San Diego never really suffers from terrible weather, but that doesn’t mean the region doesn’t put on an inspiring spring showcase. Few spots anywhere are better for basking in the season’s beautiful fertility than the Carlsbad Flower Fields, an easy drive from the city–and the Sofia Hotel.

The Flower Fields

For decades, the Carlsbad Flower Fields have featured astonishing springtime blooms–particularly those of the Giant Tecolote Ranunculus grown commercially for bulbs on better than 50 acres here. (Another five or so acres are devoted to other flower varieties.)

These magnificent members of the buttercup family–also called Ranunculus Asiatic or Persian Buttercup–astound with a variety of piercing colors, from red to purple. Vast swaths of these stunners in full blossom make for an exquisite and ethereal landscape to wander in, and an absolutely memorable way to ring in the season.

The landowner and bulb-grower collaborate with the City of Carlsbad, the California Coastal Conservancy, and the Carlsbad Agricultural Improvement Fund to maintain these evocative open grounds for public enjoyment.

The Lowdown

The Carlsbad Flower Fields are open from March 1 through May 11. Typically the peak colors of Giant Tecolote Ranunculus run from mid-March through mid-April.

Entry fees are $12 for adults, $11 for seniors (60 and older), and $6 for children (ages 3 to 10); children 2 and younger can come in for free.

You can take a wagon ride through the fields for $5 for adults and $3 for children ages 3 to 10.

Aside from the show-stopping buttercup fields, you’ll also be able to enjoy a miniature rose garden, a sweet-pea maze, and other horticultural attractions.

Getting There

From the Sofia Hotel, it’s a straightforward half-hour drive to the Carlsbad Flower Fields via I-5 North, right up the coast.

Mint your springtime stay at the one-of-a-kind Sofia with a one-of-a-kind stroll through acres of richly blooming flowers!

Image source: kellinahandbasket