1. Imagination City

    1. Imagination City

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    San Mateo, CA

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    Imagination City

    4.6 (159 reviews)
    Open 10:00 am - 7:00 pm
    Updated 3 months ago

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    Everett M.

    This place is AWESOME! We hosted my daughter's 4th birthday party at Imagination City. My daughter is really into construction vehicles, so we had a construction themed party. My daughter absolutely loved it and had a wonderful experience at Imagination City. All the kids who attended appeared to love it as well and the adults got to sit back and relax knowing the kids were preoccupied in the play area. The staff was incredible with assisting with sit-up. They also allowed us to drop-off items in advance to ease our burden on the day of the party. Everything was organized, clean, and in quality condition. The only negative is having to go offsite to use the bathroom. Other than that, we had no complaints and highly recommend having your kids birthday party at Imagination City!

    Cake
    Christine M.

    10 stars! Imagination City made my granddaughter's 3rd birthday unforgettable. The owner was wonderful, incredibly attentive, helped set up and clean up, and made sure everything was perfect from start to finish. The space was spotless, the kids were engaged and happy, and the parents were well taken care of too. Our family highly recommends Imagination City for birthday parties or just a fun day out with the kids. We will definitely be back!

    Minerva L.

    My kids loved their birthday party here. Janine was amazing and was a great communicator. She made sure I didn't have to do anything the day of the party. The kids had a blast and I highly recommend it here. Everything went smoothly and would come back for day play!

    Brittany C.

    Had a play date here with my two kids a few of my friend's kids. They all had a blast! We tried our best to keep all the toys in their correct areas but of course, kids will be kids. There was one worker that night and they got us in quickly. There is a lot for the kids to do here. One down part is not being able to have a bathroom easily accessible but Cheesecake Factory is not far. You can have a private party here. We always love seeing the beautiful balloon setups at the window. My girls love this place!

    Our birthday setup
    Kimberly L.

    Absolutely love Imagination City! I've taken my kids here on a rainy day or day off from school and they never want to leave this year I decided to host a joint birthday for my children and each little guest had a blast. There are a ton of different playhouse areas for pretend play, slides, cars, even an area to get some jumping energy out. My kids were 3&5 so I think at a perfect age. Everything was super easy and I felt like I could stress less about setup and cleanup. Highly recommend this wonderful place! Janine was amazing.

    Niro D.

    I hosted my daughter's 4th birthday here and it was the best birthday party ever! I highly recommend this venue to anyone who is looking for a safe, fun, and memorable birthday party venue for their child. I actually hosted my older daughter's party at their old tanforan location and even she still says that was her favorite and most memorable birthday to date. The owner Janine was on site and she is a party pro! I opted to bring my own balloon display and as soon as we arrived, she quickly helped me put it together in a blink of an eye. She also timed everything perfectly from play and lunch to photo ops and before I knew it, had everything packed up and consolidated so that we could load up the car. Truly seamless and magical! The venue is spotless and beautifully maintained, which allowed for my daughter and all her friends to play together...they had the best time! Thank you so much Janine and imagination city! Your space is such a valuable addition to the community and we are so grateful you're here!

    Anita T.

    Cute little play place inside Hillsdale mall, probably best suited for under 5 set. Pros: Appeared very clean Check in was fast and they have QR codes while you wait in line so you don't have to do all the forms at the counter. Looks to have a cute, modern party area, spacious and open. A lot of make believe setups, make believe toys and costumes Cons: Pretty small and not the most to do imo... if you already own a lot of Melissa and Doug players for make believe, this place just has a lot of them. Not a lot of space for the scooting toys they have, as mentioned it's really for kids under 5. My daughter is 6 and I felt like she was way overgrown for the setup even though there were older kids there. There's not a lot of active play structures, it is more like a children's museum in format. Pricey for the value, maybe because my child was done 1 hour into a 2 hour session we paid for.

    Angie C.

    Thankfully I called earlier to ask about availability and heard about online booking for my toddler to play at Imagination City! The adorable storefronts paired with toys and lots of ride-on vehicles made this a delight for both kid and parent. Everything was clean and staff were friendly. Totally would come back, someone invite us to their toddler birthday party at Imagination City!

    Chelsea R.

    Made the trek to San Mateo on a Wednesday to check this place out and it was so much fun! It's a smaller place than I expected but I kind of liked that aspect after a while of chasing my toddler around haha. Admission is $18 for walkers & $16 for crawlers. One free adult per admission & there's an additional cost for more adults. They request that kids wear socks with grips for good reason, it's pretty slippery for the kiddos without it. If you don't have any on hand they have it available for $3. My son had so much fun going to each little play place. They had a diner, auto shop, construction site, ice cream truck, theater area, boat, firehouse, vet hospital, grocery store, a couple slides, and a pizzeria. Each area has fun, interactive toys for the kids to play with. And not to mention, this place is super picturesque and IG worthy! My only "gripes" - the area to keep bags & shoes is outside the play area closer to the front entrance where anyone can come in and out easily, which makes me a little apprehensive lol. May be personal preference but would've liked it closer to the cash register/employees. - if you are potty training or have a potty trained kiddo: be aware that they do not have a restroom in the store itself. You'd have to go down the escalator, to the left, and down the stairs/elevator to get to the restrooms. It's a short walk but for a small toddler holding their bladders, I'm not sure how ideal it is.

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    5 months ago

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    6 months ago

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    1 year ago

    Fantastic place for toddlers and young kids! Highly recommended for special play time.

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    Page 1 of 4

    Ask the Community - Imagination City

    Do they have a bathroom inside, or do we have to go to Cheesecake Factory?

    The last two times we've went, the hours say it's opened but it is very obviously closed. When is this place open?

    Follow their Instagram page or call before planning a trip , I know they close for maintenance at times . I think most days during the week they are open from 11-6 .

    Is this place open again?!?

    Yes was there yesterday

    What kinds of things are there for a 9 month old? He can crawl/scoot and starting to pull up to stand on things.

    I would suggest for kids closer to walking age. There is space to crawl, but when it's busy older kids are running around. No designated space for babies to crawl.

    Are you open this Sunday?

    Weekends are for private events only.

    Is there a designated space for crawlers or pre-crawlers?

    No it's all one area.

    View All 8 Questions

    Review Highlights - Imagination City

    From the moment we walked through the doors, the owner, Janine, was there for us in every way possible.

    Mentioned in 39 reviews

    Read more highlights

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    My now husband and I knew we wanted to get married here. We had both our ceremony and reception at…read morethis location. We did the ceremony outside with the beautiful water fountain as our backdrop and the weather was perfect (especially since we both lived in Daly City at the time -fog central). Allison was a great help, she was quick with her responses through email and phone. Would definitely recommend for anyone who likes a more modern look!

    We are so glad we picked CSM and the Bayview Dining Room for our wedding ceremony and reception…read more Unlike some of the other venues we toured, the dining area is big and airy. It has floor-to-ceiling glass windows/walls that provide great views of the bay and blue sky above. Our guest list was pretty small, so we had tons of extra room, but the set-up staff made it work really well, filling the space with extra bar tables and couches with coffee tables to provide a variety of areas for mingling and lounging. Between the patio, the main dining area, the dance floor, and the bar/lounge areas, our guests had tons of space and options, and they used it all. We had our ceremony here, too. The fountain provided a very nice backdrop, and the balcony allowed our photographer to get some neat shots of the ceremony and all our guests from above. We were lucky to have pretty much perfect weather on our big day, and our guests couldn't stop talking about the view. They loved taking pictures on the patio with the bay and blue sky behind them. Both prior to and on the big day, Allison was great to work with. She was easily accessible via email, quickly answered any and all questions, and was very friendly and accommodating. On the day itself, the setup and catering/bar staff members were great, too. They were efficient, friendly, and helpful. We were very pleasantly surprised with the quality of the food, both at the tasting and on the wedding day. Many of our guests shared how much they enjoyed the meal - especially the ice cream sundae bar! On the booze front, we provided the alcohol and mixers for the bar, which likely saved a lot of money; the corkage fees were very reasonable and the bar staff were friendly and kept the drinks flowing. Overall, CSM and Pacific Dining were a great choice for us. Having our wedding at a college felt a little unorthodox at first, but it suited us so well. The space was excellent, the rates were very reasonable, the food was great, and the staff was friendly and helpful. We had a fabulous day, and if we had to do it over again, we wouldn't change a thing.

    Peninsula Golf & Country Club

    Peninsula Golf & Country Club

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    If you're looking for a multigenerational, family‑friendly country club on the Peninsula, PGCC may…read morebe the perfect fit. The club offers several membership levels tailored to different needs, and the facilities are well‑maintained, and cared for by a staff that works hard to keep everything looking great. We joined in 2019 because we didn't have a swimming pool at home, and our kids wanted to enjoy the summer weather. The newly renovated pool had just opened, and it was incredible to see how many families were out enjoying the patio, the Terrace Café, the diving board, and the overall energy of the space. We chose the Clubhouse membership because I'm not a big golfer, but I still appreciate being able to join friends for an occasional round as a guest. The food at PGCC is exceptional. Whether you're craving American, Italian, salads, or something quick and easy, the club is often a better option than going out. It's less crowded, the staff is friendly, and service is quick -- perfect for families. During the off months, they open up the Terrace cafe for kids and children with activities there so the parents can enjoy finishing dinner while they play XBox, color, or games with monitored lifeguards there. The Wellness Center is another standout. It's clean, modern, and fully equipped. I actually canceled my Equinox membership because the club's gym and fitness classes meet all my needs. They offer yoga, TRX, cardio dance, barre, and more -- truly something for everyone. The locker rooms are great as well, and having a personal locker has made it easy and convenient to keep my gear at the club. PGCC recently added new pickleball courts, and they've quickly become one of the most popular social spots. They bring a fresh, active vibe to the club and help break the old stereotype of country clubs being stuffy or outdated. The club still maintains a traditional dress code, but I appreciate it -- it creates boundaries, preserves the elevated feel of the environment, and teaches our kids about manners, respect, and etiquette. The grounds are beautiful, the facilities are well kept, and the overall experience is consistently excellent. If you're looking for a family‑friendly, active, community‑oriented country club with events and amenities for all ages, PGCC is absolutely worth checking out!

    I did manage to take some photographs of the bar inside the club house and the views that you have…read morefrom the main window. Enjoy!

    Pinstripes

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    Imagination City - indoor_playcenter - Updated July 2026

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