Carlsbad’s Instagramable Flower Fields open March 1st

It’s still unclear how many wildflowers we’ll see this spring, but the multicolored, carefully cultivated flower fields at Carlsbad Ranch are blooming and the tills are starting to ring.

The fields – 55 hectares of giant Tecolote ranunculus in Instagrammable yellow, orange, pink and red – will open to visitors daily from 9am to 6pm starting March 1.

Fred Clarke, right, general manager of Flower Fields in Carlsbad, poses for photos in April 2020 when the fields were closed to visitors due to the pandemic. This year the fields open on March 1st.

(Eduardo Contreras / The San Diego Union-Tribune)

Season tickets are available now through the Flower Fields website; Advance purchase is required. (Photographers beware: drones are prohibited, tripods are allowed.)

The fields, dedicated to ranunculus (and before that to poinsettias) since the 1960s, can be seen on the inland side of I-5 about 90 miles south of Los Angeles. The flowers are also known as Persian buttercups.

Flowering usually lasts until early May. Other features of the fields include tractor wagon rides and a poinsettia exhibit. Flower Fields’ management describes the operation as something of a hybrid — part working ranch, part tourist attraction, with frequent events such as wine tastings, teas, yoga sessions, and even the occasional blues musician (Bill Magee, on the April 2 calendar).

Adult tickets are $24.95 (including a $2.95 service charge) and $2 less for seniors over 60 and military members. The fee for children from 3 to 10 years old is USD 11.34 (including service charge). Pets and bicycles are not allowed.

The address is 5704 Paseo Del Norte, Carlsbad.