Sunflower Experience Pass
Summer is HERE and the fields of Yolo County are filled with sunflowers! Grab our Sunflower Experience Pass to get connected with the best deals and experiences during our sunflower season.
A Place in the Sun
Drive through Yolo County this time of year and you’ll view acres upon acres of sunflowers with their bright golden faces beaming back at you. Visitors travel from all over to view and photograph the sunflowers’ beauty, although they’re more than just a pretty face. Sunflowers play a part in many of our favorite foods and have an impact on the local and global economy.
And Visit Yolo wants to help you get the most out of your visit to our beautiful and dynamic area. With much more to see and do than just view sunflowers and maybe capture that selfie, this page is designed to encourage you to take in a little more of Yolo County’s “bounty” and visit safely and respectfully. We have compiled some great suggestions on where and how to capture that photo, experience our wine/beer/spirits/craft food offerings, diverse farm-to-fork and culinary options, outdoor adventures and, of course, comfortable lodging.
DO
- Make sure to read our blog about Yolo sunflowers to educate yourself on how to be a good steward of the land and viewer of the blooms.
- Prioritize visits to designated sunflower viewing spots found here.
- Drive carefully, pull over safely on a public road and be aware of private property signs AND No Trespassing signs.
- Enjoy a meal at a local eatery, visit a winery, shop at a small business, stay the night and take in more of Yolo County’s bounty.
- Be a good and conscientious visitor, respect private property and protect the farmer’s crop and land. The crop is their livelihood.
- Take lots of photos safely and by following all the rules outlined above. Share them on social media #YoloSunflowers and tag @visityolo
- Your part by respecting and preserving the beauty of rural Yolo County farms.
DO NOT
- Park or walk onto private property. Please note that all of the sunflower fields in Yolo County are private property and trespassing laws apply. Violators are subject to costly citations.
- Park along an irrigation canal, drive on or block a farm access road. Your safety is important and parking in these areas can be dangerous, result in a ticket or tow.
- Pick any flowers, break stems, confiscate any crop on farmland or other private party.
- Litter or dispose of trash in any receptacle not designated for it or any area where a trash receptacle is not present.
Yolo County Grows Sunflower Seeds For The World
Our valley has the perfect conditions for growing sunflowers, learn more with these fun facts:
- California farmers grow about 70,000 acres of sunflowers, mostly in the Sacramento Valley, for hybrid seed stock.
- About 95% of the sunflower seeds grown in Yolo County are sent around the world to be planted for oil. They travel as far away as Russia, Ukraine and Argentina.
- Good news for local farmers, the sunflower seed production industry is growing, sparked by the demand for our quality seed and the increased interest in sunflower oil worldwide.
- The best time to view sunflowers is in mid-June to mid-July depending on the rainfall in the spring.
What To Look For
It’s important to keep a few things in mind:
- Respect your surroundings. Many fields are on private property and should be viewed safely from the road. Running into the fields might damage the crops.
- Know what to look for. Observe closely and you’ll see rows of plants with single large flowers alternating with rows of smaller plants with multiple flowers. Stalks with single flowers are female and smaller ones are male.
- It’s all about timing. Especially since young sunflowers follow the movement of the sun throughout the day. The sunflowers’ heads face east at dawn and then gradually swing westward as the sun moves across the sky. The buds reorient at night, turning back east to anticipate the dawn and the start of another head-turning day.
Where To Look
Make sure to add these Yolo County spots on your sunflower-viewing list. Make sure to download the free Sunflower Experience Pass to get discounted offers on the items below and many more!
- Turkovich Family Wines (Winters) – Sunflower field pass and wine tasting, June 5th – 22nd.
- Yolo Ballooning Adventures – Book a hot air balloon ride and soar above the sunflower fields of Yolo County, June 5th – June 22nd.
- Berryessa Gap Vineyards (Winters) – Paint and Sip, June 12th.
- Great Bear Vineyards (Davis) – Pain & Sip Sunflowers, June 12th.
- The Hive (Woodland) – Paints & Pints: Sunflowers, July 30th.
- L’Apero les Trios (Winters) – Aperitif tasting flight and sunflower themed bites.
- SacTown Bites – Sunflower Tours
- Yolo 365 Tours & Tastings (Winters) – Tour a sunflower field, flights & food bites and pick a bouquet.
- Berryessa Gap Vineyards (Winters) – Award wining wines paired with sunflower inspired bites.
- Park Winters (Countryside) – Pick Your Own Bouquet with sunflower add-on.
- River Fox Train (Countryside) – Grab a railbike and cruise the blooms.
For more sunflower events, please see our events calendar here.
Visit With A Plan
Get inspired to explore the area with more than a dozen locally crafted itineraries including farm tours, bike rides, family activities and of course food and wine tastings. Choose to visit three or six participating wineries for a smart price with the Yolo County Wine Pass.
Enjoy Yolo County
Enjoy the sunflower-filled sights, sunny activities and tastes of Yolo County that are locally crafted to perfection, authentic to the region, and always inviting.
Make A Trip Of It
Need more time to explore? Stay awhile! From comfortable convenience to country luxury, Yolo County welcomes you to your home away from home.
Get the Latest on Sunflowers by Signing Up for Our Sunflower eNewsletter.
BE AN INSIDER
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