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California sunflower fields are absolutely gorgeous in full bloom. California has the perfect weather for sunflowers and they grow big, bright and tall in the state. 

In years of super bloom like the one in 2016 you can see the entire state bursting with color and flowers. One of the best activities to do in the summer is to take a day trip to one of these flowers fields and have a picnic outside. 

I visited the California flower fields in 2022 and they were the most stunning sight to see. I have created the best guide for sunflower fields in California so you have every detail you could need including best time to visit, tips to get great pictures, where to visit and other things you can also do in California.  

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Best Time to Visit

• Between June 15th to July 15th
• Late blooming season lasts all the way till October

For early flowers, the buds start blooming at the start of June and come into full bloom at the start of July. The flowers at this time are big, bright and not too tall. The flowers start wilting slowly after July 15th and by August it is hard to find any fields in full bloom. 

To have the best chance of visiting a field in full bloom, plan your trip on the last weekend of June or the first weekend of July which is perfect weather. 

There are a few farms that have late blooms if you missed the summer season. Andreotti Farm in Half Moon Bay has late September blooming flowers.

Tips for Visiting California Sunflower Fields

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the sunflowers fields is at sunset because the golden light really brings out the colors in the sunflowers. If you prefer to avoid the crowds then you can instead opt to go for sunrise. Sunrise in California in late summer is around 6:15 am and the golden light stays around for 30 minutes before and after sunset. 

Outfits

The fields tend to get really muddy and wet if the flowers are being watered. You are more than likely to get your shoes completely dirty. Shoes which are easily cleaned are the best option and they won’t show up in pictures either since the sunflowers are taller. Flowy dresses also look really good in pictures, especially those in hues of red, orange and yellow. 

Show respect

The sunflower fields are private property which means the owners are kind enough to let people walk into their land to enjoy the flowers. Please be respectful and not go trampling all over the place and stay where you see people. If you want  to  explore more than you need permission from the owners. You can also call ahead and ask the farm what the rules are.

Allergies

There will be bees in the fields which is expected since they play a big part in pollinating the flowers. To avoid most of them, visit early in the morning when they are asleep. People also have allergies to the pollen in the air. It’s a good idea to take your allergy medication with you if you are prone to them.

Plan for a road trip

Most farms have other activities and cute Cali towns nearby. Planning a picnic lunch and doing a road trip will make this trip so much better than just driving up for the flower.

Sunflower Fields Near Me

Northern California

• The best places to find sunflower fields in northern California are in Yolo County near the towns of Dixon, Davis, Woodland and Winters. I have been told multiple times that these are not operational as of 2023 so I have put the only two farms which I know for certain are operational this year. These are all located with an hour of Sacramento in northern California. Davis sunflower fields are especially famous and see a lot of traffic during the blooming season.

Southern California

• The best places to visit sunflower field near Los Angeles are four farms between San Diego and Los Angeles – Tanaka Farms in Irvine, two farms between Los Angeles and San Diego and one farm inside the city of San Diego.

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Top 2 North California Sunflower Fields

2. Swank Farms, Hollister

3. Dixon Sunflower Fields

These are sunflower fields that used to exist in Yolo County and near Winters in Dixon in 2020. The Dixon sunflower fields no longer exist and there aren’t any farmers in the area that are growing sunflowers in Dixon at this time. Some people have said that they saw some fields when they were exploring the area but I can neither confirm or deny that these exist. I have looked at Google Maps and it does not look like there are any sunflowers fields in Dixon at this point. Your best bet to find sunflowers in northern California would be to skip the Dixon sunflower fields and instead go to one of the two sunflowers fields above that I have called and confirmed have sunflowers this year.

Top 4 South California Sunflower Fields

2. Rancho Bernando Pumpkin Farm, Escondido

3. Bonita Pumpkin Farm, Bonita

4. Fork and Plow Farm

Fork and Plow is one of the cutest farms I have ever seen in my life. This is the top sunflower and lavender farm in the country. They have such pretty flower fields with both sunflowers and lavender bloom. You can cut your own sunflowers and then go to one of the cozy dinners they host in their Tuscany looking farm for a intimate group of 30 people.

This season they have even added plum, burgundy, and lemon sunflowers to the field. Lavender lemonade and fresh fruit will greet you on your visit.

If you end up wanting to stay there, they have a beautiful white tented cottage surrounded by the rolling California hills. The only thing you can see for miles are flowers and trees. I wish I could have my wedding here!

Details

• Location: 43601 Sorensen Rd, Aguanga, CA 92536 (Google Maps Link)
• Phone: 951-972-9526
• Peak Season: June – July
• Contact: Website, Instagram, Facebook
• Open: Yes in 2023. Wednesdays and Saturdays.

Photography Tips for Sunflower Fields in California

Shoot during golden hour

The first is to make sure you are shooting during the golden hour. The golden hour in the 30 minutes before and after sunrise or sunset. The rays of the sun at this time look golden and make the sunflowers really shine and look pretty in the pictures. 

Wear color that either matches or contrasts

You can either wear hues of red, orange or yellow which will match really nicely with the flowers or stand out by wearing shades of blue that will give a contrasting pop to your pictures.

Wear flowy dresses

Dresses that aren’t too long but have some flow look great in large view field pictures. 

Try different angles

After getting to the fields try a few different shots. Closeups with the flowers, some wide angle shots of the entire fields, some drone shots from above are all great ideas. Just keep experimenting and you will end up with a great shot. 

Conclusion

California sunflower fields are one of the best things to do in California during late summer and fall. I really hope you enjoy your visit and let me know in the comments how your trip went!

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