One of my most favorite things to do with kids is visiting California flower fields and flower scavenger hunting. California is one of the best places for such activities because very few places in the U.S. can compare with California flower fields.
There is ALWAYS something in bloom in California, even in winter, and in some places – especially in winter. Sometimes you don’t have a plan for the day and an urban hike just in town where you live can yield phenomenal results. California is in bloom any month of the year and flowers are abundant everywhere: parking lots, train stations, your neighborhood streets, wildflower fields, etc. In San Francisco Bay Area there are lot of locations that will rival Southern California flower fields.
What I have noticed is that certain months of the year are dominated by a certain flower color in San Francisco Bay Area, which can be the theme for your scavenger hunt. For instance, July is definitely a “purple” month:
In spring San Francisco Bay Area gets a phenomenal symphony in pink:
Urban flowers
The best thing about an urban hike is that you don’t need much: a good pair of walking shoes and a camera (a phone one will do too). It is a budget friendly activity and it teaches kids to pay attention to small things around us and find beauty and excitement in simple things.
There are a couple of places in San Francisco Bay Area that are especially great for flower viewing.
Half Moon Bay flower nurseries
Half Moon Bay is home for many flower nurseries and flower fields. My “purple” photo report was done in its entirety in Half Moon Bay along HW 92. We also love to stop by various nurseries there to check out unusual types of plants, like carnivores (pictured below), cacti, succulents, aquaponics, etc. I have to confess that after a visit there we always come back home with a new plant for our garden.
Golden Gate Park in San Francisco
Golden Gate Park is home to 3 flower “Meccas”: Botanical Garden, Japanese Tea Garden and Flower Conservatory. My “pink” flower report above was done in San Francisco Botanical Garden. All these three botanical destinations are excellent stops any time of the year – you will always find something in bloom since there are hundreds if not thousands of plant varieties from all over the world represented in these three locations combined.
While flower adventures are FREE of charge in Half Moon Bay, you have to pay for the entrance to the gardens in Golden Gate Park, unless you come to Japanese Tea Garden before 9 am or on certain “free” days for the the Botanical Garden (you can check the schedule on their website).
17 FREE Botanical Gardens in Bay Area
There are 17 FREE botanical gardens in San Francisco Bay Area that you can enjoy any time of the year. I created a free guide to all these botanical wonders and you can get your guide HERE. There is a free garden for any flower fan: do you like cacti, tulips, roses, dahlias or other plants? You can probably find a garden dedicated to your favorite flower in Bay Area. My garden in specifically organized by flower type.
Filoli
Filoli estate and gardens is an amazing botanical destination is San Francisco Bay Area. We visited it pretty much every month in a year and there is always something in the garden to surprise you flower-wise. I have prepared for you a month by month guide describing the best time to visit Filoli gardens.
Farms
California Lavender Honey Farm
California Lavender Honey Farm located in Paso Robles wine country on the Central Coast of California has a beautiful lavender field with a purple barn (which serves as the Bee Museum) among the rolling hills and vineyards.
Though most of lavenders bloom between May and July, California Lavender Honey Farm is open year round for tours and photoshoots. Advance reservation required.
In addition to lavender, the tour includes the Bee Museum, the greenhouse, free tastings, hands on activities and more.
Forever Bloom Flower Farm
Forever Bloom Flower Farm in Pescadero has one of the best Northern California flower fields in Northern California in summer. Sign up for their guided educational tours of the farm to see all the beauty and learn about different plants. For more information to plan your visit check my detailed Forever Bloom Flower Farm review.
Wildflower Fields in California
If you want to “dive deep” into flower hunting activities then there are several places in the Golden State to see amazing and most beautiful California flower fields.
California Flower Filed #1: Wild Mustard
Half Moon Bay wild mustard fields prime bloom time is in February. Here you will see golden fields stretching out for acres on both sides of HW 1. Most of these California flower fields are privately owned so, please, observe “No Trespassing” signs. In 2021 one of the owners instituted a paid admission into their flower field if you want to take photos “on the inside”.
California Flower Field # 2 Wild Calla Lily
Wild Calla Lily valley is an unforgettable phenomenon located in Big Sur. It is part of a Garrapata State Park. The peak blooming season is at the end of January and February. For detailed information how to find this California flower field, please, check out my post Things to Do in Big Sur in Winter.
California Flower Field # 3: Almond Groves
Another famous California winter bloomer is an almond tree. There are huge areas along HW-5 between Sacramento and Bakersfield where you can see phenomenal California almond flower fields. These are commercial almond fields that produce nuts for the entire United States. The peak blooming season of these flower fields is in February.
California Flower Field # 4: Carlsbad Ranch Flower Fields
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are located in Southern California near San Diego so if you are around town in spring you can easily add a stop at these beautiful fields to my earlier San Diego family road trip itinerary. Carlsbad Ranch flower fields are in full bloom from early March to early May and there is a fee to enter. Here you can see gorgeous commercially grown flowers of different varieties. The photo below is by The Flower Fields of Carlsbad Ranch.
California Flower Filed # 5: Point Buchon California Poppy Flower Fields
Point Buchon on the Central Coast of California near Los Osos is famous for California Poppy fields. The beauty of this area comes in double because in comparison to other California flower fields the amazing bright orange color of these fields is contrasted by stunning blue of the ocean. It is a winning combination for sure.
That said, there are some complexities associated with visiting Point Buchon. This area belongs to PG&E so there are lots of restrictions on visiting that you can check out HERE.
But wait, don’t fret! We found a great alternative to Point Buchon right next to it. Bluff Trail in Montana de Oro State Park will lead you to a gorgeous California Poppy flower field right next to the ocean. There are no restrictions on visiting, parking is free and the trail is easy and level and it is less than a mile walk to the beautiful field pictured below. The best time to visit this California wildflower field is March – April.
California Flower Fields #6: Fresno Blossom Trail
Fresno Blossom Trail is a huge area around the city of Fresno where lots of commercial orchards are located. From mid February to the end of March these fields of almonds, peaches, nectarines, plums and apple burst in bloom. You can drive around and see them for free but I also suggest stopping by at a couple of farms for a complete experience. Check out my detailed guide to Fresno Blossom Trail before you go.
California Flower Fields #7: Lompoc
The Flower Fields in Lompoc are also commercial flower fields. These California flower fields are in bloom later than the ones in Carlsbad, approximately from end of April to the middle of June. When we visited at the end of June we only saw a limited amount of flowers (the rest were already picked): pink and white poppies, lavender, blooming artichokes, decorative garlic blooms and the flowers pictured below which I don’t know the name of. 🙂
There is no charge to see these fields but there is no trespassing allowed either. While you can go into the flower fields at Carlsbad Ranch you are only allowed to photograph Lompoc flower fields from the side of the road.
You can easily add this stop to my Paso Robles-Solvang-Santa Barbara family road trip itinerary.
California Flower Reserves
Antelope Valley California Poppy Fields
If you are willing to venture further afield, Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve is spectacular in spring after a rainy winter. It is probably one of the most famous California wildflower fields. Otherwise barren hills get covered with “carpets” of orange. There is a fee to enter and the parking is limited so the earlier you come the better. By 9 am it is already full and the road leading to the reserve is jammed, so plan ahead. You can read more details about our experience at this Reserve in my post about Palm Springs family road trip.
Edgewood Park & Nature Preserve
One of the cool nature preserves is located right here is in San Francisco Bay Area – Edgewood Park & Nature Reserve. It is perfect for viewing fields of a huge variety of California wildflowers in spring. Peak blooming season is in April. I have a detailed post about Edgewood Park family hiking and nature scavenger hunt right here on my blog.
National Parks
Joshua Tree National Park
Joshua Tree National Park is on of the best places to see California wildflowers during spring. After a very wet winter a superbloom happens with a cacophony of various wildflowers. My most favorite ones are flowering cacti and Joshua trees. The flowers will show up in a rainbow of colors and the desert will come to life in the most amazing fashion. The peak of the bloom of these California wildflower fields is the second half of March. You can see flowering wildflowers and cacti all around the park but Joshua trees favor higher elevations.
Sequoia National Park
Who would have thought that Sequoia National Park known for its giant trees also has some amazing California wild flower fields? These California flower fields are best viewed in July when they burst with cacophony of wild flowers, some of which are pretty huge, to match the giant sequoias :-). The two best places to see these California flower fields is at Crescent Meadow and the meadow around which the Big Trees Trail goes (it is a loop trail very close to the Giant Forest Museum).
Death Valley
Death Valley welcomes huge wildflower fields at the end of a wet winter. 2023 is going to be the year of superbloom, i.e. a profound bloom all over California, so it is time to go there now.
Here is a guide where to see wildflowers in Death Valley and when. Please, note that not all of these areas will be open in 2023 because of the late 2022 floods. Please, check NPS website before you go for road closure.
Conclusion
This post is not in any way complete representation of the California flower fields. I plan to expand it with new destinations once we are able to visit and review them in detail. You may bookmark this page in your browser to easily access future up-dates on California flower fields, or better still, sign up to receive e-mail notifications when a new itinerary is published.
If you found this information about California flower fields, nature reserves and urban flower hikes useful, please do me a little favor and share this information with others, for there’s a good chance that it will help them with their travel plans. 🙂
