• 1. Where to Stay
• 2. Where to Eat
• 3. What to Do
• 4. Insider’s Tip
• 5. An Oddball Day

Filoli spans 654 acres of gardens and grounds.   (Photo: Courtesy of Filoli)

Take a break from tech and turn your attention to other pursuits with a fervent following. Start off in San Carlos at the Hiller Aviation Museum ($11), founded by an early-twentieth-century visionary whose inventions are reputed to have predated—and inspired—the Wright brothers. On display you’ll see a steam-engine-powered plane, flimsy aircraft resembling a winged bicycle, and the snakelike, jet-black, 200-foot Condor. Grab lunch from one of the food trucks that sits outside the museum some days; popular choices include Nom Nom’s bánh mì ($7) and lobster mac 'n' cheese (market price) from the Shackmobile. Then drive twenty miles southwest to Woodside, where Filoli ($15) is Mecca for gardening fanatics. The 654-acre garden and grounds offer an ancient heirloom orchard, obscure flowers, and a knowledgeable volunteer troupe ready to educate visitors (next open visiting session is Nov. 25—Dec. 3). Next, head south on winding roads to arrive at Thomas Fogarty Vineyards, which excels in producing Chardonnay, though the best reason to visit is the 270-degree view of the surrounding valley. On your way back down the mountain, stop into Buck’s of Woodside, a stalwart diner helmed by a local trivia geek that has served as ground zero for many a start-up tech deal.

Published on Nov 10, 2011 as a web exclusive.