Half Moon Bay Sunflowers – U-Pick Sunflower Farm
The Half Moon Bay sunflowers bloom in September, which is later than the Woodland/Dixon Sunflowers due to the cooler, foggy weather. This means we get to experience a second sunflower season here in California! And makes for a perfect reason to make your way to Half Moon Bay to enjoy the end of summer and a great transition into fall festivities. (P.S. – There are pumpkin patches to visit in September, too!)
I visited the farm the second week of September and wrote this post to share with you all the details on where to find the Half Moon Bay sunflowers and what to expect on your visit. I also included other ideas to enjoy your day in Half Moon Bay like beaches and lobster rolls!
Andreotti Family Farms - U-Pick Sunflowers
Andreotti Family Farms is a family owned and operated farm that started in 1926 primarily producing broccoli, beans and artichokes. Now 90 years and 3 generations later the farm produces just about every winter vegetable available. Their sunflower fields are the kick off to their fall season with pumpkins following soon after at the end of September. And the best part is the farm offers U-Pick sunflowers which makes for a fun way to the enjoy the sunflowers evan after you get home!
Opening of the U-Pick sunflowers all depends on the weather and when the flowers begin to bloom. Generally the sunflowers bloom late August to early September- but to keep up with the farm’s sunflower season opening check for updates on their website and Instagram page.
Where is the Farm?
Andreotti Farms is located about 45 minutes south of San Francisco and about 2.5 hours from Sacramento and can easily be visited in a day or even a weekend trip.
The address to the farm is:
800 N Cabrillo Hwy Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
**Be sure to go to this address! I accidentally ended up at their produce stand down the road just typing their name into apple maps.
Cost to Visit the Farm
Online reservations are available (and recommended)- check their website for availability as they book up quickly!
- Adults $20
- Kids $10
Tips for Your Visit to the Farm
- Visit in the morning, (or later in the afternoon) if you can (10 am is the earliest time slot). I visited at noon and it was actually pretty warm (almost hot) and the sun was very harsh for photos.
- Be ware of your foot wear. It is a working farm so the ground may be uneven and if you wear sandals you may get poked by the stray sunflower stems, or other various farm things. I wore sandals and was ok, but just to warn you.
- Wear something cute! A fun dress and a hat is perfect for photos. Try to wear something that will contrast the flowers like white or purple.
- Bring your own pair of shears. The farm offers shear for cutting the sunflowers, but they recommend you bring your own just in case it’s busy and they don’t have enough.
- There are bees in the flowers. They are harmless and won’t bother you but if you are scared or allergic, just be warned.
- Bring a sweater just in case. September/October is typically when Half Moon Bay has their “summer” weather, but you always want to be prepared with layers.
- Wear sun screen! It might be cold, but it might be hot as well! I definitely had a little burn from being out in the sun.
- Bring something to keep your flowers fresh! If you are planning some other activities after cutting your sunflowers bring something to keep the flower from wilting in your car. I didn’t think of this ahead of time, but wrapped the stems in a wet paper towel and in a plastic bag and they made it home pretty ok.
Other Things to do in Half Moon Bay
After visiting the Half Moon Bay sunflowers you might as well spend the day enjoying the dreamy little beach town. Though there’s never a bad time to visit, the weather is usually nicest in September and October. And September is the start to their fall festivities so you can find pumpkin patches and other various things to do. Be sure to check out a beach or two and grab a delicious lobster roll at Sam’s! All the details are below on what I recommend doing during your day trip after visiting the sunflowers.
Visit a Pumpkin Patch
Farmer Johns Pumpkin Patch was right next door to Andreotti Farms so that is an easy farm visit right after the sunflowers. (Andreotti Farms has their pumpkin patch at the end of September but I visited in early September). This pumpkin patch had the most perfectly displayed pumpkins I’ve ever seen, as well as a variety of colors including green and blush pink!
Eat at Sam's Chowder House
I 100% recommend eating at Sam’s Chowder House and ordering the naked lobster roll (warm lobster in butter on a lightly toasted roll). There will probably be a long wait, or you can reserve a table for the restaurant ahead of time. But I recommend just doing an order to go (still may be a little wait but worth it!) and enjoy it on the beach. There is a stairway from right in the parking lot of Sam’s directly down to the beach.
Check Out Some Beaches
Half Moon Bay is know for it’s gorgeous stretch of beaches all along HWY 1. Some popular beaches are:
- Half Moon Bay State Beaches- this is a popular recreation area and has a few different beaches (Roosevelt Beach, Dunes Beach, Venice Beach and Francis Beach) along with picnic tables and walking trails.
- Poplar Beach- a dog friendly beach and popular for horseback riding. Also access to the trail head for the California Coastal Trail
- California Coastal Trail- a 3.5 mile trail used for walking and biking with stunning coast views.
- Fun Fact- The California Coastal Trail is an environmental project by the California Coastal Conservancy to connect the entire coast of California by an extensive walking trail. Once completed it will not be one single pathway but multiple trails to accommodate different needs such as walkers and bikers. One goal of the trail is to help protect the environment by allowing people to enjoy nature and keep sensitive areas safe by staying on the trail.
Stay for the Sunset
If you can, I recommend staying to enjoy a beautiful Half Moon Bay sunset! Sunsets are my favorite and also the best time to take pictures. Golden hour is the hour after sunrise and hour before sunset that creates the most beautiful, soft lighting for photos.
I hope this post was inspiring and helpful for your trip to see the Half Moon Bay sunflowers and enjoy a day in this lovely coastal town. Leave me a comment if you have any questions or have other recommendations- or feel free to DM me on Instagram!
And make sure to check in weekly for new posts on my blog!