Burlingame, California

Many peninsula cities and towns feel new-ish and pretty prefab. Burlingame was developed in the late 1800’s and the historic architecture and deep roots give it a different vibe than other cities in the area. The city origins come from San Francisco residents in the late 1800s building estates just below the fog line. Burlingame is sunny, but not hot, and the pleasant weather combined with beautiful wooded landscapes, made for fabulous estates for city folk escaping the summer fog. Development in Burlingame started in the 1800s but accelerated after the 1906 earthquake when San Francisco residents moved south to rebuild their lives. A commercial district and train station were developed during this same period to serve the growing population and new subdivisions. This early development, much of which remains today, gives the city a sense of history and substance that other options in the area lack.

You can argue that housing prices are the worst part of every city in the Bay Area. So, why pick on Burlingame? Perhaps because, unlike better-known neighbors like Hillsborough, Atherton, or Palo Alto, newbies think Burlingame will be a "bargain" but at a median price of $2.7m that just ain’t the case. The average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $3.5k so renters get a break for sure but it’s still pricey.

Burlingame has the welcome bonus of having two downtowns. The historic downtown runs along Burlingame Avenue and makes the city feel like a classic American town, albeit one with lots of bucks. Much of the lifestyle of Burlingame beyond suburbia stems from the activities in this part of the city. The area has hundreds of stores, restaurants, both upscale and casual, pubs, bookstores, grocery stores, and plenty of upscale boutique shopping. While San Francisco isn’t far away, there’s enough to do in Burlingame to handle much of the social life of singles, couples, and families, at least for quieter nights.

Community social activities are also aplenty in Burlingame. Downtown, the community center, and local parks play host to a Pet Parade, Movies in the Park, Farmer’s Market, Community Campout, Holiday Tree Lighting Ceremony, and a Royal Ball, among many others. Seriously, a lot of day and night events happen throughout the year in Burlingame that tie the community together. These events have a very low-key vibe, making Burlingame way less upscale/more down-to-earth than its fancy neighbors and frankly, that’s a big part of its charm.

To see what locals get up to for fun in Burlingame check out the calendar of events.

We highly recommend visiting Burlingame and staying in the community in a VRBO rather than a hotel to get a feel for living among the locals. You can receive discounted fares on travel via our partnership with Expedia as well.

Burlingame has its own district for elementary schools, and it's highly rated on niche.com. There are six different elementary schools, all A-rated, sprinkled throughout the city, so you can’t go wrong regardless of which neighborhood you choose to live in.

At the high school level, Burlingame is in the San Mateo Union High School District and things get even better. Burlingame High School is A+ rated on niche.com and is a huge part of the community fabric.