Lavender Farms Across The Country Where You Can Go & Relax This Summer

Lavender season begins in earnest in June, and by July is hitting its stride across the Northern Hemisphere. If you’re looking for a relaxing field trip, we put together a list of different lavender destination that are currently in peak bloom or are having special Lavender Festivals this summer. Given lavender’s calming properties, a visit basically doubles as a trip to a spa, right?

Northeast

Lavender By The Bay, located at 7540 Main Rd, East Marion, NY
Situated out on Long Island, the family-run farm is planted with twenty varieties of lavender (the majority of which are French lavender– typically the lavender that makes its way into perfume and perfumed products). From June to September, Lavender By The Bay is open seven days a week between 9 AM to 5 PM. On weekends, admission is $8 for those 12 and above, and during the week is $5 for teens and adults.

NY Lavender Festival, located at Ol’Factory Farm, Red Creek, NY
Taking place across the weekend of July 8th and 9th, 2017, the NY Lavender Festival is on a mission to educate the public on the many benefits of lavender. Guest speakers are drawn from across disciplines; visitors can expect talks by Cornell associates and beekeepers alike. Artists and vendors will be selling an array of goods, including pottery, jewelry, bags, and of course plenty of incarnations of lavender.

Peace Valley Lavender, located at 802 New Galena Road, Doylestown, PA 18901
More than 3,000 plants bloom across Peace Valley Lavender’s farm has an abundance of lavender products, from moth repelling lavender sachets to lavender sugar. The shop is open from 10 AM to 5 PM Thursday through Saturday, and from 12PM to 5 PM on Sunday. Once you’ve exhausted the wonders of lavender, head to the nearby Peace Valley Park and Lake Galena, where you can rent boats and walk along nature trails.

Mid-Atlantic

Seven Oaks Lavender Farm, located at 8769 Old Dumfries Road, Catlett, VA
Less than an hour west of Washington D.C., Seven Oaks Lavender Farm was founded Deborah Williamson, who left behind a high stakes job in private schools to start the family farm with her mother. Make a day of your visit and get glammed up so you can sign up for Seven Oaks’ Field and Farm Portraits. Their lavender season runs from June 2nd to July 9th, with their opens hours from 9 AM to 4 PM on weekdays and 9 AM to 5 PM on the weekend.

Midwest

Prairie Lavender Farm, located at 69 Alpine Ridge Lane, Bennington, KS
Prairie Lavender Farm mostly grows English lavender (typically used in essential oils, and which is said to have the more familiar lavender scent) and is certified bee friendly (a program from the Pollinator Partnership that gets farmers in on bee conservation efforts). June through September, the gift shop is open from 9 AM to 12 PM, Tuesday through Saturday.

Lavender Hill Farm, located at 7354 Horton Bay Rd. North, Boyne City, MI
At Lavender Hill Farm, 33-acres are thickly planted with 25 varieties of lavender, and encompass a lavender labyrinth, historically used for quiet meditation and prayer. Getting hot? Ice cream and lavender ice tea are on hand to keep you cool as you cut your own handfuls of lavender. Tired? Relax afterwards with chocolate truffles and lavender lotion for supreme decadence. After May 12, 2017, the farm is open every day of the week from 10 AM to 5 PM. Make sure to call ahead as they are sometimes booked for private events.

West Coast

Pageo Lavender Farm, located at 11573 Golf Road, Turlock, CA
Just as beautiful as it is productive, Pageo Lavender Farm is a working lavender farm about a two hour drive from San Francisco. They specialize in just two types of lavender (one for distillation, one for the culinary arts). Wednesday through Saturday the farm and gift shop are open from 10 AM to 4 PM (just be sure to call ahead– they’re a popular wedding venue, and in the height of nuptials season are often closed for private events).

Central Coast Lavender Festival, located at the Downtown Paso Robles Park, Paso Robles, CA
Taking place on July 8th from 10 AM to 5 PM with free admission, the Central Coast Lavender Festival is offering up seminars on lavender’s various healing properties, as well as how to take advantage of lavender in your day to day life. Halfway between Los Angeles and the Bay, the festival brings together the best local lavender products, from bath and body to cuisine.

Keys Creek Lavender Farm, located at 12460 Keys Creek Road, Valley Center, CA
A two hour drive from Downtown Los Angeles (isn’t everything a two hour drive from Downtown Los Angeles? Even…Downtown Los Angeles?), Keys Creek Lavender Farm (KCLFarm for short) is an all organic lavender farm that hosts yoga and healing retreats, in addition to being open to visitors. During bloom season (May and June) they are open to visitors 10 AM to 3 PM, Wednesday through Sunday, and offer weekend tours for $15 that book up fast– so reserve your tickets in advance!

Pacific North-West

Sequim Lavender Festival, located at Fir Street between Sequim Avenue and Third Avenue, Sequim, WA
Taking place across three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, July 21, 22, and 23, 2017) in the “Lavender Capital of North America,” the Sequim Lavender Festival promises a street fair, food court, entertainment (AKA Lavenderstock), and farm tours. (Keep an eye out for “hard to locate” lavender plants on sale!) Admission is free, as is parking downtown.

Purple Haze Lavender, located at 180 Bell Bottom Road, Sequim, WA
We’re not making that street name up! If you can’t make it to the Sequim Lavender Festival, head to Purple Haze Lavender, one of the local farms in the “Lavender Capital of North America.” Visitors are welcome everyday from 10 AM to 5 PM, June 1st through Labor Day in September. Don’t bother bring snacks– Purple Haze offers their own lavender lemonade and lavender ice cream.

Canada

Sacred Mountain Salt Spring, located at 401 Musgrave Road, Salt Spring Island, BC
Though their annual festival has come to an end, Sacred Mountain Salt Spring lavender farm is still open to visitors. During May and June, their hours are 10 AM to 5 PM,  Wednesday through Sunday; during the height of the season in July and August, they are open seven days a week from 10 AM to 5 PM. If you’d like to make it a longer visit (who wouldn’t?!), check out their retreats.

Interested in taking lavender home? Try making your own calming eye pillows for your next long trip, or bake dried flowers into a cake.