A hidden gem that I've passed by for years without truly noticing it until I stumbled upon it on a…read moresatellite map long ago. It's fascinating how such a serene, monument-like structure exists right here. While it has become quite popular on social media lately for its "Instagrammable" aesthetics, it's much more than just a photo spot. As a hiker, I find this place incredibly grounding. It's part of the Hetch Hetchy water system that serves the Bay Area, and there is something truly profound about seeing the culmination of such a massive water project captured in this classical, temple-like architecture. Whether you're here for the photography or just for a quiet, contemplative walk, it's a beautiful spot that demands respect. A unique intersection of infrastructure history and architectural beauty. Highly recommended.

This historical landmark is beautiful. It's hidden and almost looks like it's in a middle of a…read moreforest. The parking lot is open Monday-Friday for only 30 mins. You can easily make a quick stop here or have a quick picnic in the grass area. It's gorgeous on a clear day. It's so peaceful.

One of the very best garden experiences in the Bay Area. Gorgeous, peaceful, huge variety of flora,…read moreand beautiful photo ops. There is a section of the garden where they grow all the flowers for the bouquets inside the house. There are trails over to the redwoods, a wedding area, souvenir shop, small cafe, and even a pool. The house is spectacular and the self guided tour is interesting and informative. Pro tip: Bring a pretty colorful umbrella- it can get very warm and it adds to your photos! Parking is a bit of a walk from the gardens so if someone in your group needs assistance walking, bring some sort of seat for them to take rests. Restrooms are available, but limited number of stalls. Be prepared for a wait.

I've been utilizing my Filoli pass this year and it's a nice place to go and I like that the…read moregrounds change with the season so it's not the same thing all the time. I came a few times by myself to find inspiration. The best times are weekday mornings. And Sunday I always forget they close the road for the bicyclists coming from the North/92. I would also recommend stopping by the water temple on a weekday. The only reason I knew about it was because it is featured on the mural in Trader Joe's on Hillsdale. If you want to do picnicing, there are picnic tables outside. They want you to purchase food from their venues...but the venues on the grounds aren't amazing, but maybe that's so people don't litter. The cafe has some interesting options, like $15 cake slices...I always wonder if they're made in-house. It's not advertised though, so who knows. Filoli also has a volunteer program so if you want to have an active experience at Filoli, you can help with the weeding. I like that they feature local artists - I recognized some items from an Etsy artist local to the Bay Area, whom I have purchased from before, because they focus on local California wildlife. Cons: Sometimes people clog up the walkways with their picture-taking as in there are people waiting to cross...and they continue to take pictures for five more minutes...It's just bad etiquette. Are you milking it so you can feel important? Gag. Or they play loud music to harass the birds and other people. People aren't paying money to listen to your music. They don't want your music. Get a job and buy earbuds. Some people also don't really care if their kids do stupid things...like ruin the decorations so everyone can stare at their kids' handiwork all season long - like poking holes in the macron cake tower. Thanks for that. Or sometimes, there is a sign to keep to the path...so you know...people walk anywhere BUT the path. I'm not sure if they can't read or if they're just so entitled. But yeah, they stomp all over the ground so the plants die...and they're cool with it, because they got their stupid photo. Or maybe on the trail...if there are people coming up behind you, just like in golf, let them through. It's OK to stand to the side and let others pass. THAT'S the proper etiquette. Otherwise, I'm just thinking, they must really want me to listen to their conversation or something. They want to look like they have friends? No one else in the world is more important, so they must be first? If you want to meander in the forest at 0.25 mph, that's fine, but you don't need to have me behind you for the entire mile. And no, I'm not talking about the lady with the hip problem or the mom with the stroller, I'm talking about the 20-something-year olds who wore platforms on a forest date with me as a third wheel. But most of the time, people are respectful and polite. I like that people come and just hang out and enjoy the private park.

'The Heron" is a public art installation located in the City of Redwood City, California. Located…read moreon the Port Waterfront, it is the work of David Han. Han, a Silicon Valley resident was first exposed to art at a young age. His mother was a painter of note, and his father was a engineer. he took elements of each parents 'art" and made his own unique style. He specializes in using recycled metals, and molds technology with nature in his sculptures. The Heron is a fantastic sculpture. From a distance you can clearly make out the grace and beauty of the bird on which it is based. Upon closer examination you can see the bird/sculpture as a perfect meld of nature and abstract forms. Attention to detail shows in the intricate details of the interior. Despite an intricate base, the bird appears to be in flight and he was able to convey the grace of an actual heron in flight. As noted The Heron is located in the Port of Redwood City waterfront. It is near the fishing pier and the a short path along the water. There are picnic benches next to the sculpture but there is little else here unless you are either fishing or sailing so it is more of a stop than a destination.

This is beautiful little spot on Stanford Campus. A true gem of cacti of all kinds. I've been here…read moreabout 3-4xs times now, and it's always lovely to just walk around. It's definitely a beautiful greenery backdrop for photos as I did a photoshoot for a client here a few months ago. We took a bunch of photos here, and then we walked over to the Quad for an outfit change and a change of scenery. We saw *the* Robert Downey Jr. at the Quad that day! That was awesome! :D I usually come here on a Saturday or Sunday and just park at the medical clinic, which is basically right next to this spot.

This review is long overdue from 2020; I for visited this spot in 2016 or so and loved it so I…read morebrought my husband here during the Covid shut down in 2020 and we took a nice walk, it was awesome to check it out, explore the vacations cacti and spend some time in nature. Parking can be difficult. Overall a great and well kept garden e

I live in the south Bay, but I love to travel for food and support local businesses. Community…read moreevents are always my favorite because so many people come together, people in the Bay Area are so nice and welcoming, and you get to meet staff and business owners of small businesses in the area. Everyone was super friendly, happy to talk about their food, or drinks, or restaurants. The music and band was really good, and it was the perfect day to gather around to support local businesses. Thank you Yelp for doing this, another successful community event, and I cannot wait to visit the businesses that I stopped by and talk to. I had a really good ceviche and guac from the Mexican restaurant giving out samples, I went to various boobs that had beer, ales, and IPAs that were really delicious and I look forward to coming back to the Peninsula and supporting them.

Our 1st Yelp event together, minimum $20 Donation, lots of good Booze, Old Fashions, Espresso…read moreMartini, Margaritas, Wines, Beers & Tequilas. Great food samples from the Peninsula areas. Live Band was fun, friendly service & great weather.

This isn't just an art exhibit, it's a whole experience! The setting here is like a jungle, full of…read moreplantlife and fallen leaves, with different stone sculptures, wooden carvings, and totem pole artworks almost camouflaged among the tree trunks and branches, displayed underneath the shade, and benches situated randomly within the forest of art. In 1994, Anthropology grad student and researcher, Jim Mason, organized a project to have a group of artists, aged 27-74, coming from 6 different villages in the Sepik River region of Papua New Guinea, to create the beautiful sculptures at Stanford University. The landscaping and plants of the garden were organized by other entities. The artwork is based on Kwoma and Iatmul mythology and stories of creation, the center of the garden created in the likeness of "spirit homes". Two of the pieces, The Thinker and The Gates of Hell, were inspired by the Rodin sculptures on campus bearing the same names, but tell their own stories. The history and design of this sculpture garden are fascinating, and the natural environment and overall maintenance of this exhibit make it an appealing place to visit. It's even a desirable area of campus to hold school events (they had just finished such an event when I visited this past Sunday). Also, free parking is available at Stanford on the weekends.

Its a very cool outdoor installation located on the Stanford campus. T They sculptures are spread…read moreout and all have interesting descriptions of the culture and the art. This is a perfect COVID activity as its not crowded, everything is spread out and its outdoors. Mask up and keep your distance and its all good. There are at least 12 other art installations nearby as well as the Student Union and main bookstore.

Checked out this art piece on the Stanford University campus on Sunday, and it was reminiscent of…read morethe artist's Wood Line log sculpture in SF, which I had visited several months prior, the curves of the sandstone river wavy like the slither of a snake. It was built by 8 stone-wallers from Great Britain and consists of 6,500 stones, with the artist aiming to emphasize a connection to nature through the sculpture's materials, location, and design. The parking lot in front of the Anderson Museum (on Museum Way) is free on weekends and provides direct and easy access to this awesome Andy Goldsworthy exhibit.

Also known as 'The Snake", Stone River is an permamant art installation on the Stanford Campus. It…read moreis the work of Andy Goldsworthy. Goldsworthy, a native of Brittan, uses natural products and strives to make a connection to the area the art is emplaced. From the artist : 0 "Movement, change, light, growth and decay are the life-blood of nature, the energies that I try to tap through my work." and "My sculpture can last for days or a few seconds - what is important to me is the experience of making. I leave all my work outside and often return to watch it decay." True to his vision, Stone River was constructed using limestone from campus buildings damaged during the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake. The installation is massive stretching almost 320 feet and used almost 130 tons of stone. From my perspective it looks like a giant snake especially from the air. As noted Stone River is located on the Stanford Campus and is right next to the Cantor and Andersen art museums. Its a cool stop especially if you have kids as they can run amok over, around etc on it.

This is an easy-to-miss horse sculpture, made of bronze and metal with the simple appearance of…read moredriftwood pieced together into a lovely work of art. A similar art piece can be found at the Cantor Arts Center as part of a series by the artist, Deborah Butterfield, however Butternut, named after its color, is easier to access and view right in front of the Stanford Hospital, with tables and seating in the vicinity as well. Free self parking (up to 2 hours) is available in the Pasteur Visitor Garage, hidden underground. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, but the sculpture is worth some attention if you're in the area.

Butternut is a public art installation location on the ground of the Stanford University medical…read moreCenter. It is the work of artist Deborah Butterfield. This is the 3th or her Horse series that can be found on the Peninsula with the other being in the Cantor, and of all places in the middle of nowhere in Mountain View. Deborah Butterfield began sculpting horses back in the 1970's. She started with sticks and clay, but soon progressed to scrape metal. She later moved on to cast bronze. She selects individual pieces of wood and then creates the bronze cast. The wood/bronze is then used to create the horses. A native of San Diego, California, her art can be seen in museums around the country. From the artist: ""The lines of the branches do not simply outline the forms of horses, they create the contours through an accumulation of simple or energetic lines that seem to build up from within. This is three-dimensional gesture drawing, and the result is both skeletal and muscular." The sculpture at first glance appears to be driftwood with all of its detail, but when you touch it and feel the cold hard metal its shocking everything even though I know what to expect. There is a stark simplicity to the sculpture as a whole from a distance, but the intricate details of the casting and the complexity the small shapes form are shockingly complex. The sculpture is about 40 feet from the sidewalk and up a slight hill. There is nothing around and I have to admit I spent a good 30 minutes enjoying both the relative quiet and the sculpture from different angles. I am always fainted by the works. Cast in bronze, they really look like driftwood. Despite being somewhat skeletonized, they appear to be alive. Up close the intricate detail reveals itself. Each angle brings a new view and you can find yourself gazing at it for a long time. Butternut as noted is close to the new Stanford Hospital. In and of itself it is not a destination, however, given its proximity to the Cantor, and numerous other art installations, it is best part of a multi stop trip.

This is a nice place to come and walk around for about 15 minutes. I love gardens and they had a…read morewalkway adorned with roses and roses in a courtyard with a fountain. There is a restaurant but it's kinda pricey. I think this place is more for special events but they have a couple of artist stores there. I even saw a cat roaming around, maybe he lives there. For a garden I wouldn't come out of my way for it but it's worth stopping by if going to the nearby Stanford shopping center

3.5 stars. Cute…read morelittle garden and art/handicrafts collective to walk around and kill some time. Nice if you're in the area and need to kill some time. I bought some jewelry and soap. I'd probably go back to try the cafe, but I wouldn't go out of my way for the garden again unless I was in the area showing tourists around.