I can't believe I've lived just an hour or so away from this place my whole life and this is my…read morefirst time ever visiting. I had an absolutely amazing time here. The staff at the front gates were incredibly welcoming and friendly. I mention the front gate specifically because I did stop in the garden shop and another little snack boutique later in the day and the service there was just okay. The woman who helped me in at the front was very warm and explained everything kindly and made me feel very welcome. She also let me know about events and other things I could see and do in the gardens. The gardens are breathtaking and there are so many different areas to explore. I personally liked the formal gardens best, but I think one of the nicest parts was seeing how many people were simply relaxing and just enjoying the property. There were people laid out on blankets, people seated on benches reading and it really helped remind me to just slow down. Sometimes I personally feel like I need to get through everything or see everything and this place has a vibe that you don't need to rush; it's fine to just sit and take in the beauty around you. There were also many people lounging by the pool, which brings me to the house.I really enjoyed exploring the historic house, probably almost as much as the garden's. The ballroom was fantastic and they even added an interactive activity where they project dance steps onto the floor so visitors could follow along and learn how people would have danced in that ballroom originally. I was terrible at it but it was very fun to try. The ballroom was definitely my favorite part of the house. I loved the giant fireplace and just imagining what it would have been like to be at a party in that room or to have danced on that floor. Lastly, of course, I had to go looking for Rose Wonders. I am a big fan of Dambo'ss trolls and this is the first one I have seen where you can actually go inside. She is also one of the larger trolls I have seen. It was a hot day but I walked the trails to find her and there were wooden sculptures along the way that definitely helped the walk feel shorter. Seeing her and being able to climb inside was absolutely incredible and I highly recommend it. Because of the way she's built, the hands that cradle you at the top kind of cover her face so I found it difficult to get good photos and video. But the experience itself is definitely worth it. Before heading back to leave, I definitely needed some water and stopped in to one of the snack shacks to grab some. I also had to try one of their Garden Pops as I saw them advertised all over. II think it's cool that Filoli has some of their own products that they create themselves. I really wanted to love them because the concept is great but honestly, the heat of the day and the flavor of that popsicle were probably the only things that I didn't enjoy my entire visit. I'm still glad that I tried it. They were setting up for a summer nights event while I was getting ready to go and I love the string lights and how much care the staff was taking to prepare the area. I'm sure it was magical. I honestly can't recommend this place enough and I think it would be a great group activity, especially because whether you're interested in history, architecture, gardening, nature, art, or just want to climb inside a giant troll, there is something for everyone here. It's definitely a beautiful place to spend your day.

Just beautiful grounds. Peaceful and lovely to walk around…read more Perfect for a ladies group gathering You can only eat in the cafe. So don't bring your own picnic hoping to sit inside to eat Great for photos!

I can't recommend Thomas Fogarty Winery enough! My husband and I held the kick-off event for our…read moredaughter's graduation weekend there. Booking for our 13-person wine tasting party was easy over the phone. All of my questions were answered to my satisfaction, including about the level of difficulty of the walking tour we could add to the reservation. When we arrived, the views from atop the hill were breathtaking! The property is gorgeous! We had an indoor or outdoor seating option, based on the weather. We luckily had a spectacular, sunny day, so the outdoor patio was quickly set up for us. Our hostess, Jodi, was wonderful! She was very accommodating and knowledgeable about the history of the winery. She shared informative and entertaining stories about the founder, his family, and about day to day operations. We had a wonderful, festive time! The wines we tasted, and ordered glasses of, were delicious! A more robust snack game would have been welcomed, but the charcuterie and cracker packs were just enough to keep the alcohol from going too much to our heads. I would definitely go back to the Thomas Fogarty winery when I'm in the area again!

Likely a beautiful winery, extremely disappointing experience…read more We chose Thomas Fogarty Winery as part of a special 70th birthday celebration and were really looking forward to enjoying the property and views that the winery is known for. Unfortunately, when we arrived we learned that the property had been rented out for a private event. We were never informed of the full buyout when we made our reservation. As a result, instead of being able to enjoy the grounds, we were seated in the front area next to the parking lot and essentially excluded from the part of the property that was a major reason we chose Thomas Fogarty in the first place. I completely understand hosting private events. What I don't understand is continuing to accept tasting reservations without clearly telling guests in advance that their experience will be significantly restricted. Had we been told, we simply would have chosen another winery for such an important occasion. The wine wasn't the issue. The problem was paying for and planning around a Thomas Fogarty winery experience and then arriving to discover that the experience we reasonably expected wasn't available and the service staff was rude and dismissive. For a normal afternoon this would have been disappointing. For a milestone 70th birthday that we specifically planned in advance, it was extremely frustrating. If the property is substantially unavailable because of a private buyout, customers holding tasting reservations deserve to know before they arrive.

It's a winding, hilly, and somewhat dark drive up to the most breathtaking event venue I have seen…read morein the Bay Area. Plenty of shade and cute benches. I definitely want to have my next event here. It's quiet and full of trees and romantic. It is perfect for work events, weddings, parties, and more. Book your next event here, I promise you that you won't regret it.

After driving up a long and winding road up to the top of Skyline in Woodside you arrive at a…read morebeautiful event venue called Mountain Terrace. We attended a wedding of about 120 people. There is a huge grassy area where the ceremony was held but it would accommodate several hundred if the parking doesn't run out. The opening in the Redwoods overlooks the South Bay. A large tent was set up on the Terrace where the banquet was held. The event staff was fast and efficient in moving all the chairs from the ceremony to the banquet tables. Not sure if the food was catered or was made from the event kitchen. There is also a separate house across the lane that can be rented and utilized for the wedding party. The food with at was served consisted of Appetizers Crab cakes Mushrooms Vietnamese spring rolls Ceviche Spring mix with a warm egg Salmon with broccoli and potatoes Tri Tip with broccoli and potatoes Dessert S'mores Cannolis There is limited parking so the wedding provided shuttle buses from the bottom of the mountain.

Directions here were very easy to find, parking was very open with handicap spaces on an early…read moreMonday afternoon! I noticed they had outhouse style restrooms which were cleaned, stocked with toilet paper and hand sanitizer. The path down is slightly downhill, and is dirt paved. Wear shoes you definitely do not mind being covered in dirt. Maybe a three minute walk. There were people picnicking quietly for an afternoon date on the lawn with a blanket, that's a great idea. There is a large grass area for many families to enjoy together. Seeing it in person was really nice. Brought some teenage girls here who really enjoyed it. We enjoyed taking some pictures together. I definitely see why this area is used as a professional photography spot!! Will I come here again: if in the area and cooler weather absolutely for a gorgeous family style picnic!!

Pulgas Water Temple is definitely a unique little spot and the fact that it's completely free to…read morevisit is a huge plus. I can absolutely see why people stop here for photos and the dome and pool make for a very pretty setting. That being said, I spent maybe 10 minutes here before feeling like I had seen it all. There's not a lot to explore and my visit was made particularly less enjoyable by how crowded it was. There were at least three people doing elaborate professional photo shoots and dozens of what I can only describe as full-on Instagram productions happening around the area. It was noisy and there wasn't much room to move around and it really took away from what I imagine is a normally peaceful experience. I was here on a weekday afternoon as well so I'm not sure when a slower time might be to visit. I feel like I should preface this review with the fact that I stopped here immediately after spending the morning and early afternoon at Filoli, so in comparison it probably isn't helping me have a hugely favorable opinion of my experience here. There are also signs advising that no dogs are allowed, which I think is pretty ridiculous. This is definitely worth a quick stop if you're in the area, especially because parking is free and there's no admission fee. However, unless you are one of the people who are spread out on a blanket or carrying boxes of props for a full-on production, this is definitely not a place that you would spend very much time. For me it was an interesting, very quick, one time stop.

My husband brought us here. We loved our time. So great that…read morethey sold cold water !!! We enjoyed the train ride so nice and we were the only ones since we came in a week day! I'm looking forward to coming back and bringing more family. Great photos and the ride is definitely worth the price.

Came here on a Saturday morning around 11am. Tickets for train and carousel is $5 per person and…read morefree for kids 2 and under. The train ride is less than 10 minutes with no cover so we brought our hats. It's a quick ride and you pass by the parking lot and a park. My girls enjoyed it. After we played by the nearby park. There is a bathroom close to the train ticket booth and lots of tables to enjoy a snack or even lunch. They were just starting the grill to cook the food for lunch but our girls were hungry so we left to get food elsewhere.

Fantastic venue for couples seeking authentic rural setting with beautiful views while not…read moresacrificing creature comforts for guests. Hope I can work a wedding here again in the future. John Marburger

I am a wedding planner and my team just did an amazing wedding at Pearson Ranch this past weekend!…read moreKaren and Chris and kind, patient, and extremely organized and made the entire wedding planning process a treat! This is a wonderful venue for those looking for a country wedding in northern California. I look forward to working here again!

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've only recently found out about this place. It was mentioned in the SJ Mercury Newspaper as a…read moreplace where artists can stay & do whatever they want there. Some even create artwork for Djerassi and then they invite the public to view the art. My friend A. made reservations. They only have 120 spots for the summer/fall series where they only take phone reservations for their popular FREE 2-mile hike (from 10:30-1p). Our date was Sun 7/20/08 and they said to be at 2325 Bear Gulch Rd West at 9:45am. We waited & waited some more, they finally met us as 10:10am. They then check to see if you have reservations & make sure everyone shows up in your party. Then you have to fill out a release form I think. I just signed it without reading it. Then you get in your car & follow them up the road. It's a long narrow road enough for 1 car only. Finally get to the Artists' Barn where there are 3 bathrooms for everyone to use. Chris, one of the guides, made sure everyone at the barn had clothes on. That's weird to me. The hike is really slow with lots of stopping to see the different artwork. Some moderate stretches of uphill, but mostly flat. I liked City of Salt by Nicholas Kahn, 2001-2002 David Nash-charred sphere, pyramid, cube in redwood stumps, 1989 John Roloff-Vanishing Ship, 1989 Roland Mayer-Dialog, 2004 Supposedly there are 35 sculptures/art pieces. We didn't see them all. One pit-toilet at nearly the end of the hike. Annual Open House, this yr: Sunday, Aug 3, 2008 from 1-4p. It's $25pp by reservation only. Have some self-guided sculpture tours & some food by their Program Chef. It was just ok for me. Maybe worth it to go once.

From the website:…read more "The mission of the Djerassi Resident Artists Program is to support and enhance the creativity of artists by providing uninterrupted time for work, reflection, and collegial interaction in a setting of great natural beauty, and to preserve the land on which the Program is situated. Each year dozens of artists from across the United States, and many from around the world, travel to the open hillsides and deep redwood forests of SMIP Ranch to take inspiration from the beautiful surroundings and seek refuge from the distractions of the outside world. While in residence, the artists work in peaceful isolation within a supportive community of fellow artists and Program staff, and thrive on the intellectual stimulation and collegial interaction that comes from living in this close-knit community." It is truly an amazing property and only open to the public at select times. We went on a Director's sculpture tour which takes about 4.5 hours and shows you only a small portion of the 580 acre property. Led by the director of the program, it's $40 a head but is really worth it. It's also a fairly strenuous hike with a nice picnic stop in the middle, pack a good lunch and water. And wear hiking boots: the terrain is wet, grassy, uneven and sometimes muddy. There is a portajohn at the picnic stop but otherwise it's all nature. Over 40 sculptures by the resident artists have been installed in the landscape and it is fascinating to discover them in this gorgeous natural setting. Other less comprehensive tours are available which are free, led by program staff, and are only 2.5 hours long but I am really glad we did this one. They also have an open house in July when the artists' studios are open to the public and a fundraiser in the fall. So go to http://www.djerassi.org/ and reserve a tour if they have any spots left. It is an amazing resource in the Bay Area that I think few people take the time to explore. Now that we are on the mailing list we will definitely be going back.

Saw this place one day out of the corner of my eye while lost on Kings Mountain Road when I saw the…read moresign... returned another day only to find it closed. Went today (open Saturday Noon till 4pm). Interesting place, a flashback to simpler but rougher times in the "old West". A little slow if you go on a day without the pre-mentioned & reviewed activities and/or events, but still nice to see how it was to live through memorabilia of that long-gone era. At one point I commented out loud that an item hanging from the ceiling looked to be a bedpan, and the attendant sitting bored behind the counter corrected me saying it was a popcorn popper, and the bedpan was 3-1/2 feet to the left, over the door. Interesting but boring unless you use your imagination. PHOTOGRAPHICALLY SPEAKING: Lots of bygone era items to photograph but very dark. If you're into history this is nice to visit, but bring an external flash so you don't kill your camera battery using your built-in flash extensively. The exterior of these old structures is very photographically excellent... hint, hint. http://www.historysmc.org/woodside.html NO parking anywhere except for the unpaved dirt parking lot - if the parking lot is closed, then the "store" is also. Hours Tuesday/Thursday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Saturday/Sunday 12 p.m. - 4 p.m. Admission Free (donations accepted within)

So during our little trip to Woodside, we decided to continue driving and drove past this huge old…read morewooden building, this place looked all old and such. Anyways, we decided to see what this place was and it turned out to be a museum of some sort. Simply put, back in the day this was the only rest stop between SF and SJ and most of the time people would stop here and take a break or so and then continue on their journey. Its a General Store/Post office/Dentists office/Shingle Making place. The owner of this place? Dr. Tripp. Him and this other guy who i forget the name of came from the East Coast and decided to go into the shingle business. And since they were surrounded by all these redwoods it was a pretty good idea. Anyways they opend up this general store for people passing by and etc. Dr. Tripp was also a dentist so he would also do dental check-ups for people too. Overall this place isnt very big, its got a lot of old stuff to look it. You can see some old food cans and wine bottles. Some real old piggy banks that do pretty neat coin tricks. Old shoes and stoves and a toaster which looks like a cheese grater. In the other rooms they have a bunch of huge saws and other gizmos and gadgets. There is also the old dentist chair and notary area/post office in the smaller room. So if your in the area take a quick look, our tour guide was Bill, or Bob dang I forgot but yea he or someone else will give you a tour and explain the story behind the place. And there is no fee and if you feel like donating money there is a barrel with the tag donation labeled on it. Also on every first sunday of May they have this little get together where they take you on a wagon ride and have little activites like making rope and ice cream etc, a pie eating contest, shingle making etc.. So bring some kids along, it might be a lot of fun. I mean seriously, when was the last time you actually went on a wagon ride?

The Foam Crew did an amazing job for our school PTA event! They brought out some serious foam…read morefirepower which delighted the kids from start to finish. They maintained a smooth operation the entire time, setup and cleanup were quick and easy. They are pros at what they do and love doing this, and it really shows. Thanks Foam Crew!

Epic birthday party by The Foam Crew! We attended a birthday party hosted by The Foam Crew and…read morehaven't stopped talking about it since. They began with a brief safety orientation that kept the kids engaged, explaining all the dos and don'ts, which I appreciated! Then they started cranking the foam, and the grassy area filled with endless cascades of foamy fun. The kids loved the fantastic music selection and couldn't resist running out to give us big, foamy hugs--so much fun! At the end of the party, The Foam Crew takes care of the clean up! Wrangling the big tufts of foam with leaf blowers. We were thoroughly impressed and will definitely keep them in mind for future parties!