting rooms
here. www.cuveewinecellars.com; www.domenicowinery.
com; www.russianridgewinery.com; www.devilscanyon.
com/the-brewery, San Carlos*
18. Check out the helicopters and 747 cockpit and try
your hand at aircraft simulators at the Hiller Aviation Museum, www.hiller.org, San Carlos
11. Visit the graves of some of our country’s most famous
in Colma. Wyatt Earp and William Randolph Hearst are
buried in the same cemetery: Hills of Eternity Memorial
Park,
www.jewishcemeteries-sf.org/hillsofeternity.html.
Visit Joe DiMaggio’s grave at Holy Cross Cemetery. www.
holycrosscemeteries.com, Colma
12. Make a stop and show your respects to the thousands
of our fallen soldiers at San Bruno Cemetery, part of Golden Gate National Cemetery. (Admiral Nimitz is buried
here.) www.cem.va.gov/cems/nchp/goldengate.asp, San
Bruno
13. Visit Stanford Shopping Center (www.simon.com/
mall/stanford-shopping-center), Palo Alto*, Hillsdale
Shopping Center (www.hillsdale.com), San Mateo,* The
Shops at Tanforan (www.shopsattanforan.com), San Bruno,* ** and/or Serramonte Center (www.serramontecenter.com), Daly City, and shop numerous world-class specialty stores.
14. Post a Facebook photo of you and your family or
friends in front of Facebook and be the envy of all of your
contacts. Find their buildings and signs at One Hacker
Way, Menlo Park
15. Hit the shops on University Avenue and throughout
downtown Palo Alto. An abundance of stores and restaurants await you on this main drag. Try a meal at MacArthur Park, St. Michael’s Alley or Sam’s Chowder House.
Or, venture farther south to The Fish Market.* www.
paloaltodowntown.com;
www.macarthurparkpaloalso.
com; www.stmikes.com; www.thefishmarket.com.
16. Charter a sailboat with or without a skipper or take a
sailing lesson at Spinnaker Sailing at the Port of Redwood
City. www.spinnakersailing.com, Redwood City
19. Looking for great music, a play, or a night of comedy? Head over to Angelica’s Bistro, the Fox Theatre, Club
Fox, or the Dragon Theatre. www.angelicasllc.com; www.
foxrwc.com; www.dragonproductions.net, Redwood City*
20. While you’re in downtown Redwood City, grab a bite
at one of their great restaurants like Donato Enoteca (www.
donatoenoteca.com), Martin’s West Gastro Pub (www.
martinswestgp.com) or LV Mar (www.lvmar.com).*
21. Step back in time and learn all about what shaped
San Mateo County and Silicon Valley at the San Mateo
County History Museum. Check out the courtroom used in
the movie Mrs. Doubtfire. www.historysmc.org, 650-2990104, Redwood City*
22. If you’re a history buff, stop at The Vans Restaurant,
an historic building originally built in 1915 as a tea house
and part of the Japanese Exhibition at the Panama Pacific International Exposition. During Prohibition, it became
a speakeasy, then later, a legalized saloon. www.thevansrestaurant.com, Belmont
23. Head over to Oyster Point Marina and enjoy the 33
acre park, 2.5 acre beach and jogging trail along San
Francisco Bay. – 95 Harbormaster Rd., South San Francisco www.smharbor.com/oysterpoint
24. Play a few games of bocce ball at Orange Park, open
to the public from 1 PM to 4 PM, Mon.-Sat. 650-8293800, www.ssf.net , South San Francisco
25. Drop in at the historic 7 Mile House restaurant and
sports house for some jazz, cocktails and/or outstanding
Italian or Filipino food. Built in 1830, it is the only stagecoach mile house still in its original location. www.7milehouse.com, Brisbane
26. Try a microbrew Armstrong Brewing Co., in downtown South San Francisco htarmstrongbrewing.com/ or
Devil’s Canyon Brewing Co. in San Carlos, devilscanyon.
com/
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FIFTY SUPER THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SAN MATEO COUNTY/SILICON VALLEY
27. Take the hike to Mori Point. The top of the point is a
great whale watching location and sunsets from Mori Point
are spectacular. Just west of Highway 1, directly south of
Sharp Park Golf Course, Pacifica.
28. Play a round on the Ocean Courses or Scottish Links
course at Half Moon Bay Golf Links. Enjoy a view of the
Pacific from all 18 holes on one of the courses. www.
halfmoonbaygolf.com, Half Moon Bay
29. Play a round of golf at Sharp Park Golf Course, an
Alistair McKenzie course with views of the Pacific, or just
drop into the historic club house, built in 1931. www.
sharpparkgc.com, Pacifica
30. Hit some golf balls or just buy fresh produce at Andreotti Farm. 650-726-9151, 329 Kelly Ave,
Half Moon Bay or hit some balls at Poplar Creek Golf
Course (www.poplarcreekgolf.com), San Mateo
31. Head to downtown Burlingame to taste incredible
olive oils and vinegars at Del’ Oliva (www.deloliva.com)
or to dine at Ristorante Rocca (www.ristoranterocca.com),
Fattoria e Mare (www.fattoriaemare.com) Straits (www.
straitsrestaurants.com) , Pizzeria Delfina (www.pizzeriadelfina.com) or Stella Alpina (www.stellaalpinaosteria.
com) . Want Thai food? Try Coconut Bay (www.coconut-bay.com) or have a cocktail indoors or out at Barrel
House (www.barrelhouseburlingame.com). Early in the
day? Try breakfast at Bay Watch (www.restaurantbaywatch.com), H29 (www.h29coffeewine.com) or Leann’s
Café and diner (www.Leannscafe.com). *
32. Check out the lighthouse at Pigeon Point, built in 1872.
Thirty minute guided history walks around the lighthouse
grounds are available 10am to 4pm Friday through Monday, except on rainy days. www.parks.ca.gov , (Highway
One, 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay),Pescadero
33. Venture over to Cowell Ranch Beach, where scenes
from Bicentennial Man with Robin Williams were filmed.
(On Highway One, 3.4 miles south of Half Moon Bay, and
0.6 miles south of Miramontes Point Road.) www.californiasbestbeaches.com/half_moon_bay , Half Moon Bay
34. Head to Costanoa Lodge for some great hikes and
outstanding food. www.costanoa.com, Pescadero
35. Have a drink or a meal while enjoying one of the
many fire pits in the area: Ritz Carlton Half Moon Bay,
Half Moon Bay Brewing Company, Sam’s Chowder House
(all in Half Moon Bay), Fattoria e Mare (Burlingame),
La Costanera (Montara), Marriott SFO Waterfront (Burlingame) and Sofitel San Francisco Bay (Redwood City).
www.ritzcarlton.com;
www.samschowderhouse.com;
www.hmbbrewingco.com;
lacostanerarestaurant.com;
www.marriott.com/hotels/hotel-photos/sfobg-san-francisco-airport-marriott-waterfront; www.sofitel.com/gb/hotel-0922-sofitel-san-francisco-bay/index.shtml
36. Want some great food or cocktails AND a view of the
Pacific while in Half Moon Bay or Princeton by the Sea??
Head to Sam’s Chowder House, the Half Moon Brewing
Company, Navio in the Ritz Carlton, or Mezza Luna for
some award-winning food with a view. Oceano Bar and
Grill is also directly across from the Pacific Ocean, as is
the casual Old Princeton Landing Public House and Grill.
Many of these offer music, as well. www.samschowderhouse.com; hmbbrewingco.com; www.ritzcarlton.com;
www.mezzalunabythe sea.com; www.oceanohalfmoonbay.com; www.theoldprincetonlanding.com.
37. Enjoy the Pacific views and watch the surfers while
dining on great food at Nick’s at Rockaway Beach or The
Moonraker (both with music on the weekends), or try a
Pisco Sour and Peruvian food at Puerto 27-- all in Pacifica.
(www.nicksrestaurant.net; www.moonrakerpacifica.com;
www.puerto27.com)
38. Sip a cocktail or enjoy a meal overlooking San Francisco Bay: Dominic’s at Oyster Point (South San Francisco),
Xebec in the Doubletree Hotel (Brisbane), Kincaid’s Restaurant (Burlingame), Flights lobby bar/Hangar Steak at the
SFO Waterfront Marriott (Burlingame) or dine outside
overlooking a picturesque lagoon at The Fish Market (San
Mateo) or Sofitel San Francisco Bay’s Bay Bar or Bay 223
(Redwood City). www.domincsop.com; www.xebeclounge.
com; www.kincaids.com; www.hangarsteaksfo.com; thefishmarket.com; www.sofitel.com.
39. Explore Main Street in Half Moon Bay, dining at Pasta Moon, Cowboy Fishing Company or San Benito Ale
House. www.pastamoon.com; www.cowboyfishing.com;
www.sanbenitoalehouse.com.
40. Walk or bike the 1,940-acre Baylands Preserve. Fifteen miles of multi-use trails provide access to a unique
mixture of tidal and fresh water habitats. www.open.
space@cityofpaloalto.org, Palo Alto
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FIFTY SUPER THINGS TO SEE AND DO IN SAN MATEO COUNTY/SILICON VALLEY
41. Swing by the HP Garage, where Hewlett Packard began. While the HP garage is not open for public tours,
visitors may view and photograph the property and landmark from the sidewalk. 367 Addison Ave. – Menlo Park
42. Try your luck at windsurfing, stand up paddle boarding or paddle boating on the many lagoons in Foster City.
www.fostercity.org/parksandrecreation
43. Hit a casual pub: Cameron’s in Half Moon Bay
(memorabilia, a giant pumpkin sculpture, karaoke) or
the Swingin’ Door in San Mateo* (dueling pianos and an
habanero burger that you’re not allowed to eat until you
sign a release). www.cameronsinn.com; www.theswingindoor.com
49. Go to www.freshasitgets.com and choose the award
winning restaurant you want to visit—all known for serving
fresh, local produce and/or locally caught seafood.
50. Make the rounds (with a designated driver or your favorite Lyft drivers) to try cocktails created just for the Super
Bowl. The drinks are themed and the garnishes cleverly
devised. www.visitsanmateocounty.com
*Accessible via Caltrain
**Accessible via BART
44. Try one of our local breweries: Devil’s Canyon Brewing Company (San Carlos)*, Armstrong Brewery (South
San Francisco)* or Half Moon Bay Brewing Company
(Half Moon Bay). www.devilscanyon.com/the-brewery;
www.armstrongbrewing.com; www.hmbbrewingco.com.
45. Head to any of the four beaches making up a two–
mile stretch of sand along Half Moon Bay State Beach.
Roosevelt Beach, Dunes Beach, Venice Beach, and Francis
Beach. www.californiasbestbeaches.com/half_moon_bay
, Half Moon Bay
46. Make your way to downtown Half Moon Bay for winetasting and bocce ball at La Nebbia Winery and/or wine
tasting and art at Barterra Winery. Or, head to Pacifica
and visit A Grape in the Fog. www.Lanebbiawinery.com;
www.barterrawines.com; www.agitf.com.
47. Head to Downtown San Mateo* for any type of food
you can imagine, with a stop at Osteria Coppa (www.
osteriacoppa.com), Porterhouse (www.porterhousesanmateo.com), Amici’s (www.amici’s.com), Roti Indian Bistro
(www.rotibistro.com), Attic (www.atticrestaurant.com), B
Street Station(www.bstreetstaionsm.com), Espetus (www.
espetus.com), Fusion Peruvian Grill (www.fusionperuviangrill.com), Joy Sushi (www.joysushi.net) , Three (www.
threesanmateo.com), Spiedo (www.spiedo.com) or Bay
Watch(www.restaurantbaywatch.com). *
48. Place some off-track bets on the horses at The Jockey
Club at the San Mateo County Event Center in San Mateo.
With over 100 TV screens, you should be able to find the
race you want to watch. www.smexpo.org*
SAN MATEO COUNTY/SILICON VALLEY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU
111 Anza Boulevard | Suite 410 | Burlingame, CA 94010 Tel. 650.348.7600 | Fax. 650.348.7687
info@smccvb.com | www.visitsanmateocounty.com | #playbythebay