Originally settled by wealthy San Franciscans looking for more space and a friendlier climate, Burlingame has evolved into a charming city known for affluent residents, incredible homes, and a vast expanse of natural beauty. With over 18,000 trees owned, protected, and maintained by the city, Burlingame is also known as the “City of Trees.”

Burlingame’s origins date back to 1893, seen with its stunning examples of original Victorian architecture throughout the city and many buildings reflecting Spanish influence. Burlingame is a progressive city that has recently adopted a “think green” policy. This city has created everything from bicycle transportation plans to recycling events, striving to reduce carbon emissions, water consumption, and energy usage. 

Burlingame proliferated, and as a result, has more of a traditional architectural feel than many of its Peninsula neighbors. You’ll find plenty of examples of English, Arts and Crafts and Mediterranean architecture, but not much from the second half of the 20th century in its quaint, tree-lined neighborhood streets, and its two downtown centers, Burlingame Avenue and Broadway, have the classic “Main Street U.S.A” feel of a long-established town.

Burlingame came to have two downtowns when the city absorbed its northern neighbor, the town of Easton, a century ago. Each has a distinctive character. Broadway, located in the former Easton, is where you’ll find traditional “mom and pop” businesses, grocery stores, and pharmacies, along with classic restaurants like the Broadway Grill and Preston’s, a candy store and local institution which has fed the local sweet tooth for 60 years.

Burlingame Avenue, Burlingame’s “original” downtown, has over time evolved into a high-end shopping and dining district. Whether your fancy is unique children’s clothing from Janie and Jack, Baby Couture or Zoli, the latest from the Banana Republic or J. Crew, a tailored suit from Sam Malouf, or a new iPad from the Apple Store, “The Ave” has you covered.

Burlingame features some of the best in the state for those looking for excellent public schools, with test scores regularly above nearby cities. Burlingame is also home to three private schools: Mercy High School (a Catholic all-girls high school), Our Lady of Angels School, and St. Catherine of Siena School. The city also features one of the most iconic public libraries in the region. 

Burlingame has many neighborhood parks, plus Coyote Point, a onetime waterfront amusement park converted into green space, with trails, beaches, a marina, and the Coyote Point Museum for Environmental Education.