Widmer World is amazing! There is a sign to help direct you where to park (neighborhood street…read moreparking) nearby. This was our second year visiting and the family hosting this is always so friendly. This year, one of the older ladies even offer to help us take photos outside on the driveway. All of the Christmas decorations, displays, and lights are beautiful. It extends from the front yard through the backyard with many Christmas displays and different cartoon / Disney characters / themes throughout the yard. This is defintely a good stop every year.

I visited this free holiday attraction on Friday, and even with the freezing winter temperatures, I…read moreenjoyed my time here. I arrived around opening time (6:00pm), and there was just a short line for entry. With so much to see and admire about this place, the walk thru was much longer than I expected, though that's partly cuz I didn't know you could pass people till I reached the mid-point. It's only one-way through the various pathways and illuminated tunnels that make up this experience, but if people stop and block foot traffic for long periods of time (for instance, families telling their toddler to look at every single doll and figurine in the windows and displays, or having them pose to take pictures like tourists), there's enough space to just pass them. Widmer World presents a range of themes and collections, including Disney (mickey mouse, toy story, disney princesses, etc), Minions, Snoopy, Santa, Abominable Snowman, geese, penguins, and stuffed animals galore. Cardboard cutouts with artwork, inflatables in various characters, moving props and decor, and animated xmas figures. Detailed miniature displays of various scenes including a charming village, a carnival with ferris wheels, roller coasters, and hot air balloons, and a festive model railroad with multiple trains moving along the tracks. It's so much more than a light show lined with impressive displays all around. It's a whimsical wonderland with lots of moving parts and interactive exhibits to delight guests of all ages. There's a scavenger hunt to find 12 gnomes, as well as a Mr. Potato Head coin toss game, and at the end of the walk thru, there's a guest book you can sign. In the front of the house, a giant chair is available for photo ops, along with more holiday lights and decorations. There are also signs directing visitors on where to find street parking (since you can't park in the court where this event is located).

Every Christmas it's a ritual to walk tunnels of joy with family and friends. Love the decorations…read moreand the feeling when being there. Definitely a recommended thing to do during holiday szn.

I went by myself and walked through it was an amazing seeing all the different decorations and all…read morethe time it must have taken to complete all the amazing things to see I would recommend everyone to go see the beautiful displays.

"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world."…read more I don't trust PG&E, the world's largest utility. Ever since that neighborhood in San Bruno imploded in 2010 I've been leery. Thankfully, I'm not the first person who's felt this way. Back in the late '50s/early '60s PG&E began erecting a nuclear power plant right beside the ocean on Bodega Head in the town of Bodega Bay. The site sat directly atop the San Andreas fault (that worked so well in Fukushima...) near environmentally sensitive dairy farms and ranches. PG&E got as far as drilling a hole in Bodega Head; a hole 142 feet across and 120 feet in depth. A hole sizable enough to drop a 10-story building into if one desired though the actual plans for that hole were to contain the biggest boiling water nuclear reactor ever. And then the opposition began. A small group of thoughtful, committed citizens banded together to fight it. Their opposition ran on for five+ years and represented an early step in the environmental movement. After years of loud and ongoing opposition as PG&E pressed on for their "Atomic Park" (sic), the PUC in 1963 rejected PG&E's request. The hole was left to fill naturally and has now become a freshwater "pond" for birds and wildlife. PG&E eventually sold the entire 225-acre site to the state park district for $1 and abandoned their scary plans for the site. Hole in the Head is, today, most easily viewed from the parking lot at Campbell Cove. There you'll see a little walkway and signage which will take you to a viewing area looking out on the large water feature. Signage on the Bodega Head trail will also alert you to Hole in the Head which can be seen far below that trail. Without historical knowledge there's nothing either interesting or exciting about this body of water. Only when you know its history however, and realize that California's Environmental Quality Act and California's Coastal Commission were borne out of the fight against PG&E's plans do you begin to respect it as you should. * That opening quote is attributable to cultural anthropologist Margaret Mead. * Read more about the hole here: http://sonomacountyhomesforsaleonline.com/bodega-bay/hole-in-the-head-bodega-bay-ca/ and http://www.pressdemocrat.com/news/2296499-181/battle-over-bodega-head-nuclear * Truth be told, I've not been a fan of PG&E since far before the San Bruno incident. * Oh no she didn't... oh yes she did. I just reviewed a hole in the ground.

***the lake itself is part of a community called HIDDEN LAKE as well***…read more OVERALL: Meh. Wouldn't go out of my way to drive here to walk; therefore the 4 stars rating. Due to being part of a community, there are a ton of guest parking (especially near the gates to this park) BUT if you keep driving, the parking lot for this "park" is on the outside (you turn in with the sign "HIDDEN PARK LAKE" in green lettering/tanish brown background and there are a few spots for you to pick from). Two stairways up to other flat cement ground trails. Very quarry lake vibes but not much water. Lake itself is a smaller circular flat cement ground leveled trail. Regarding up the stairs: One way does end up at another park whereas the other way just ends up in another neighborhood/main road. Lack of shade. Lots of ducks. There's few places to sit. Few trash bins. No visible toilets.

Beautiful place to walk no restroom and limited parking look for all the turtles in the lakeread more

The Rose Walk is not far from the Rose Garden in Berkeley!!…read more Not many Roses along the Rose Walk, it's really just a pathway through a residential area. I saw the sign and went up the stairs and walked the short, paved path. Very quiet here also!!

If you like to be in a peaceful and tranquil environment, if u like to walk around quiet, tree-line…read moreresidential areas, if u cherish neighborhoods with lots of character, and if you don't mind climbing uphill a bit - then u would definitely love this stone stairway called Rose Walk. Berkeley has many hidden jewels like this - check out berkeleypaths.org and you'll find more beautiful footpaths like this.

This was our first time going to Christmas Tree Lane here! There are not much areas with Christmas…read moredecoration / lights in this area, so it was nice to be able to find an area with beautiful Christmas decorations and lights. Not much parking that was close by and it was a bit cold / windy during our visit, so we just drove down the street and it was beautiful still.

This year the honey and I decided we would try out a couple different Christmas Tree Lanes instead…read moreof just driving around hoping to find different lit neighborhoods. This Christmas Tree Lane is perhaps the ultimate Christmas Tree Lane, considering it's an extremely dense block where every single home is lit up with different displays. On one end there was a table with kids selling cookies and hot chocolate and in the middle there was a frosty ice cream truck. We got a bit lucky as it was less busy when we drove in around 6pm or so, but it was a madhouse by the time we wrapped up our visit. We later drove over to the San Ramon Christmas Tree Lane on Woodland Drive and found it to be much less busy and a bit more enjoyable as their streets were wider. All in all, this Christmas Tree Lane is definitely something to experience once, but unless you're local to Alameda I'm not sure I'd make it a yearly trip.

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

Cool ghost town visible from train - San Jose to Sacramento…read more It was so fun discovering this small ghost town in the middle of the South at wetlands. A raucous history clings to Drawbridge - hunting and maybe gambling at one time or another. Built in the 1870s and it became 'ghostly' after the last person left in 1979. I like the background of the town and how it spices up the history of the southern part of San Francisco Bay.

I found out about Drawbridge on Atlas Obsura and was fascinated. It's definitely one the better…read moreelusive urbex destinations. You technically can't go here so I won't go into detail on how to get there but it's best to find someone who's been here before to guide you as it can be tricky to find and some entrances might be blocked off. The abandoned buildings on the side of the train tracks are spread out and you can get some nice photos with the hills and marshland in the background. It's worth going but this is a production. It's about a 9-mile walk and yes you do have to watch out for the train. Most of the time it's fine but there is a small stretch when you need to cross a bridge over water and let's just say you don't want to end up like those kids on Stand By Me. If you don't want to do the walk you can take an Amtrak Train which goes through it.

The glass elevators at the Westin St. Francis are key-card protected and not open to public…read moreanymore. You need a hotel key card to access one of the glass elevators, and I think it's used to be one of free things for locals and tourists years ago.

Wheee! What a fun way to see the city! This elevator is in…read morethe St Regis overlooking Union Square. If you act like you know where you're going, and just jump in with some random guest, you'll get to see a great view of the city for free! The glass elevators are constantly zipping up and down. You need a guest's key to get the elevator to work, so be sure to hop on with someone going to their room, and just start mashing the highest numbers on the keypad. It's kinda thrilling to know that they put in a card reader to keep out the public, but this is totally worth the trip if you don't stay here. Unfortunately, this Glass Elevator is not like the one written about in the sequel to Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Unlike the one in Willie Wonka's Chocolate Factory, this one doesn't go sideways, through the roof, or upside down at all.

What a community treasure. First off, the grounds are gorgeous, totally lush with native plants and…read morewildflowers, and I went in July so it was pollinator heaven, you couldn't look anywhere without seeing blossoms just oozing pollen. I felt like I had stepped back in time to visit the original Secret Garden. The woman who met us near the apple orchard was charming and seemed to have an encyclopedic understanding of the life of insects and their relationships to plants. The grounds are old, which is a part of the magic- butterflies painted on old barns, rambling wild roses, passage ways flanked by goldenrod and seemingly ancient bay trees. I have never seen so many quails, hummingbirds and bees! Best of all, my daughter and I wanted to wander, we aren't necessarily tour types, and the docent seemed to get this right away. She just let us go do our thing. We are signing up for one of the Moth Nights, now that we know about it. I read other reviews about folks feeling disappointment in not seeing butterflies, and as a naturalist, I have to laugh. One, butterflies are like all of us, they have times that they are around and other times they are not. Some live locally, some just pass through. Depending on the time of day, where you are standing, etc, you may see a ton or none. Welcome to nature. As for people wanting posters- no thank you! So tacky. Buy a guide book, observe, schedule a tour. Personally I don't want this garden to have the feel of a museum, I want to wander, wonder, observe, and hopefully, leave with a feeling of curiosity that I can continue to explore.

I love Hallberg Butterfly Gardens (see previous review). But while they get five stars for concept…read moreand purpose - butterfly conservation and education - they get one star in execution. In all the times I've been here - and it's many over the years - I have never seen a single employee on the property. There is no one available to answer questions, tell you about butterflies, or even discuss events. We signed up for an event today, and there was not a single person on the property. We wandered around for an hour and found NO ONE. Oddly enough, you can't get in touch with them via phone, either, because no one ever answers. Try for yourself and see. There's no outgoing info when you call, and you cannot leave a message. Amazingly, there aren't even posters displaying the different types of butterflies you might see, or how to identify them. Given that this place focuses on butterfly education, you would think they would offer some education...? Moreover, the place is falling apart - it's run down with poor signage. There's also a massive amount of disorganization: we signed up for one event on 7/2, and got confirmation for an event that already happened weeks ago. There was no info contained in the email beyond the gate code and the time to show up. We didn't know if someone would be leading the event or if we would be meeting people there. (Answer: no and no.) Hiring a part-time assistant to organize public events that attract people here would be a worthwhile investment, one would think...? I am ALL about natural spaces and supporting science education, and have always supposed the Gardens -- but if this place wants to make money and keep fans, they need to prioritize, even minimally, the people and events that support their existence.