A classic country estate, Filoli preserves a grand manor house and encompasses 654 acres of gardens and natural areas on the San Francisco Peninsula. While Filoli lets you escape into a bygone age of elegance, this national historic landmark in Woodside, located about 30 miles south of San Francisco, also hosts a busy schedule of public events throughout the year, including such gatherings as its lavish holiday celebrations.
An Architectural Masterpiece
When Empire Gold Mine heir William Bourn II and his wife Agnes set out to build Filoli in 1917, they envisioned it as a humble “country place.” The numbers, however, tell a very different story about the house: 54,256 square feet, 56 rooms, and 15 bathrooms. The brick, Georgian Revival house took three years to build and was sufficiently majestic that it later doubled as the oil-rich Carrington family’s estate in the hit 1980s television series Dynasty. The house was designed by famed San Francisco architect Willis Polk, who is best known for the city’s revolutionary Hallidie Building and as the supervising architect for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition.
An introductory 15-minute video offers a look at Filoli’s history and describes how both the Bourns and Bill and Lurline Roth, the estate’s second owners who purchased the property in 1937, created the estate you see today. The self-guided tour leads through the mansion’s libraries, enormous ballroom, and drawing rooms, as well as the servants’ quarters (at one time, 35 staffers were in residence at Filoli). Changing exhibits bring alive different aspects of Filoli’s history; for more detailed information, you can pre-order a detailed visitor guide and pick it up upon arrival.
More Than a Mansion
Situated on the ancestral lands of the indigenous Lamchin people, at the base of the Santa Cruz Mountains in San Mateo County, Filoli is home to five distinct ecosystems, including redwood forests. To explore the natural side of Filoli, follow the one-mile Estate Trail.
Filoli is most celebrated for its 16 acres of formal gardens, which require 14 fulltime horticulturists to maintain. Stroll the Georgian-style terraces and an English Renaissance garden, as well as the one-acre Walled Garden, and take in beauty throughout the year. Crabapple and cherry trees blossom in spring while roses, salvias, and zinnias flower in summer.
Indeed, with its seasonal blooms, there’s no downtime at Filoli. Nor is Filoli just about ornamental beauty. It is also very much a working estate, where 577 fruit trees grow in the orchards and the property even produces 1,000 bales of hay annually.
Dining Options and Special Events at Filoli
The changing menu at Filoli’s Quail Café incorporates the freshest of local, seasonal ingredients and includes such summery favorites as an Asian Chicken Chopped Salad and a caprese sandwich with late harvest heirloom tomatoes. For the full Filoli experience, the café’s afternoon Filoli Blooming Tea, with its tea sandwiches and mini desserts, is the perfect way to cap off a day at the estate.
Whetting your whistle is encouraged. The Bluebird Bar mixes seasonal artisanal cocktails on weekend afternoons, while the Hummingbird Bar is open for California wines and craft beers during Filoli’s Summer Nights events.
During the holiday season (from mid-November to early January), the house and gardens are decked out with lights and decorations. Choose from activities such as wreath-making clinics, holiday teas, and Santa meet-and-greets. Or take the 90-minute Gilded Guide tour, led by Filoli’s curator and director of museum collections, for an exclusive behind-the-scenes experience.
Autumn is a popular time to visit too. Orchard Days, a harvest celebration that takes place over several weekends in September and October, features a hay maze, scarecrow building, and orchard walks. During A Taste of Fall, you can learn about Filoli’s heritage trees and beekeeping, and also enjoy live music while sampling fruit grown in the orchards and gourmet food items. Come after dark around Halloween for the Forbidden Forest event, when you can explore the spookier corners of the estate, play parlor games, and sit around firepits while sipping speakeasy-style drinks.
Plan Your Visit
While you could easily spend a full day at Filoli, the estate is also close to a number of Bay Area attractions. Palo Alto, with its walkable downtown filled with restaurants, is about 20 minutes away. For more dining, check out the lively restaurant scene in nearby Redwood City. And not far from Filoli, you’ll find gorgeous open space areas to explore, including at the historic Phleger Estate and along the Crystal Springs Regional Trail.