Filoli Gardens offers free kids admission this summer

Woodside, Calif. - Families looking for a way to beat summer boredom without breaking the bank have a new option on the Peninsula this season.

Filoli Gardens is offering free admission to children ages 14 and under for the summer months of June through August. Under the promotion, up to three kids can enter at no cost for every fully paid adult ticket — meaning two adults could bring as many as six children for free.

"We want families to make Filoli a destination, or a repeat destination," said Sonia Capitant, associate director of community programs and partnerships at Filoli. "There's always something new to learn and discover there."

The promotion launches alongside a new exhibit called "Creating Home," a property-wide activation designed with families in mind. Inside the historic mansion, visitors can learn to waltz with projected footprints on the ballroom floor or pick up a telephone to hear conversations from Filoli's past. Out in the 16-acre formal garden, guests can explore the origins of the trees planted there and discover why their historic owners chose the Peninsula as home.

On the natural lands, sculptor Jason Phan has installed a series of large nest sculptures modeled after various animal habitats, where children can run, climb and explore.

The 654-acre estate — one of the Bay Area's most storied historic properties — also features hiking trails, a nature play space and a discovery den.

Filoli takes its name from the motto of William Bourne, its original owner: "Fight for a just cause, love your fellow man, live a good life." The Roth family later called the estate home before Lurline Roth donated it to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in 1975, opening it to the public.

Tickets must be purchased in advance online. The promotion runs through the end of August.