Towns of the San Francisco Peninsula Served By The Michael Ames Real Estate Team San Carlos Real Estate, Belmont Real Estate, San Mateo Real Estate, Redwood City Real Estate, Redwood Shores Real Estate, Foster City Real Estate, Atherton Real Estate, Hillsborough Real Estate, Palo Alto Real Estate, Menlo Park Real Estate

The Towns of the San Francisco Peninsula

The San Francisco Peninsula is a collection of small towns, each with its own character. Below is a brief description of the towns that make the Peninsula what it is.

Atherton
Located just north of Stanford University, Atherton is home to a cosmopolitan population of successful professionals and nationally prominent figures in government, industry, sports, and the arts. The population has remained relatively stable for more than two decades and is expected to remain close to the current level of approximately 8,000 through the year 2002. Atherton is truly a unique community. One whose residents enjoy the advantages of a small town in the midst of one of the nations most attractive metropolitan areas, with all the cultural, recreational and economic opportunities it offers. Atherton's residential character is reinforced by a Land Use Plan which does not allow commercial or industrial development. However, it is more than a collection of exclusive homes. It is an impressive array of public and private schools which draws from a student population representing every culture and socio-economic level. And, the community places a great deal of emphasis on its children, both those who live in the community and those who attend the schools in the community. City of Atherton website.

Belmont
Located in mid-San Mateo county, this city of 26,077 is a charmer all by itself. Belmont, which translates to "beautiful mountain", is bordered on the north by San Mateo, the south by San Carlos, the east by Redwood Shores, and the west by Highway 92 and Crystal Springs Reservoir. Belmont is roughly half way between San Francisco and San Jose.

Belmont is in the process of redeveloping its downtown, and has recently completed the raising of the railroad tracks at its main artery, Ralston Avenue. There are preliminary plans to build a new library near its present location.

Sundays during the summer months the Belmont Park Boosters provide free concerts to residents and friends at Twin Pines Park. Proceeds from the sale of food and beverages helps the park and rec commission. Link to City of Belmont website.

Burlingame
The city of Burlingame is a fine place to live. Burlingame's recreational facilities and open space areas provide its citizens with enjoyable and diversified leisure hours year-round. The pleasant sunny climate is always temperate and the city's restful, tree-shaded parks, along with the nearby bay, ocean, and mountains, assure recreational opportunities of a wide variety. Lovely homes on tree lined streets have made Burlingame the "City of Trees". To find out more visit the City of Burlingame website.

Daly City
Daly City is a city of 100,000 people in northern San Mateo County, adjacent to the City and County of San Francisco, on the Pacific Ocean and just minutes away from San Francisco Bay. This enviable location inspired the nickname "Gateway to the Peninsula." City of Daly City Website.

Foster City
Foster City has a population of approximately 29,500 citizens living in more than 13,200 residential units. The city is rapidly nearing its projected population of 34,000 residents. In this planned community development has always been orderly and in accordance with an approved master plan, resulting in neighborhoods that age more attractively and in properties that continue to command or increase their value over time.

A planned community approaches development conceptually from an architectural perspective rather than a marketing perspective.

Planned cities typically develop around a predetermined population level that serves as the basis for planning the number of homes, shops and industries to be supported. This planned nature also allows neighborhoods to develop intact, purposefully avoiding the busy commercial throughways that commonly divide neighborhoods in other cities. Industrial development and even commercial development are kept separate from residential development, resulting in an enhanced quality of life for residents, the business community and visitors to the city.

Beautiful planned communities like Foster City, however, do not happen by accident. Civic-minded residents and business community members, dedicated local elected officials and responsive city employees all contribute to the distinctive spirit that residents, businesses and visitors to Foster City enjoy. Link to City of Foster City Website

Menlo Park
Menlo Park (population 32,000) is located in southern San Mateo County midway between San Francisco and San Jose. The physical setting of its nineteen square miles is spectacular, with San Francisco Bay to the east and the Pacific coastal range on the west. Link to City of Menlo Park Website

Palo Alto
Palo Alto is a city of approximately 58,575 people, located about 35 miles south of San Francisco in Santa Clara County. It is a part of the San Francisco Bay metropolitan area, which has a population of five million. The city's boundaries extend from San Francisco Bay on the east to the Skyline Ridge of the coastal mountains on the west.

The city was named for a tall redwood tree under which an early Spanish exploration party camped in 1769. The town of Palo Alto was officially named in 1892. When the city was incorporated in 1894, its 370 residents were governed by an elected board of trustees. Palo Altans adopted their first charter in 1909, when the city's population was 4,000. It provided for an elected City Council of 15 members. Chartered cities may establish their own laws and regulations as long as they do not conflict with those of the state. Palo Alto's municipal code supports its charter.

Palo Alto is a unique residential community with about 25,000 housing units. Its schools, parks, recreational and cultural facilities are outstanding. The city has over 25 parks totaling more than 3,300 acres, two community centers, six libraries, a municipal swimming pool, Cultural Center, Community Theatre, Children's Theatre and Junior Museum. The Lucy Evans Baylands Nature Interpretive Center is dedicated to nature education and preservation of the city's salt marsh. Palo Alto is also a major employment center with about 75,000 jobs. The high technology industry has its roots in Palo Alto, partly because of the presence of Stanford University adjacent to the city.

The City of Palo Alto participates in the International Sister City Program and has sister city relationships with Oaxaca, Mexico; PALO, Leyte, Philippines; Enschede, The Netherlands; Linkoping, Sweden; and Albi, France. Neighbors Abroad is the community organization that administers the Sister City Program for Palo Alto. Link to City of Palo Alto Website

Redwood City
In Redwood City, the population grew from 12,400 in 1940 to 46,300 in 1960. The city annexed 25 square miles of tidelands and salt ponds, and was one of the pioneer cities to strike a balance between conservation and development. One of the annexed areas, Bair Island, was set aside as a wildlife sanctuary, while to the north a model community of homes called Redwood Shores was developed during the 1960's. The Redwood Shores plan also included businesses to provide jobs for residents.

Many new buildings were constructed to meet the needs of the population influx, and by Redwood City's centennial, in 1967, the city was home to sixteen elementary schools, two junior high schools, two high schools, a community college, two hospitals, and a new county government complex. The city's industrial base also expanded and diversified. The port began renting land to non-marine related businesses. Technological companies also started locating in Redwood City, beginning with Ampex (the developer of audio and video tape) in the 1950's to Oracle (a computer software company) in the 1980's.

The Downtown Area still remains the center of activity, however, with several county government buildings, financial institutions, and an extensive city government complex. During the 1980's, Redwood City built a new main fire station and main library in the downtown area. A new city hall complex was completed in 1997. As Redwood City continues to grow and enters the 21st century, its leaders and residents are ever-mindful of the importance of the past and preserving the city's rich and colorful heritage. Link to City of Redwood City Website

San Bruno
This bedroom town located just west of the San Francisco Airport rises from flats to the hills for great views. Many bayside cities stop at Highway 280, but San Bruno extends well on the other side of this freeway. From some western streets you can see the Pacific, but most views are confined to the bay. Fog crests in the ridges spilling down onto the lowlands with some sun as you get to the bay. Link to City of San Bruno Website

San Carlos
San Carlos, a middle class family town is located in the Mid Peninsula. The spruced up downtown makes this bay to hills town so peaceful. The crime rate is low and the schools rank high. Link to City of San Carlos Website

San Mateo
Like many Peninsula cities, San Mateo is becoming ethnically diverse from an influx of immigrants and first, second and third generation Americans. Housing ranges from new and modern in design to the popular 2 and 3 bedroom home built in the 1960's. Recreation is plentiful for all of the children with its 24 parks, 3 libraries, performing arts center, marina, softball, bocce, soccer, baseball, football, ice skating rink, bike paths, and golf courses. Link to City of San Mateo Website

South San Francisco
Also known as South City, this city is known as a residential and industrial office city. The Oyster Point Marina Business Park. Sleek and modern symbolizes the new 'South City'. There is some fog in many of the neighborhoods ranging from coastal hills (with views) to the bay. Link to City of South San Francisco Website

Woodside
Woodside, as obvious to anyone spending time in this city, is a place where people enjoy the peaceful, rustic nature that is almost perpetual here. Woodside Town Hall, upon its incorporation, created its Mission Statement with the express purpose of preserving that peaceful, rustic nature. Woodside is a small piece of the Old West smack dab in the middle of ever trendy and always changing California.