San Mateo, California is a vibrant city with plenty of attractions to explore. But with so many different options available here, it can be easy to overspend.

So, we’ll explore some of the best budget-friendly attractions to visit in San Mateo that won’t break the bank. From scenic parks to unique museums, there’s something for everyone.

Discover the Beauty of San Mateo’s Parks and Recreation Areas

San Mateo is home to many beautiful parks and recreation areas. These offer a perfect retreat from the hustle and bustle of city life. With over 15 parks and recreation areas in the city, you’ll have plenty of options. One of the most popular places in San Mateo is Coyote Point Recreation Area. It has stunning views of the bay.

Additionally, it offers plenty of amenities for visitors. The park features picnic areas, hiking trails, and even a beach. With its beautiful scenery, Coyote Point is the perfect place to relax and unwind.

Overall, San Mateo’s parks and recreation areas offer a perfect escape from the stresses of daily life. All of this makes San Mateo the perfect place to live. If you ever wish to relocate here, rely on skilled people to handle your relocation. With the right people on your side, you will move as quickly as possible.

1. Explore the Local Art Scene at the Peninsula Museum of Art

The Peninsula Museum of Art is a must-visit for art lovers in San Mateo. With its impressive collection of contemporary art, this museum offers a unique glimpse into the local art scene.

Mostly, it showcases the work of some of the most talented artists in the area. One of the things that set the Peninsula Museum of Art apart is showcasing the work of emerging artists. By providing a platform for these artists to display their work, the museum is helping to support the local art community.

In addition to its exhibits, the museum also offers a variety of events and workshops for visitors of all ages. From art classes to artist talks, there’s always something happening at this museum. So check it out and discover the rich and diverse local art scene. You never know – you may even find a new favorite artist.

2. Visit the San Mateo County History Museum

If you’re a history buff, the San Mateo County History Museum is one of the best budget-friendly attractions to visit in San Mateo for you. This museum offers a fascinating look into the rich history of San Mateo County. It shows everything from the region’s early Native American inhabitants to the growth and development of the area over the centuries.

Also, one of the highlights of the museum is the immersive exhibits. These are designed to transport visitors back in time and bring the history of San Mateo County to life.

Additionally, the San Mateo County History Museum is also a center for education and community engagement. This museum hosts a variety of events throughout the year.

These include workshops, art exhibits, and cultural festivals. Finally, visitors can take advantage of the museum’s research library and archives to learn more about their family history as well.

3. Get Up Close with Wildlife at the CuriOdyssey Museum

If you’re looking for a fun and educational destination in San Mateo, look no further than the CuriOdyssey Museum. This science museum is designed to inspire curiosity in visitors of all ages. It offers a range of exhibits and interactive activities that are entertaining and educational. In this museum, one of the highlights is the animal encounters exhibit. Here, visitors can get up close and personal with a variety of animals, including owls, snakes, and raccoons.

Moreover, the exhibit is designed to teach visitors about the animals and their habitats. It is a perfect opportunity for kids and adults alike to learn something new. There’s also a variety of other interactive exhibits that teach visitors about the natural world. You can learn a lot, from the physics of sound to the principles of motion. Finally, the museum’s commitment to conservation is evident in its work to protect local habitats.

4. Visit the San Mateo Japanese Garden

The San Mateo Japanese Garden is a tranquil and beautiful oasis in the heart of San Mateo, California. This traditional Japanese garden is designed to inspire peace and tranquility in visitors and features a variety of stunning features that are both beautiful and calming. One of the highlights of the garden is the koi pond, where visitors can watch colorful koi fish swim among the water lilies and other aquatic plants.

Also, in the garden, there’s a beautiful pagoda and a charming teahouse that add to the garden’s serene atmosphere. But the San Mateo Japanese Garden is more than just a beautiful place to relax – it’s also a hub of cultural activity. Finally, the garden hosts a variety of events throughout the year, from traditional tea ceremonies to performances of Japanese music and dance.

5. San Mateo Farmers Market

The San Mateo Farmers Market is a vibrant and bustling hub of local food and community in the heart of downtown San Mateo. Every Saturday, vendors gather to sell fresh produce, artisanal goods, and delicious treats to locals and visitors alike.

From farm-fresh produce to handmade crafts and jewelry, there’s something for everyone at this market. But the San Mateo Farmers Market is more than just a place to buy fresh fruits and vegetables – it’s also a community gathering spot.

Here, the market is a hub of activity, with live music, food trucks, and even a petting zoo for the kids. It’s the perfect place to catch up with friends, meet new people, and enjoy a beautiful Saturday morning. With its lively atmosphere, it’s sure to be a highlight of your visit to San Mateo.

6. San Mateo Country Fair

The San Mateo County Fair is one of the most exciting events of the year in San Mateo, California. This annual fair offers a wide range of activities and attractions that are sure to entertain visitors of all ages.

One of the highlights of the fair is the carnival rides and games. From classic attractions like the Ferris wheel to thrilling roller coasters, there’s no shortage of excitement at this fair.

In addition to the rides, the fair also features live dance performances and other entertainment acts. Visitors can catch a show at one of the many stages. Or, they can sit back and relax in the beer garden while enjoying a cold drink and some snacks. For families with kids, the fair is a perfect destination for a fun day out.

In Summary of Budget-Friendly Attractions to Visit in San Mateo

With its beautiful parks and exciting festivals, San Mateo is truly a wonderful place. In San Mateo, visitors can take a stroll through the serene San Mateo Japanese Garden or explore the exhibits at the San Mateo County History Museum.

Also, they can shop and dine in the vibrant downtown area. With its welcoming community and wide range of budget-friendly attractions to visit in San Mateo, it is the perfect place for an affordable and enjoyable vacation.

The hustle and bustle of work life often steals the opportunity of travel from a working professional. While many weekends also get spent in fulfilling the dissatisfied client’s demands, how does an executive get time for themselves? But who says you always need to travel to unwind? If you are a working professional and want to relax when travelling isn’t an option, here are 5 ways in which you can do that:

1. Go out into your natural surroundings: Whether you are working from home or the office, sitting in front of the desk in a closed room can feel very claustrophobic. When travel isn’t an option, you can always go and explore your surroundings. This will get you in touch with nature and being in greenery will also reduce stress levels. It could be something as simple as a walk in the park or an elaborate Sunday picnic in an open area.

2. Staycations for the win: You don’t need to travel to go on a vacation, juts go on a staycation. A staycation provides a change of environment and a taste of luxury and relaxation in one’s own hometown. While at a hotel you can make full use of their services like the scrumptious buffet, soothing spa or gym to keep you active.

3. Explore the local wonders: People often think that they need to travel far and wide to see wonders but forget that a glorious vacation is right outside their door. Every city has its own charm. Explore the local areas, the hidden gems and sightseeing places to unwind.

4. Organise a virtual party: If the Covid-19 lockdown has taught us one thing, it is that you can party while being at your home. When stressed, just organize a virtual party with your friends. You all can dress up, arrange food and also get creative by using virtual happy hour games on the party app. Fun times!

5. Spend time in giving back to the community: Professionals and executives can relax by taking out some time to give back to the society. Now, it might sound like work but there is nothing more peaceful and calming than giving back to a charitable organization or non-profit organization. In any case, you will feel accomplished and this makes work rewarding and refreshing.

Nobody wants to experience the same chaos of last summer with lost baggage and long waiting lines at the check in counters. Therefore, in order to skip all that misery, I have some tips and tricks to help you to just travel with a carry-on. This will make traveling a bit less stressful and believe me, you can pack more than you think. Before you start packing, check the weight limits for carry on luggage with your airline along with the number of bags you can bring along. This will differ per airline.

1. Make optimal use of clothing sets

It is best to do this a few days in advance. Prepare everything you want to take with you. Make sure you always bring a few basic items that you can combine with other items of clothing such as a pair of jeans which you can wear with several t-shirts or tops. Trying on everything in advance and taking photos of the items will help to prevent packing unnecessary clothing.

In addition, wear your ‘heaviest’ clothes when you fly. If you have a short flight, you can also put on layers. Perhaps for a long flight this will not be ideal. Alternatively, wear your most comfortable outfit but with your heaviest shoes or shoes that would take up a lot of space in your suitcase.

2. Roll and do not fold

What will save you a lot of space is rolling up your clothes. Roll them up tightly and you can actually store more in your suitcase than you think. The advantage of rolling is that it will wrinkle less compared to folding everything. If you still have wrinkles but no iron, you can hang the clothes in the bathroom when you take a hot shower. The steam ensures that the wrinkles are reduced.

3. Use all the space in the suitcase

More tips when traveling with a carry-on only: Use every inch in your suitcase. If you bring a small handbag, fill it with underwear for example. If you have a pair of sneakers in your suitcase, fill them with socks. Put everything in small bags to keep everything ‘fresh’.

Also take anything out of packaging. It may not make a lot of difference, but every little bit helps.

4.Vacuum bags

I would only use this method for clothing that is allowed to wrinkle since a vacuum bag does give you folds and creases, however, it saves a lot of space. I apply this process for tops, underwear, and pajamas. On the return flight, I place all clothing in the vacuum bags since obviously the wrinkles will not matter at that point as everything will be washed anyway.

Use vacuum bags whenever you will not need a vacuum cleaner. You can purchase these anywhere for just a few dollars. Simply by rolling and applying some force, all of the air releases out of the bag. This makes it one solid package.

5. Washing at your vacation address

Another option is to wash your clothes at your vacation address. There are travel size detergents that you can take with you and therefore you can take less clothing. This is handy for clothes that are not too dirty and only need a refresh.

Another option would be hotels that offer a laundry service. You can then have some clothes washed on-site using this service. Keep in mind that this process would incur extra costs. In large cities you also have the option of using a nearby laundromat.

6. Minis

Another one of those tips: If you only travel with a carry-on luggage, you will have the max of 1 liter of liquids that you can take with you in a container of up to 3.4 oz (100ml.). Pay attention to this since they are very strict about this rule. You can also buy travel size products for vacation. They are however quite pricey in comparison to the regular sized packages. Otherwise, you can also purchase empty travel minis and fill them yourself with the products you always use.

What I often do is take the minis from the hotel I’ve stayed in and simply reuse them. I rinse these well and fill them with my shampoo or shower gel. The empty minis for purchase are sometimes too big for the number of days of your trip and that’s a waste of space.

7. iPad/ E-reader

Don’t take books with you when you’re running out of space. Instead upload them on an e-reader or on your iPad. Also, I would advise not to take a laptop with you unless you really need it. You can upload so much content on an iPad instead. Alternately, you can simply upload everything on your phone. It is a smaller screen but you have everything on one device.

8. Pillowcase

I recently came across some “tips” on social media although I don’t think I would use them any time soon. Currently, it is going viral that you can take extra items with you in a pillowcase however, I don’t know if this really works.
This process surely won’t cause any problems with security however, I don’t know it will a be a problem upon boarding. It’s possible that it may be charged as an extra carry-on and in this case you would be stuck with it not fitting in your suitcase or it may be too heavy. Surely now that this method is going viral, TSA is going to pay more attention to it.

Extra tip

If the airline still wants you to check in your suitcase and you are afraid of losing your suitcase, you can also put a tracker in your suitcase. In this way at least you will know whether your suitcase is on the plane, and the location of it.
Don’t forget to pack at least one set of clothing and underwear in your personal purse/ bag. In this way, if your suitcase is lost or left behind, you always have an extra set of clothing and underwear. Also note, never put all the important items you can’t live without in your suitcase if it has to be checked in.

What’s the best day to travel? Best time of day to travel? How do I book flights?

Hailey Berg, lead economist at the travel app, Hopper, offers the following tips to book the best rates.

What not to do when booking travel

Berg said prices will fluctuate at least 10 times per day.

“Don’t book without first using a price-monitoring tool. Flight and hotel prices change constantly. If you’re not using a price-monitoring tool, you’ll miss out on the best deals and lowest prices,” Berg said.

Days you shouldn’t travel

“Don’t travel on the weekend — those are the most popular dates, but you’ll pay a 25% premium on hotels and up to $100 more for flights,” Berg said.

Berg said travelers who fly mid-week (usually Wednesdays) can save an average of $56 per ticket on domestic airfare throughout the year. Over busy periods like spring break, summer vacation and the holiday season, travelers can save upwards of $100 by flying mid-week compared to the weekend.

This time of day is best for travel

“You want to get up early. You don’t want to get on a flight departing after 9 a.m. — you’ll be twice as likely to be delayed or canceled,” Berg said.

Berg said flights departing after 9 a.m. are two times more likely to be delayed than departures scheduled between 5-8 a.m. To avoid travel disruption and potential costs associated with delays, missed connections and cancellations, fly as early in the morning as possible.

What time should you book travel?

“You do not want to wait until the last minute to book your flights. Prices spike in the last month before your departure, so start monitoring prices three to four months in advance. Expect to book domestic trips about a month or two before you depart,” Berg said.

Berg said there is a sweet spot for flight prices: When airlines offer lower prices and discounted fares. Begin monitoring prices three to four months before the trip so as not to miss the “golden window,” and use a price tracker to monitor prices and get notified as soon as a good deal becomes available.

What not to do when it comes to booking travel

“Don’t forget to protect your travel, add flight-disruption protection or a flexibility product you might need for any reason, so if you have a disruption, or you don’t like your hotel, you don’t have to book a new flight or book a new hotel, you are covered,” Berg said.