Growing up in the East Coast, during the holidays one of my favorite activities was to drive around and see all the homes that are decorated in their holiday splendor. Wanting to recreate this for my own children, each year I look for a new (to us), interesting lights display. I found out about the beautiful Filoli Gardens and knew that I wanted to take my family. Filoli was gracious enough to gift us four tickets, and we were able to explore the historic home and 16 acres of intricate and lit up gardens. My teens loved exploring the grounds and learning about this unique location that we had never visited before. Check why I think if you are in the Bay Area, you should add this to your list of holiday activities.
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- What is Filoli Home and Gardens
- Why Go During the December Holidays Time
- Experiences Available and Costs
- Tips
What is the Filoli Home and Gardens
Nestled in the hills in the Peninsula of the San Francisco Bay Area, is the Filoli Estate. The historic home was built in 1917 by the Bourn family. After the 1906 earthquake William Bowers Bourn brought his family south to escape the city and create a grand country estate. After Bourn died in 1936, Lurline Matson Roth and William Roth purchased the home and carried on the vision they had of the estate and its grand gardens. In the 1970s the home was donated to the National Trust for Historic Preservation and was opened to the public in 1975. Today, year-round, you can visit the historic home and the 16 arches of gardens and national woods around the estate.
Why Go During the December Holidays Time
I love all things during the holiday season, but nothing gets me more excited than decorations and lights. During the holiday season, Filoli goes all out.
The House
The home has largely been kept intact, and you are able to visit much of the 54,000+ square feet. You have access to much of the first floor including the ballroom, the family living room and library, and even a staff room and the kitchen and dining room. But not only do you get to marvel at furniture, decorations, and antique decorations, but each room is set up in a different time period covering from the turn of the century until the 1970s when families ceased to live in the home. Each room is decorated for Christmas. I loved the lighted Christmas Tree made of books in the library. My daughter loved the Tiffany themed back room. My oldest was enamored with the walk-in safe in the kitchen (for the silver). I could have spent the whole time in the homes, but we had to get to the gardens.
The Gardens
The Gardens were a feature of the home from its inception, and cared for by the same gardener, Louis Mariconi, from the start until his death in 1965. There are several decorative gardens such as the Sunken Garden, which is close to the house, has large planting beds, and has a selection of succulents and cacti. There is a walled garden, surrounded by 10-foot brick walls, and has lots of trees and cozy spots intended to be a place to walk, sit and contemplate. There are also seasonal gardens which bloom year-round with different flowers that are in season. We happened to be there when the roses were in bloom, lit up by Chinese lanterns.
During the holidays, Filoli creates different light decorations and structures all over the 16 acres of plant life. You enter the grounds seeing the Filoli sign and bright balls. You can walk through a light tunnel into the gardens. We got the pleasure of seeing white lights in the walled garden and Chinese lanterns lighting up the roses. Every corner was magical and made you feel the spirit of the holidays.
Drinks and Food
Filoli has two food locations where you can get food while on site. The Quail Café, near the historic home, is indoors and has a selection of food and pastries that you can order from. It is inside and warm but also has wide windows to look outside and lots of greenery and holiday lights.
The Chalet Bars outside in the grove is a smaller location with seasonal drinks including mulled wine and hot chocolate. There are a number of long firepits with benches around it, and you can sit down and warm up by the fire with a drink and treat in your hand after a cold evening.
Experiences Available and Costs
There are actually a number of experiences available at Filoli during the holidays to add to the experience.
- Gilded Experience – This provides daytime admission to the historic home and gardens, as well as Thistlewyck, new for 2025. Thistlewyck is a holiday oasis that has miniature trains, a post office where you can write and send letters to Santa, and the ability to dress up in the Elf Emporium. It’s perfect for the littles who can only take looking at flowers for so long. This is included in the daytime Gilded Experience. Prices are $39–$45 for adults, $29–$35 for children 5–18.
- Holiday Lights Experience – This was what I attended last year, access to Filoli in the evening and to see the historic house and gardens light up in all its wonder. This is available after 4pm, just before dusk and when the lights are getting turned on. The home and gardens are included but Thistlewyck is not available during the evening. Prices start at $49 for adults and $39 for children.
There are additional experiences you can add on for an additional cost such as private fire pits, tickets to the Ballroom Champagne Lounge, and a Holiday tea. Check out the Filoli website for all the experiences available. Members received 20% off.
Tips
- Eat before you come – There are some nice treats and food at the Quail Café if you need something but there is not a lot of warm food, and it can be a bit expensive. Instead, eat dinner beforehand and eat fun treats and hot chocolate onsite.
- Visit the house first – The gardens are gorgeous when the sun has set. We arrived right as they opened at four and spent a bit of time in the historic home. By the time we were done, the sun had set, and the lights were in their full beauty.
- If you have littles, consider the daytime Gilded Experience – When my oldest was two they discovered Thomas the Train, and it became an obsession for many years. They would have loved the Thistlewyck area. If your little ones still have the Christmas Magic, the daytime experience is a great way to see the beautiful gardens and still give them the holiday experience but have them home in time for bedtime.
- Bring a warm layer for the evening – I’m always surprised, even in the Bay Area, how cool it can get in the evening. I brought my winter coat for the photos, but ended up being glad I had that, and a hat and gloves. My oldest just brought a sweater and ended up borrowing my gloves due to the chill of the night.
Filoli was not close to me in the East Bay, but it was well worth the drive, even in evening traffic. My difficult-to-impress teens were in awe of all the lights and decorations both inside and out. I found myself wanting to come back during the daytime so I could more closely look at and enjoy the gardens in the sun. But my favorite memory – Sitting by the firepits with a mulled wine in my hand and hot chocolate in everyone else’s, chatting with a family across from us who were also visiting. It was the epitome of the holiday spirit. Taking time to talk with people, share experiences, and enjoy magic. At Filoli they make it easy to do all of that and more.
Edited by SKS
* Starred Photos taken by Atma Photography
Thank you Fioli for providing the tickets for thevisit. All opinions are my own.
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