This historical landmark is beautiful. It's hidden and almost looks like it's in a middle of a…read moreforest. The parking lot is open Monday-Friday for only 30 mins. You can easily make a quick stop here or have a quick picnic in the grass area. It's gorgeous on a clear day. It's so peaceful.

Heads-up about weekend/holiday parking when the entrance gate is locked and only pedestrians can…read moreenter: I gave this place one star because I got a parking ticket--totally my fault, but it really ruined my day. The location itself is beautiful, just like everyone says. When I arrived and saw the gate was closed, I wasn't sure where to park. I noticed others parking along the street, so I followed their lead. Big mistake. There are signs that say "No Parking on Bike Lane." Please take them seriously--even if it looks like everyone else is doing it. I learned the hard way: I got a ticket. Don't make the same mistake. Be careful and park legally!

Neat local flavor to take a look out…read more It's actually someone's house that they live in, so make sure to be mindful and polite when visiting (because I can't imagine how annoyed the neighbors would be with randos going in and out as well as just thinking this place is an eyesore with how rich and pretentious the neighborhood already seems). There are statues of the saber tooth there and Fred, some dinos. Lots of purple and orange colors. It's not only just Flintstones theme as there are bunnies, aliens, Terracotta warriors and an eclectic mix of decor. Neat, fun and interesting stop if you're nearby and on the way somewhere else.

Flintstones House Hillsborough CA Wed 4/12/23 ©…read moreLet me start by saying, this quirky house is not a tourist destination! For decades, this prominent feature in Hillsborough hills just off the scenic route Hwy 280 brought happy feelings to passers by! Of course it's been a curiosity for decades in existence... but wait! All it is, a wonderful single family residence, with a twist in a story full of intrigue & litigation! And it has its own Wikipedia page! I've told myself, Grey, you live close by, you've got to write about the Flintstones House! It's a curiosity worth noted, yet a source of controversy to its neighbors! A colorful authentically looking residence in the affluent Hillsborough community uniquely affected the inner moods within the neighborhood, while much of the story remained hidden from public eye. The listing wasn't on the Yelp maps until recently, a yelper put it on during the pandemic, the house itself has been gracing the hill for decades in existence. The Flintstones house has been renovated & changed hands some years ago... I believe it used to sport an off white stucco, at some point it got repainted bright orange & purple... sold in 2017 & that's when complaints began. As the storytelling goes, the original Flintstones suburban sprawl developed in real life! Much controversy to it in the recent years due to the current owner coloring it even brighter burnt color resembling the cave & decorating the yard even more...beauty is in the eye of the beholder! Neighbors considered yard decorations an eye sore! So they brought forth the law suits. The installations of dinosaurs became a point of contention. Maybe historic inaccuracies were getting on their nerves? :-) After all, all we know is that Fred & Wilma enjoyed the company of their pet dinosaur Dino, but were there many others in the Stone Age? What about a Giraffe, a woolly mammoth, and a Fred Flintstone himself?! I understand neighbors didn't want any attention in the affluent town they reside in. Well, the owner won the law suit! She gets to keep her dinosaurs! Not only that, but also $125K from the city for originating the architectural review in the first place! And we the public got to enjoy this amazing architectural creation for years to come! *Well, he packed his guitar and his bar-room tan, Gotta get some miles behind him as fast as he can, Another destination, some place else to play. *But as the night approaches, a change is in the air His heart is pumping fast, he's got no cares The music befriends him, it can take him anywhere It's a honky-tonk engagement But there's no better place to play His mind feels like crazy pavement He's getting crazed out every day [ Review #766 w 2 pix on May 2, 2023 ] Flintstones House! Hillsborough CA Wed 4/12/23 Yabba Dabba Doo! @Flintstones House Hillsborough CA Wed 4/19/23

Leon Lighting…read more Located in San Mateo's Central Park is a 13-ft tall Copper-plated Giraffe named Leon (after the artist's father). He's been chilling here since 1978 so he's probably not going anywhere any time soon. He's such a swell Giraffe that I wrote him a Haiku. :) Leon the Giraffe Towering over the park Come say "Hi" to Him

"Worth a Brief Visit."…read more Yes, yes I admit he's cute, but about 2 minutes will be adequate. Here's why: This is a fantastic park with wonderful features. You can easily spend a few hours strolling around this park and checking out the beautiful gardens. This park is really a treasure. Many larger cities have inferior gardens. The day that I visited, many families were enjoying the beautiful day, having a picnic on the grass, playing tennis, or strolling around the gardens. So don't spend too much time gazing at a big giraffe; instead check out the Japanese Botanical Gardens, or perhaps the rose gardens. Those places are filled with wonderful exhibits.

This is a nice large outdoor area. You have to pay $6 to go in unless you have some other…read morearrangement (e.g. membership at CuriOdyssey may give you free parking?) There was a lot of parking when we went on a Saturday afternoon. They had a few parking lots scattered in the area. There are a lot of picnic areas that you can reserve for the BBQ grills. There were plenty of bathrooms scattered throughout the picnic areas. The one I used was relatively clean and had plenty of toilet paper. They have a lot of trails here where you can bike or walk. You can watch the planes go in and out of the airport above you! There are also a lot of birds hanging out in and by water if you want to bird watch. I was hoping to catch some sea lions but I guess they weren't around. There is unfortunately a lot of powerlines in the area that would spoil an otherwise nice view but what can you do. I also saw there was a yacht club by the water! I saw you could rent the facilities for parties (not sure if you had to be a member or not).

$6 for parking and you get access to the entire recreation area…read more Lots of families posted up for their parties and gatherings here, so keep this in mind that some of the lots will be full. My most favorite part of Coyote Point Recreation Area is the CuriOdyssey, which you can see my review for separately. Although this is a beach, it's unlike any beach that I've seen in SoCal, at least in my area. Pretty green, murky, and muddy, I wouldn't say it's the most ideal to go into, especially if you're not going to immediately shower afterwards. I don't think I saw people in the water either, even with it being June, but the breeze and cooler Bay Area weather kept everything nice and mild. Most people were flying kites or just going on walks. There are rentals for wind surfing and there were a couple people suited up for that. I heard there was a cosplay gathering here and it made many a cosplayer's outfit green though...There are playgrounds for the kids, a good amount of trees, a couple trails, a marina for the boats docked there, and some monthly/seasonal community events as well. I don't think I'd normally visit this area if it weren't for the CuriOdyssey, but it's not bad when I am there.

This is a carved redwood bust of Junipero Serra (inscribed with the words: "Padre Junipero Serra,…read moreApostle of California. Presented to the citizens of San Mateo, CA by the San Mateo Serra Club in 1969"). The sculptor was Kenyon Kaiser and the statue is mounted on a concrete pedestal, and nestled in a small redwood grove parklet at S. El Camino Real and Aragon Blvd. This great little piece of California history is one of many, many monuments across the State honoring the man who "settled" CA for the Spaniards and destroyed Native American sovereignty, enslaving thousands and seizing their land. The statue is presumably located here because of Serra's association with El Camino Real -- he helped to blaze the trailer Northward while establishing the string of Missions that are situated along the route.

I heard this medieval French-style grain silo was a hot spot for lovers to come make-out so I came…read moreto be a creep about it but it's just a weird little historical kiosk that forks Alameda de las Pulgas across from a church. It's weird but I kinda dig that. I had to (I think illegally) park at the church to check this place out since street parking is a tiny bit of a hike away, but it's in the middle of the road and otherwise takes all of 4 seconds to see. There some flowers, decorative trees and bushes on the triangle of land for which the silo sits. It was, as the marker notes, built in 1924, it was the sales office for the Belmont Country Club, which they go out of their way to mention had a pool on the historical marker. Not sure why that's relevant but maybe they wanted to get their money's worth of character on the engraving. It's a thing to look at during a drive-by but other than that it's not really an out of your way thing. Great to navigate toward if you're ever stuck on the treacherous Ralston traffic and trying to find better back roads.

For the first 10 yrs of my life, my family would pass by this seemingly random, funny-looking tiny…read moretower https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/florence-pantano-historical-landmark-belmont?select=llHUodipogHk2ObiYESy-A on a median of the Alameda de las Pulgas + Covington Road intersection every day while on the way to school. I would sometimes wonder aloud if it were once a tower of an ancient castle or was the entrance to someone's secret underground home, but my parents would always respond with a nonchalant, "I don't know." More recently now as an adult, I was passing by one day + decided to pull over to do some exploring to finally uncover the answer to my childhood curiosity. A plaque on the ground https://www.yelp.com/biz_photos/florence-pantano-historical-landmark-belmont?select=vNL5rk4OtC_8QPOEPumMhg says the structure was built in 1924 as the sales office for the Belmont Country Club Properties. Further research on the all-knowing interwebs has told me that the Belle Monti Country Club was established with the grand vision that Belmont (called "The Hub of the Peninsula" at the time since it's located exactly halfway between San Francisco + San Jose) could become a mini Hillsborough, as the Club would draw in the rich from San Francisco to buy property in the scenic hills. But as luck would have it, the stock market took nose dive... leading the company into bankruptcy during The Depression + majority of the land was eventually resold for housing or commercial purposes. However, the building that had been the Belle Monti Country Club Clubhouse was purchased in the 1950s to became what still stands as the Congregational Church of Belmont, located right across the street. The little tower is now a historic landmark donated by local real estate agents Pantano Properties. It was given a face lift + re-dedicated in 2007 as a "micro-park" thanks to grants + donations from various groups in the community. While I personally don't know who in the right mind would actually venture over to spend time in a "park" that resembles a gnome home, I have to admit that I do appreciate how much better it looks than how I recalled from my childhood. Interwebs sources: http://archives.smdailyjournal.com/article_preview.php?id=75830 http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_7045149

It's a long walk, on concrete, very shaded, and next to a beautiful reservoir where we get all our…read moreclean drinking water (after passing the reservoir, you basically only see trees). The main con is that you have to turn back since there's no loop (about 6 miles one-way), so you have to figure out where your stopping point is, otherwise the trail spans across multiple cities (north entrance in Millbrae, southern entrance in San Mateo). No pets allowed. There are restrooms at the beginning of the trail, and in the middle after going a good amount of distance. There were a lot of wildlife to be seen, like random families of deer, lizards, turkey couples, and even turkey vultures. In some puddles along the path, there were newly-hatched tadpoles. If you want a peaceful, quiet, long and shaded walk or bike ride, this is a solid choice. You will run into other groups along the way, as it is a popular and well-maintained trail. Sawyer Camp Trail's purpose is pretty niche, though, as I'd much prefer a path that loops or an option for elevated terrain.

Really nice paved trail that my boyfriend brought me to so that we can enjoy a nice walk together…read more It was a beautiful sunny spring day, and the sunlight glittered on the water like diamonds. I'm not a big hiker, so I appreciate that this was mostly flat and paved, and we could go at a leisurely pace. Lots of people on their bikes come here too. Very comfortable hike. Just make sure you use the restroom before coming here.

I stopped there on June 28, 2025 and the gate is locked. I don't know if or when you can see it…read morenow.

Don't know much about the history of this statue, but it's right off the 280 freeway and I've seen…read moreit a hundred times, so we decided to see what the fuss was about. Not the most quality statue you will ever see, but it's still pretty large and his points out west. Not sure why. Still, pretty cool to see. Overall, a nice pit stop and on a beautiful day like today, it was worth a visit.

Lots of details about this interesting corner of the Bay Area provided by our guide Dan G. He was a…read morewealth of information, pretty funny and as a local was able to share a lot of perspective on the islands changes. Great day trip and I wish we had more time to poke around.

Wonderful tour led by Jim. History + nature! A great morning spent on the island…read more For people who are looking to visit the Naval Museum on the island, it is no longer open, but this tour is operative and you get to see the naval chapel and walk around the area. I was originally looking for information about the museum and arrived at this page: https://www.mihpf.org/tours. I hope this will help you find their tour options and dates! All digitalized, no fuss. And it turns out I was the only who signed up for today's tour, and they did not cancel on me because of that. I really really appreciated it. One last thing, the money you spend on the tour goes into helping this foundation : ) Yay!

The Lathrop house sits in the middle of San Mateo's governmental center. Originally built in 1862,…read moreit has been moved twice, became a house of ill repute, was converted to a boarding house in WWII, and now has been restored to its condition following the residence of the first three owners. The house is now in very good condition, is being elegantly decorated for the holidays, and offers excellent docent-led tours that reveal the wonderful charm of this vintage house. Hours are limited. Plan ahead. It is definitely worth it if you are at all a history buff.

The house move in November is now May and just happened and is resting above the new foundation! I…read moretook probably 200 pictures, some of them are in here showing the move and the hydraulic system to save this beautiful historic 1863 Steamboat Gothic style house. it is nestled up against the SAN mateo history museum across the street from its former location on Hamilton Street. Once it is lowered onto the new foundation in about a week it will reopen again after about 120 days to make sure that everything is secure and safe. They also need to reattach the stairs and add a handicapped ramp. It had quite a history and it's time which you can read a lot online. One of the most prominent owners was Sheriff Joel Mansfield who was the sheriff of Redwood City for quite some time and was loved by many and buried in the Union cemetery nearby with his wife Mary. Hopefully this new location will bring more visitors and hopefully more donations to help preserve this wonderful mansion.