Burlingame

Burlingame calls itself the "City of Trees," and that's not just a slogan — the eucalyptus-lined streets and mature canopy genuinely define the place. It was founded in 1868 when banker William Ralston named the land after his diplomat friend Anson Burlingame, and after the 1906 San Francisco earthquake hundreds of families relocated here. That history shows up in the architecture: Tudor Revivals, 1930s bungalows, and Spanish Colonial buildings sit alongside mid-century homes and the occasional biotech campus.

The town absorbed its northern neighbor Easton a century ago, which is why you get two very different downtowns. Burlingame Avenue — "The Ave" — is polished and upscale. Broadway is old-school and unpretentious.

Locals are fiercely proud of both, and they'll let you know if you mix them up. Proximity to SFO means the hotel corridor east of Highway 101 is packed with business travelers, but west of the freeway it's quietly residential. The city punches above its weight culturally for a 31,000-person town: strong schools, a legitimate restaurant scene, a Michelin-starred seafood market (New England Lobster, operating since 1986), and enough boutique shopping to spend an afternoon without stepping into a chain store.

Call Burlingame Avenue 'The Ave' — that's what everyone here calls it, and saying 'Burlingame Avenue' in full is a small tell that you're not local.. Broadway is the other downtown, about a mile north. Locals treat it as a separate personality entirely: mom-and-pop shops, classic diners, hardware stores.

Don't confuse it with The Ave or treat it as a lesser version — regulars on Broadway will bristle.. The farmers market on Sunday mornings is a social event as much as a shopping trip. Buy something, linger, grab a coffee from Philz or Peet's nearby..

Aircraft noise is part of the deal in eastern neighborhoods near the bay. Locals don't mention it anymore, but first-time visitors notice it immediately. It's loudest on approach paths just north and east of Highway 101..

The 'Little Big Game' — the annual Burlingame High vs. San Mateo High football rivalry — is taken seriously in the fall. The stands fill up.

If you're in town, it's a good free window into local culture.. Washington Park is the social hub for weekend afternoons. Bocce ball, tennis courts, the dog park, a community center, even giant trees with carved wood sculptures.

If the weather is good, half the town is there.. Coyote Point is underrated for visitors. It's a waterfront recreation area with trails, a marina, and CuriOdyssey — an interactive science museum and small zoo with a river otter and bobcat.

Burlingame is genuinely safe for a Bay Area city. Violent crime rate sits well below the national average. Property crime is the real issue — car break-ins and burglary are the most common problems, not random street violence.

The western residential neighborhoods are the safest; the southeastern area near retail corridors has higher reported incidents, though that's partly inflated by foot traffic rather than resident risk. One concrete note: the Burlingame Community Center parking garage has had vehicle vandalism incidents — don't leave valuables visible in your car anywhere near the shopping districts. The east-of-101 hotel corridor is fine, but it's a different energy from residential Burlingame.

Aircraft noise in eastern neighborhoods isn't a safety issue, just a livability one — worth knowing before booking a hotel near the bay.