Filoli Trolls: A Kid-Friendly Adventure in Woodside, California

Filoli Gardens is one of the most beautiful places in the Bay Area, which is saying a lot considering the jaw-dropping coastal views in Marin County. Tucked away in Woodside, Filoli flourishes with expansive gardens and grounds. Families flock to Filoli for a nature escape from the hustle and bustle of San Francisco. 

Kids can explore the gardens and meander through scenic paths, lined with colorful flowers. And now, children of all ages can enjoy a quirky nature adventure of discovering Thomas Damnbo trolls in the Filoli redwood forest. The trolls add a whole other layer of interactive excitement that is especially kid-friendly. 

What to Know About the Trolls

TROLLS: Save The Humans is a temporary exhibit on display at Filoli until November 10, 2025. There are six troll sculptures to discover throughout Filoli, most of which are in the redwood forest. However, there is one near the Filoli entrance.  

All of the trolls are outdoors. The exhibit teaches humans how to reconnect with nature and inspires them to be stewards of the earth. It’s a whimsical and memorable exhibit that kids will love.

What are the Filoli Trolls?

You’ve likely seen photos of giant trolls floating around on Instagram over the years. You can typically find these towering trolls in the Pacific Northwest. The trolls are created by artist Thomas Dambo, who produces these beloved artistic masterpieces from reclaimed materials. 

From time to time, some trolls make appearances outside of the Pacific Northwest. In fact, California recently received its first permanent Thomas Dambo troll inside the Nature Museum in Solvang. 

For the first time, the trolls have temporarily come to Northern California at Filoli Gardens. They are a sight to see, and kids of all ages will get a thrill searching for trolls while playing in nature.  

The trolls are massively impressive with superb detail. Kids (and adults) will be awed at their sheer size. It was rather humorous to see my tiny one-year-old standing at the toe of one of these gigantic trolls. 

Activities for Kids

I was happily surprised at how much there was to do for kids at Filoli. All of the main activities for kids are near the Trailhead Store in the redwood forest. It’s the perfect place to stop and take a break while letting kids run around and explore. 

Searching and finding each troll was fun for kids alone, but there are additional elements that make it even more enjoyable. Also, it’s okay if kids climb on them! Exploration is encouraged. 

Nature Playscape

The Nature Playscape enables kids to deepen their connection with nature while engaging in outdoor play and discovering hidden elements in a natural setting. You’ll find it in the middle of the redwood forest near The Painting Troll. It’s conveniently located near the Trailhead Store and restrooms. The Nature Playscape has several areas for kids to check out.

Oak Tree Tumble

Kids who are jumpers and climbers (like my toddlers) will appreciate the Oak Tree Tumble. This circular choose-your-own-adventure consists of logs and stumps made from a 200-year-old oak tree that adventurous kids can explore and ascend upon.

Wander – Cottonwood Grove

There is a lot to discover in the Wander area of the Nature Playscape, which is mainly a labyrinth with some hidden surprises along the way. My one-year-old enjoyed finding an area with some musical instruments that he could interact with. Apparently, these were thrifted from Goodwill.

Redwood Fairy Ring & Redwood Theater

A ring of redwoods is across from the Oak Tree Tumble. When kids step inside the circle of redwoods, they can have a tea party in the forest. Outside the circle of redwoods are willow huts that children can enter and interact with. There is also a stage with a dress-up cart.

Secret Scribble Book

Pick up a Trolls Secret Scribble Book at the Filoli admission kiosk. Kids will get to decode a secret message from the trolls using their secret alphabet. There is also a map inside the book. I recommend bringing a pen or pencil with you. I didn’t see any at the kiosks, so if you want to do this activity in real-time, you’ll need to bring along a writing utensil.

Gardenpops

Take a break when reaching the Trailhead Store to enjoy a Gardenpop. You can find them in the freezer section of the store, near the snacks. They make a perfect cool treat after adventuring through nature. Gardenpops flavors were inspired by the gardens at Filoli. When we visited, they had flavors like strawberry basil, peach & thyme, mint lemonade, and honey & rose. Enjoy your gardenpops while admiring The Treasure Troll (located right behind the Trailhead Store).  

What Parents Need to Know

Redwood Forest Details

The California Trail, where the majority of the trolls are, is approximately a 1-mile route. It’s mostly a flat, easy trail that kids of all ages can handle.

Stroller Accessibility

For the most part, Filoli Gardens and the redwood forest are stroller-accessible. With our two toddlers, we had a wagon and needed accessible pathways. The most challenging part was finding an accessible path from the Filoli entrance to the redwood forest.

The most direct route is a staircase that leads to the redwood forest, which we couldn’t use with a stroller wagon, so we had to cut around the back of the historic house and backtrack to the entrance gate of the redwood forest via a flat, level path that typically seems blocked off unless you need to utilize it for accessibility. If you have a small stroller and multiple people, you could likely carry it down the few stairs. However, our stroller wagon is large. So, we couldn’t carry it down.

Once at the redwood forest, there is an accessible path that is the best option when using a stroller to reach the majority of the trolls and the Trailhead Store.

If you want to explore Filoli further with a stroller, there is a stairless garden route.

The Trailhead Store

It’s worth a stop, especially with kids, at the Trailhead Store. It’s near two trolls (The Treasure Troll and The Painting Troll). They sell gifts and snacks, including the popular Gardenpops. There is ample seating near the store for families to take a break in a beautiful setting under the redwood trees. The Nature Playscape is also near the store, so plan on staying in this area with the kids for a while!

Restrooms are next to the Trailhead Store. Two restrooms are directly attached to the outside of the store. There is an additional trailer with bathrooms nearby, as well. The Trailhead Store is open from 10:30am to 4:30pm, daily.

Parking

Filoli has a large parking lot close to the entrance. Parking is free and included with admission.

Hours & Ticket Information

The trolls exhibit is included with regular Filoli admission. Filoli is open daily from 10am to 5pm. Trails close one hour early to allow time to return to the Filoli estate before closing time.

As of 2025, ticket prices are below:

• $37 adult
• $35 senior (ages 65+)
• $33 student/teacher/military
• $27 youth (ages 5-17)

Children ages 4 and under receive free admission to Filoli.

What to Bring

• Wear good shoes as you’ll be walking more than you think
• Bring hats and sunscreen. While temperatures are more mild than Sacramento, it did get warmer than expected in the sun even with the redwood trees providing good shade cover.

Make it a Day Trip

From Sacramento, it’s approximately two hours and 15 minutes to reach Filoli Gardens. Since there’s so much to do in the Bay Area with kids, you could easily combine Filoli with another activity to make it a full-day trip. In fact, we did the Bay Area Discovery Museum and Filoli on the same day with our kids. Both of these attractions are available through the Discover & Go Program with a Sacramento Public Library Card.

Filoli is a typical day trip from San Francisco. It’s very close to the city, only a little over 30 minutes.

Address: Filoli | 86 Canada Road, Woodside, CA 94062

Top photo by Gary Sexton. Photo courtesy of Filoli House & Historic Gardens