San Carlos, "The City of Good Living," is centrally located in the heart of the peninsula, 25 miles south of San Francisco. San Carlos is a charming town with a wonderful sense of community. The downtown area is full of small shops and restaurants that keep the area busy day and night. A thriving industrial area on the east side of town boasts large and small businesses that find a supportive city government and accessibility to transportation a key factor in their success.

San Carlos is accessible by commuter train, by bus, by car, and by private plane at the San Carlos Airport. The CalTrain station, with its historical train depot, is one block from the downtown area and three blocks from City Hall. Buses, run by SamTrans, go up and down the El Camino Real as well as through town.