Step Somewhere Over the Rainbow- (No Flying House Required)

A Southern California tapestry grows on the hillside of 50 acres of farmland right off the highway in Carlsbad, CA. These flower fields at Carlsbad Ranch are knowledgeably cultivated for maximum blooming color and variety for only 6-8 weeks a year.

Plan for a great March-May get-away that will help you or the whole family pause from your electronic-driven life! It’s a day trip you will never forget! The hardest part of your visit will be sorting through all of your photos. Every spot in the fields and sponsored gardens are a photo paradise!

Head north on Hwy 5 from San Diego for 30-40 min. Ticket hunting ahead of your visit will assure the best time to go during the week. There is an eclectic variety of entertainers on the weekends and tickets go fast, so an easier pace with closer access to up-close observation stations is better on weekdays. Tickets must be purchased online: www.theflowerfields.com. A special bonus is the panoramic view of the shimmering Pacific Ocean from the parking lot!

After I stepped into my technicolor tour, I was met by strong, confident plants gracefully flowing and rippling across the acreage in the gentle winds. I was overwhelmed with the beauty of each flower and all the hues of the deep to pale color palette filling the hillside. Shades of deep plum, lilac, lavender, peach, snowy white, crimson red, poppy orange, amber, canary yellow, fuchsia, rouge, flamingo, and bubble gum pinks grew harmoniously together! Up close I noticed the unique tight petal wrapping of their signature Giant Tecolote Ranunculus flowers. When they open, the crepe paper petals gently face the sun and enchant the viewers.

Get out and play! Must-dos while you are at the gardens:

• · WALK the fields up and down and around, as much as you are able. Rest on one of the many benches and still enjoy the nearby flowers.

• · Step in closely to the spaces opened for visitors to take photos or just to get closer to the center of the fields.

• · Make your way through the Sweet Pea maze. If you make it through without a moment of disorientation or a brief panic attack, then congratulations! What a lovely place to feel briefly lost! This far exceeds any hay maze I’ve tried.

• · Take a few minutes, or more, and gently search for the elusive four-leaf clovers in the Lucky Clover Gardens! All ages will enjoy pushing through the greenery and counting, “1,2,3” or shouting, “1,2, 3, 4! Woo Hoo!!”

• · Walk to the right from the Armstrong Garden Center Entrance and enjoy the Artists’ specialty gardens. Then find the beautiful unique poinsettias. These flowers were the first flowers grown at this Ranch before the ranunculus flowers were planted.

• · Take a ride on the open-air Antique Tractor Wagon trips if you want to see the entire working ranch with narration.

• · Take a photo near the giant Chicken or in front of the central pavilion.

• · Visit the Cymbidium orchids greenhouse.

• · Have a nice cool sit-down at the Barn Theater that plays a film about the history of the fields and the family owners and growers.

• · Watch classes participate in Interactive Education programs that teach how to grow plants, how to be responsible water conservationists, and how the fields became what they are today.

• · Kids can play and frolic in Santa’s Playground, designed like his North Pole workshop!

• · If you plan to chow down, bring your own picnic and snacks for now. Different days of the week may have food for various events. Post-Covid may bring more options.

• · Pick Blueberries!! A new addition is an area where visitors can purchase 1-pint baskets and have a U-Pick experience for only $5.00.

• · Check out the pictures of Special Events and weddings available at this beautiful venue.

• · Purchase flower bouquets and bulbs for planting your own rainbow garden as you EXIT through the Armstrong Garden Center gift shop.

So, plan now for the blooming dates- March through Mother’s Day- and immerse yourself with child-like wonder. Warning: Your face will be smiling on your way home!

5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008

(760) 431-0352