Rating: 10 out of 10

Hidden Villa Is a Hidden Gem

Tucked away in Los Altos Hills, CA, Hidden Villa is a 1,600 acre wilderness area including a complete unaltered watershed. It is home to an organic farm, some livestock, summer camps, miles of hiking trails, and a beautiful youth hostel. Whether you are going for an afternoon, a special program, or a vacation, you won’t soon forget this pretty spot.

Once the home of Frank and Josephine Duveneck and their family, this area became a place that supported progressive community and education by sponsoring multicultural summer camps. Later the family founded the Environmental Education Program on Earth Day, 1970. The whole property was given to the region in 1985, and it is supported by donations and volunteers.

There is a calendar of events for all sorts of things like a spring native plant sale, cow milking, making cheese, wildflower hike, concerts, “Art in Nature” class series, sustainable building tour, and others, in addition to the farm tours (birthday parties can be booked here as well!).

During our 3-day stay we made sure to book a farm tour (they fill up fast!), which was a lovely stroll through the various parts of the farm, hands on meetings with many of the animals and plants, punctuated by an informative talk which was delivered in such a way as to engage even the youngest among us.

We wanted an out-of-the-ordinary getaway for our family, so we chose to stay at the youth hostel on the property. This part of Hidden Villa includes a large, modern communal building (rebuilt in 2001) with screened front porch, side patio, comfortable living and dining area and a massive kitchen with many work areas. Behind this building is a modern camp bathroom building and beyond that are the cabins, which range in size from two bunk beds (perfect for a family of 4 like ours) to those holding larger groups. These cabins are very Spartan, but comfortable enough, having electricity, heat and cubbies in which to store belongings

For those who have never stayed in a hostel, all you need to do is bring your food. The well supplied kitchen and all its accessories are at your disposal. There are several refrigerators and pantries in which to keep your food. The cabinets at this hostel are all well organized and labeled (silverware, plates, cups, pots, pans, etc.). Guests are responsible for their own clean up. In the living area, people lounge and talk or read. There are shelves of games and books plus CDs and a stereo. One of the nights during our stay a Girl Scout troop was meeting and learning to knit!

If you don’t want to cook all your meals, the nearby town of Los Altos is very cute and has lots of shops, restaurants, and places to eat—we found an Italian deli, an ice cream spot and a Jamba Juice for treats after a long hike one day.

Aside from taking the farm tour there are buildings to see on the grounds, even a small gift shop. There are, of course, all the various animals, which we visited numerous times. There are a number of hikes ranging from an easy one into the woods and along a pretty creek to a more strenuous one up into the mountains and over, looping back via the road to Hidden Villa.

Visitors are welcome anytime, but you should plan ahead if you want to stay overnight. I definitely will visit again. If I lived closer, I would attend their scheduled classes and events.

Hidden Villa Website