Yes – there are Bay Area sunflower fields! If you missed the Yolo County sunflowers in June, mark your calendars for September & make a day trip down to the sunflower fields of Half Moon Bay!
This sunflower field in Half Moon Bay grows easily 7-9 feet. Walking through them feels like you are walking through a jungle. It’s my new favorite end-of-summer activity in California. Keep reading for my tips for visiting this Half Moon Bay sunflower field, tons of photo inspiration and other fun things to do in the area while you’re down there!
Where To Find Sunflower Fields In Half Moon Bay: U-Pick Sunflowers In The Bay Area
>> Got a question about sunflower fields that you need answered quickly? DM me on Instagram @thewhimsysoul and I’ll be happy to help!
Every year I get people DMing me on Instagram asking where the heck they can find sunflowers in August since they missed the California sunflower fields up in Yolo County that June. Luckily, since Half Moon Bay is on the coast and thus usually very foggy and cool, their sunflower season is a bit later than the rest of the state!
Andreotti Family Farms is a U-pick sunflower field is a small but fun locally owned farm that grows sunflowers for visitors to wander through & pick. These babies grow TALL – I’m talking easily 7-9 feet and it was an incredibly unique experience to walk amongst the sunflower fields. I kinda felt like I was in a California version of Jurassic Park.
Distance from Bay Area: A 45-minute drive from San Francisco and also San Jose (may be longer on a weekend if there’s lot of traffic)
Season: Sunflower season starts around the first or second week of September though it varies. It goes until the sunflowers are picked, usually open until the first week of October (so the season is short. )
Tickets: $15 each. Staring in 2020, Andreotti Family Farms requires advance ticket reservations. This gets you entrance to the farm and 5 flowers to pick and bring home.
Planning something special (like a proposal?!) Call Andreotti Family Farms & arrange something they 100% will help you put something amazing together!
This sunflower filed happens to be located literally right next door to my favorite Half Moon Bay Pumpkin Patch! Farm John’s Pumpkin Farm is so dang cute. They have pumpkins of every color. Seriously! Blush, black, green, orange, white, pastel yellow.
We drive down from San Francisco each fall to visit. Farmer John himself is the nicest human ever, he knows everything about pumpkins and loves helping visitors find the perfect one. We come to this pumpkin patch in Half Moon Bay every year.
Tips & Itinerary For Visiting Sunflower Fields in Half Moon Bay
Alright time for tips and things I wish I knew before I visited these Bay Area sunflower fields! First off, mark your calendars with email alerts starting September 1st so you can keep an eye on when Andreotti Family Farms plans on starting their season for visitors. It varies every year depending on the sunflower growth.
I recommend you follow them on Instagram to get their alerts. Starting in 2020 they are only taking online reservations to help with crowds on the weekend, so make sure to purchase your time slot ASAP once they announce them available.
Go In The Morning When It’s Cooler
If I had to do this again, I would have visited on the very first day at like, 9am before all the good flowers get cut. Half Moon Bay is famous for fog but that usually burns off in the afternoons. When we visited this year it was hot hot hot and while I had tons of fun running around the sunflower fields and pumpkin patches, I was sweating hard. Next time I would enjoy picking sunflowers in a cool morning fog (the photos will be better, too, if you’re coming to take that perfect Instagram shot!)
On the note of photos, wear white. Trust me – I’ve photographed countless sunflower fields at this point of living in California and white always looks the best in photos. Add in a straw hat, too if you have it!
Then, after you’re done frolic in sunflower fields, walk nextdoor to Farmer John’s Pumpkin Patch and pick up pumpkins for your fall decor! Make a whole event out of it. His pumpkins are very affordable so stock on up!
By now it should be mid-morning or close to Noon and you can either drive back home or stay around Half Moon Bay for the day. I have a whole city guide with all my favorite things to do in Half Moon Bay that you can check out for ideas of how to spend your Bay Area day trip!
I also recommend coming down here in May or June for strawberry season. Drive a bit further to Davenport California to find u-pick strawberry farms. You can hike down to the Shark Fin Cove to snack on your strawberries and homemade pies!
I hope this helps you plan a fantastic Bay Area day trip down to the sunflower fields in Half Moon Bay! If you have any tips to add, leave a comment below so everyone can see. Got questions? Leave a comment or DM me on Instagram @thewhimsysoul and I’ll be happy to help.
Happy adventures!
