Outdoors
Trails and recreation areas near San Mateo open to horseback riding, including horse camps.
Good to know: Check trailer parking and stock water at the trailhead, and whether certified weed-free hay is required.
Aquatic Park Cove is a vibrantly urban harbor that mimics a natural anchorage and is located on the Pacific shores of one of America's great West Coast cities.
Experience a park so rich it supports 19 distinct ecosystems with over 2,000 plant and animal species.
Contra Loma Dam and reservoir are part of the Central Valley Project - Delta Division and offers recreational opportunities for the East Bay area near San Francisco.
Point Reyes National Seashore offers four backcountry hike in campgrounds and thirteen boat in campsites along Tomales Bay. Note: For reservation purposes, our campgrounds are organized under the "loop" column of the reservation grid.
Nestled between Blue Ridge and Cedar Roughs, east of the Napa Valley, Lake Berryessa offers year-round recreation opportunities.
Distances are straight-line miles from downtown San Mateo. Listings come from Recreation.gov’s federal recreation database; check each official page for hours, fees, fire restrictions and closures before you go.
Aquatic Park Cove, Black Point Overnight Anchoring, Sailing Vessels only (auxiliary engine OK) (National Park Service), about 19 miles north of San Mateo as the crow flies. Next are Golden Gate National Recreation Area (26 mi) and Contra Loma Reservoir (39 mi).
Based on San Mateo’s average highs, all year. Conditions at higher elevations can be much cooler.
Federal agencies including National Park Service, Bureau of Reclamation. Each listing links to its official page for hours, fees, closures and current conditions.