Best Camping Spots & Outdoor Adventures
Explore the best best camping spots & outdoor adventures options for kids and families in San Carlos
Twin Pines Park
Green space with a creek & picnic areas. This small, scenic neighborhood park features a creek, a playground, picnic areas & a rec center.
Waterdog Lake & Open Space
Park with several trails & a small lake. This hilly green park surrounding a small lake has trails of varying lengths, some of them steep.
Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve
Preserve with canyon & ridge hikes. Dog-friendly preserve offering 366 acres of open space, with hiking trails through canyons & ridges.
Stulsaft Park
Trails, playground, picnics & water fun. A 42-acre park featuring wooded trails as well as a playground, summer water feature & picnic area.
Laurelwood Park
Hiking trails to Sugarloaf Mountain. The city's largest park (225 acres) offers trails leading to Sugarloaf Mountain & scenic picnicking.
Bedwell Bayfront Park
Oceanside park with trails & fields. Large bayside park with expansive open spaces for flying kites & several hiking trails.
Huddart Park
Forested area with trails & picnic spots. This 900-acre, forested park offers hiking & riding trails, plus picnic areas & an archery range.
San Mateo Central Park
Japanese gardens & an ice-skating rink. Vibrant, 16-acre park featuring Japanese gardens, a mini train ride, playground & ice-skating rink.
Seal Point Park
Bayfront windsurfing area with dog park. Waterfront area featuring windsurfing, a biking trail, dog park & outdoor classrooms led by rangers.
Crystal Springs Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Coyote Point Recreation Area
Large playground, trails & picnic areas. Bayside park offering a sizable playground with 6 slides, as well as trails & picnic areas.
Robert E. Woolley State Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Mountain Camp Woodside
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Coyote Hills Regional Park
Picnicking, hiking & biking trails. 1,266 acres of rolling hills for picnicking, bird-watching, biking, hiking & nature exploration.
Central Park
Sports field, tennis courts & playground. This 13-acre recreational area features tennis courts, a playing field, picnic spots & a playground.
Shoreline Lake Boathouse
Scenic wildlife & recreation area. Scenic spot for bird-watching, biking, running & other recreational activities.
Half Moon Bay State Beach
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Shoreline Park
Park with a golf course, lake & trails. Park with a golf course, a lake with boat rentals, walking/biking trails & a Victorian house museum.
Quarry Park
Large forested park with coastal views. Eucalyptus trees & coast views highlight this large park with play & picnic areas & a 1-mi. trail.
Foothills Nature Preserve
1,400-acre nature preserve with trails. Miles of trails guide visitors through woodlands & fields, past streams & lakes in this vast park.
Junipero Serra Park
Park with impressive views of city & bay. Park offering picnic areas, a creek & walking trails plus scenic views of the city, bay & mountains.
Hayward Regional Shoreline
Vast wetlands park home to nesting birds. Spacious wetlands park boasting gravelled, shoreline trails known for birdwatching & jogging.
Foothills Open Space Preserve
Small wooded preserve with bay views. Nature preserve with 212-acres of wooded ridges & ravines & an uphill trail leading to bay vistas.
Redwood Grove Nature Preserve
Redwood forest with a boardwalk. This 6-acre Redwood forest features a boardwalk, observation decks, picnic tables & a rose garden.
Hidden Villa
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Ardenwood Historic Farm
Living museum with horse-powered farming. A working farm with a train & crops grown using historic methods, plus volunteers in period attire.
Mount Eden Park
Park with sports fields & picnic areas. Community park featuring picnic shelters & a playground, plus baseball, basketball & tennis.
Frontierland Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve
3,137-acre park with diverse plant life. Massive 3,137-acre green space with many trails & a wide range of plant life & wildflowers.
Bonaire Park
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Black Mountain Backpack Camp
Basic tent sites with a toilet. Campground in Monte Bello Open Space Preserve featuring basic tent sites & a toilet.
J V Fitzgerald Marine Reserve
Protected intertidal zone & beach. 3-mi. stretch of beach & tide pools full of marine life, including sea stars, octopuses & crabs.
Rancho San Antonio County Park & Open Space Preserve
Hiking area featuring a working farm. Rural nature preserve with 25 miles of hiking trails, plus a working farm & a model plane launch.
Quarry Lakes Regional Recreation Area
Lakefront park offering water activities. Lakefront park offers 471 acres of space for picnicking, swimming, fishing & non-motorized boating.
Pacifica State Beach
Crescent-shaped beach known for surfing. Known for being a popular surfing locale, this crescent-shaped beach also offers trails & restrooms.
Adventure Out Surf Lessons
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Jack Brook Horse Camp
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Garin Regional Park
Hills, fields, streams & farming history. This natural area with hills, fields & streams houses a seasonal visitor center on ranching history.
Dry Creek Pioneer Regional Park
Spacious preserve with trails & a garden. Expansive park featuring trails, a creek, gardens & farm animals, plus a seasonal barn center.
Candlestick Point State Recreation Area
Scenic bayside park with views & more. Picturesque, waterside state recreation area with vistas, trails, fishing & other activities.
Sulphur Creek Nature Center
Wildlife rehabilitations & education. This wildlife rehabilitation facility offers educational programs & a discovery center for kids.
Memorial County Park
Redwood forest with trails & campgrounds. This wooded parkland offers an array of wildlife, hiking trails, picnic tables & camping areas.
Redwood Glen
Visit this great place for kids and families!
San Bruno Mountain State & County Park
Hiking trails & picnic spots with views. Mountain recreation space featuring city & bay views, hiking trails, picnic areas & open meadows.
Serra Park
Tennis courts, ball fields & open lawns. Nature area with tennis courts, ball fields, playground & picnic areas, plus manicured & open space.
Aqua Adventure Water Park
Family-friendly waterslides & pools. Recreational facility featuring waterslides, pools, swimming lessons & an on-site eatery.
Lake Chabot Regional Park
Scenic park for hikes, boating & fishing. Parkland featuring a 315-acre reservoir for canoeing & fishing, plus trails, picnic areas & a cafe.
Lake Chabot Marina & Café
Lakeside spot for breakfast & sandwiches. This casual place overlooking the lake serves classic breakfasts, sandwiches, burgers & salads.
Don Castro Regional Recreation Area
Wildlife, trails & a lagoon for swimming. 101-acre park featuring a lagoon with swimming & fishing, plus wildlife & waterfront trails.
Rhino Adventure Gear
Visit this great place for kids and families!
McClellan Ranch Preserve
Former horse ranch with a nature museum. Former horse ranch from the 1930s featuring a nature museum, community garden & historic buildings.
Stevens Creek County Park
Trails, picnic areas & a reservoir. Miles of multi-use trails, shaded picnic areas & a large reservoir for fishing & boating.
Chabot Park
Disc golf, fishing & forested hikes. Leafy nature area with a big lake, hiking trails & a disc golf course, popular for fishing & biking.
East Bay Regional Park District - Public Safety
Visit this great place for kids and families!
Anthony Chabot Family Campground
Campground with tent, RV & group sites. Campground in Anthony Chabot Regional Park offering a variety of tent, RV & group sites.
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