San Carlos

Welcome to San Carlos

Lively downtown and large parks in The City of Good Living

San Carlos stretches from the San Francisco Bay to the foothills of the Santa Cruz Mountains. Known as The City of Good Living, San Carlos is a family-friendly city with a lively downtown area. Residents enjoy a pedestrian lifestyle in the flats and beautiful bay views in the hills. San Carlos is a close-knit community with events throughout the year aimed at all ages.

San Carlos’ real estate mix consists of both mid-century and contemporary single-family homes, with some older properties dating back to the 1900s. Stylish condominiums can also be found both close to downtown and in the southwestern hillsides.

What to Love

Varied housing options
Lively downtown
Live music
Large parks and open space

People & Lifestyle

The City of Good Living offers its residents a varied lifestyle with access to all the best features of the mid-peninsula. Open space preserves extend over the mountainsides beyond San Carlos’ southwestern boundary, and there are several sprawling parks located within the community itself. Downtown has some of the mid-peninsula’s best restaurants along with varied shopping and chic spots to enjoy a drink. There’s a Caltrain station downtown and both El Camino Real and Bayshore Freeway pass through San Carlos, making it easy to get to San Francisco, San Jose, and all the communities in between.

Dining, Entertainment & Shopping

Laurel Street is lined with dozens of outstanding restaurants serving cuisine from around the world. The Michelin Guide recommends the New Haven-style taken on Italian pizzas and pastas at Pazzo and the smoky meats and tender sautéed vegetables of Afghan restaurant Kabul. The sublime dishes at Delizie showcase the powerful flavors of Southern Italy’s Calabria region. Many restaurants here focus on utilizing locally-sourced ingredients, including the superior gastropub fare at Johnson’s Saltbox, chef-driven seasonal fare at number5kitchen, and sophisticated Italian cooking utilizing locally-sourced ingredients at Pranzi. There’s also Spanish-style tapas at Stamp Bar & Grill, and fresh meat and seafood fine dining at West Park Bistro.

Retail on Laurel Street is a charming mix of fashion boutiques and mum ‘n’ pop specialty stores. Chic fashion goods are available at Dequeen, Joey Rae, and Urbanization, while family-friendly stores such as The Reading Bug and J & M Hobby House are respectively stocked with children’s books and toys. Many Laurel Street establishments showcase live music performances at night, with standouts including Noelani’s Island Grill, Rail, and Savanna Jazz. North of El Camino Real, Washington Street is home to numerous hip places to drink, with craft beer at Devil’s Canyon and award-winning local vintages at Russian Ridge Winery and Wine Cellars.

Things to Do

San Carlos’ open space includes the sprawling 16-acre Big Canyon Park and 57-acre Eaton Park. These together form one continuous natural space with oak woodlands, sloping chaparrals, and grassland areas. Other parks are dotted throughout San Carlos. Highlands Park has baseball diamonds, tennis courts, and a children’s playground. More sports facilities and play areas can be found at Burton Park, where the water spray feature is a favorite of local kids. In summer, Burton Park hosts a series of Kids’ Sing & Swing concerts in the morning and live performances on Friday evenings for the Music in the Park series.

The Night of Holiday Lights is a popular winter tradition that kickstarts the holiday season in November. Eucalyptus Avenue remains brightly illuminated throughout December. The downtown area also hosts an Art & Wine Faire with live music and street performers in October, as well as a farmers’ market with fresh produce and musical performances each Sunday throughout the year.

San Carlos History Museum features an in-depth exploration of the community’s development, while the Hiller Aviation Museum at San Carlos Airport has 50 aircraft illustrating the evolution of flight.

Schools