San Mateo County is located on the San Francisco Peninsula. It borders San Francisco and is a few minutes north of Stanford University. To the east is the San Francisco Bay and the Pacific Ocean is to the west. The San Francisco International Airport is in San Mateo County. A ridge of mountains along the eastern edge of the peninsula separates the more heavily populated eastern slopes from the redwood forests, farmlands, and beaches of the Pacific coastline.

The County is in a central location relative to major parts of the Bay Area, like San Francisco and Marin, “Silicon Valley”, and the “East Bay”. Most of our residents live in San Mateo County, but some commute from San Francisco or from beachside homes on the coast. Living in the Bay Area offers a wide range of lifestyles and remarkable ethnic diversity.

Northern California is known for its diverse and beautiful natural areas. The Sierra Nevada Mountains, Lake Tahoe, and Yosemite are all within a four hour drive from San Mateo; each area offers winter and summer sports and recreation. Carmel, Monterey and the Pacific coast are all easily accessible by car. Within the County, there are a variety of recreational facilities including parks for hiking, tennis courts, golf courses, beaches, and harbors and marinas for boating and fishing. Northern California is also home to several major universities, including Stanford, UC Berkeley, UCSF, and Santa Clara University among others.

Additional resources

• San Francisco Bay Area: www.speedpick.com/Pete/Categories/Live.shtml?clkd=iwm
• Yosemite: www.yosemite.org/vryos/?clkd=iwm
• San Mateo County visitor information: http://www.smccvb.com/
• San Mateo County Government: www.smcgov.org