Spring shows up in orderly rows of tulips outside big cities, in hillsides of ranunculus lit up like stained glass, and in festival weekends to showcase the few fleeting weeks of peak bloom. Across the US, farms and towns open their gates for timed entries, tractor rides, and walking paths through fields that are at their best for only a short stretch each year. What starts with tulips and ranunculus in March and April gives way to lavender in early summer, then sunflowers in midsummer, extending the season well beyond spring.
If you like the idea of wandering a working farm, cutting your own bouquet, browsing a farm shop, or ending the afternoon with lavender ice cream or a bag of fresh-cut stems in the back seat, these are the places to plan around. From Carlsbad Ranch in California to Holland, Michigan, and Skagit Valley, Washington, the following destinations range from large-scale tulip festivals to family-run u-pick farms that open for just a few weeks each year.
The best spring flower fields in the US | Sunflower fields | Lavender fields
The best spring flower fields in the US
Burnside Farms, Virginia
Photo: melissamn/Shutterstock
Where: 11008 Kettle Run Rd, Nokesville, VA 20181
When to go: Tulips in April; sunflowers from mid-July through mid-August
About 40 miles west of Washington, DC, Burnside Farms opens more than 70 acres of tulips each spring, creating one of the largest seasonal bloom displays in the Mid-Atlantic. In April, layered rows of tulips in saturated color draw day-trippers from across Northern Virginia and the capital region. By mid-summer, the focus shifts to sunflowers, when the farm’s The Summer of Sunflowers festival fills the fields with dozens of varieties and opens walking paths for visitors, with some seasons including cut-your-own stems as part of admission.
The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch, California
Photo: The Flower Fields/Marcie Gonzales
Where: 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008
When to go: March through May during peak ranunculus bloom
Open each spring, the 50 acres of technicolor at The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch are among the most popular seasonal destinations in California. Rows of giant Tecolote ranunculus bloom across the hills overlooking the Pacific, creating dense bands of color that have become a hallmark of Southern California spring. The fields trace their history back to the 1920s, when early settler Luther Gage began cultivating ranunculus in the area.
In addition to walking paths through the flowers, the attraction often features themed garden displays, tractor wagon rides, and seasonal installations such as an American flag made entirely of blooms. Tickets are required during the bloom season, and special events and experiences vary from year to year.
Holland Ridge Farms, New Jersey
Where: 108 Rues Rd, Cream Ridge, NJ 08514
When to go: Mid-April through early May, during peak tulip bloom
In central New Jersey, about an hour from both New York City and Philadelphia, Holland Ridge Farms plants millions of tulip bulbs each spring, creating one of the largest tulip displays on the East Coast. The family-run farm, founded by Dutch growers, opens its fields in April for a limited bloom season, when long rows of red, pink, yellow, and violet tulips stretch across the property in dense, walkable bands of color. Visitors purchase timed tickets for entry during peak weeks, and most seasons allow guests to pick and pay for stems to take home. Food trucks, windmill backdrops, and seasonal events round out the experience, though the main draw remains the scale of the fields themselves.
Holland Tulip Time and Gardens, Michigan
Photo: John McCormick/Shutterstock
Where: Holland, Michigan
When to go: Late April through early May during peak tulip bloom and Tulip Time
Each spring, more than five million tulips are planted across parks, gardens, and private fields throughout Holland, Michigan, blooming in wide swaths of color through April and May. The city’s Dutch heritage is central to the display, and self-guided tulip routes connect popular stops, including Veldheer Tulip Gardens, Window on the Waterfront, Nelis’ Dutch Village, and Windmill Island Gardens. The latter hosts the annual Tulip Time Festival, when more than 100,000 tulips frame the historic De Zwaan windmill alongside cultural events, traditional costumes, and Dutch food.
Skagit Valley Tulip Festival, Washington
Photo: Edmund Lowe Photography/Shutterstock
Where: Skagit Valley, Washington (centered around Mount Vernon and La Conner)
When to go: April, with peak bloom typically mid- to late month
Held each April, the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival unfolds across multiple working farms in Washington’s Skagit Valley, where tulips have been cultivated since the early 1900s. Rather than a single venue, the festival operates as a valley-wide bloom season, with fields stretching between Mount Vernon and La Conner in blocks red, pink, yellow, and purple. RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town serve as the primary display gardens with organized entrances, while other fields can be viewed from designated pull-offs and rural roads throughout the valley.
Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm, Oregon
Where: 33814 S Meridian Rd, Woodburn, OR 97071
When to go: March and April during the annual Tulip Festival
Flower lovers come from near and far to attend the annual Tulip Festival at Wooden Shoe Tulip Farm in Woodburn, Oregon, which takes place each spring, typically in March and April. Acres of brightly colored tulips mark the arrival of the season, with long rows stretching toward Mount Hood on clear days. The festival traditionally includes the Tulip Trail Run, an off-road race through the fields offered in multiple distances, and the farm also operates a vineyard on site. Depending on the season and weather, visitors may find hot-air balloon rides and other special events during peak bloom.
The best sunflower fields in the US
Anderson Farms, Colorado
Where: 6728 County Road 3¼, Erie, CO 80516
When to go: Mid-July through mid-August during the sunflower bloom
At Anderson Farms in Erie, about 30 minutes north of Denver, late summer brings rows of sunflowers that stretch across roughly 15 acres of open Colorado farmland. The blooms are planted in dense blocks designed for walking, with long rows that feel endless against the Front Range backdrop. You can reach the fields by wagon ride from the main farm area, then spend time wandering through shoulder-high flowers before cutting a handful to take home. While the farm is also known for its fall festival and corn maze, the sunflower fields stand on their own as a midsummer draw.
Fausett Farms Sunflowers, Georgia
Photo: Fausett Farms Sunflowers/Explore Georgia
Where: Dawsonville, Georgia
When to go: Late July through August during peak sunflower bloom
In the rolling hills of North Georgia, Fausett Farms opens its sunflower fields for a short late-summer run, typically in late July and August. Just outside Dawsonville, about an hour north of Atlanta, visitors can step into tightly planted rows of towering blooms that feel almost shoulder to shoulder at peak height. The farm opens the fields for a limited stretch each year, with u-pick days and photo-friendly access that draw steady traffic from the city before the flowers are cut back and the season closes.
Sledd’s U-Pick Strawberry Farm, Florida
Photo: Ricadesignsllc/Shutterstock
Where: Mims, Florida
When to go: Strawberries in winter and early spring; sunflowers in summer
A small family-owned farm on the Space Coast of central Florida, Sledd’s U-Pick Strawberry Farm gives fruit lovers the chance to pick their own strawberries and shop for other seasonal produce. It also features a four-acre sunflower maze, where head-high yellow blooms create a winding path through the field. For the latest information about sunflower field openings and seasonal availability, check the farm’s official Facebook page.
The best lavender fields in the US
Lavender by the Bay, New York
Where: 7540 Main Rd, East Marion, NY 11939
When to go: Mid-June through July, during peak lavender bloom
On the North Fork of Long Island, just steps from the Sound, Lavender by the Bay grows rows of fragrant lavender across a 17-acre field that draws visitors each summer. Established by a family farming team and tended for more than 15 years, the farm grows both English and French lavender varieties that fill the air with scent and color from mid-June through July. During peak bloom, timed-entry tickets allow visitors to walk among the plants, take photos, and purchase fresh-cut bunches and lavender products such as sachets, essential oils, and honey from the farm’s own beehives. A sister location in Calverton, just west of East Marion, offers a second set of fields on Long Island with similar blooms and products.
Purple Haze Lavender Farm, Washington
Photo: Purple Haze Lavender Farm
Where: 180 Bell Bottom Rd, Sequim, WA 98382
When to go: Late June through July during peak lavender bloom
Near Sequim on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, Purple Haze Lavender Farm plants lavender that turns deep violet by early summer. As Sequim sits in the Olympic rain shadow, the area sees more sun and drier conditions than much of western Washington, which is ideal for growing lavender. By late June and into July, the fields are in full bloom, with purple stretching across the farmland. This farm is a magical place. After walking through the fields, cut lavender during u-pick season, then stop by the on-site shop a scoop of lavender ice cream before heading out.
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