Let the bursts of beautiful blooms come forth: the famous Flower Fields in Carlsbad officially opened Thursday for the 2018 spring season.
The annual opening of The Flower Fields at Carlsbad Ranch marks the unofficial start of springtime in San Diego County. This year, the fields of blooms will be open daily from March 1 through May 13, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
As always, patrons will enjoy nearly 50 acres of breathtaking, colorful displays of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers, which are typically in bloom for six to eight weeks. The burst of yellow and orange petals is synonymous with Carlsbad this time of year. The famous fields also boast roses, orchids, sweet pea blossoms, petunias and poinsettias.
Daily tickets to the Flower Fields are $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and $8 for children, ages three to 10. Kids age two and under get in free. Season passes are also available, ranging in price from $18 to $35.
The best time to view the flowers in all of their gorgeous glory is usually mid-March through mid-April, but those dates can change, depending on weather conditions.
On Saturday, the Flower Fields posted a photo to Instagram that showed the "buds breaking" on some of the blossoms.
"Although we open on Thursday, March 1st...keep in mind that the majority of our fields are still pretty green," the post said.
In addition to a stroll through the fields, visitors can enjoy other family-friendly activities including antique tractor wagon rides, a sweet pea blossoms maze, mining for gemstones and gardening and art demos.
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The calendar for this season includes workshops focused on floral and succulent arranging, as well as arts and crafts workshops, live music and even sunset wine tastings. The site is also home to a nursery and gift shop.
As usual, the season will come to an end with a special Mother's Day Celebration, scheduled for May 13.
The Carlsbad Flower Fields – located at 5704 Paseo Del Norte – have been around for more than 85 years. Blooms first appeared in the early 1920s when Luther Gage, an early settler to the area, brought Ranunculus seeds and planted them in his fields next to Frank Frazee’s small vegetable farm in South Oceanside.
Since those humble beginnings in Gage’s few flower beds, the fields have sprouted into a huge attraction in San Diego’s North County, serving approximately 125,000 visitors each year. The Flower Fields are located near the Carlsbad Premium Outlets, another popular destination in the area.
To learn more about this spectacular, bloom-centric place, click here. We certainly think it's worth the trip.
