13 Irresistible Strawberry Picking Spots Near Los Angeles Your Kids Will Beg to Visit (2027)
The best strawberry picking near Los Angeles happens on family farms in Ventura County, Orange County, the Inland Empire, and North San Diego County, and most of them open their U-Pick fields between February and April. From wagon-ride tours in Irvine to walk-in rows in Carlsbad, these farms let kids fill a basket with berries still warm from the sun.
We rounded up 13 of our favorite spots for 2027, including 11 U-Pick farms and farm stands plus two big strawberry festivals. Each listing has the address, the season, what to know before you go, and a parent tip, so you can plan a sweet spring day trip without the guesswork.
Key Takeaways
Season: Most Southern California U-Pick fields open between February and April and run into late spring, with some farms picking into summer.
Reservations: Tanaka Farms and Manassero Farms sell timed tickets online, while Carlsbad Strawberry Company is walk-in only.
Festivals: The California Strawberry Festival returns to Ventura on May 15 and 16, 2027, and the Garden Grove Strawberry Festival runs over Memorial Day Weekend, May 28 to 31, 2027.
Closest Fields: Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark and Somis and McGrath Family Farm in Camarillo are the easiest drives from the San Fernando Valley and the Westside.
Go Early: Mornings are cooler, less crowded, and the best time for ripe berries.
When Is Strawberry Season Near Los Angeles?
Strawberry season in Southern California usually starts in late winter and peaks in spring. Some coastal farms, like Carlsbad Strawberry Company, can open as early as late January or February, while tour-based farms like Tanaka Farms typically run from March through May. Inland farms in the mountains, like Los Rios Rancho in Oak Glen, start their berry season later in May.
Every farm sets its opening date based on the weather and the crop, so 2027 dates won't be announced until the berries are ready. Follow your favorite farm's website or social media in January and February to catch opening day.
What Is U-Pick Strawberry Picking?
U-Pick (short for "you pick") means you walk the fields and pick your own berries instead of buying them in a basket. Farms usually charge an entry fee, a tour ticket, or a price per container or pound, and staff point you toward the rows that are ready.
It's a fun, hands-on way for kids to learn where food comes from, and it works for every age. Toddlers love the hunt for the reddest berry, and big kids can compete to fill the first basket.
Strawberry Picking in Ventura County
3370 Sunset Valley Road
Moorpark, CA 93021
(805) 529-3690
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. in winter)
Admission: Last season, $7 on weekdays and $10 on weekends and holidays, with kids under 2 and parking free; produce is priced by the pound
Underwood is the closest big U-Pick farm to the San Fernando Valley, and strawberries are part of its spring pick-your-own lineup. Admission also opens up the animal center, play areas, and seasonal activities, so plan to stay a while. During spring festival weekends, tickets are sold online and pricing changes.
Parent Tip: Check the farm's weekly Pick Your Own list before you drive out, since crops rotate fast. Wagons are first come, first served, and strollers and personal wagons are welcome.
5696 East Los Angeles Avenue
Somis, CA 93066
(805) 386-4660
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. (5 p.m. in winter)
Underwood's Somis location grows strawberries along with raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries, so you can extend your berry season into early summer. Containers are provided and berries are priced by the pound, with tractor rides on weekends.
Parent Tip: Blueberries usually start around Memorial Day Weekend, so a late-May visit can mean two kinds of berries in one trip.
4190 West Ventura Boulevard
Camarillo, CA 93010
(805) 983-0333
Hours: Last season, U-Pick ran Saturdays and Sundays, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Price: Last season, $10 entry per person, plus berries by the pound
This certified organic farm in Camarillo is a favorite for families who want pesticide-free berries. It's a smaller, quieter farm with a classic farm-stand feel, and it's an easy stop on the way to the beach in Oxnard or Ventura.
Parent Tip: Call ahead before you go. Organic crops depend heavily on the weather, and the farm posts U-Pick weekends as the berries ripen.
Strawberry Picking in Orange County
4. Tanaka Farms
5380 3/4 University Drive
Irvine, CA 92612
(949) 653-2100
Season: Spring, usually March through May
Price: Last season, $20 on weekdays and $24 on weekends and holidays for ages 3 and up; kids 2 and under free
Tanaka Farms' Strawberry Picking Tour is about 45 minutes to an hour and starts with a guided wagon ride around the farm. Kids stop to pick a seasonal vegetable, then head into the strawberry patch to pick and eat berries. Every ticketed guest takes home a one-pound basket of strawberries, and the tour ends at the Barnyard Educational Exhibit.
Parent Tip: Book online as soon as the 2027 season opens. Weekend tours sell out fast, and the first morning slots are the coolest and least crowded.
33 Irvine Valley
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 554-5103
Price: Last season, $16 per person, including field admission and a one-pound container; kids 2 and under free
Manassero's U-Pick experience happens at its Irvine market, right next to Irvine Valley College. Reservations are required, every guest entering the field needs a ticket, and you can add extra containers when you book.
Parent Tip: If the farm lot is full, park at Irvine Valley College and buy a parking pass from the campus kiosk.
32701 Alipaz Street
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 443-4223
Hours: Last season, Saturdays and Sundays, 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Price: Last season, $15 per person ages 2 and up, plus $8 per pound of strawberries
This nonprofit regenerative organic farm hosts weekend Strawberry U-Pick days in spring. Tickets are reserved online by date, and you can bring your own basket. Afterward, grab a snack at the farm stand or the Campesino Café.
Parent Tip: Leave the dog at home, since pets aren't allowed in the fields, and wear closed-toe shoes for the uneven rows.
33201 Ortega Highway
San Juan Capistrano, CA 92675
(949) 661-9381
South Coast Farms grows strawberries off Ortega Highway near Tree of Life Nursery, and its farm stand is a great place to grab freshly picked berries. The farm has offered U-Pick in past seasons, but it doesn't run every year.
Parent Tip: Check the farm's website or Instagram before you go to see whether U-Pick is open for 2027, or just stop by the stand for a ready-to-eat basket.
Strawberry Picking in the Inland Empire and San Diego County
39611 Oak Glen Road
Yucaipa, CA 92399
(909) 797-1005
U-Pick Hours: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Los Rios Rancho is famous for its apples, but its berry season runs from May into fall, which makes it a fun late-spring stop when coastal fields are winding down. Pair your picking with a barbecue lunch and a walk through the orchards of Oak Glen.
Parent Tip: Hours can change with the mountain weather, so check the farm's website the morning you go and pack layers.
1050 Cannon Road
Carlsbad, CA 92008
(760) 603-9608
Season: Usually late January or February through mid-July, depending on the weather
Hours: Daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the last tickets sold at 4:30 p.m.
This is one of the longest-running U-Pick strawberry seasons in Southern California, with huge fields just off Interstate 5. There are no reservations: tickets are first come, first served at the stand, and you can buy a U-Pick bucket that holds about two pounds or an admission ticket without one.
Parent Tip: Weather can close the stand, so call before you drive down. Dogs are welcome on the property but not in the strawberry rows.
5714 North River Road
Oceanside, CA 92057
(760) 517-8383
Hours: Thursday to Sunday, 10:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Monday to Wednesday by appointment
Mellano grows seasonal U-Pick strawberries next to its famous spring flower fields, and weekend tractor rides loop around the farm. It's an easy add-on to a LEGOLAND or Carlsbad trip. Check the farm's activity pricing page for the current U-Pick and tractor ride prices.
Parent Tip: The farm has loose dirt and gravel, so leave the stroller in the car and bring a carrier for little ones. Pets can stay on the patio but aren't allowed on the farm.
953 Rainbow Valley Boulevard
Fallbrook, CA 92028
(951) 212-5805
Season: U-Pick reopens in spring 2027, usually in February or March
Kenny's has been growing strawberries for more than 10 years in the rolling hills of Rainbow, near Temecula. Its harvest runs from late December into July, and the U-Pick field opens once the berries are ready each spring.
Parent Tip: Combine the trip with lunch in Old Town Temecula, just a short drive north.
Strawberry Festivals Near Los Angeles
Village Green Park, Main Street and Euclid Street
Garden Grove, CA 92840
Dates: Memorial Day Weekend, Friday, May 28, to Monday, May 31, 2027
Admission: Free
The 67th annual Garden Grove Strawberry Festival is a classic small-town celebration with more than 33 carnival rides, free concerts, contests, food booths, and a giant strawberry shortcake on opening night. A parade with celebrities and community favorites steps off on Saturday.
Parent Tip: Friday evening and Monday tend to be less crowded than Saturday. Check the festival's parking map before you go, since street parking fills up quickly.
Ventura County Fairgrounds, 10 West Harbor Boulevard
Ventura, CA 93001
Dates: Saturday, May 15, and Sunday, May 16, 2027
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Tickets: Price TBA
This beachside festival is all about strawberries, from build-your-own shortcakes and chocolate-covered berries to more than 40 food vendors, live music, arts and crafts booths, and Strawberryland for Kids. Free shuttles make getting there easier, and the fairgrounds are close to the Amtrak and Metrolink stations.
Parent Tip: Arrive right at opening for the shortest lines at the shortcake booths, and bring a hat because there's not much shade.
Tips for Strawberry Picking with Kids
Check the Farm First: U-Pick hours change with the weather and the crop, so confirm on the farm's website or social media the morning you go.
Go Early: Mornings are cooler, and the best berries get picked first.
Dress for the Field: Wear closed-toe shoes, sun hats, and clothes you don't mind staining.
Pack Smart: Bring sunscreen, water, wipes, and a cooler with ice packs for the ride home.
Pick Gently: Show kids how to pinch the stem instead of pulling, and only pick the fully red berries.
Stay in the Rows: Follow the farm's picking zones and step over the plants, not on them.
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Takeaway
Strawberry picking near Los Angeles is one of the sweetest spring traditions you can start with your kids. Whether you book a wagon tour at Tanaka Farms, wander the rows at Underwood or Carlsbad, or celebrate at a strawberry festival, you'll come home with sticky hands and a basket full of memories.
Watch your favorite farm's website in late winter, plan for a weekday morning if you can, and save room for strawberry shortcake. Happy picking!
Frequently Asked Questions
When is strawberry picking season near Los Angeles?
Strawberry season near Los Angeles usually runs from late winter through late spring. Coastal farms like Carlsbad Strawberry Company can open in late January or February, tour farms like Tanaka Farms run from March through May, and inland farms like Los Rios Rancho start berry season in May.
Where is the closest strawberry picking to Los Angeles?
The closest big U-Pick strawberry farms are Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark and Somis and McGrath Family Farm in Camarillo, all in Ventura County. From Orange County, Tanaka Farms and Manassero Farms in Irvine are the closest options with reserved U-Pick tickets.
Do you need reservations to pick strawberries?
It depends on the farm. Tanaka Farms and Manassero Farms require reservations, and The Ecology Center sells tickets by date. Carlsbad Strawberry Company is walk-in only, with tickets sold first come, first served at the stand. Always check the farm's website before you go.
How much does strawberry picking cost near LA?
Prices vary by farm. Last season, Tanaka Farms tours were $20 to $24 per person with a one-pound basket, Manassero Farms charged $16 with a one-pound container, and The Ecology Center charged $15 entry plus $8 per pound. Most farms let kids 2 and under in free.
When are the strawberry festivals in 2027?
The California Strawberry Festival is May 15 and 16, 2027, at the Ventura County Fairgrounds, from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Garden Grove Strawberry Festival runs over Memorial Day Weekend, May 28 to 31, 2027, at Village Green Park, and admission is free.
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