Reviews Quail’s Nest Cafe

Short: Holiday evenings in late November is a great way to enjoy the autumn colors and a fall sunset before indulging in the decorated garden. Expect to stay for 70 - 90 minutes. Long: As of late November, the house interior is still open. If you enjoy the aesthetics of old Americana, this is a great place to look into the past. However, if you come even 15 minutes past 4PM for the evening round, expect a 30 - 45 minute queue. Late November is an ideal time to see the brilliant auburn of fall. The sun sets around 4:30 - 5:00PM, so there's slightly less than an hour for you to enjoy the gardens in the light of the sunset. As it's the evening, the trail will be closed off, but in its place, you can enjoy the garden lot up in various decorations. There are fire pits and two wine bars for groups who want to lounge. A warm cinnamon whiskey sour is a good way to start the night. If you're trying to avoid the crowds, I'd recommend coming around 6PM. Enough of the initial visitors will have left by then and you'll be enjoy certain spots by yourself. Of course, you also forfeit the sunset and some of the autumn colors in contrast to the greenery.

Filoli has been a consistent bright spot through this long year of the pandemic. I've never gotten as much value out of an annual pass as I have this year. While Filoli is expensive for an individual visit, if you can join or volunteer and go regularly to watch the seasons change the gardens you will gain peace, tranquility, and definitely great value for your money.

My grand-daughters and I walked all over the gardens and Estate Trail after school. We enjoyed the beautiful, sunny weather, with very few people. It was a glorious and a really fun day. It was the best time to come to Filoli Gardens. My grand-daughters had lots of questions that were answered by the friendly and helpful staff.

The grounds were beautiful and the place had been wonderfully decorated with Christmas lights. We were able to take a stroller though the walkways with ease. The mulled wine and bourbon cider was a nice touch.