Top 15 Stunning California Lavender Fields at Farms You Can Visit and U-Pick
The list of reasons why people loved to visit lavender fields is literally endless. Amazingly scented and full of olfactory delights, a visit to the vast fields of purple blooms is nothing short of time well spent.
Besides their captivating floral fragrance, the alluring beauty of lavender fields makes them picture-perfect as well as a great source of photography inspiration. But there’s more to lavender fields than just being the perfect backdrop source for your next Instagram post. Visiting a lavender farm is a wellness and holistic experience.
But when is the best time to visit California’s lavender fields? What are some of the best fields to visit, where, and what are they like? Read on to see our comprehensive list of visitor-friendly lavender fields in both Northern and Southern California.
Health and Wellness Benefits of Lavender
Lavender has been used for ages to provide various health remedies, including soothing burns, treating pain, combating acne, improving mood, and even calming stress. And thanks to the tranquil space created by the undulating, noise-absorbing rows of the plant, lavender fields are great places to visit when you want to relax, unwind, ward off stress, and even improve sleep. Today, lavender is also a common ingredient in beauty products, lotions, creams, and much more.
The Best Time to See Blooming Lavender Fields in California
In California and around America, lavender fields are usually in full bloom from around June to the end of July. The purple blossom plant tends to hit its peak in late June, shortly after which harvesting begins in August. This is to say that late spring and early summer are precisely the best times to visit the top stunning lavender fields discussed below.
Lavender Farms in Northern California
Many of the lavender farms in Northern California are within driving distance from Sacramento. Because these farms need a lot of rural space, it’s rare to find one very close to a metro city. If you’re coming out to the countryside from the San Francisco Bay Area, I suggest a weekend stay in Sacramento or any one of the cute little hotels suggested below.
Araceli Farms in Dixon
Started in 2017, Araceli Farms is a 6-acre lavender farm just a short 30 minute drive outside of Sacramento. It is home to roughly 7 different lavender varieties, from Provence to Grosso, Mellissa, Folgate, and others. They also provide a range of their own lavender products, including bud and bungles, soaps, and culinary offerings, just to name a few.
The best time to visit this gorgeous farm is between June and late July when the lavenders are usually in full bloom. However, note that admissions are appointment-only, so you might want to make reservations or inquire first before making your visit.
All of the photos in this blog post were taken at the Araceli Farm. We made an appointment for an early morning photo session, and the owner was very sweet and let us have the whole place to ourselves. I believe we paid a small fee, but I would double check with them to see their current visitor and photographer rates.
Winters is a charming little country town located just 20 minutes outside of Dixon. The Hotel Winters is an elegant boutique hotel with all the modern amenities we love.
The Lavender Ranch in Biggs
Located along Rio Bonito Rd in Biggs, CA, Lavender Ranch is another paradise of purple blooms. You can find it just 30 minutes south of Chico, or approximately 1 hour away from Sacramento via the CA-99 N.
With May to July being the best time to visit, they offer what is known as botanical tours through the vast field of organically-grown lavender plants. Having been around since 1865, the Lavender Ranch also grows a wide range of other organic crops, has its own refinery for botanical oils, and offers a range of botanical products on its website.
Adult tickets cost $5 per person, whereas admission is free for children aged 9 and below. As of 2022, you need a guided reservation to tour the lavender ranch.
Chico State University is my alma mater and it’s a very cute little college town. If you’ll be visiting the lavender fields way up north, this is the best place to stay overnight.
Pageo Lavender Farm in Turlock
If you’re planning a trip to a lavender field in California, the Pageo Farm can be worth your while. The best time to plan a tour of this lovely farm is late May and June when lavenders bloom. The Pageo Lavender Farm also offers wedding and event venues, with virtual tours available on their website.
Better yet, private and group photoshoots are also provided. For groups of 8 or more people, photoshoot rates may vary between $35 per hour and $150 per hour depending on the time of day.
Bluestone Meadow Lavender
Bluestone Meadow Farm is located in the Northern California farming community known as Apple Hill. They have 5-acres dedicated to growing English and French Lavender. They host an annual Lavender Blue Festival in June. During this peak season you can purchase an entrance fee to visit the farm and festival. They highly recommend you make reservations in advance, they the slots do fill up quickly.
During the festival you can walk the lavender labyrinth and u-pick lavender. The farm generously allows guests to cut your own lavender to make bouquet or wreath. They also have a kid’s play area with a train, hay stacks, crafts and more.
MoonBeam Farm in Corning
Roughly 110 miles from Sacramento to the north and not far from the IS-5, Moonbeam Farm is home to one of northern California’s most beautiful lavender fields. And besides hosting more than 1100 lavender plants, the farm grows a range of other organic oil-producing plants and offers a variety of personal care products made using organic ingredients. It’s generally a great place for events, group photos, and relaxation time.
They host a lavender harvest event towards the end of June every year, which attracts numerous visitors from around the country. It’s open from 10am to 4pm from Thursday to Sunday, with the rest of the days reserved for appointments only.
Cache Creek Lavender Farm in Rumsey
The Cache Creek Lavender Farm is a beautiful paradise of purple blooms located on Madrone Street in Rumsey. Sitting at the scenic and incredibly popular Capay Valley, scores of visitors flock here around from May to Mid-July to marvel at lavenders in full bloom while enjoying a picnic with family or calming the mind alone surrounded by nature.
And if you have an upcoming elopement or intimate wedding, they also have wedding venues that you can choose from depending on your needs and budget.
Here, you can also be part of the harvest for this beautiful plant, more so in the Lavender Festival, whose admission was absolutely free for 2022. The field is open to the public from 10am to 4pm on weekdays, and from 11am to 3pm on Saturdays. Reservations may be required before your visit, so check out their website for more information.
Capay Valley Lavender in Capay
At Capay Valley Lavender you’ll find 28 acres of fresh organic lavender along with other growing produce such as herbs, figs, pomegranates, citrus and olives. They are located about an hour outside of Sacramento.
This is a rare farm where dogs are welcome on leash (they must be well behaved and get along with the resident farm dog). You can book a photography session for $100 during the golden hour timeframe of 6pm - 8pm.
Sonoma County Lavender Fields
Sonoma County has more lavender farms than any other county I’ve ever heard of. I had to give the wine country lavender farms a dedicated section, which can help you geographically plan out multiple visits in one weekend if you felt very ambitious!
Matanzas Creek in Santa Rosa
Located at Santa Rosa’s Bennett Valley Road in California, Matanzas Creek is more of a winery than it is a lavender field. Planted in 1991, however, the spectacular lavender gardens are seemingly part of the reason this facility receives so many visitors besides wine connoisseurs, especially from late May and early July.
More so, the lavenders are harvested when fully mature and utilized to produce the company’s various offerings. If you’re planning a winery tour or just want to spend time at the lavender garden in Matanzas Creek, you might want to make reservations beforehand.
Nonetheless, the website also provides virtual tours of the lavender field, as well as the vineyard, picnic grotto, and tasting room.
Santa Rosa has no shortage of modern and stylish hotels, but The Flamingo Resort really takes the cake with ultra trendy decor and Instagrammable moments all around the property.
Bees N Blooms in Santa Rosa
Bees N Blooms is an 11-acre farm located in Santa Rosa on Petaluma Hill Road. It was started in 2016 with the aim of protecting bees, flowers, and the environment.
Apart from being home to over 900 lavender plants that paint the larger part of the farm purple between mid-May and mid-July (the best time to visit), Bees N Blooms also has a range of other products and services, events like the Art Trails weekends, venues, and plants worth learning about. Admission is free, without the need for reservations except for picnics, weddings, and parties.
Lavender Bee Farm in Petaluma
Sitting at Chapman Lane, Petaluma, in California’s Sonoma County, what came to life as a gardening hobby in 2001 for a small humble family is now home to more than 5000 beautiful lavender plants.
Not only do their lovely petals attract bees in their thousands, but they also attract tons of visitors from around the state and nation. Some come to buy honey or lavender products, whereas others simply want to capture the stunning fields when lavenders are in full bloom in mid-May, June, and early July.
Lavender Bee Farm’s official website also has a Google-aided map that can help visitors who may want to know how to get there. For reservations and other inquiries, the site also provides email and phone contracts at the bottom of each page.
This historical hotel has been fully renovated with modern interiors and upscale offerings for guests. The location is excellent, right in the heart of downtown Petaluma and walking distance to dining and shopping.
Monte-Bellaria in Sebastopol
At this point, it is safe to agree that Sonoma County is famous for some of the best lavender fields in CA. Situated in California’s Russian River Appellation, Sebastopol; Monte-Bellaria is another vast, charming bloom field that lovers of lavender will appreciate visiting. While the best time to visit is from June through to the end of July, the plant here isn’t harvested until the first week of September.
The farm is usually open to the public from 10AM to 4PM on weekends, and tickets can be purchased online via Monte-Bellaria’s official website. Admission is free for children under the age of 18.
Sonoma Lavender Barn
An update on the Sonoma Lavender Company, sadly they have permanently closed the farm to visitors. My husband and I attended their last lavender festival in 2015 and it was absolutely packed with visitors. It actually became a hazard because the country roads became overly congested with cars and traffic. Luckily there’s plenty of other local farms nearby that are still open to the public.
Southern California Lavender Fields
By far the bulk of the lavender fields are located in Northern California. But fret not if you live in Southern California, there’s still a couple hidden gem farms you can visit.
If you’re in the Los Angeles area and are looking for more flower photography inspiration, I recommend this guide the LA botanical gardens which also includes nearby flower fields.
123 Farm in Cherry Valley
Located in the southern part of California in Cherry Valley, the 123 Farm is a 20-acre farm sitting on the grounds of Highland Springs Ranch & Inn. Besides being home to a vast field of organic lavender, the farm is also famed for cultivating organic livestock as well as a variety of organic herbs, and veggies.
It’s roughly a 1 hour and 30 minutes drive from LA via the CA-60E. The best time to visit is usually between May and July so you can catch the popular Lavender Festival, whereas the Lavender Nights is held in September.
Usually closed on Tuesdays, tickets to the lavender farm average between $6 and $16 based on age, the day you visit, and $3 higher per person if purchased at the entrance. Parking tickets are sold separately. Admission is free for members, with free parking.
Riverside is the closest metro city to Cherry Valley, and you can book a memorable stay at The Mission Inn Hotel and Spa. This hotel features Spanish-style architecture and a luxurious pool.
Clairmont Lavender Farm in Los Olivos
Located in California’s Santa Barbara County, Clairmont's Lavender Farm is another great place to visit in California when the purple flowers are in full bloom. The field is usually open to the public from Thursday through to Sunday, from 11AM-5PM, but you may need to make reservations beforehand.
Besides being home to nearly 12,000 beautiful lavender plants, they also have a distillery and offer an assortment of lavender oil products. This means that you can stroll through the fields, enjoy a picnic, and even shop for personal care items.
Keys Creek Lavender Farm in San Diego
Update on Keys Creek Lavender Farm - The farm has been sold and it is no longer open to visitors. You can only shop their products online now.
You can book a stay at this very swanky boutique hotel in Los Olivos. This five star hotel has a swimming pool, hot tub and private outdoor patios. Not to mention that it’s a four minute drive to the Clairmont's Lavender Farm!
More Tips to Visiting and Taking Photos at the Lavender Fields
The Best Time of Day to Take Photos in the Lavender Fields
If you’re new to photography and just beginning to learn how lighting will affect your photos, pay close attention to this next part. Because lavender fields are wide open spaces with no shade and maximum sun expose, it’s very easy to accidentally wind up with photos that are too bright and overexposed.
Given that the blooming season is always in the summer, you want to begin your photo session either very early right as the sun is coming up, or at “golden hour” which generally starts an hour before the sun goes down. Both of these times of day will give you “diffused lighting” which is that coveted glow.
All of the photos in this blog post were taken early in the morning as the sun came up.
What to Wear to the Lavender Fields
The purple colors in the lavender fields tend to be a bit subtle in photos. So we all wore neutral white dresses so to not compete with the blooming lavender flowers. You could also wear light pastel shades such as baby blue, light pink or a soft yellow.
I also suggest wearing a dress with a solid color and avoiding prints. You want the textures from the fields to stand out in your photos, and the viewer may get distracted by a bold prints in the fabric of your dress.
Don’t forget to accessorize with a cute straw hat or a bow!
Beware of Bees
As you walk through the fields you’ll hear the buzzing from the busy bees pollinating the flowers. As general rule, if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone. You absolutely do not want to start swatting at the bees or make any aggressive actions towards them. Just be careful where you step and move along with caution. I have walked among many bees in flower fields and haven’t been stung yet. If you are someone who is terrified of bees, this is not the place for you because they are literally everywhere.
Be Respectful
We are very lucky that these farms are willing to open up their properties and allow visitors to feel the magic of the flower fields. In return, please always follow the rules of the farm. Only pick flowers when u-pick is allowed, only walk on the allowed paths, don’t step on the plants and in general just be a courteous guest. I realize that this is common sense, but unfortunately so many people don’t do the right thing when visiting these types of properties. Hence why so many farms no longer allow outside visitors.
More Flower Fields & Gardens on the Blog:
Shop Artisan Made Lavender Products:
Bring the fresh and relaxing scent of the lavender fields into your home with an aromatherapy candle. These high quality candles are carefully crafted by skilled artisans, using real and authentic lavender.
The scent from lavender essential oils is famous for its ability to evoke calming and relaxing vibes. I love putting essential oils into my diffuser to make my entire home smell fresh and inviting.
Sachets are small little bags filled with fragrant dried flowers. You can put them in your dresser drawers, linen closets and even your car. They will fill the space with a fresh and welcoming lavender aroma.
