Carlsbad Flower Fields – Guest Post by Natalie Wardel

I just returned from my second trip to the Carlsbad Flower Fields. I am always amazed at how many San Diego residents have missed out on seeing this treasure!

There is something about walking among fresh blooms that just puts you in the spirit for spring. That’s why I’ve fallen in love with the Flower Fields. The fields boast over 50 acres of  Tecolote® Giant Ranunculus — gorgeous flowers with layers of petals. They actually don’t have any sort of smell, but I swear it smells fragrant, like a light perfume, while walking among the flowers. It may be from the Sweet Pea maze or just a nice ocean breeze. Whatever it is, I am a fan.

The cost of admission is $10, but I found a buy one get one free coupon online (PDF) that cuts the price in half. We were there for about two hours. I feel like it is definitely worth $5, not sure if it is worth $10, though I am very cheap on things like that, just being up front here. It is amazing though. I don’t know why you’d want to do the wagon ride, it is just breathtaking to walk among the flowers.

One fun fact I learned about the Flower Fields this year is that they only harvest about 1 percent of the flowers. They really grow the flowers for the bulbs, which are harvested after the flowers die. Sad! You can purchase a “bunch” of flowers for $5, if you buy three or more, which I did, they are are $4 each. I put them on our table for Easter and around the house afterward. Ranunculas are one of the easies flowers to arrange because of their layers and diversity. They look nice on their own.

The fields are open until Mother’s Day, make sure you check them out to appreciate the amazingness of nature. They are also right behind the Carlsbad outlet mall – and I definitely did make a stop at Banana Republic while I was in the area!

Driving directions to the Flower Fields, from their Web site:

From San Diego:
Head north on Interstate 5 to Palomar Airport Road exit. Head east (right turn) on Palomar Airport Road. Go one block to Paseo Del Norte and turn left. Make an immediate right into our parking lot.
From the Inland Empire and East San Diego County:
Take Interstate 15 to Highway 78 West. Continue on 78 to Interstate 5 South. Take Interstate 5 south to Palomar Airport Road exit. Head east (left turn) on Palomar Airport Road to Paseo Del Norte and turn left. Make an immediate right into our parking lot.
From Los Angeles and Orange County:
Head south on Interstate 5 to Palomar Airport Road exit. Head east (left turn) on Palomar Airport Road to Paseo Del Norte and turn left. Make an immediate right into our parking lot.

About Natalie:

Natalie blogs about where marriage and the craziness of life intersect at The Bobby Pin. She lives with her law-student husband and pug puppy in San Diego – and absolutely loves it. Her favorite part of San Diego is the weather, without question.