San Mateo: Coast, Redwood Forests, and Special Trails

San Mateo is ideal for a trip that combines coastal landscapes, Redwood forests, wildlife viewing, and history. The San Mateo County Coastside covers more than 300 square miles and provides access to sandy beaches, open landscapes, and wooded areas. When choosing your vacation rental or accommodation, it is therefore especially worth considering whether you would rather spend your days by the Pacific, on hiking trails, in nature parks, or at cultural attractions.

Coastal Trails and Pacific Landscapes

An impressive starting point for an active trip is the 3.6-mile Cowell-Purisima Trail. The gently ascending path runs along coastal cliffs, where farmland meets the Pacific Ocean. Along the route, you may see seals, pelicans, hawks, and wildflowers. The Devil’s Slide Trail is 1.3 miles long, designed as a multi-use trail, and developed from a former section of Highway 1. It leads to the rocky heights of Devil’s Slide above the Pacific Ocean and is used by hikers, runners, cyclists, and equestrians. Viewpoints with benches and spotting scopes, bike racks, drinking fountains, and restrooms round out the amenities available on site.

Half Moon Bay State Beach also has a distinct coastal character: Four miles of sandy beach, gentle dunes, ocean views, and opportunities for shore fishing define this stretch. At the Fitzgerald Marine Reserve, you can explore a tidal zone with algae, crabs, sponges, starfish, mollusks, and fish. The reserve lies within the Montara State Marine Reserve, a marine protected area established under the California Marine Life Protection Act.

Hikes Through Forests, Parks, and Open Spaces

The area offers a wide selection of trails for a variety of day plans. San Pedro Valley Park includes seven trails with different habitats, lengths, and levels of difficulty. The Montara Mountain Trail offers views of the Pacific Ocean and the Farallon Islands. Pescadero Creek Park offers scenic hikes of varying difficulty; outings can last from about an hour to a full day. Horseback riding is permitted on all trails in the park.

Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve encompasses 467 acres of forest and grassland. In spring, impressive wildflowers can be seen there, and the park also offers opportunities for hiking and wildlife viewing. Butano State Park provides 40 miles of trails through more than 4,000 acres of canyons and uplands. In its peaceful canyon, tall second- and third-growth Redwood trees stand alongside gently flowing streams. In Portola Redwoods State Park, 18 miles of trails follow winding streams through coast redwood forests. The Old Haul Service Road is open to equestrians and cyclists there and leads through Redwood forests to Memorial County Park.

Shorter or differently oriented trails can also be included in your plans. The streams and canyons of Huddart Park are defined by coast redwoods, creating a cool, heavily shaded environment. The Redwood Nature Trail is 0.70 miles long and an easy hiking trail. The Crystal Springs Regional Trail is planned as a 17.5-mile route from San Bruno to Woodside; 15.3 miles are currently complete. The route is used for walking, running, skating or rollerblading, cycling, and horseback riding.

Wildlife, Science, and History

Every year, up to 10,000 northern elephant seals return to Año Nuevo State Park to breed, give birth, and molt among the dunes and beaches. The Marine Education Center is located in a historic 19th-century dairy complex belonging to the Dickerman/Steele family. At Coyote Point Recreation Area, CuriOdyssey combines exhibits and animals with science and nature. About 70 animals live there; most come from rehabilitation facilities because they would not be able to survive in the wild, and most are native to California. Some animals can be viewed by the public daily in wildlife enclosures.

For cultural and historical insights, destinations include Sánchez Adobe, located on the site of a 1786 mission outpost, and an adobe residence whose construction began in 1842. Rancho Day programs feature demonstrations such as brickmaking and corn milling. The historic Fog Signal Building at Pigeon Point Light Station houses the original Fresnel lens as well as exhibits about the lighthouse and its keepers. The San Mateo County History Museum is located in the 1910 County Courthouse. At Filoli, the one-mile California Trail runs through cultivated fields and oak woodlands, while the half-mile Spring Creek Trail follows a creek bed and passes through Redwood understory; the Spring Creek Trail opened to the public in June 2024.

Choose the Right Accommodation for Your Travel Interests

When searching for a vacation rental in San Mateo, you can make your desired experiences the starting point for your planning. For coastal hikes and beach days, the Cowell-Purisima Trail, Devil’s Slide, and Half Moon Bay State Beach are key destinations. Those who prefer shaded forest trails and longer days in nature will find suitable inspiration at Huddart Park, Butano State Park, or Portola Redwoods State Park. Families can include CuriOdyssey, the hands-on activities at Old Woodside Store Day on the first Sunday in May, and the historic sites in their travel plans. The Hiller Aviation Museum’s collection includes a 1942 Link Trainer, a World War II flight simulator. The Woodside Store is a house museum with period artifacts presented as they would have been at the time, offering insights into the past of the once-lively logging region.

For further regional orientation: San Carlos, Burlingame, Daly City, Half Moon Bay, Menlo Park, Millbrae, Pacifica, Redwood City, San Bruno, South San Francisco, Brisbane, Belmont, Moss Beach, Montara, Foster City, San Mateo, Hillsborough, Pescadero, Woodside, Colma and Atherton.

For the broader travel overview: California.