filoli

The house tour was anti-climatic after touring the gardens. Prepare to take at least two hours to see all the gardens, orchards, rose beds, bowling greens, etc. The house tour will take less than an hour.

Went there just before it closed for the season and was pleasantly surprised by the number of roses still in bloom. The beds were been prepped for spring bulb planting, which sounds like a must see in February when the gardens re-open. I plan to return.

We have visited Filoli a few times. Today they had their sale for their store items, which is an amazing place to shop. It is also so nice as they have this mid December so one can find gifts for others at an amazing half price sale.They start their Holiday Traditions, with dinners, shopping, beautifully decorated rooms and more.One needs to reserve far in advance to get tickets to some of the holiday events; its good to put yourself on the email list as well as become a member if interested in attending some of the premier events. The 1/2 off day sales ends the holiday season and I had so much fun shopping there today. Their web site describes the event further.While their 2014 event is on its last days, its good to consider going if in the area for future Christmas holidays such as in 2015.Filoli is a country house set in 16 acres of formal gardens surrounded by a 654-acre estate, located in Woodside, California,In the spring its fun to come back and roam the amazing garden areas.There is a small admission fee. There is also a nice cafe here and good place to dine at when it is open (i.e. try to time one's visit to see the mansion and gardens, and have lunch here.)The volunteer staff here is stellar.

This was my fifth visit to Filoli over the years and it never gets old. Filoli is the last of the Gilded Age grand estates still on all of its original 654 acres. One of the last owners were the Bourns, who owned the largest hard-rock mining operation in Calif. , as well as the Crystal Springs Reservoir, now owned by the SF Water Department. Mr. Bourns selected this site because it reminded him of Muckross, the Irish estate he bought for his daughter Maud. Mr. Bourns created the name Filoli by combining the first two letters from the key words of his credo: "Fight for a just cause; Love your fellow man; Live a good life." My favorite room is the Library where you will find charcoal sketches of Mr. & Mrs. Bourn by John Singer Sargent. Not to miss is the innovative "servant's calling system" on the wall which was used by the family to beckon the staff from every room in the house.

We were lucky to have been invited to the Filoli holiday gala this year. The theme was French....with greetings in French at the gate house and strolling accordion's at the front door. The music along with the lighting made one travel back to the elegant origins of this historical mansion. Each room of the house was elegantly decorated with holiday trimmings and things for sale. We four were offered countless hors d' oeuvres along with wines and champagnes. Grand and unique gifts were available for purchase throughout the estate. Cabaret music was offered in the living room while opera was in the ballroom. There was a large amount of volunteer staff on duty to make this event logistically wonderful. Incredible planning and decorating went into this event. It was amazing to say the least. Guests were made to feel this was a fine night in the 1920's. All those attending were dressed to the Nine'sThis was well worth the ticket price and the distance traveled. A must see

I'd heard so much about Filoli over the years, but had never been until this past spring, despite being a Bay Area native. I'm sorry I waited so long. The sprawling house and gardens are exquisite, and the volunteer docents bring the experience to another level with their trove of knowledge about the grounds. Filoli is a must see for history buffs, especially early 20th century. The level of detail put into preservation/restoration of the house is unbelievable, and the gardens are sublime. I visited on a drizzly March day, but even under grey skies the grounds were breathtaking--there is no bad time to visit, according to many of the repeat visitors we encountered. The series of rambling to formal gardens made me feel as if I'd stepped into an English fairy tale. The gift shop offered utterly charming items for purchase that really captured the flavor of the place (i.e. classy, not tacky), and the garden cafe fare was REALLY good, which made for very pleasant conclusion to a wonderful afternoon.

I've known about Filoli for almost half a century but never visited until this fall. Planting for the next season had begun so the flowers were not as plentiful as usual, but the house tour was extended to compensate. Our VERY knowledgeable docent tailored his explanations to the interests of our group. Visitors are free to wander without a tour if they prefer, and there is a gift shop (including plants) and nice small cafe. A great experience for gardeners or for anyone interested in California/ Pacific Coast history.

reminiscent of the old english estate, but on a smaller and more personal scale. gardens were beautifully designed and crafted. i could imagine spending many hours wandering, reading and napping. wonderful variety of foliage and flowers. the house is magnificent, but again, very livable. could definitely imagine a family living in the house. antiques, artwork, interior design all first class.i definitely recommend this tour for anyone who has any interest in the lifestyle of the 20's and 30's.

I visited FiLoLi Gardens in April 2014 on a day tour with about 40 other gardeners from Sacramento CA and it was fabulous in the spring. I revisited with my friend October 16, 2014 and even though the foliage was gone for the fall, it was still a great day.We did not take an official tour of the house and grounds - I knew enough to show my friend using the brochure with a map and descriptions of the house and grounds -we asked questions of the many docents in the house who were more than helpful - actually learned more about the families, house and grounds this visit than my previous time because of the docents.I hope to return next spring and show my friend the grounds when in bloom.

What an amazing day spent in the house and gardens of Filoli - I would imagine that which ever season you visited the gardens you would see an amazing show.The house was grand but felt like a home - amazing art and antiques and as you walk through the house you are reminded of how people (with money!) would have lived and entertained.Our guide was absolutely amazing from the start of the tour until the end - which ran longer than we had thought as the guide was so enthralled herself that she just kept giving us more and more facts! Wish I could remember her name as she was such an asset to the experience. It is possible to do a self guided tour but would really recommend one with a guide (it is included in the entrance fee).The gardens at this time of year lacked colour but it was stlll very impressive - trees were being cut back for Autumn, beds turned over ready for winter - with over 1 million (yes that is correct!) bulbs having been planted there over the years you can imagine the riot of colour when they all flower.There is a very nice cafe on site, very reasonably priced with good food. A delightful gift shop in which to spend some money beckons!Very happy I went and would fly back just to see the gardens in Spring!

This is a really lovely place. If you love grand old homes, art, antiques, and gorgeous interiors, the House at Filoli will not disappoint. If you love gardens, you will be in heaven. We enjoyed the self-guided tour, as we toured at our own pace and read helpful information about what we were seeing from a pamphlet as we went along. Our only complaint is that the visitor center and the whole place in general offers little in the way of orientation to the history of the property or any introduction to the fascinating people who used to live here. The video in the visitors' center falls short of doing this - its just an episode of A&E's "America's Castles" from 1996.Also, keep in mind that hours here are very limited and the last guests are admitted at 2:30 pm. Otherwise, a great experience and for us, a nice day trip from Sacramento.

Worth of a visit on a spring day, away from the crowds. The seasonal shows are (for me) a bit of a disappointment - alas more crafts than real arts, amusing but not really good. The inside of the house is amusing, the kitchen interesting - the best part is outside, the park and gardens. WOW. I was there for the Mother's day event. The food was nice, but the fitting of many people in queues to get to their lunches, and then around large tables with standardized buffets is a bit crass. Nice food - but next year I'll visit the park, and then go somewhere for brunch. All in all, happy I went once.

Filoli is a country estate now open to the public. The kitchen is very interesting and the woodwork throughout the house is quite interesting. There are acres of mature trees and manicured flower beds. There is a restaurant and a gift shop available too.This is a delightful spot to visit. The house decorated with flowers for fall and Halloween. A visti into another era. Strolling through this beautiful spot on a Sunday afternoon, was a treat. The estate and gardens are beautiful with an interesting history. The orchard, vegetable and cutting gardens are impressive too. I thing going again in the spring would be an entirely different experience. I would like to come here again

I had read that this was one of the top 10 gardens in North America, and while it is certainly nice, it definitely doesn't belong in that category. We began with the informative movie and progressed thru the gardens and then thru the home. They were very nice, but I was disappointed that they did not match the hoopla. It was a very warm day so we were fairly quick in our tour of the gardens, so we spent less than 2 hours here.

Beautiful Garden! I always bring my parents and other out of town visitors there to visit the beautiful gardens. Nice cafe for coffee and pastries. Easy parking. Great way to spend few hours then head off to nearby beach in Pacifica for dinner by the ocean.