Choose wisely. Connect locally.Add your business 
Redwood City is the county seat of San Mateo County, on the San Francisco Peninsula halfway between San Francisco and San Jose. It grew in the 1850s as a port on Redwood Creek, where lumber from the redwood forests in the hills was shipped to San Francisco, and it was incorporated in 1867. The city's slogan, Climate Best by Government Test, recalls a weather study of the 1920s.
Downtown centers on Courthouse Square, where the domed 1910 San Mateo County Courthouse now houses the San Mateo County History Museum. Around the square, the restored Fox Theatre, cinemas and many restaurants make downtown a lively evening destination, with free concerts in summer.
Redwood City also has historic Victorian homes in the Mezes and Stambaugh-Heller neighborhoods, a busy port and marina on the bay, and quick access to Edgewood Park and the redwood forests and trails of the Santa Cruz Mountains.
Courthouse Square is the heart of downtown Redwood City, a plaza in front of the 1910 San Mateo County courthouse with its stained-glass dome. It hosts free summer concerts, movies, holiday events and an ice rink in some winters. Check the city events calendar, as evening concerts on the square are a local favorite.
The Port of Redwood City is the only deep-water port in the south part of San Francisco Bay, handling bulk cargo. Its public areas include a waterfront walk, marina and boat launch, and seasonal bay cruises leave from here. Bring a jacket, because wind off the bay can be strong in the afternoon even in summer.
The San Mateo County History Museum fills the restored 1910 courthouse on Courthouse Square, with exhibits on the Ohlone, ranchos, logging, the port and Silicon Valley, plus a striking glass dome over the rotunda. A visit takes about two hours. Look up from the rotunda floor to see the dome, one of the largest of its kind on the West Coast.
Lathrop House is an 1863 Gothic Revival home built for Benjamin Lathrop, the first county clerk, and now stands next to the courthouse downtown. Restored rooms show Victorian furnishings and family life of the era. The house is run by volunteers with limited opening hours, so check the schedule before visiting.
The Fox Theatre on Broadway is a restored 1929 movie palace in downtown Redwood City that now hosts concerts, tribute bands, comedy and theater productions. Its ornate interior is part of the show. Check the theater's calendar ahead of your visit and pair a show with dinner on nearby Broadway or Theatre Way.
Downtown Redwood City around Broadway, Main Street and Theatre Way has a lively mix of restaurants, bars, a large cinema and plazas, built up in recent decades around the old courthouse. It is busy on summer evenings with outdoor dining. Street parking is metered, so the public garages near the center are often easier.
Bair Island is part of the Don Edwards San Francisco Bay National Wildlife Refuge, a large area of restored tidal marsh beside Redwood City. A trail and boardwalk on Inner Bair Island give views of sloughs where egrets, shorebirds and harbor seals feed. Mornings and high tide are best for birding, and dogs are not allowed.
Edgewood Park and Natural Preserve is a San Mateo County park on the hills above Redwood City, famous for spring wildflowers on rare serpentine grassland. Trails wind through oak woodland and open meadows with bay views. Visit from March to May for the best wildflower displays, and stay on the trails to protect the plants.
Stulsaft Park is a wooded city park in the Redwood City hills with a creek, shady trails, picnic areas and a well-loved playground. It feels like a small forest within the city, with redwoods and oaks along the paths. It is a good spot for families with young children, and picnic sites can be reserved through the city.
Red Morton Community Park is Redwood City's main sports and recreation park, with ball fields, tennis courts, a pool, playgrounds and a community activities building. Large redwood trees shade parts of the grounds. Check the city recreation schedule for public swim times and classes held in the park buildings.
No reviews yet. Been to Redwood City? Be the first to share your experience.
Share what you loved, what to skip and tips for other travelers.
Log in to write a reviewBeen to Redwood City? Add your best shots to the gallery.
Log in to add photos
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
California, United States
Photo: Sanfranman59, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Coolcaesar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 4.0
Photo: Coolcaesar, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Suiren2022, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Youwei liang, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: FASTILY, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jeanjung212, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jill Clardy, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: BrokenSegue, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: King of Hearts, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Flickr user roarofthefour, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Eugene Zelenko, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Ramesh lalwani, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Youwei liang, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: BrokenSphere, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, photographer not specified or unknown, Wikimedia Commons, Public domain
Photo: Jeanjung212, Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0