Berry Picking Near Sacramento: What You Need to Know
Sacramento sits at the edge of California's enormous strawberry industry, with u-pick strawberry fields scattered through the Central Valley and blueberry operations increasingly common in the foothills. California's growing season is long enough that berry picking near Sacramento can stretch from April through late summer depending on what's in season.
Pacific Coast Berry Country
The Pacific Northwest is arguably the finest berry-growing region in the country, with Oregon's Willamette Valley home to the marionberry—a blackberry hybrid developed in Marion County and named for it—alongside major blueberry, raspberry, and boysenberry production. Washington's Whatcom County is often called the Raspberry Capital of the World for its enormous commercial output, and the Puget Sound lowlands support extensive blueberry farming as well. California contributes one of the largest strawberry industries on earth, with u-pick fields scattered through the Central Valley and coastal regions, while Alaska's wild salmonberries, blueberries, and huckleberries sustain a foraging culture distinct from the commercial farms further south.
Best Time to Go Berry Picking Near Sacramento
Strawberries nearly year-round in the mildest areas, with peak Central Valley and coastal picking from April through August; blueberries from May through July.
Tips for Your Sacramento Berry Picking Trip
Sacramento-area strawberry fields can be busy on spring weekends, so arrive at opening time and bring your own flats or buckets if the farm allows it, since California u-pick operations move large volumes of fruit quickly.