Free & Cheap Things to Do in San Mateo, CA

  • The list below includes 706 free or cheap things to do in or near San Mateo, California, including 127 different types of inexpensive activities like Parks, Gardens, Hiking Trails and Running/Jogging.
  • From The San Mateo Japanese Garden to Sawyer Camp Trail, there are a variety of budget-friendly attractions in San Mateo and in nearby cities within 25 miles like San Francisco, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and Berkeley.
  • The list below includes 706 free or cheap things to do in or near San Mateo, California, including 127 different types of inexpensive activities like Parks, Gardens, Hiking Trails and Running/Jogging.
  • From The San Mateo Japanese Garden to Sawyer Camp Trail, there are a variety of budget-friendly attractions in San Mateo and in nearby cities within 25 miles like San Francisco, Pacifica, Half Moon Bay and Berkeley.
Showing 531-540 of 1154
19.4 Miles
81% 702 votes
Science Museums 10000 Skyline Blvd, Oakland, CA 94619 MoreLess Info
Oakland's Chabot Science Center is a museum and planetarium dedicated to scientific education and enrichment. It features a large planetarium and a film theater that shows educational programming related to space exploration and astronomy.
19.5 Miles
100% 15 votes
Nature & Wildlife Areas Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35), Los Altos, CA MoreLess Info
Windy Hill Open Space Preserve is a 1,335-acre nature area that features several trails for hiking, dog walking, biking and horseback riding. The spot is ideal for kiting, while paragliding and hang gliding are allowed with a permit.
19.5 Miles
91% 11 votes
Parks 999 Corte Madera Avenue, Sunnyvale, CA 94085 MoreLess Info
Encinal Park features a variety of amenities. For those interested in sports, the park offers basketball, volleyball, and tennis courts, as well as a baseball diamond. For more passive visitors, the park has picnic tables and a barbecue grill.
19.6 Miles
88% 135 votes
Parks Sailway Drive, Fremont, CA MoreLess Info
Central Park contains softball and soccer fields, basketball and tennis courts, four playground areas, a golf course, and a water park. The location also contains a dog park and picnic areas.
19.6 Miles
81% 21 votes
Hiking Trails Skyline Rd Hwy 35, Los Altos, CA 90755 MoreLess Info
With over 2,100 acres of varied landscape, nature enthusiasts will love the Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. The preserve has trails, meadows, a pond, and lake with a lot of wildlife.
19.7 Miles
72% 138 votes
Dog Park 1740 Stevenson Blvd, Fremont, CA 94536 MoreLess Info
A 1.2-acre canine recreation facility, Central Park Dog Park features an artificial turf large dog field and a natural grass small dog field. The park provides benches, shaded areas, drinking water and a double-gated entrance.
19.8 Miles
100% 2 votes
Hiking Trails 10600 Mora Drive, Los Altos, CA 94024 MoreLess Info
Located on a hillside, Mora Trail takes visitors on a scenic hike through forests and meadows. From the trail, visitors will receive panoramic views of the valley below and might even run into wildlife like deer.
19.8 Miles
82% 296 votes
Lake 40000 Paseo Padre Parkway, Fremont, CA 94538 MoreLess Info
Located within Central Park, Lake Elizabeth measures 83 acres and can be used for fishing and boating. The surrounding park area offers picnic sites, athletic fields, a water park, walking paths, children's playgrounds and a dog park.
19.9 Miles
90% 316 votes
Movie Theaters 43917 Pacific Commons Blvd, Fremont, CA MoreLess Info
At the Century Theaters at Pacific Commons, movie fans can enjoy first-run screenings of films in stadium seating. The location's technical features include XD, NextGen, RealD 3D, high frame rate, and digital projection.
19.9 Miles
100% 5 votes
Parks 1285 Fremont Avenue, Los Altos, CA 94023 MoreLess Info
Marymeade Park is a small, quiet park with two play structures along with a rocky water fountain area where children can play with sand and water. Other attractions include picnic tables, large grass areas for picnics, barbeques pits and restrooms.
Showing 531-540 of 1154
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