Southern California boasts a beautiful climate, perfect for growing various fruits and vegetables year-round. U-Pick farms and orchards allow visitors to pick their produce straight from the vine. You can gather apples, cherries, citrus fruits, strawberries, pumpkins, and various vegetables. Our list includes U-Pick destinations from Santa Barbara to San Diego, making finding one near your home easy. Northern California U-Pick.
Underwood Family Farms
Take your family to Underwood Farm for year-round U-Pick fruits and vegetables. Strawberries, Lettuce, Carrots, Sweet Peas, Cucumbers, citrus, and anything that grows can be picked (depending on the season) at Underwood Family Farms. The horse-pulled hayrides, petting zoo, farm tours, and seasonal festivals. 3370 Sunset Valley Rd, Moorpark, California
Tanaka Farms Irvine
Tanaka Farms is one of the few remaining farms in Orange County. One of the most popular U-Pick activities here is Strawberries. Tomatoes, watermelon, and pumpkins are also on the U-Pick menu, depending on the season. Tractor-pulled farm tours take visitors through the farm fields, where they learn how food is grown. 5380 3/4 University Dr, Irvine, California.
Julian U-Pick Apples
Julian is a former gold mining town located in Northern San Diego County. Once a year, local apple growers open their orchards for U-Pick. Julian apple picking has grown popular, and some farms require a reservation. Julian is a fun destination at any time of the year—season late August through October. Julian is 60 miles east of downtown San Diego.
Oak Glen U-Pick Apple Orchards
Oak Glen apple orchards produce unique varieties, such as the Vasquez and King David, and “antique varieties” are no longer commercially available. Seasonal U-Pick apples, berries, and pumpkins. Apple picking season starts Labor Day weekend and runs through the end of November. Oak Glen is located in the mountains above the San Bernardino Valley.
Leona Valley Cherry Picking
Leona Valley is Southern California’s cherry-picking capital. The prime season is May through mid-July. Leona Valley has eight family-run farms that offer cherry-picking. U-pick pricing is by the bucket, or you can purchase pre-picked boxes of cherries. Leona Valley is about a one-hour drive north of Los Angeles.
Heritage Park U-Pick Oranges
Heritage Park is a small community park in the town of La Verne. The La Verne Heritage Society offers U-Pick oranges from January through mid-March on Saturdays. For $6.00, visitors get a bag that they can fill with oranges or grapefruits. U-Pick is available until the trees are picked clean. 5001 Vía De Mansion, La Verne, California.
Ambers Cherry Farm
Ambers is one of the most popular cherry farms in the Leona Valley. If you are looking for a fresh tree, juicy sweet cherries, Ambers is the place. Ambers offers 11 varieties of cherries. You can taste it before you pick. Grab a pail and start picking. 9300 Leona Ave, Leona Valley, CA 93551
Riley’s Farm Apple Picking
Rely’s Farm is a working apple orchard and living history farm. The main U-Pick crop is apples. Other crops include raspberries and peaches: gift shop, bakery, and seasonal events. 12261 Oak Glen Rd, Yucaipa, CA 92399
Carlsbad Strawberry Company
Southern California U-Pick strawberries at their best. The fields here overlook Carlsbad Lagoon and are on some costly land. So far, no developer has managed to purchase this land. A small bucket costs 10 dollars a person. A Large bucket is 20 dollars with a two-person entrance. Kids under five are free. Boxed strawberries are for sale at the produce stand if you don’t want to pick them. 1050 Cannon Rd, Carlsbad, CA 92008.
South Coast Farms
Fresh produce is sold at the Farm Stand in Dana Point. ” From your farm to your table with love, daily!” Seasonal U-Pick strawberries at Tree of Life Nursery along Ortega Highway in San Juan Capistrano. Check out their website for more information and when your pick is available.
Kenny’s Strawberry Farm Fallbrook
Kenny’s is a great place to visit with your kids. The strawberries are always plump and juicy, and the prices are reasonable compared to other U-Pick strawberry farms. Strawberries are usually available from February to July or until the fields are entirely harvested. During July, watermelons are available for picking, and in October, pumpkins can be picked. Kenny’s is at 953 Rainbow Valley Blvd, Fallbrook, California.
Avila Apple Trail
Apple season runs between September and December, when the fruit is sweet, crisp, and perfect. Delicious and nutritious, the apples are made into cider, pies, and preserves. Apple picking depends on the size of the harvest. Avila Beach is located along California’s Central Coast.
Southern California Farm Tours
Carlsbad Aquafarm Tours
The Carlsbad Aquafarm Tour lasts an hour, including a 30-minute walking tour and a brief class on shuck oysters. At the end of the tour, visitors get to shuck six oysters themselves and taste them. The tour package includes lemons, hot sauce, and shucking tools.
Bennetts Honey Farm
Bennetts Honey Farm is located north of Los Angeles in the Heritage Valley. Once a year, during the annual Heritage Valley Honey Festival, Bennets offers farm tours. These tours are unique in that visitors ride a train to the honey farm. Bennetts Honey Farm is open year-round and has a small store where you can taste and purchase honey and honey-made products. 3176 Honey Ln, Fillmore, California.
Fairview Gardens Farm Tour
Fairview Gardens Organic Farm in Goleta, California, offers self-guided and guided tours of the 12-acre farm. The produce is grown organically and available for sale at the farm’s popular produce stand and local farmers’ markets. 598 N Fairview Ave, Goleta, CA 93117
Centennial Farm Tour
Centennial Farm is located on the OC Fair & Event Center grounds. The three-acre farm is home to numerous farm animals and vegetable gardens. Crops are grown for educational purposes only and donated to Second Harvest Food Bank: free admission and parking. Guided tours for schools are available. 598 N Fairview Ave, Goleta, CA 93117
Highland Springs Lavender Fields
Highland Springs Resort is home to a very popular Lavender Festival in June. Stroll through the organic lavender fields. Take a guided tour in a horse-drawn hay wagon. Learn how lavender is processed and discover lavender-infused products, food, and drinks. 10600 Highland Springs Ave, Cherry Valley, CA 92223
Oasis Camel Dairy Farm
Oasis Camel Dairy offers public tours once a month on weekends. Guests usually arrive around 1:00, and then a camel show begins at 1:30. Following the presentation, visitors stroll down to the pastures to get close to the camels and snap some souvenir photographs.
Bates Nut Farm Tour
Bates Nut Farm offers educational tours for schools and groups. Seasonal Farm Life, Nuts For You, Harvest, and Pumpkin Patch tours are provided for 15 or more groups. Bates Nut Farm store is open year-round, selling nuts, dried fruits, candy, jams, and assorted gifts and food items. 15954 Woods Valley Rd, Valley Center, CA 92082.
Whalley’s Orchard U-Pick
No U-pick here but freshly harvested Peaches, Apples, Plums, Pluots, Cherries, and Asian pearls. Whalley does the picking. You do the eating. The farmstand is located on 87th Street East in Littlerock, CA, north of Pearblossom Hwy (CA Hwy 138) and south of Avenue T.
Use the comments section below to suggest Southern California U-Pick Farms and Orchards to this list.
Please check out whalleys-orchard.com.