Brisbane, California travel guide: things to do, food & where to stay

Overview

Brisbane is a city in San Mateo County, California. Broadly residential, the city has little of interest to tourists.

1 places to eat · 1 bars & cafés · 2 places to stay

Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage

Plan your trip

Best time to visit & weather

Most comfortable: Apr–Nov. Summer highs reach about 72°F; winter lows dip to about 45°F. Wettest: Dec and Feb. (climate data from nearby Pacifica)

Blue bars: average daily high and low (°F). Purple columns: average monthly rain and melted snow (inches).

Getting there

From you: to see whether to drive or fly, and how long it takes.
SFO San Francisco International Airport, San Francisco — 5 mi away (major hub). Directions
OAK Oakland San Francisco Bay Airport, Oakland — 11 mi away (major hub). Directions

Brisbane is most easily accessed by car. The nearest mass transit station is Bayshore Caltrain, which is at least a half an hour walk from Brisbane's downtown. Several busses stop on Bayshore Blvd, on the edge of Brisbane proper, but that only cuts the walking time to the center of town down by half to about 15 minutes.

Full “Get in” guide ↓

Budget & where to stay

No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.

Food for you

Cuisine (tap to filter)

What to ask about, for your diet

Diet labels come from each listing's description and cuisine; “likely” means the cuisine usually has good choices, not a promise. Check with the restaurant. Open the food finder

Map

Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.

Get in

Get around

Brisbane's downtown is small enough that it is easily walked. However, if you're trying to go to the warehouse area, or going up and down the hills into residential sections of town, walking will be time consuming and tiring. This is a car-dependent town.

See

Brisbane has the curious local tradition of residents putting up enormous illuminated five pointed stars on their homes, typically during the winter holiday season. The city officially adopted the nickname "City of Stars" when it incorporated in 1961.