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

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!

There are a few entrances, but I think the most popular one is on Sneath Lane. This trail is paved…read moreand pretty steady and not too difficult for about a mile but then gets a bit steeper for the next mile to the top. On the way up you can see views of the San Andreas Reservoir Lake. After the rain you can hear the water flowing and see some little streams and wild mushrooms. To the ridge is a little under 2 miles. I like the fact there is a small bathroom which I find quite rare on trails like this. To the left is the San Francisco Discovery Site which has a plaque with some information. Apparently, this was the place the Spanish settlers first saw the San Francisco Bay. To the right the trail goes along the ridge to the remains of the old Nike missile site. The views are stellar, and one can see for miles on end, Marin, the city, Pacifica Mount Diablo, etc. I love watching all the planes coming in and out from nearby SFO. From Sneath the hike is about 5 miles and 2 hrs. I've also gone the Mori Trail route which is nice because it's not paved but this trail is steeper. It's worth checking out the funky Shelldance Orchid Gardens which is located at the trailhead but they are only open on the weekends.

This is a nice enough spot to go for a hike. It was easy to find my way to the Sneath Lane Trail…read moreParking using google maps, a small lot within a residential neighborhood, that fits about 10-15 vehicles. It was foggy, cold, and incredibly windy during my visit last week, and of course, there's an incline as the trail wraps around the mountain. But it wasn't too bad, the actual climb up didn't feel as difficult as it looked from a distance, starting with the sneath lane trail then connecting to other trails higher up. In fact, there are many options for different trails to take. The Baquiano Trail had a dirt pathway while the Notch Trail toward the Nike Missile Control Site was paved. Near the SF Bay Discovery Site, there's a small restroom building (it was pretty clean for a park facility, on a Thursday afternoon). The gorgeous foliage lining the various paths was captivating, along with lovely views of the hills, lake (san andreas reservoir), and sunlit scenery in the distance. Too foggy to enjoy the views the higher you get though, just a giant cloud of fog everywhere. I barely made it three miles out before turning back. It was just far too windy and foggy to wanna be out there very long (I'm sure hot days would be even worse with zero shade to be found). Plus my legs definitely had a workout from the uphill trek. Luckily the jog back down was a breeze. And I did slow down to appreciate the vegetation and vast array of plant species, once again, before leaving.

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.

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.

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

"Please don't play with the missiles!"…read more This site has interesting historical value, but there's not a whole lot to see here anymore. It's conveniently located on the Sweeney Ridge hiking trail, and it's not very difficult to get here. So perhaps worth a visit one time, but don't get your hopes set too high.

Grew up in the neighbor rat the base of trail so I've been here many time. I've even hiked to the…read moretop n bottom at night and encountered a mountain lion. One my favorite place to go and have a good time.

This beautiful, award-winning bridge must be seen from below to be appreciated. This I-280 bridge…read morespans the gap over the famous Crystal Springs Dam, which holds all the waters of the San Andreas Lakes and Valley, which holds the drinking water for San Francisco and the North Peninsula, as a reservoir of the runoff-waters from high in the Sierra Nevada Mountains of California. Additionally, the waters of San Andreas Lake behind the Dam, are about 100-some feet below the Bridge, but are about 200 feet over the heads of the City of San Mateo, which is down-flow of the San Mateo Creek, which is also the overflow outlet for the Crystal Springs Dam. See also the Reviews on this website for: Arroyo Park, San Mateo and De Anza Expedition Camp, San Mateo. The City of San Mateo is 28 feet above sea level. Located about 100 feet inside the Dam, on the bottom of the San Andreas Lake/Valley, is the famous San Andreas Earthquake Fault, infamous throughout California History! Bridge 35-199, at Crystal Springs Road and San Mateo Creek, just north of Route 92, is named the "Eugene A. Doran Bridge". Eugene Doran was a Hillsborough Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty on the morning of August 5, 1959. It was built in 1967, and was named by Senate Concurrent Resolution 34, Chapter 173 in 1969. In August 2004, Senate Concurrent Resolution 65 redesignate the Eugene A. Doran Memorial Bridge on I-280 at San Mateo Creek, north of Route 92, in the County of San Mateo as the Officer Eugene and Marine Lance Corporal Patrick M. Doran Memorial Bridge. It was named additionally in memory of Marine Lance Corporal Patrick M. Doran, who died in the line of duty on February 18, 1967, in Quang Nam Province, Vietnam. (August 12, 2004, Chapter 138). The Best Scenic Route to see this Bridge, the San Mateo Creek Valley and the Crystal Springs Dam is: Starting at Mills-Peninsula Arthritis Center on El Camino Real, San Mateo, take the Crystal Springs Road, which begins across ECR from Mills Hospital. Follow the winding road to its end, being careful to NOT go straight when the road widens considerably, as that is Ralston-Polhemus Road that continues straight! Turn off right, which is Crystal Springs Road. Very soon you will see the Dam on the left and the Bridge overhead. At the end of the road, is the Trailhead for the Sawyer Camp Hiking Trail, which is also Reviewed on this website! A left turn takes you to the top of the Dam!