The hook
The finest Arts and Crafts house in America is a wooden bungalow in Pasadena so perfectly made that architects come just to study the joinery.
01Why it's worth it
The brothers Charles and Henry Greene built it in 1908 for the Gamble family of Procter & Gamble, and they designed everything, not just the house but the furniture, the lighting, the rugs, the leaded glass, down to the way the wood joints are pegged and rounded so the whole thing feels handmade rather than merely built. It's the most complete surviving example of what Californians did with the Arts and Crafts movement, all broad sheltering roofs and clinker brick and dark polished teak, deeply influenced by Japanese design. You may know it as Doc Brown's house from Back to the Future. Inside, on the tour, the craftsmanship is almost overwhelming; you notice the light and the wood before you notice the rooms.
02How to experience it
It's in Pasadena, about six hours from the Bay. You see the interior by guided tour only, by ticket, so check the schedule and book; there's also an exterior-and-grounds tour if the house tours are full. It pairs with the Huntington and Old Pasadena.