"Beautiful Vista Honoring a Fallen Policeman."…read more This is a really pleasant, inspiring Vista point. It is an honor of a CHP patrolman killed about 45 years ago, Ralph D Percival. It overlooks some beautiful scenary and it's a great place to just take a rest or have a snack. There is a concrete walkway that you can stroll around to various lookout points. There don't appear to be any facilities here however.

I've driven by this vista point thousands of times, but hadn't checked it out until a Geology class…read morefield trip in college. All I can say is that I missed out on a really nice place to stop and view the reservoir. Our professor had us look across highway 280 to the mountain range, and what appeared to be a valley that held the reservoir. She asked if we know that that depression that extended into the ocean was. Turns out, it is the San Andreas Fault. It is massive. Anyway this is a nice spot to visit and snap a few photos. It is always well kept and clean and there is a decent amount of parking.

Neat local flavor to take a look out…read more It's actually someone's house that they live in, so make sure to be mindful and polite when visiting (because I can't imagine how annoyed the neighbors would be with randos going in and out as well as just thinking this place is an eyesore with how rich and pretentious the neighborhood already seems). There are statues of the saber tooth there and Fred, some dinos. Lots of purple and orange colors. It's not only just Flintstones theme as there are bunnies, aliens, Terracotta warriors and an eclectic mix of decor. Neat, fun and interesting stop if you're nearby and on the way somewhere else.

Flintstones House Hillsborough CA Wed 4/12/23 ©…read moreLet me start by saying, this quirky house is not a tourist destination! For decades, this prominent feature in Hillsborough hills just off the scenic route Hwy 280 brought happy feelings to passers by! Of course it's been a curiosity for decades in existence... but wait! All it is, a wonderful single family residence, with a twist in a story full of intrigue & litigation! And it has its own Wikipedia page! I've told myself, Grey, you live close by, you've got to write about the Flintstones House! It's a curiosity worth noted, yet a source of controversy to its neighbors! A colorful authentically looking residence in the affluent Hillsborough community uniquely affected the inner moods within the neighborhood, while much of the story remained hidden from public eye. The listing wasn't on the Yelp maps until recently, a yelper put it on during the pandemic, the house itself has been gracing the hill for decades in existence. The Flintstones house has been renovated & changed hands some years ago... I believe it used to sport an off white stucco, at some point it got repainted bright orange & purple... sold in 2017 & that's when complaints began. As the storytelling goes, the original Flintstones suburban sprawl developed in real life! Much controversy to it in the recent years due to the current owner coloring it even brighter burnt color resembling the cave & decorating the yard even more...beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Neighbors considered yard decorations an eye sore! So they brought forth the law suits. The installations of dinosaurs became a point of contention. Maybe historic inaccuracies were getting on their nerves? :-) After all, all we know is that Fred & Wilma enjoyed the company of their pet dinosaur Dino, but were there many others in the Stone Age? What about a Giraffe, a woolly mammoth, and a Fred Flintstone himself?! I understand neighbors didn't want any attention in the affluent town they reside in. Well, the owner won the law suit! She gets to keep her dinosaurs! Not only that, but also $125K from the city for originating the architectural review in the first place! And we the public got to enjoy this amazing architectural creation for years to come! *Well, he packed his guitar and his bar-room tan, Gotta get some miles behind him as fast as he can, Another destination, some place else to play. *But as the night approaches, a change is in the air His heart is pumping fast, he's got no cares The music befriends him, it can take him anywhere It's a honky-tonk engagement But there's no better place to play His mind feels like crazy pavement He's getting crazed out every day [ Review #766 w 2 pix on May 2, 2023 ] Flintstones House! Hillsborough CA Wed 4/12/23 Yabba Dabba Doo! @Flintstones House Hillsborough CA Wed 4/19/23

Redwood City bills itself as "Climate Best by Government Test," but that 1920s slogan is about the…read moremost exciting thing going for this mid-peninsula mediocrity. The revitalized downtown is trying desperately to be something it's not, with Broadway Street feeling like a developer's sterile vision of urban vitality--chain restaurants, overpriced gastropubs, and occasional boutiques that won't last another year. There's no actual character here, just manufactured "vibrancy" surrounded by bland mixed-use development that could exist anywhere from Arizona to Oregon. The city can't figure out what it wants to be, stuck in an identity crisis with pockets of genuine poverty and crime alongside tech money gentrification, lacking the authenticity of either. You get all the Bay Area problems--astronomical housing costs, homelessness, property crime--without any of the actual amenities or cultural institutions that make those costs remotely justifiable elsewhere. The waterfront is just a few corporate office parks and some marshland, the neighborhoods are either sketchy or cookie-cutter suburban sprawl, and the schools vary wildly in quality depending on which side of the tracks you're on. There's no compelling reason to visit Redwood City when every surrounding town does something better--San Mateo has a more functional downtown, Menlo Park has better schools, San Carlos has more charm. It's the participation trophy of Silicon Valley cities: technically there, technically functional, but utterly forgettable.​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​

Redwood City sucks! I hated living here. I really tired giving it a chance but I encountered too…read moremany problems here with multiple different people. There are a lot of egotistical people that act like their s*** don't stink that live here. I hated living here and glad I moved away.

Another place checked off in my peninsula sightseeing spots. Been wanting to come here for a while…read moreand last week I was able to come out here on a Saturday morning around 8 AM and was able to enjoy this place all to myself. I've been in this area along Skegss point and have never seen it but after hearing about it and do some research it's literally just right off the road. I was actually disappointed I didn't have to walk or hike, but in the end it was a quick simple skip Across the highway and maybe 50 steps and you're there. You have to step down a few stairs but overall that's all it is. This tree is really huge and tall with a beautiful base and a few burls. Some healthy branches and greenery as you look up towards the sky underneath the canopy of other pines. I was able to adore and admire this tree for a good 15-20 minutes without any other people around took a few nice pictures proceeded on my way out to hike the local Corte Madera hike just a mile down the street. Now, many of you have may know there is another Methusalah tree in eastern Sierras at the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest in the White mountains of Inyo County. That one is still on my list to go find which I hope will be one day soon. Whether you're a local or tourist and in the area, this place is recommended to come or a pitstop along your way down towards Santa Cruz on Highway 35.

You have got to see the methuselah tree which is over 1800 years old! I'm in awe of gigantic…read moretrees! It is only 45 to 60 minutes south of San Francisco, right above the skyline just west of Woodside, CA. Methuselah is conveniently located just a short walk off of Highway 35 (Skyline Boulevard) 3.3 miles north of Sky Londa and Alice's Restaurant and 0.5 miles south of the Caltrans' Skeggs Vista Point. The closest parking is across the road at El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve. Be careful crossing the road as cars can come around the corner quickly. Methuselah will be visible from the road. Pass through the gate and follow the trail to the base of the tree. Methuselah is a massive old-growth redwood and it is the oldest and largest living tree in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Take a trip to see the methuselah. You won't be disappointed!

Rengstorff House was a wonderful venue for our wedding! The house and gardens were so beautiful…read morethat very little additional decoration was needed. We especially loved that there are multiple outdoor spaces to utilize for different portions of the event. The venue staff were very friendly, responsive and helpful to work with as we planned the event.

Rengstorff House is located on the premises of the Shoreline Parklands. This is a historic…read moreVictorian house / mansion and it is Mountain View's oldest home. There is a shared parking lot. My bf wanted to do docent-led tour, but unfortunately we showed up shortly after they closed on that Saturday afternoon (they closed at noon). We walked along the outer perimeter of the estate - hoping to get some photos, but there were some people taking photos at the front of the house, so we ended up leaving. Overall 3 stars, but rounded up to 4 stars because we did not get the full experience for a fair review.

The Lathrop house sits in the middle of San Mateo's governmental center. Originally built in 1862,…read moreit has been moved twice, became a house of ill repute, was converted to a boarding house in WWII, and now has been restored to its condition following the residence of the first three owners. The house is now in very good condition, is being elegantly decorated for the holidays, and offers excellent docent-led tours that reveal the wonderful charm of this vintage house. Hours are limited. Plan ahead. It is definitely worth it if you are at all a history buff.

The house move in November is now May and just happened and is resting above the new foundation! I…read moretook probably 200 pictures, some of them are in here showing the move and the hydraulic system to save this beautiful historic 1863 Steamboat Gothic style house. it is nestled up against the SAN mateo history museum across the street from its former location on Hamilton Street. Once it is lowered onto the new foundation in about a week it will reopen again after about 120 days to make sure that everything is secure and safe. They also need to reattach the stairs and add a handicapped ramp. It had quite a history and it's time which you can read a lot online. One of the most prominent owners was Sheriff Joel Mansfield who was the sheriff of Redwood City for quite some time and was loved by many and buried in the Union cemetery nearby with his wife Mary. Hopefully this new location will bring more visitors and hopefully more donations to help preserve this wonderful mansion.

A quick 15 minute drive from SFO. They have plenty of parking spaces in their private lot…read more Always a beautiful place. Even prettier the second time around. Flowers were abloom this summer afternoon in late June. The lavender herb bushes were oozing fragrance with the wind, the dahlias were on full display and the lilies were blossoming. Our first was during the fall. Not a lot of blooms but the autumn colors and the holiday decor were a sight to remember. We usually spend a good 3 hours here. Taking in the scenery and snapping a lot of photos. Though patrons come here for the garden, the mansion itself was a mini-castle worthy of a visit. I compare it to the likes of the the Hearst Castle and European palaces with a vast array of art and antiquities from allover the world. This place is very well maintained. It is easily one of the best maintained Historic Buildings and Gardens I have visited.

Would you pay $50 to visit a botanical garden? Yeah, how about in the middle of winter during the…read morecollege playoffs? And at night? Got to be crazy, the big parking lot was jammed with hundreds of cars. We were definitely not alone. It was a last night for the Christmas decoration activities at fioli gardens. Spectacular display of illuminated gardens with hundreds if not thousands of lights of all colors. Safe walking at night along lighted pathways, with illuminated waterways and ponds to break up the vast gardens. Had a great time even though my ears froze off from the bitter cold and winds. All I could think of was I needed to wear my ski outfits. Oh by the way Indiana blew out Oregon that evening so I didn't miss much