The 7 Best Lavender Fields to Visit This Summer

Fragrant and colorful, lavender is a flowering herb known for its soothing properties. Whether you place lavender essential oil on your pillow before bedtime, light a lavender candle for your evening bubble bath, or enjoy growing lavender in your garden, this versatile plant can enhance any space with its beauty and calming scent. 

This summer, you can also visit gorgeous and educational lavender farms nationwide. Several of these must-see (and must-smell) destinations are free and family-run, offering a refreshing escape on a hot day. Just imagine: strolling through rows and rows of lavender, then allowing the aroma to follow you all the way home. Here are a few of the best lavender farms to add to your summer adventure bucket list.

1. Cape Cod Lavender Farm

In 1995 in Harwich, Massachusetts, farmer Cynthia Sutphin wanted to stay home with her children and work. So, after inviting their local community to attend their lavender harvest, Sutphin realized she had a business in the making, and the Cape Cod Lavender Farm was born. Today, the farm sells more than 20 lavender products, from home decor and garden necessities to infused beauty and sleep products. Their two best-sellers continue to be plants and loose lavender buds. 

In 2013, they added the Enchanted Garden to their property, offering a shaded area for children and adults alike to explore and "let their imaginations wander." You’ll experience fairy houses, a miniature medieval castle, and more treasures inside. 

Harvest timing changes each year depending on weather conditions, but typically runs from late June through mid-July. The farm is free to visit and open from March through December. 

2. Pelindaba Lavender Farm

A plan to protect a valley on San Juan Island, off the northwest coast of Washington State, has turned into a thriving farm business spearheaded by a retired physician, Stephen Robins. After protecting this area from residential development in 1998, he decided to share this open area with visitors. Still, he wanted to make it self-sustaining within its natural element by growing lavender. Originally from South Africa, Robins was inspired to call his farm Pelindaba, a Zulu phrase meaning "Place of Great Gatherings"—and that’s exactly what this nature experience offers. They opened to the public in 2001.

Today, Pelindaba Lavender is a premier grower of lavender plants, distilled essential oils, and other handcrafted lavender-based products. In addition to cultivating beautiful flowers, they handcraft their household, pet, culinary, and personal care products on-site. For a glimpse into their growing and farming process, you can visit the farm for free year-round, but the best time to see blooms is July through August. Guests of all ages are welcome, as are leashed dogs. 

During your visit, you can harvest a bouquet of lavender from the cutting field, browse and purchase their products, take photographs, learn about the distillery process through educational exhibits, and enjoy a sip of lavender tea or a scoop of lavender ice cream with cookies. They also offer a Demonstration Garden where 50 varieties of lavender are cultivated and begin blooming as early as May and as late as October.

3. Peace Valley Lavender Farm

After selling their vegetable garden, Patti and George Lyons weren’t sure what to do next. But then, a drive in the country sparked Patti’s imagination: she saw a lavender field, leaned over to her husband, and said, "How about growing lavender?" George asked, "Will deer eat it?" She said, "No" and the rest is history. Fast forward to 20 years later, and now, they have more than 3,000 lavender plants growing on a hillside in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, an hour outside of Philadelphia. 

You can visit Peace Valley Lavender Farm year-round, but if you want to walk along the lavender fields, plan your visit for June through mid-July. It changes each year, but typically, they say the peak of the blooming season is the third and fourth week of June. 

If you are inspired to grow your own soothing herbs, the farm offers various lavender plant varieties for sale from April through June, including 'Munstead', 'Hidcote', 'Grosso' and 'Provence'. 

Touring the farm on your own is free, and dogs are welcome as long as they are leashed. For groups of 10 to 30, guided tours are available—and also free. They last 60 to 90 minutes, must be scheduled in advance, and topics include how to plant, prune, and harvest lavender, distill essential oils, use lavender in your daily life, and more.

4. Indigo Lavender Farm

Before opening the Indigo Lavender Farm in Imlay City, Michigan in 2015, Trish Dennis was a United States Air Force captain and a corporate attorney. But alongside her husband, Greg and their two children, they’ve created one of the most visited lavender destinations in the country. They started their 50-acre farm with 4,000 plants, which has doubled and tripled over the years. Today, they also have a greenhouse, an expansive garden, a chicken coop, wetlands, and more. 

Each year, they offer a variety of events and experiences, all open to the public. General admission to the farm is $7.50 or $18.50 to pick your own lavender. On May 13, they host the Indigo Lavender Fairy Festival, with live music, local vendors, and kid’s craft. From July 7-9, you can attend the Lavender Daze Event, their largest celebration. During this time, you can stroll through lavender plants during peak bloom, shop more than 70 vendors, and even learn how to make a lavender wreath.

5. Monte-Bellaria di California Farm

Your love of vino may bring you to Sonoma and Napa Valley in California. But your love of beautiful, purple fields of fragrant flowers may entice you to visit this lavender farm in Monte-Bellaria di California. This Russian River Appellation specializes in olive oil, bees, and lavender plants. In fact, it’s one of the biggest producers for estates since the western area of Sonoma Valley mimics the mild Mediterranean climate where lavender grows wild. 

Monte-Bellaria di California Farm is open to the public on the weekends beginning in May, with various events throughout the summer and a fall festival in October. 

While "Green Spring" (aka: pre-bloom) is free to the public, other visits require a ticket. The best time to visit, though, is "High Bloom," from June 17 to June 30 or "High-Fragrance," from August 5 to August 27. For both of these seasons, pre-paid and timed $10 tickets are required, and the farm is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Those looking for an Instagram-worthy photo should book "High Bloom," and those more in the mood for aromatherapy will appreciate "High Fragrance." 

In addition to lavender, they also care for bees on the property, and weather permitting, you can join a tour of the barn, distillation equipment, and beehives. While you can’t pick your own lavender, you can purchase lavender stems, buds, oils, honey, beeswax, and other products handcrafted on-site. 

6. Sage Creations Organic Farm

Nestled in the tiny town of Palisade, Colorado, is the Sage Creations Organic Farm, owned by an organic farmer and marketing pro, Paola Legarre. Her desire to raise her family in Colorado's beautiful landscape and clean air inspired her to begin her lavender farm in 2006. The fields quickly grew, and today, she’s extended her product line to include plant starts, personal care products, and farm-distilled essential oils. She runs and manages the lavender farm and cherry orchard with her husband Bobby. 

Today, they offer many experiences for locals and tourists, from events and classes to lavender-picking days, and more. Touring the farm is free, but if you’d like to pick lavender, you must purchase a ticket, which will be available online closer to June and July, the peak bloom season. 

If you can’t make it to the farm, they also recently opened the Atrium, a downtown location in Palisade, where you can buy their products, book a tasting, and more.

7. Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm and Shop

While Fragrant Isle Lavender Farm and Shop are located in Washington Island, Wisconsin, the dream was born across the Atlantic Ocean many decades ago. One of the founders, Martine Anderson, grew up in the south of France, where she imagined having a lavish garden of her own. After retiring to Washington Island with her husband, Edgar, the area reminded Martine of the Provence area of France and her childhood lavender garden dream. 

Edgar looked into longitudinal weather studies and planted a test garden at their home and the home of their friends, Helene and Gene Meyer. Their friendship grew, and so did the lavender, and eventually, they went into business together to create Fragrant Isle.

Today, they have more than 30,000 lavender plants with 14 different varieties of lavender. Visitors can participate in demonstrations and educational events to learn how to use lavender for self-care and cooking. 

During the peak season of mid-June to July, a $5 entry ticket is required. Then, through Labor Day weekend, the fee goes up to $10. Kids under free four are always free. For a more immersive experience, consider the tour group package that’s slightly more, depending on the time of year ($20-35), but includes a private 30-minute lecture, a tour, and a takehome sachet of lavender buds.