Worth the Admission?
by Stacey Kuhns
The
Flower Fields, located in Carlsbad, at 5704 Paseo del Norte, Carlsbad, CA 92008, is a seasonal attraction that draws tourists and local alike. The Flower Fields are open from March 1 through May 8 this year, daily from 9 a.m. - 6 p.m.
There is almost 50 acres of ranunculus flowers, walking paths, plants for sale, birds, a variety of other flowers, and a tractor/wagon ride (which usually is $5 and is run by the Antique Steam and Engine Museum).
Admission to the Flower Fields is Adults ($14), Seniors-60+/Military ($13), Children 3-10 ($7) and children under 2 are free.
I have lived in San Diego County for approximately 29 years. I have walked on the sidewalk above the Flower Fields, driven by the Flower Fields, but never paid to go inside the Flower Fields. Is it worth it? For me, it most definitely was. I guess it depends what you are hoping to find.
There is a play area for children, and they seem to love the tractor/wagon ride. There are some snacks and drinks for sale and it is a fabulous backdrop for family photos. There is also a "mining" area for the kids. For $4, they get to pick a bucket of dirt that contains at least 9 semi-precious gemstones. They wash and sift through the dirt to "find" their gems.
As you can see, my boyfriend got way more than 9 gems. All the staff running the place, from the ticket booth to the mining, to the drivers, are extremely friendly and there to answer any questions you have.
The ranunculus are gorgeous and truly amazing when seen up close. Each year, The Flower Fields grows one of the large fields of flowers into a picture, usually of the American flag (on the Palomar Airport Road side of the fields). It was not grown in yet when we visited, but there were still acres and acres of beautiful flowers to explore.
You can stand at the top of The Flower Fields and look over the gorgeous colors and right out to the ocean.
We chose not to take the tractor/wagon ride as I wanted to really walk around and see all the flowers up close and take pictures in the designated areas that make it seem like you are sitting inside the field of flowers. There is green tape around all the flower beds and it is easy to see where the picture spots are. Unfortunately, we also saw a few people stepping over the tape and walking into the flower beds to take pictures. They do have security there, but not enough when it gets crowded. There is also a sweet pea garden area.
There are also a number of benches where you can sit and relax, take it all in, and enjoy the ocean breezes.
I recommend getting there when they open. It is usually a little overcast then and a lot less crowded. It just seems to be the perfect time to go. By 11:00 or so, it starts getting very crowded and hot. I would advise wearing sunscreen and bringing water or something cool to drink, especially if you have children with you. Once you get into the actual area where the fields are, it is packed dirt, no paving, so be aware of that.
There is an area near the restrooms where they have a number of colorful finches, lorikeets, doves, and other birds to observe.
Is it worth the price of admission?
I thought so and wondered why I had never visited before. The Flower Fields are also located near many restaurants and shops, all within walking distance of the parking lot.
If you plan to go, go soon before the flowers are gone.
