If you are looking for a fun and popular springtime activity in Carlsbad, give strawberry picking a try! Located in coastal Carlsbad, the third generation Carlsbad Strawberry Company is a family-run “U-pick” farm. It is one of the oldest in San Diego County––they have been growing strawberries here for over half a century.
When should I go strawberry picking?
The strawberry harvest comes and goes quite fast – usually takes place between January and July. The west coast Carlsbad climate is ideal for growing strawberries, that’s why California is the number one distributer of strawberries across the nation.
Known as a Carlsbad tradition for 20 years, the fields closest to Cannon are marked “U-Pick,” where guests may pick their own strawberries for $10 a bucket. This can easily become an annual tradition, as one of the rites of spring, along with a visit to the nearby Flower Fields.
And if strawberry picking isn’t really your thing, there is also a sunflower maze, Bounceland with multiple jump houses and slides, pet and feed animals (goats, sheep and rabbits) and an assortment of food and drink options.
History of the Carlsbad Strawberry Company
The popular strawberry fields of Carlsbad, farmed by the Ukegawa family since the 1950s on land leased from San Diego Gas & Electric Company – and preserved by the voters of Carlsbad in November 2006 when they passed Proposition D, which zoned 208 acres of farmland on the southern shores of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon as open space and promotes agricultural uses “as long as feasible.”
The Carlsbad Strawberry Company maintains fruit stands during strawberry season, which typically runs from end of December through July. One is in front of the Flower Fields, another in Del Mar.
Giving Back to the Community
Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, Mr. Ukegawa has given away thousands of pounds of produce, both his own and donated by other farmers, to three local charities: The Boys and Girls Club of Carlsbad, the city of Carlsbad Senior Center, and the Carlsbad Unified School District, which through a food drive began handing out food to needy families after the mid-March closure of schools disrupted the school lunch program.
Where is the Carlsbad Strawberry Company located?
The Carlsbad Strawberry Company is located at the corner of Cannon Road and Paseo del Norte, just east of Interstate 5 at the Cannon Road exit in Carlsbad. They are just right around the corner from the Carlsbad Flower Fields, the Carlsbad Company Stores, and Legoland California.
They are open 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. There is a $15 admission fee per person which includes a bucket; $10 per person without a bucket. They accept credit cards (Amex, Visa, MasterCard), cash & check. No reservation is necessary.
If you don’t live in Carlsbad and plan to visit, be sure to check out one of our vacation rentals in Carlsbad or the surrounding areas for a place to stay.
