San Mateo sits on the Peninsula between San Francisco and Silicon Valley, a city that balances downtown energy with bay breezes. Central Park holds a Japanese Garden with a koi pond, stone lanterns, and a teahouse, a quiet counterpoint to the shops on Third and Fourth Avenues. Coyote Point Recreation Area reaches into San Francisco Bay with windsurfing, a beach, and the CuriOdyssey science museum, and the San Mateo Bridge carries commuters east across the bay. The College of San Mateo anchors the city's west side.