Off the busy Interstate 280 in Woodside, past a metal gate and down a winding road wedged between grassy fields is one of the Bay Area’s best-hidden — and most iconic — landmarks: Filoli House and Garden.
The 16-acre property is home to pristine English Renaissance-style yards, where hundreds of flowers and trees of all shapes and sizes grow from every crevice. A handsome, massive Georgian-revival mansion rests on the property. Nearby, half a dozen trailheads lead guests into preserved woodlands.
People explore Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)People look at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Water trickles in the Sunken Garden at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)People explore Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 4People explore Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)ExpandSince Filoli’s creation in 1917, aristocrats, dignitaries and even presidents have made the long trip to soak in the splendor. But on any given day, the gardens are open for residents of all ages and backgrounds to admire.
“These historic sites were built by wealthy individuals for their families and close friends,” said Kara Newport, president and CEO of Filoli. “To have it kind of now become a community center and community cultural asset is really important. It feels like full circle to me, like this is a true way of giving back to the community.”
Filoli’s first owner, William Bourn, named the estate as a sort of portmanteau of his personal motto: “Fight for a just cause; love your fellow man; live a good life.”
Flowers are displayed on the table at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Photographs are displayed at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 2Flowers are displayed on the table at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Expand
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A separate wing near the mansion served as a staff work and housing area. The living spaces were small but cozy areas close to the massive kitchens and butler’s pantry where the staff conducted their day-to-day duties.
After Bourn’s death in 1936, the Roth family purchased Filoli. Lurline Roth and other family members helped expand the estate to include the luxurious gardens. She donated the estate to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1975, saying “I have always felt that such a place should be preserved … and made a center of horticulture and cultural activities.”
The house was empty when it was given to the trust, as most of the furniture and artworks were sold at auction or taken by the Roths to their new home. But over the years, both families donated items back to Filoli. Now, guests can see evidence of the mansion’s legacy — from faded photographs of the owners and tapestries to the old-fashioned dining tables and fine china.
The table is set for a spring tea at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Fioli is known for its polished aesthetic. However, staff members and volunteers don’t want that to deter people from having fun on the property.
On one April morning, staffer Rachel Young, who often coordinates and leads tours for various community groups, strolls around the grounds watching guests slowly trickle in and take in the site. They take pictures, point at the different flowers in bloom and talk excitedly with one another.
“We encourage them to go play, go lie down on a blanket, bring a sketchbook,” she said. “Do something that is more imaginative than just respecting the appearance of a place.”
And there are plenty of things people can do at Filoli.
This summer, for instance, guests will have a chance to explore the property’s more untamed and untouched side, with a special exhibition featuring six enormous troll sculptures made from recycled materials. Each troll will be positioned under several towering trees along hiking trails for visitors to admire and interact with.
People explore Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)People look at plants at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)An employee picks edible flowers for a tea event at Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)Show Caption1 of 3People explore Filoli House and Gardens in Woodside, Calif., on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. (Shae Hammond/Bay Area News Group)ExpandSunny and warm weather means the garden gets its time to shine. Filoli offers outdoor events for people to learn new skills or socialize — all while breathing in the scent of fresh flowers and witnessing the blossoming estate. There’s the Insider’s Garden Tour, where people can purchase tickets in advance and get treated to a detailed walk-through of Filoli. For more large-scale events, they can sign up for summer Flora Parties, where selected flowers on the property can be turned into personalized flower arrangements.
“Everybody’s here together but doing their own thing,” Newport said. “Filoli is such a good place to choose your own adventure.”
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