Menlo Park Senior Center

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Overview

Menlo Park Senior Center will close from Dec. 22 to Dec. 28 and from Dec. 31 to Jan. 3 in observance of the holidays and to prepare for the winter activity season. Click here to see a full list of winter holiday operating hours.

Click the button to see a list of places to get help with groceries, hot meals, and other food resources in Menlo Park and San Mateo County.
See a list of places to get help with food

Menlo Park Senior Center is free and serves active older adults ages 60+ years. The senior center operates Monday to Friday, morning to lunchtime at the Belle Haven Community Campus at 100 Terminal Ave. Located together with a public library, fitness center, swimming pool, walking track, makerspace and gymnasium, this beautiful center is open to all older adult community members who want to enjoy delicious lunch, attend classes, play games, and enjoy life in a safe, supportive, beautiful setting.

A diverse range of services include:

  • Nutritionally balanced meals
  • Health, recreational, social, cultural and educational programs
  • Opportunities for socializing and fun
  • Door-to-door local transportation services.

Check out the lunch menu! Freshly prepared, nutritionally balanced meals are paired with health, recreation, dance, creative arts, educational programs, and opportunities for conversation and fun! Suggested donation is $2.50. Lunch is served Monday through Friday at noon.

Lunch menu Transportation Contact us



News and updates

See more City news

Food assistance

Click the below button to see a list of places to find assistance with groceries, hot meals, and other food-related resources focused in Menlo Park and San Mateo County.

Also included are a few general links to resources outside of San Mateo County, such as the Second Harvest Map, 211 Bay Area, and the California Association of Food Banks.

There are also links to articles listing restaurants offering free meals to SNAP recipients throughout November 2025. 

Click here to see a list of food assistance resources

Lunch menu

Let's do lunch at the Menlo Park Senior Center! For active older adults ages 60+ years. The lunch menu at Menlo Park Senior Center features freshly prepared, nutritionally balanced meals paired with conversation and fun! Lunch is served Monday through Friday at noon. Suggested donation is $2.50. 

 

December 2025

Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
1 2 3 4 5

❤ Teriyaki Chicken Breast

Sauteed Mixed Vegetables

Steamed Brown Rice

Fresh Fruit

Italian Sausage Pasta

Dinner Roll

Side Salad

Chef's Choice Dessert

Country Fried Steak

Mashed Potatoes

Coleslaw

Garbanzo Bean Salad

Fresh Fruit

❤ Tuna Salad on Spring Mix

Soup of the Day

Dinner Roll

Chef's Choice Dessert

❤ Breaded Tilapia

Sauteed Vegetables

Roasted Potatoes

Chef's Choice Dessert

8 9 10 11 12

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Cheese Pupusa

Fiesta Salad

Chef's Choice Dessert

Beef Chili Bowl

Seasonal Side Salad

Corn Bread

Fresh Fruit

Cheese Ravioli with Alfredo Sauce

Side Salad

Dinner Roll

Fresh Fruit

GROCERY BOX DAY

NO LUNCH SERVICE

BBQ Chicken

Roasted Vegetables

Garlic Rice

Chef's Choice Dessert

15 16 17 18 19

Cheese Burger

French Fries

Seasonal Side Salad

Fresh Fruit

❤ Roasted Chicken

Sauteed Vegetables

Baked Potato

Chef's Choice Dessert

❤ Turkey Meatloaf

Green Peas and Onion

Mashed Potatoes

Fresh Fruit

Honey Baked Ham

Garlic Rice

Steamed Greens

Chef's Choice Dessert

SENIOR LUNCH EVENT 10 A.M. - TICKET REQUIRED

Oven Roasted Turkey

Pot Roast

Mashed Potatoes

Greens

Chef's Choice Dessert

22 23 24 25 26

CLOSED FOR WINTER HOLIDAY

CLOSED FOR WINTER HOLIDAY CLOSED FOR WINTER HOLIDAY CLOSED FOR WINTER HOLIDAY CLOSED FOR WINTER HOLIDAY
29  30 31    

Orange Chicken

Veggie Chow Mein

Chef's Choice Dessert

Grilled Shrimp Kebab

Garlic Rice

Roasted Vegetables

Chef's Choice Dessert

CLOSED FOR NEW YEAR'S    

* Meals are first-come first-served.   * Vegetarian/ special diet available on request.  ☘  = Vegetarian entree   ❤ = Healthy choice   ✆  Contact us: (650) 330-2280

 

Transportation

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Free, reliable transportation service is available to and from Menlo Park Senior Center.

The address is Menlo Park Senior Center, 100 Terminal Avenue, Menlo Park, located at the Belle Haven Community Campus.  

Bus schedules and other transportation resources are available at the senior center.

This webpage contains information about transportation services available to senior adults in Menlo Park.

Can't find what you're looking for? Contact us

Menlo Park Senior Shuttle

The City of Menlo Park offers free, accessible, door-to-door shuttle service to adults ages 60+ who live in Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood. Take a ride on a comfortable, all-electric shuttle bus. Contact us or come to the senior center for details.

Contact us

Free city shuttles

The City of Menlo Park provides free shuttle services to the community, including to and from Menlo Park Senior Center and other locations in Menlo Park. 

Learn more about free city shuttle services

Health Plan of San Mateo (HPSM) Ride Benefit

Medi-Cal and CareAdvantage members who have no means of transportation to approved healthcare visits and back home can use HPSM’s Ride Benefit at no cost. Members must schedule rides through HPSM at least two business days before their healthcare appointments. (For urgent appointments, call as soon as possible.)

Learn more about HPSM's RideBenefit

Paratransit

Paratransit is for persons with disabilities who cannot independently use public bus service some of the time or all of the time. The paratransit service is provided by SamTrans using Redi-Wheels on the bayside of the county and RediCoast on the coastside. Trips must be scheduled at least one day in advance. 

Learn more about SamTrans paratransit

 

RidePlus

SamTrans’ new ride-hailing Ride Plus offers easy, affordable on-demand transportation for riders in Menlo Park's Belle Haven neighborhood, East Palo Alto and Half Moon Bay. Download the app, visit samtrans.com/RidePlus or call (650) 238-5880.

RidePlus - Book Now!

SamTrans

SamTrans is San Mateo County's public transportation service. Click the below links for more information about the services SamTrans offers.

Classes

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Learning is a lifelong adventure! The City of Menlo Park hosts a wide range of high-quality recreational classes, including classes designed for adults ages 60 years and up. Check out our Activity Guide to learn about classes including fitness, dance, music, arts, crafts, cooking, and more. Whether you're a curious newcomer or a seasoned student, there's probably something to pique your interest.

See the Activity Guide

Looking for information about Belle Haven Pool and swim activities? Click the above red "activity guide" button then go to the Aquatics tab, or visit menloswim.com

Contact us

Programs and transportation

Yesenia Fierro-Gutierrez
Senior Program Assistant
Email
650-330-2517

Nutrition and food service

Tony Ng
Nutrition Services Coordinator
Email
650-330-2209

Manager

Natalya Jones
Library and Community Services Manager
Email
650-330-2271

News and updates

See more City news

Announcements

Menlo Park Senior Center provides information in multiple formats including on paper signs and flyers, by email, on the website, and by "lunch and learn" verbal announcements made during the lunch hour. 

Recent verbal announcements 

Senior center feedback and responses

The city collects feedback about the senior center and shares what the city has done and is doing in response to the feedback. 

Do you have additional feedback to share about the senior center? We want to hear from you! Your feedback helps us to improve. You can write your feedback on paper for our suggestion box, or send it to us online, or call us at 650-330-2280. Thank you!

Created June 20, 2024. Last updated Dec. 19, 2025.

Topic

Feedback

Notes

Space and Amenities

Questions about the size and space available for seniors in the new location compared to the old one

During Senior Center operating hours, Senior Center users have exclusive use of multiple spaces in the BHCC, including the community room, senior lounge, makerspace, movement studio, and flex classroom. This amount of space is comparable to the old facility. Seniors also have access to the gymnasium, fitness center, and all-ages library.

Space and Amenities

Request to add a second pool table

Staff observes that the same 8-10 individuals use the pool table on a regular basis. The pool table is now available exclusively to seniors 5 days, 35 total hours per week. The layout of the pool table and furniture was modified to allow more room for players to gather. The limited demand does not indicate a need to add a second pool table. Adding a second pool table would require removing other amenities in the BHCC.

Space and Amenities

Request to install a piano

Staff is has acquired a portable electric keyboard that is available to be brought out for live music.

Space and Amenities

Concern that floor outlets in dining hall stick up, and people could trip over them

Dining room tables have been rearranged to cover most of the outlets. For events that include dancing, a portable dance floor has been brought in to create a smooth dancing area.

The city engineering team is working on a plan to remove some of the floor outlets and cover them flush with the floor surface.

Space and Amenities Doors to the senior center dining hall and restrooms would benefit from having automated door opener. The city engineering team is working on a plan to install automated door openers at the restrooms and entrance to the senior dining hall. 

Supplies and Furniture

Request for new pool cues, professional dominoes, and other supplies

New pool cues, professional domino sets and playing cards were purchased and are available for use.

Supplies and Furniture

Request for sturdier chairs in dining room with a handle and higher seat

Sturdier, cushioned chairs are provided for any seniors who would like to use them. Just ask a staff person and we’d be glad to assist!

City staff are reviewing options for acquiring additional new chairs.

Supplies and Furniture

Request to add clocks to all rooms with bigger numbers

Large-format analog clocks were added in multiple locations.

Programs and Hours

Concern that the pool table used to be available until 4pm, now is only until 2pm

Pool table hours are now from 9 am to 4 pm weekdays.

Programs and Hours

Request access to computers

Belle Haven Library has laptops available for free checkout. Ask city staff for details.

Programs and Hours

Request confirmation that special events will be restarted in the near future

Monthly themed events restarted on Sept. 16, 2024, and additional special events have resumed.

Programs and Hours   Request for the aquafit program at Belle Haven Pool to start earlier in the morning so participants are not late to the senior lunch program. The aquafit program was rescheduled to an earlier time of morning. 

Other comments

Concern that a three-story building was proposed, but only a two-story building was built

Very early, conceptual ideas for the new building showed sketches of a potential 3-story structure with a large outdoor "breezeway" area, but this was quickly revised to a 2-story structure as the design progressed, resulting in a more efficient building with fewer stairs and easier to move from room to room. All of the design concepts proposed roughly the same total square footage for the new building.

Other comments

Comment that the seniors were promised that the new space would be exactly the same as the old one, but it is not the same

Staff has searched records but has found no evidence of a promise that the new space would be exactly the same as the old space.

Other comments

Request for transportation to/from East Palo Alto (at least for seniors that used to receive transportation, if not new members)

Public transportation schedules and other transportation information are on display in the senior center for the public to see. They also are available on the senior center webpage. Just ask a staff person and we’d be glad to assist!

Other comments

Question about why the lunch and learn sessions are not video recorded

The sessions are not recorded in order to protect the privacy of participants who do not wish to have their remarks video recorded.

Other comments

Request to post on the bulletin board the topics talked about at the lunch and learn information session

Posted on the bulletin board and on the senior center webpage.