Parkside Aquatic Park

(91 reviews)

1.9 mi

Always a good experience at this park with the kids. Big and spacious. A somewhat modern park with…read moredifferent kind of play structures for the kids to enjoy. There is also a fairly decent sized skate park as well where kids of all ages ride their bikes, scooters, and skateboards in. Bathrooms on site at the park are public as a reminder so dont expect that always to be the cleanest experience, but at least there is one. There are reservable picnic sites scattered around the park and I believe one large sheltered onr as well. We've hosted and attended parties at these locations and its always worked out.

Good size park with walking path on edge and grass in middle…read more Good place for a walk or walk the dog. Water fountains and restrooms. Parking along the street.

See all

Central Park

(169 reviews)

1.7 mi

Fantastic spacious park, Japanese Garden koi pond , tennis and pickleball courts with gorgeous…read moretrees and grass everywhere! They're building a children's area, love love love! Walking distance to downtown, library, cafes, restaurants and shops! Plus, USPS, UPS, FedEx, everything is here. Parking everywhere -- to have a slice of greenery is the ultimate. This is a haven and refuge!

San Mateo Central is located at Downtown San Mateo. It's cool that there's a park inside of a…read moredowntown since people may want to come here to relax and view some nature after a long walk in downtown, eating at restaurants, shopping, and doing other activities. They have areas like tennis fields, I think a baseball field, and especially gardens. It's quite rare to find a park that has gardens or maybe I don't often come to parks that do have them. I also like how nice the park is and how organized it looks. I also see that they're doing some construction including a children's playground which just started to be constructed over a year ago. Hopefully, there are going to be some improvements the next time I visit.

New playground under construction

See all

Paddock Park

(37 reviews)

1.3 mi

Located in a residential neighborhood near the Roblox headquarters just down the street. The park…read moreis pretty small. It does have modern playground. It also has one basketball court half size. There's also one bathroom stall. It's clean! Plenty of street parking nearby.

This is not a huge playground, but still ample space for kids to run around and burn off some…read moreenergy. There is plenty of street parking available. The park has onsite bathrooms, although the bathrooms are not in the best condition. There is a big grassy area right next to it, I saw people hosting birthday parties there and having Paddock Park available right next to the event is a convenient option for the kids to go to.

Park

See all

Enclosed park

Magic Mountain Playground

(39 reviews)

2.7 mi

This is a very clean and spaced out park with something for everyone. My kids enjoyed the obstacle…read morecourse details and the supper long slide. It is very clean and well maintained. There is plenty of parking on a Sunday and not too noisy or crowded. There is a $6 fee entrance for vehicles to enter the Coyote Point County Park.

We had just flown into SFO the night before and were looking for a good park nearby to go to,…read morethankfully we saw that this was right next to CuriOdyssey which we were planning on going to. The parking fee to enter the whole greater park is reasonable especially with all of the things you can do in Coyote Point. One of the cooler playgrounds we have seen, clearly this was really well thought out. Having the 3 story castle really got our daughter excited as soon as she saw it. The dragons to talk through to each other is really unique. Our daughter had a blast playing here and meeting a couple of kids early in the morning. Well maintained park, clean, seems to be a pretty safe spot. As a parent chasing a 4 year old the fencing between the big kids and little kids area was pretty annoying since it lacked gates where I would expect them to be.

Looks fun

See all

Seal Point Park

4.6

(94 reviews)

1.1 mi

Amazing views of the bay on a clear sunny day!…read more The water was so still it created a clear mirrored reflection! Lots of people and dogs! Watch out for active bikers. Nice little parking lot

What a special place with a tall hill to go up then you're treated to a calming bay view. An…read moreexpansive view. Trail for biking and walking Plenty of parking. Exercise or soul searching, you can do it al Good time!

Skyline map stretching from west to east: Coyote Point RA (San Mateo) to Mission Peak (Fremont)

See all

Japanese Gardens

(158 reviews)

1.6 mi

taking a me day and just driving around, we stumbled across japanese gardens. parking was a little…read moreconfusing but we discovered it after having to go around one time. lol paid for parking .. not sure if anyone else did, but we sure did! you honestly won't be here that long because it is quite small. i love the huge koi pond! it was the spot that i stayed at the longest. you can see a few turtles swimming along side the koi's too. this teas so cute. i also really enjoyed the flower garden. if you love flowers and taking photos, you can be there for a while time. the tennis court was constantly being used which was nice to watch. when i'm in the area again, ill be sure to stop by.

It's a very nice Japanese garden located inside San Mateo Central Park. It's not a really big place…read morebut I took many photos coming here. It's a very nice place to go to. It seems that the staff really took good care of the plants and other areas in this garden. There are basically bridges that you can cross too and small buildings as well. This garden gives you a peace of mind reminding you that you may have rough days and that you need to view some nature here.

Garden

See all

Garden

Laurelwood Park/Sugarloaf

(79 reviews)

3.0 mi

We were visiting San Mateo, and looking for a hike to burn off a fantastic lunch. The first 0.2…read moremiles or so of the hike right off of the Laurelwood Park playground was really easy. Once you get to the hill to climb up to the top, the elevation picks up very quickly. If you plan on going to the top (and coming back down) to enjoy the panoramic views from the city to the ocean, I highly recommend proper hiking shoes and walking sticks. Along some of the paths, make sure to watch out for poison oak on both sides so take it slow. All in all, well worth the exercise and very fun experience! Lots of parking on the street outside too!

This hike is not for weak!…read more Steeeeeeeeeeep hills. You have been warned! Definitely bring hiking shoes with grips and poles if you have them!

Steep hill to trek up to the top for the panoramic views!

See all

Washington Park

(65 reviews)

3.1 mi

Cool park with alot of nice amenities. Playground, basketball court, baseball diamond, community…read morecenter, picnic areas, walking paths, lots of open grass area.

Beautiful park in the middle of a residential area. Was looking for a park to bbq late afternoon…read moreand fell upon this beautiful park I had never been to. They have lots of tables and bbq pits to barbecue on and it's a very spacious park with a nice playground and lots of space for kids to ride their bikes or skate. Check this park out for your next family/friend picnic. You will be pleasantly surprised of how nice this park is.

Lovely Sunday afternoon

Lush

See all

Coyote Point Recreation Area

(247 reviews)

2.4 mi

Visiting the area and decided to take a walk here to explore the beach, park, and see the planes…read moreflying over the ocean into SFO. While walking in we encountered the ranger booth. There were two rangers standing there having a seemingly pleasant conversation which smiles and laughter. I walked up because I noticed a price per car for $6 but didn't notice a price per person for pedestrians and wanted to clarify and pay the appropriate fees if needed. I was impressed that I didn't need to stop their conversation, they stopped on their own, greeted us with big smiles, asked how they could help us. Brandon and Lee let us know that as pedestrians we didn't need to pay or occupy the time limits. I let them know my buddy would be picking up the girls when he got off work and leaving immediately. They stated no charge, I gave them the vehicle type, they weren't worried. I gave my buddy their names and let him know. Upon his entry he had no issue entering without paying since he was just looping through. Using the restrooms, they were clean, stocked, had soap and were useable. The bbq pits were cleaned from dirt and debris and ready to use. We went to sit on a picnic table and were stopped by a gentleman who stated he had just finished painting those specific tables and was currently adding a "wet paint" label to the tables We obviously were grateful for that. He ushered us to tables that were clear to be sat at and enjoyed. Parking areas were cleaned and so was the beach. On thing I did notice was a pathway of material in several different areas. I hate walking through deep sand and getting sand into my shoes and being stuck with it all day. My second thought was that that wasn't the intended use, that possibly the intended use for for individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, other assisted devices or for those with mobility issues to have a smoother surface. This made me happy that the facilities were seemingly inclusive as much as possible! I mean it is nature.

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).

View looking over the water and bridge in the distance

See all

Leo J Ryan Memorial Park

4.6

(116 reviews)

1.2 mi

This park is one of my favorite places to take a doggie buddy during Doggie Day Out! The park is…read morelovely with plenty of parking in the lot and street as well. My favorite part is the heart statue, which is a must photo-op each time I'm here. I also enjoy sitting in the gazebo and just zone out looking out in the water. Lol The bathroom is pretty clean so that's a bonus.

this is just a beautiful, large park. you've got the lagoon, the calm waters, the houses right…read moreacross the waters, people kayaking, picnic tables for group gatherings, ton of grass to settle down for a casual picnic. something for everyone. done some painting here as a group too. bring all your supplies and paint together. had some great celebrations and summer hangouts here catching up with people and sharing good food. clean park. well maintained. restrooms available fireworks on july 4th is pretty fun too, if you're ok dealing with the traffic and finding a place to park. if you live closeby, wonderful spot to take a walk

See all

Sawyer Camp Trail

4.6

(453 reviews)

4.5 mi

I was on my way to an estate sale and needed a bathroom quick, so I clicked the closest restroom on…read moreApple maps and it brought me here. Thanks to that app, I found this place and since I was already there I take a short walk, and it ended up being a nice surprise. The trail was really clean with some nice views along the way. It's paved, so it's an easy place for a walk or a bike ride without having to worry about rough terrain. There were plenty of people out enjoying it as well. There's a good amount of parking along the main road, which made it easy to stop by.

It's a long walk, on concrete, very shaded, and next to a beautiful reservoir where we get all our…read moreclean drinking water (after passing the reservoir, you basically only see trees). The main con is that you have to turn back since there's no loop (about 6 miles one-way), so you have to figure out where your stopping point is, otherwise the trail spans across multiple cities (north entrance in Millbrae, southern entrance in San Mateo). No pets allowed. There are restrooms at the beginning of the trail, and in the middle after going a good amount of distance. There were a lot of wildlife to be seen, like random families of deer, lizards, turkey couples, and even turkey vultures. In some puddles along the path, there were newly-hatched tadpoles. If you want a peaceful, quiet, long and shaded walk or bike ride, this is a solid choice. You will run into other groups along the way, as it is a popular and well-maintained trail. Sawyer Camp Trail's purpose is pretty niche, though, as I'd much prefer a path that loops or an option for elevated terrain.

Finally open again. 1.5 miles is better than zero.

Turkey vultures

See all

Burlingame Aquatic Center

3.5

(70 reviews)

3.4 mi

Amazing toddler swim lessons. Pools are top notch and the instructors are organized and well…read moreequipped to inspire nervous swimmers

My favorite outdoor pool in the peninsula!…read more I've been going to Burlingame Aquatics for many years now - I use to even swim competitively! The pool operates as both short (25 yards) and long course (50 meters) depending on the day and time. If it is short course, there are about 20 lanes, but if it is long course, it is usually less lanes due to classes/ other programs being held at BAC. I've dropped into lap swim ($9) but I started to opt in for their 10 day pass which is $85 ($5 savings). I also just learned there is a monthly unlimited pass for $75 which is a great deal if you do plan to come in more than 10x a month. Check out their website for hours and if there will be less lanes due to classes. I love going during the day since you'll get a nice tan afterwards!

Water Polo

See all

Swim Team

Burlingame Beach Boardwalk

4.7

(19 reviews)

3.7 mi

What a lovely place to take a walk next to the bay water. It's a public bayshore, so…read more You can walk from one end to the other. Views are incredibly beautiful. On the other end, one can enjoy watching planes land and take off. There are many shaded areas with trees where one can enjoy a small picnic with family and friends. There is plenty of parking from one end to the other. Absolutely recommended plz go and enjoy your day. Later, after 3 pm, a light jacket is suggested just in case it gets windy.

I was planning on spending the remaining three hours before my flight in San Francisco but then…read morethere was a fire and I couldn't get away from the fire and I was annoyed with all the traffic so I said screw it I'm getting out of San Francisco. I still had so much time before my flight and wanted to be outside and walk around so ChatGPT told me to walk at Burlingame Beach Boardwalk and I did. Parked in a lot by one of the hotels and began my stroll. Seriously good plane landing and take off spot, it was very cool watching planes come in and out while walking along the water. The boardwalk is long it was perfect for what I needed. I will say however, I decided to stop at one of the public restrooms along the way and the women's bathroom stalls had no doors. I kid you not, zero, door, just open to the world. The womens entrance had no door either. I felt like I was peeing in public. Did not like that!

Views

Next to boardwalk

See all

Feelosopher's Path

5.0

(6 reviews)

1.3 mi

The best activity we've ever done for my son. Erin is wonderful, the junior staff are amazing…read more This program is so phenomenal.

I put my daughters (8 and 11) into Feelosopher's Path's Adventure Summer Camp in 2014. My…read moredaughters are shy and have a very hard time joining group activities, especially when they don't know anyone. They also tend to have a "can't do" attitude about new activities. For that reason, they generally hated summer camps. They hated CuriOdyssey, Marine Science Institute, Galileo, Steve & Kate's, you-name-it. Feelosopher's Path's stated goal for camp was to encourage kids to become more adventurous and independent -- at a gentle pace. I figured it was worth a try. Well, this was the first summer camp where I did not have to drag them there every morning. On the first day, as usual, my daughters hung behind me during check-in and stared worriedly around. Erin immediately got down to their eye-level and started chatting. By the time I finished checking in, both girls were relaxed and conversing and I saw them join the other kids before I left. Every morning, they were eager to put on their new wristwatches (part of the camp equipment list) and go on another exploration. And my non-outdoorsy, non-hiking girls hiked to the Angel Island campsite carrying all of their own gear and came back dirty and joyous. After the camp ended, both girls were adamant that they wanted to return. By June of 2015, they were asking on a weekly basis if Feelosopher's Camp was the next week! They were so excited. They had just as much fun at FC Adventure Summer Camp 2015. Feelosopher's Path is a great organization. It truly feels to be that Erin and Hiro create community. This isn't just about keeping the kids busy for the summer with activities. They are taught to be part of a larger world and to become more independent and more caring. The school year programs don't work with our schedule but they sound awesome. We will be back for the summer camp and someday we hope our kids will feel independent enough to say they want to go to Japan for the sister summer camp. That would be a milestone. I will finally add that having Hiro and kids come from Japan to run/attend the summer camp is wonderful. It shows the kids that there is a whole world to explore.

Safe challenges that expand comfort zones

Academic tutoring and student skill training

See all

Making positive connections with friends

Why does Yelp recommend reviews?

Hundreds of millions of reviews are posted on Yelp, and our automated recommendation software works in the background to showcase the reviews that it …

5 reviews that are not currently recommended

The reviews below are not factored into the business's overall star rating.

Claudia R.

0

3

0

3 years ago

Racist park rangers ., the Rules are no dogs( every sport had their dogs). no alcohol beverage ( people had open beer cans on view) but we had Spanish music (cumbia) and the told us w couldn't had music because it's a residential area .... BS!!!! read more

Karen K.

0

5

1

10 years ago

Love that it has a BBQ pit! Nice to have the kiddos ride their bikes! Beautiful view and it's very clean and well organized! Feels safe because many houses are right across the water! Lucky them!! read more

Susan B.

19

74

1

9 years ago

Nice place but quit tahing my grandson there vecause of all the duck poop. Lots of it and it's big and worst of all it is full od health danger via germs and disease read more

Joey S.

0

2

0

3 years ago

Whatever you do don't let the water get in your mouth lol I would swim carefully in that water you read more

Zai U.

45

1

0

7 years ago

Do we have to make reservations for the picnic tables or its, just a first come first serve

Parkside Aquatic Park - parks - Updated August 2026

People who viewed Parkside Aquatic Park also viewed

Gull Park

(14 reviews)

Quiet well maintain park with wide sand beach, two playgrounds, public bathroom. Water is not safe…read morefor contact. Plenty of street parking.

Gull Park is small space but they have amenities that most parks don't have: a beach and a lagoon…read more not much parking so isn't a destination. just street. other attractions are the vast grass fields, a swing, concrete walkways, and a slide.

Coyote Point Recreation Area

(247 reviews)

Visiting the area and decided to take a walk here to explore the beach, park, and see the planes…read moreflying over the ocean into SFO. While walking in we encountered the ranger booth. There were two rangers standing there having a seemingly pleasant conversation which smiles and laughter. I walked up because I noticed a price per car for $6 but didn't notice a price per person for pedestrians and wanted to clarify and pay the appropriate fees if needed. I was impressed that I didn't need to stop their conversation, they stopped on their own, greeted us with big smiles, asked how they could help us. Brandon and Lee let us know that as pedestrians we didn't need to pay or occupy the time limits. I let them know my buddy would be picking up the girls when he got off work and leaving immediately. They stated no charge, I gave them the vehicle type, they weren't worried. I gave my buddy their names and let him know. Upon his entry he had no issue entering without paying since he was just looping through. Using the restrooms, they were clean, stocked, had soap and were useable. The bbq pits were cleaned from dirt and debris and ready to use. We went to sit on a picnic table and were stopped by a gentleman who stated he had just finished painting those specific tables and was currently adding a "wet paint" label to the tables We obviously were grateful for that. He ushered us to tables that were clear to be sat at and enjoyed. Parking areas were cleaned and so was the beach. On thing I did notice was a pathway of material in several different areas. I hate walking through deep sand and getting sand into my shoes and being stuck with it all day. My second thought was that that wasn't the intended use, that possibly the intended use for for individuals using wheelchairs, walkers, other assisted devices or for those with mobility issues to have a smoother surface. This made me happy that the facilities were seemingly inclusive as much as possible! I mean it is nature.

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).

Ryder Court Park

4.3

(56 reviews)

Nice park! Great for scooters! Nice for kids to ride around park and play on playground.read more

Very nice park next to the Bay Trail…read more The parking lot is pretty small, Seal Point Park, which is right next door, has a huge parking lot. There was a play area here, along with a good sized picnic/BBQ area that's covered. The restrooms were really clean, which is a great sign for a park. I come to this area to run sometimes, and it's a great place to be on a sunny day!!!

Erckenbrack Park

3.8

(11 reviews)

Erckenbrack Park is a small, clean neighborhood with a few amenities, no noticeable parking lot…read more street parking yes. playgrounds, slides, swings, grass, benches for sitting, limited access to beach area, questionable cleanliness. great for the neighborhood. not a destination.

Stumbled upon this while looking at Google maps, then decided to check out this supposed gem. We…read morehave checked out another foster city park before: Parkside Aquatic on Seal Street and even though it was cute, we really couldn't go into the water because of all the algae. This park was unfortunately no different. I can see this as being more of a neighborhood convenience, especially with its cute sand pit, digging equipment and climbing play structure. It no doubt has beautiful quiet views on a sunny day. Complete with green lawns and picnic tables, this is great for families with small children. Even has a standard park and rec kinda bathroom nearby. We used this place as more of a beach and unfortunately, found the sand to be too rough with weird bugs crawling all around, not to mention the minefield of geese poop scattered all around. Sadly won't be back.

Catamaran Park

(14 reviews)

Gated playground more for kids 5+. Nearby tennis courts, volleyball courts, soccer field and views…read moreof the water. Downside is that there is no shade.

Catamaran Park is another great park/sports field in Foster City, there isn't a lot of grass for…read morepicnicing, festivals but there are other venues for that. amenities: tennis, basketball, soccer field, volleyball, children's playground, street parking. there's also the lagoon next to it. unsure of access. if this doesn't fit ur fancy. another park is nearby....

Lakeshore Park

4.0

(11 reviews)

This is a great place for getting a tan. It seems like he sun hits here when I doesn't hit others…read moreareas for some reason so if you wanna tan this is the spot.

Went here for a birthday party. It's a great outdoor space for picnics when the weather is nice…read more Parking was adequate. The bathrooms were kind of dirty and uncomfortable, but otherwise, this is a good park.

HarborView Park

3.8

(4 reviews)

Brilliant little sport with access to some very nice view of the Bay…read more.. HarborView Park is part of the San Mateo Shoreline and is the gateway to some lovely trails for getting some exercise weather you are biking, running or walking. It's even dog friendly, however all dogs must be on a leash. Also part of the Shoreline park system, Harborview has a ball-field, play areas, 1/2 basketball court, and restrooms in addition to Picnic tables that can be reserved as well as drop-in picnic areas. No alcohol allowed. No Fireworks and All dogs must be on leash. Picnic Tables: 2 BBQ Grills: 1 Fee: $65 Reserve: Online Great views during sunset, provided the weather is nice and you don't end up freezing or the fog is not rolling in...

Came here while walking across the shoreline. This place has access from the shoreline and also the…read morelocal street for the residence. But due to park being seconds away from the shoreline those who are not local residence aren't accustom to the strong smells that are part of the shoreline. The smells of decaying seaweed is all around.

Casanova Park

(15 reviews)

love this park for my 5 and 3 year olds! It's nested in a residential area so there isn't…read more dedicated parking lot, but a handful of spaces available right in front of the play structure. there are swings, toddler and big kid play areas. Everything is enclosed which is always a plus for me! There are plenty of picnic benches, large enclosed grass lawn to run around, basketball court and bathrooms!

Great playground for kids! The playground structures are a…read morebit older, however it is still unique and different for the basic play structure. In addition to the main structure, there is a small structure for young ones, a small sand pit, and swings. I like the the entire playground area is fenced, and that it is padded with that soft bouncy turf material. There was a sign that they were re-surfacing at the end of this month. There are picnic tables outside of the fenced area with ample shade. There is a hand sanitizer dispenser, and bathrooms are also currently open. The other awesome thing about this playground is that it is essentially connected the Laurie Meadows Park which has very new play structures, and a dog park. So this is a great options for kiddos that are easily bored and need a change of scenery!

Burton Park