Welcome to Millbrae
Millbrae is a bustling city on the eastern side of the San Francisco Peninsula. A relatively modest city in terms of Geographic size, the city has worked hard to remain independent and relevant in light of its larger regional neighbors. Modern Millbrae has embraced its location and now functions as a major regional transportation hub. However, the residents still find time to support a wide range of community activities and services.
Lay of the Land
Millbrae is located in the northernmost edge of San Mateo County, just 15 miles south of San Francisco. The city lacks an aquatic border, but it does share a border with the San Francisco International Airport and the cities of Hillsborough and San Bruno. Millbrae is geographically limited, with the city occupying a total area of just over 3 square miles. The population is also a modest 22,424. However, residents have benefited economically from their proximity to San Francisco and the San Francisco Airport, resulting in median household incomes of $91,580 and average home values of $934,287.
Transportation
U.S. Route 101 runs along the eastern edge of the city and Interstate 280 pushes against the western border, providing residents with easy access to the rest of the peninsula via traditional ground travel. The city is also home to the Millbrae Intermodal Station. The station serves as a transit hub for the region, connecting numerous Bay Area Rapid Transit, CalTrain commuter train, and SamTrans bus networks. It is the largest hub of its kind in the state in terms of both geographic size and daily usage. The city also shares a border with the San Francisco International Airport making national and international travel extremely convenient.
Local Highlights
Millbrae is a city that has fully leveraged its role as a central transportation hub in the Bay Area. Its proximity to the San Francisco International Airport and the presence of the Intermodal Station ensure that thousands of individuals pass through the city on an annual basis. Almost all of the city\’s economy is based on meeting the needs of these individuals and providing commercial services to tourists and commuters. These include traditional services involving food and lodging as well as specialty services related to airport drop-off and pick-up.
Millbrae has a wide selection of nationally recognized restaurant chains and hotels. However, the volume of human traffic within the city has resulted in an unusual quantity of high quality hotels and restaurants within an area as small as Millbrae. The city has numerous restaurants that rival the best dining establishments in the Bay Area as far as culinary quality and dining value are concerned.
As a community, Millbrae has celebrated its economic success by investing in numerous community services and enrichment programs. These activities take place at one of the 13 separate parks and nature trails around the city. The early childhood and preschool education programs within the city are some of the most extensive in the region. They are focused on the social and emotional growth of parents and children in a supportive and focused environment. The city also offers a wide range of adult classes and activities designed to promote physical and mental health among the elderly population. Finally, the city organizes athletic leagues that span several different sports and age ranges.
While the city is not necessarily known for its festivals, it does have the distinction of organizing one of the longest running Art and Wine festivals in the area. The Millbrae Art and Wine Festival has been a yearly Labor Day celebration since 1970. The festival is a two day extravaganza featuring dozens of live musical performances, hundreds of food and craft booths, and of course, freely flowing samples from numerous wineries and breweries from around the Bay Area. Additionally, the city offers free roundtrip shuttle service from the festival to the Intermodal Station.
