San Mateo travel guide

San Mateo Tourism | San Mateo Guide

You're Going to Love San Mateo

With a population of 97,207, San Mateo is a must-see destination in California, United States. We recommend you stay at least 3 days in order to fully appreciate everything San Mateo has to offer.

Where to Eat in San Mateo

If you’re looking for affordable options, Espetus Churrascaria - San Mateo (710 S B St 0) and 231 Ellsworth (231 S Ellsworth Ave) are great picks. For delicious green meals, Rise Woodfire (2 N B St) and Flores - San Mateo (4 Hillsdale Mall) are recommended spots to get vegetarian or vegan food in San Mateo.

When to visit San Mateo

San Mateo in October
Estimated package price
$410
2 travelers
Flight to San Mateo
3 nights at hotel
San Mateo in October
Estimated package price
$410
2 travelers
Flight to San Mateo
3 nights at hotel

Looking for warm weather? Then head to San Mateo in August, when the average temperature is 64.4 °F, and the highest can go up to 71.6 °F. The coldest month, on the other hand, is January, when it can get as cold as 42.8 °F, with an average temperature of 50 °F. You’re likely to see more rain in January, when precipitation is around 4.4″. In contrast, July is usually the driest month of the year in San Mateo, with an average rainfall of 0″.

Data provided by weatherbase
Temperatures
Temperatures
Data provided by weatherbase

How to Get to San Mateo

Plane

When flying to San Mateo, you’ll arrive at San Francisco Airport (SFO), which is located 5 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to San Mateo include American Airlines, Air France and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to San Mateo departs from Ontario and takes around 1h 25m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to San Mateo. The train journey from San Mateo to Sacramento takes 1h 41m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fresno, expect to pay about $17 for a 3h 58m trip.

Car

Another option to get to San Mateo is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 16 miles from San Mateo. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

You can travel by bus to San Mateo using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Sacramento, the bus ride to San Mateo takes 140 miles and will cost you around $31. From Sacramento, the ticket costs about $31 for a journey of 155 miles.

Plane

When flying to San Mateo, you’ll arrive at San Francisco Airport (SFO), which is located 5 miles from the city center. Airlines that fly from the United States to San Mateo include American Airlines, Air France and Aeromexico. The shortest domestic flight to San Mateo departs from Ontario and takes around 1h 25m.

Train

Amtrak is the only carrier operating train routes to San Mateo. The train journey from San Mateo to Sacramento takes 1h 41m and costs around $21 for a one-way ticket. When coming by train from Fresno, expect to pay about $17 for a 3h 58m trip.

Car

Another option to get to San Mateo is to pick up a car rental from San Francisco, which is about 16 miles from San Mateo. You’ll find branches of Kyte and Sixt, among others, in San Francisco.

Bus

You can travel by bus to San Mateo using FlixBus or Greyhound. From Sacramento, the bus ride to San Mateo takes 140 miles and will cost you around $31. From Sacramento, the ticket costs about $31 for a journey of 155 miles.

Airports near San Mateo

Airlines serving San Mateo

Lufthansa
Good (4,666 reviews)
KLM
Good (853 reviews)
SWISS
Good (941 reviews)
British Airways
Good (4,530 reviews)
Delta
Good (4,618 reviews)
Turkish Airlines
Good (2,306 reviews)
Air France
Good (985 reviews)
Iberia
Good (1,582 reviews)
Austrian Airlines
Good (485 reviews)
United Airlines
Good (4,960 reviews)
Emirates
Excellent (2,122 reviews)
Qatar Airways
Good (2,469 reviews)
Air Canada
Good (5,849 reviews)
Brussels Airlines
Good (228 reviews)
Finnair
Good (870 reviews)
TAP AIR PORTUGAL
Good (1,174 reviews)
LOT
Good (684 reviews)
Singapore Airlines
Excellent (924 reviews)
Scandinavian Airlines
Good (827 reviews)
Etihad Airways
Good (833 reviews)
Show more

Where to stay in popular areas of San Mateo

Most booked hotels in San Mateo

Bay Landing Hotel
3 stars
Excellent (8.6, 1538 reviews)
$120+
Residence Inn by Marriott San Francisco Airport/San Mateo
3 stars
Excellent (8.7, 134 reviews)
$136+
Hilton Garden Inn San Mateo
3 stars
Excellent (8.5, 213 reviews)
$145+
Aloft San Francisco Airport
3 stars
Excellent (8.1, 1611 reviews)
$145+
Best Western Coyote Point Inn
2 stars
Excellent (8.4, 33 reviews)
$142+
The Westin San Francisco Airport
4 stars
Excellent (8, 1381 reviews)
$141+

Renting a car in San Mateo

Renting a car in San Mateo costs $58 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in San Mateo.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in San Mateo (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in San Mateo is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Ford Fusion or similar) are, on average, 71% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.

Renting a car in San Mateo costs $58 per day, on average, or $174 if you want to rent if for 3 days.

It’s generally cheaper to rent your vehicle outside the airport: locations in the city are around 11% cheaper than airport locations in San Mateo.

Expect to pay $3.94 per gallon in San Mateo (average price from the past 30 days). Depending on the size of your rental car, filling up the tank will cost between $47.24 and $62.99. The most frequently booked car type in San Mateo is Mini (Chrysler Pacifica or similar). If you’re looking to save money, though, keep in mind that Full-size rental cars (Ford Fusion or similar) are, on average, 71% cheaper than other rental car types in the city.