A hidden gem that I've passed by for years without truly noticing it until I stumbled upon it on a…read moresatellite map long ago. It's fascinating how such a serene, monument-like structure exists right here. While it has become quite popular on social media lately for its "Instagrammable" aesthetics, it's much more than just a photo spot. As a hiker, I find this place incredibly grounding. It's part of the Hetch Hetchy water system that serves the Bay Area, and there is something truly profound about seeing the culmination of such a massive water project captured in this classical, temple-like architecture. Whether you're here for the photography or just for a quiet, contemplative walk, it's a beautiful spot that demands respect. A unique intersection of infrastructure history and architectural beauty. Highly recommended.

This historical landmark is beautiful. It's hidden and almost looks like it's in a middle of a…read moreforest. The parking lot is open Monday-Friday for only 30 mins. You can easily make a quick stop here or have a quick picnic in the grass area. It's gorgeous on a clear day. It's so peaceful.

This is a nice enough spot to go for a hike. It was easy to find my way to the Sneath Lane Trail…read moreParking using google maps, a small lot within a residential neighborhood, that fits about 10-15 vehicles. It was foggy, cold, and incredibly windy during my visit last week, and of course, there's an incline as the trail wraps around the mountain. But it wasn't too bad, the actual climb up didn't feel as difficult as it looked from a distance, starting with the sneath lane trail then connecting to other trails higher up. In fact, there are many options for different trails to take. The Baquiano Trail had a dirt pathway while the Notch Trail toward the Nike Missile Control Site was paved. Near the SF Bay Discovery Site, there's a small restroom building (it was pretty clean for a park facility, on a Thursday afternoon). The gorgeous foliage lining the various paths was captivating, along with lovely views of the hills, lake (san andreas reservoir), and sunlit scenery in the distance. Too foggy to enjoy the views the higher you get though, just a giant cloud of fog everywhere. I barely made it three miles out before turning back. It was just far too windy and foggy to wanna be out there very long (I'm sure hot days would be even worse with zero shade to be found). Plus my legs definitely had a workout from the uphill trek. Luckily the jog back down was a breeze. And I did slow down to appreciate the vegetation and vast array of plant species, once again, before leaving.

There are a few entrances, but I think the most popular one is on Sneath Lane. This trail is paved…read moreand pretty steady and not too difficult for about a mile but then gets a bit steeper for the next mile to the top. On the way up you can see views of the San Andreas Reservoir Lake. After the rain you can hear the water flowing and see some little streams and wild mushrooms. To the ridge is a little under 2 miles. I like the fact there is a small bathroom which I find quite rare on trails like this. To the left is the San Francisco Discovery Site which has a plaque with some information. Apparently, this was the place the Spanish settlers first saw the San Francisco Bay. To the right the trail goes along the ridge to the remains of the old Nike missile site. The views are stellar, and one can see for miles on end, Marin, the city, Pacifica Mount Diablo, etc. I love watching all the planes coming in and out from nearby SFO. From Sneath the hike is about 5 miles and 2 hrs. I've also gone the Mori Trail route which is nice because it's not paved but this trail is steeper. It's worth checking out the funky Shelldance Orchid Gardens which is located at the trailhead but they are only open on the weekends.

This trail is a nice quick water scenic walk in the peninsula! Fresh smell of trees as you wind…read moredownwards towards the water, ample parking at the top, and honestly a nice getaway that can be 20 minutes or a full few hours. highly recommend!

This was our first time visiting the trail, and we were not disappointed! I went with my sixty…read moresomething year-old mother and, four year-old niece. Both walked thjs course just fine. It's very flat and entirely paved so it is very beginner friendly. It is also very clean. My mother cannot walk very far and my niece gets tired after about two blocks, so this trail was perfect for us. When you first enter, there is a gorgeous lake to your left and it is the most amazing view. There are a lot of people walking this trail, so you never feel secluded. There are even benches and bathroom along the trail as well. The only thing is, dogs are technically not allowed, though we did see some on the trail.

Leon Lighting…read more Located in San Mateo's Central Park is a 13-ft tall Copper-plated Giraffe named Leon (after the artist's father). He's been chilling here since 1978 so he's probably not going anywhere any time soon. He's such a swell Giraffe that I wrote him a Haiku. :) Leon the Giraffe Towering over the park Come say "Hi" to Him

"Worth a Brief Visit."…read more Yes, yes I admit he's cute, but about 2 minutes will be adequate. Here's why: This is a fantastic park with wonderful features. You can easily spend a few hours strolling around this park and checking out the beautiful gardens. This park is really a treasure. Many larger cities have inferior gardens. The day that I visited, many families were enjoying the beautiful day, having a picnic on the grass, playing tennis, or strolling around the gardens. So don't spend too much time gazing at a big giraffe; instead check out the Japanese Botanical Gardens, or perhaps the rose gardens. Those places are filled with wonderful exhibits.

Saw several planes land. Next time we'll actually picnic to make our $6 worth it there but had a…read morenice walk with our dogs.

This is a nice large outdoor area. You have to pay $6 to go in unless you have some other…read morearrangement (e.g. membership at CuriOdyssey may give you free parking?) There was a lot of parking when we went on a Saturday afternoon. They had a few parking lots scattered in the area. There are a lot of picnic areas that you can reserve for the BBQ grills. There were plenty of bathrooms scattered throughout the picnic areas. The one I used was relatively clean and had plenty of toilet paper. They have a lot of trails here where you can bike or walk. You can watch the planes go in and out of the airport above you! There are also a lot of birds hanging out in and by water if you want to bird watch. I was hoping to catch some sea lions but I guess they weren't around. There is unfortunately a lot of powerlines in the area that would spoil an otherwise nice view but what can you do. I also saw there was a yacht club by the water! I saw you could rent the facilities for parties (not sure if you had to be a member or not).

I heard this medieval French-style grain silo was a hot spot for lovers to come make-out so I came…read moreto be a creep about it but it's just a weird little historical kiosk that forks Alameda de las Pulgas across from a church. It's weird but I kinda dig that. I had to (I think illegally) park at the church to check this place out since street parking is a tiny bit of a hike away, but it's in the middle of the road and otherwise takes all of 4 seconds to see. There some flowers, decorative trees and bushes on the triangle of land for which the silo sits. It was, as the marker notes, built in 1924, it was the sales office for the Belmont Country Club, which they go out of their way to mention had a pool on the historical marker. Not sure why that's relevant but maybe they wanted to get their money's worth of character on the engraving. It's a thing to look at during a drive-by but other than that it's not really an out of your way thing. Great to navigate toward if you're ever stuck on the treacherous Ralston traffic and trying to find better back roads.

For the first 10 yrs of my life, my family would pass by this seemingly random, funny-looking tiny…read moretower https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/florence-pantano-historical-landmark-belmont?select=llHUodipogHk2ObiYESy-A on a median of the Alameda de las Pulgas + Covington Road intersection every day while on the way to school. I would sometimes wonder aloud if it were once a tower of an ancient castle or was the entrance to someone's secret underground home, but my parents would always respond with a nonchalant, "I don't know." More recently now as an adult, I was passing by one day + decided to pull over to do some exploring to finally uncover the answer to my childhood curiosity. A plaque on the ground https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/florence-pantano-historical-landmark-belmont?select=vNL5rk4OtC_8QPOEPumMhg says the structure was built in 1924 as the sales office for the Belmont Country Club Properties. Further research on the all-knowing interwebs has told me that the Belle Monti Country Club was established with the grand vision that Belmont (called "The Hub of the Peninsula" at the time since it's located exactly halfway between San Francisco + San Jose) could become a mini Hillsborough, as the Club would draw in the rich from San Francisco to buy property in the scenic hills. But as luck would have it, the stock market took nose dive... leading the company into bankruptcy during The Depression + majority of the land was eventually resold for housing or commercial purposes. However, the building that had been the Belle Monti Country Club Clubhouse was purchased in the 1950s to became what still stands as the Congregational Church of Belmont, located right across the street. The little tower is now a historic landmark donated by local real estate agents Pantano Properties. It was given a face lift + re-dedicated in 2007 as a "micro-park" thanks to grants + donations from various groups in the community. While I personally don't know who in the right mind would actually venture over to spend time in a "park" that resembles a gnome home, I have to admit that I do appreciate how much better it looks than how I recalled from my childhood. Interwebs sources: http://archives.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=75830 http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_7045149

"Please don't play with the missiles!"…read more This site has interesting historical value, but there's not a whole lot to see here anymore. It's conveniently located on the Sweeney Ridge hiking trail, and it's not very difficult to get here. So perhaps worth a visit one time, but don't get your hopes set too high.

Grew up in the neighbor rat the base of trail so I've been here many time. I've even hiked to the…read moretop n bottom at night and encountered a mountain lion. One my favorite place to go and have a good time.