Tuesday, July 7, 2020

Visiting the Sunflower Fields in Northern California

Location: Sunflower Fields - Dixon, CA

Northern California is known for having some of the most beautiful sunflower fields in the world!  I've always wanted to shoot pictures like these - it reminds me of the golden sunflower fields in Italy.  I threw on a white cotton dress and straw sun hat and pretended like I was Frances Mayes in "Under the Tuscan Sun" - one of my favorite movies of all time by the way!  

The sunflower fields we visited began blooming in early June and the stalks were about 4-5 feet high when we visited in early July. They are located in Dixon, CA, easily accessible and visible off Highway 80 about 20 minutes west of Sacramento.  You can't miss them as they are vast, colorful, and do attract a lot of attention for people to pull off the highway and take pictures - namely photographers and bloggers, but also a few tourists and casual mobile phone users looking for a pretty shot!  There is plenty of space to park along the road that runs parallel to the highway.  

If you are looking to get the most amazing shot, I would suggest going at sunrise (sun in front of you) or sunset (sun behind you).  We went around 10 am in the morning and the sun was already casting shadows above but we still were able to get a few good shots.  Remember, sunflowers always have their face to the sun, so keep that in mind when determining the best time.  I would also suggest going on a weekday vs. weekend if possible.  The weekend traffic on highway 80 can be bad and of course there will be more people there.        

This is a sunflower farm and the owners have been very generous to allow the public to take pictures.  However, please ensure you are respectful of their land and the flowers.  Use the sunflowers for a backdrop - walking between them can break the foliage and damage the flowers.  Also, it should go without saying but I'll say it anyway... please leave the flowers for others to admire as well - do not pick them.  If you want to take pictures with sunflowers in your hand or in a basket - please purchase some and bring to your photo shoot.  



There are several sunflower fields spread out between Dixon and it's neighboring city to the east, Davis, CA.  Each field is planted at different times and may have different sunflower varieties.  If you find this one is not blooming, you may find another one close by that is.  In general, sunflowers in California bloom in the summer (between June and August) with mid-summer being the peak time.  



Thanks for visiting!  I hope you are enjoying summer with your family!

xoxoxo,

Hayley

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7 comments :

Robin LaMonte said...

What a wonderful post filled with fabulous sunflowers Hayley!
I love sunflowers ��!
It’s my field of dreams!
Robin

50shadesofstylebyKelley said...

What spectacular photos Hayley! I have never seen a sunflower field that gorgeous before.

Thank you for sharing,

Kelley McCoy

Hayley Constantino (San Francisco Bay Style) said...

Thanks for visiting Robin! The sunflower fields are so vast and pretty! They remind me of Tuscany!!

Hayley Constantino (San Francisco Bay Style) said...

Thanks for stopping by Kelley! I always want to do a sunflower field shoot but my timing was always off! This time we hit the location at the perfect bloom time!

atwodrinkminimum said...

Hayley, these are all such fantastic photos. Growing up in the Midwest we've never had beautiful flower fields near me where I could enjoy something like this. You're so fortunate and the farmers are kind to allow photos. Now I love California even more ☀️

Lucy said...

You’re so lucky to be able to be there and see this! I’ve never seen a sunflower field! Great tips for best sunlight for photos!

Unknown said...

Wonderful
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