Catch a Glimpse of the Flintstone House in California
Since 1976, motorists on I-280 passing through the Bay Area town of Hillsborough have been captivated by an unusual house with a rounded design that is perched atop a hill. The Flintstone House—as the eccentric structure is known—has been perceived as a beloved roadside attraction by travelers and a garish eyesore by residents of Hillsborough who object to the property’s fantastical lawn sculptures and vibrant paint.
Originally designed by visionary architect William Nicholson, the first incarnation of the Bubble House—which was the original nickname for the Flintstone House—was off-white. Nicholson used a construction method known as “monolithic dome construction” that involved spraying a material known as shotcrete into a frame with balloons underneath. Every surface in the Bubble House is rounded—including windows, doorways, and a spiral staircase. The rounded construction seemed to mimic the abode of Fred Flintstone in the 1960s Hanna-Barbera cartoon The Flintstones.
By the mid-1980s, the Flintstone House was noticeably falling apart. Several residents of Hillsborough who were not fans of the unconventional design of the abode hoped that the structure would be demolished. Instead, the Flintstone House was refurbished and painted bright orange.
In 2017, media mogul Florence Fang purchased the Flintstone House and leaned into the property’s quirkiness. Fang added numerous statues including dinosaurs, a giraffe, and a jolly Fred Flintstone positioned near the front door. There is even a giant likeness of Bigfoot.
Fang’s ever-expanding collection of lawn sculptures irritated some of her neighbors so much that they attempted to take her to court in order to force her to tone down the exterior of the Flintstone House. The court ruled in Fang’s favor and she was able to keep her jubilant home completely intact. Fang’s angry neighbors were even ordered to pay her legal fees.
Visitors can catch a glimpse of the Flintstone House by driving north on I-280 just past the Bunker Hill Drive exit. The vibrant exterior of the Flintstone House—with its synthetic rainbow, oversized mushrooms, and giant smiley face—is certainly worth pulling over for. Florence Fang occasionally offers tours of her whimsical 3-bedroom home. The dinosaur-themed interior of the Flintstone House is certainly Fred Flintstone approved.
Florence Fang stated that the theme of her home decor is “Over the Rainbow.” Much like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, you will certainly feel that you have traveled into a magical realm as soon as you spot the Flintstone House in all of its colorful cartoonish glory.
Address:
45 Berryessa Way
Hillsborough, California, 94010
United States
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Hillsborough, California, USA (private residence; no visitor pin)
- Access
- This is a private residence, not a public attraction. SPACES Archives says the home can be seen from the Doran Memorial Bridge on I-280, and Roadside America describes a freeway drive-by; neither source identifies a safe visitor stop. Do not stop on the freeway, enter the property, or drive into the residential street to approach it.
- Admission
- No ongoing public admission or tour ticket was verified. The 2024 proposed dining event was paused before it became a standing visitor program.
- Time needed
- No current public visit duration is published. The Flintstone House is a private home; the proposed 2024 ticketed dining event was paused, and no standing visitor program was verified in the sources reviewed.
- Best season
- No public visiting season is published for this private residence. The 2024 proposed pop-up was paused and did not establish a recurring attraction; do not stop on Interstate 280 to view it.
- Opening hours
- No current public opening hours or recurring tour were verified. A one-time 2024 dining proposal was paused; this is a private home, not an open attraction.
- Facts checked
- 2026-10-29
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