Where to See Almond Blossoms near Sacramento
California is the world’s leading almond producer. The Golden State provides about 80% of the global almond supply, most of which derive from the Central Valley. Over 7,000 almond growers and processors call the Central Valley home.
Sacramento is uniquely situated next to the Central Valley, and we get a front-row seat when the almond blossoms transform the region into a stunning sea of white and pink petals.
Almond Blossoms near Sacramento
Although almond blossoms dot Northern California throughout the Central Valley, many almond farms are on private property. You have to know where to go to be able to take photos and view these stunning blossoms in person. The last thing you want is to pack up the car with kids, drive an hour away, and not be able to bask in the blossoms.
Note that you should not expect to pick almonds when almond blossoms bloom. These opportunities are only for viewing the trees at their peak and taking photos.
The below options are the best ways to view almond blossoms publicly and safely near Sacramento without trespassing on private property.
1. Capay Valley Almond Festival — Yolo County
The Capay Valley Almond Festival celebrates the peak season of the almond blossoms at various venues in Esparto, Capay, Brooks, Guinda, and Rumsey. It’s usually a two-day festival with celebrations beginning on the last Saturday in February. However, most almond festival activities typically occur on the last Sunday in February.
Seka Hills in Brooks is one of the only Capay Valley Almond Festival venues where you can walk through the beautiful trees, and take photos. This is the best option to ensure you will see almond blossoms up close. They always have this opportunity on the Sunday of the Capay Valley Almond Festival.
Seka Hills has free tractor rides that take groups of people to the almond blossoms for them to enjoy for about 10 minutes. Although the tractor rides are free, you need free tickets for your group. Be sure the first thing you do is to get the tickets for the tractor ride to the almond blossoms when arriving at Seka Hills. They tend to run one tractor ride at the top of each hour.
2. Modesto — Stanislaus County
Stanislaus County has a self-guided Almond Blossom Cruise route. Pick up a free map at the California Welcome Center in Modesto for mapped-out public roads that wind through almond orchards.
In addition to free maps, the California Welcome Center will also have coloring books for kids and almond activity guides.
Three farms in Modesto offer self-walking tours of almond blossoms. These include:
- Rodin Farms Fruit Stand
- Roberts Ferry Gourmet Country Store in Waterford
- Zinc House Farm in Escalon
Rodin Farms Fruit Stand has impressive almond trees where visitors can freely roam through the gorgeous almond blossoms. Take photos and wander the almond blossoms at your leisure.
While Roberts Gourmet Country Store has two locations, its Waterford location is the one that has the self-guided almond blossom walking tour. The almond butter milkshake is another big draw at Roberts Ferry Gourmet Country Store! Get a milkshake, stroll through the almond blossoms, and check out the Roberts Ferry Covered Bridge.
If you want to make your almond blossom experience educational for kids, Visit Modesto has an audio tour that can be purchased as part of their annual Almond Blossom Cruise. The narrated tour spans 60 miles for 120 minutes and includes various local tour stops, stories, and almond facts.
When Almond Blossoms Are in Bloom
The peak season for when almond blossoms are in bloom is short. It typically begins at the end of February and concludes in early March.
If you want to know when the right time is to view the almond blossoms, I’d recommend timing it out with the above viewing options. The Capay Valley Almond Festival usually correlates with the peak of the almond blossoms. Visit Modesto also regularly provides almond blossom updates on their Instagram account. These are good resources for timing when to see the almond blossoms in bloom.
