Downtown Burlingame
Burlingame On The Avenue Event
Crystal Springs Golf Course
Washington Park Playground
It is unlawful for any person to cut down, trim, prune, plant, remove or injure or destroy any tree, shrub or plant in or upon any street or public place in the City
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 1800’s building estates just below the fogline. 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 1800’s but accelerated after the 1906 earthquake when San Francisco residents moved south to rebuild their lives. A commercial district and train station 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. 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, bookstore, 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 it’s fancy neighbors and frankly, that’s a big part of its charm.
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.
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.
If you have the bucks to live in one of the multi-million dollar suburbs in the bay area but are craving a bit more subtlety in the exhibition of that wealth then consider Burlingame. Sure, it costs a ton to live here, but the lifestyle does less to celebrate that fact than others, and for many that makes it feel like a more comfortable place to hang.
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Burlingables is perhaps the hottest neighborhood in the city. Families love it for plenty of reasons including: it’s just a short walk to Burlingame High School, the city's excellent public high school option. It also wins on walkability to Burlingame Ave’s downtown area and the Caltrain station. You can keep the car parked for long stretches here, which makes it a real outlier for peninsula neighborhoods. Finally, Burlingables is home to Washington Park, the oldest park in the city and one of its best (maybe the best?). It’s a year round center for community recreation with hundreds of classes and events both in and around the new Community Center. It offers tennis courts (and YES, even pickleball courts!!!), baseball fields, soccer, doggo play area, basketball, kiddo playground and plenty of open grass to play or relax amidst the stunning trees.
Combine the amenities, the walkability, the beautiful tree-lined streets and classic Burlingame homes and you get one of the more desirable areas of the city. That’s reflected in the $2.6m average home price in 2022 and the fact that homes rarely come on the market here. Check out where Burlingables sits on the map of Burlingame.
