San Mateo County has 23 parks within its borders. There are 5 that really stand out above the rest when it comes to activity and amenities.
San Mateo Central Park – 50 E 5th Avenue, San Mateo
Central Park is the first public park in San Mateo, California, a 16.5-acre urban park bounded by El Camino Real, 5th Avenue, Laurel Avenue and 9th Avenue. It was dedicated in 1903. Placed under joint control of the city and county of San Mateo in 1911.
It also has a sporting field that is used for baseball games and soccer games as well as a running and walking track around the field.
The Central Park Recreation Center in San Mateo offers a variety of programs including; Summer Day Camps, Sports, Fitness and Dance Education Classes, Art Classes.
Central Park is located in the heart of San Mateo’s Downtown district. The park was designed by W.E. Coxhead and F. H. Bulleid in 1901 and opened on April 16, 1903 with a ceremony attended.
The San Mateo Japanese Garden is a Japanese garden that was established in 1959 located within Central Park. The Garden has been designed to represent the different aspects of nature found in Japan.
Laurelwood Park – 3471 Glendora Avenue, San Mateo
Laurelwood Park is a 10-acre park with sporting fields, open grass area and dog park. The main feature of this park is the large pond where people like to feed ducks. It also has a basketball court as well as a running track around it.
The Laurelwood Park Recreation Center in San Mateo offers programs such as; Summer Day Camps, Sports, Fitness and Dance Education Classes and Art Classes.
Laurelwood Park is located on a ridge overlooking the San Francisco Bay to the north of Highway 101. This park was once part of James Lick estate; “Lick Mill” (1852) was built by James Lick beside San Mateo. Many people enjoy driving or biking along the access road and overlooking the park.
Seal Point Park – 1901 J Hart Clinton Dr, San Mateo
Seal Point Park is a popular spot for dog owners. The park includes various amenities including; swimming beach, boat launch platform and kayak launch area, baseball diamond as well as running trails and picnic tables. The most popular feature is the dog park and swimming beach.
The Seal Point Coastal Reserve in San Mateo offers a variety of programs including; Summer Day Camps, Sports, Fitness and Dance Education Classes and Art Classes.
Families and dog owners bring their dogs to the beach area of Seal Point Park for a day at the beach. The beach area of the park is open from Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Seal Point Park and Seal Beach State Park are connected by a hiking/bike trail that runs along the bay.
Seal Point Park is located at the end of Eighth Avenue, just off El Camino Real
Bay Meadows Park – 301 E 28th Avenue, San Mateo
Bay Meadows Park is a 16-acre park located at 300 E 28th Avenue, on the border of San Mateo and Belmont. The main feature of this park is the vast open space used for horse riding as well as running and biking trails.
The Bay Meadows Community Center in San Mateo offers programs such as; Summer Day Camps, Sports, Fitness and Dance Education Classes and Art Classes.
Bay Meadows Park in San Mateo has two dog parks located on opposite ends which are across from Purissima Middle School. They are great to take your dog to play or just relax while he plays with other dogs at these off leash areas.
With the apartment buildings surrounding it. The development of these apartments and homes has created a lot of excitement for people who want to live in this area. These new additions are a major improvement to the appearance of Bay Meadows Park’s surroundings.
Beresford Park – 2720 Alameda De Las Pulgas, San Mateo
Beresford Park is a 6.4-acre park with sports fields, picnic tables and open grass area. The main feature of this park is the large oak tree in the center.
The Beresford Community Center in San Mateo offers programs such as; Summer Day Camps, Sports, Fitness and Dance Education Classes and Art Classes.
Beresford Park is located between the neighborhoods of Harbor View and Sylvan Glen. It provides a transitional zone between these two residential areas with large open green spaces and direction signs for visitors as well as families that live in this area.
The story of how Beresford Park was created, begins about 100 years ago when George C. Beresford, and his wife came to California from England. They were successful farmers and land owners in the state of Wisconsin. They purchased a large area south of San Mateo and created fruit orchards. In 1870 Beresford planted thousands of trees creating a dense forest where Sycamore Creek flows now through the park.
