Overview
San Bruno is a city on the Peninsula in the San Francisco Bay Area of California. It is south of South San Francisco and north of Millbrae. It is the main headquarters of YouTube.
3 sights · 1 bars & cafés · 6 places to stay
Updated from Wikivoyage on 1 October 2026 · Something wrong or missing? Improve it on Wikivoyage
Best things about San Bruno
Sweeney Ridge
The San Andreas Fault Line is highly visible here at this ridge and runs under Lake San Andreas, which serves as an important water supply for many Bay Area residents and is quite attractive, especially when viewed from …
The Avenue
San Mateo Avenue is the main drag of downtown San Bruno, and has on it many quaint shops and restaurants reminiscent of the architecture found in the early 20th century American West.
Junipero Serra Park
This compact, hilly park is a fresh slice of heaven and offers great hiking coupled with clear views of the San Francisco Bay and San Francisco International Airport. It is located just southwest of San Bruno City Hall a…
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 — 2 mi away (major hub). Directions
- SQL San Carlos Airport, San Carlos — 12 mi away. Directions
San Bruno is located at the junctions of Highways 101, 280 and 380, and is the closest city to San Francisco International Airport (even though SFO is officially part of San Francisco). It has its own BART station and a CalTrain station. The city has a population just under 44,000 (2020).
Full “Get in” guide ↓Budget & where to stay
No prices are listed for this place yet. See the Sleep guide ↓ for options.
Sample 1-day itinerary
Day 1
- Morning Sweeney Ridge, Junipero Serra Park
- Afternoon The Avenue
- Evening Newell's Cocktail Time
Stops are grouped by area so each day needs little backtracking. Check opening hours before you go.
Food for you
A number of reasonably priced restaurants of a variety of different cuisines (including Japanese, Korean, and Indian) can be found along San Mateo Avenue in central San Bruno.
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
Photos
Map
Every listing with a location. Tap a pin for its Google Maps link.
Get in
San Bruno is located at the junctions of Highways 101, 280 and 380, and is the closest city to San Francisco International Airport (even though SFO is officially part of San Francisco). It has its own BART station and a CalTrain station. The city has a population just under 44,000 (2020).
Get around
San Bruno has an extensive bus service through the county SamTrans buses.
See
See The Avenue
San Mateo Avenue is the main drag of downtown San Bruno, and has on it many quaint shops and restaurants reminiscent of the architecture found in the early 20th century American West.
See Sweeney Ridge
The San Andreas Fault Line is highly visible here at this ridge and runs under Lake San Andreas, which serves as an important water supply for many Bay Area residents and is quite attractive, especially when viewed from the top of Sweeney Ridge (just over 1000 ft. ASL), which borders the gorgeous coastal city of Pacifica.
See Junipero Serra Park
This compact, hilly park is a fresh slice of heaven and offers great hiking coupled with clear views of the San Francisco Bay and San Francisco International Airport. It is located just southwest of San Bruno City Hall adjacent to San Bruno City Park and highway I-280, which also shares the name Junipero Serra.
Buy
Eat
A number of reasonably priced restaurants of a variety of different cuisines (including Japanese, Korean, and Indian) can be found along San Mateo Avenue in central San Bruno.
Drink
Sleep
Nearby
South San Francisco
City / town · 11 listings · 2 mi away
Millbrae
City / town · 19 listings · 2 mi away
Brisbane
City / town · 4 listings · 4 mi away
Pacifica
City / town · 12 listings · 4 mi away
Colma
City / town · 4 listings · 4 mi away
Burlingame
City / town · 39 listings · 4 mi away
Daly City
City / town · 9 listings · 5 mi away
San Mateo
City / town · 21 listings · 8 mi away
My experience
Write about your trip here. Notes save automatically in this browser as you type; back them up from My journal.