Typically running from May to September, lavender season shows off the natural beauty of SLO CAL (San Luis Obispo County) each year, with peak blooming and harvest times in June and July. SLO CAL is home to multiple vibrant lavender farms, and the love for lavender goes far beyond the fields, inspiring handmade goods, local products and culinary creations.

When Is Lavender Season in SLO CAL?

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Lavender season starts in early May and lasts throughout the summer, wrapping up in September. While lavender season can be enjoyed all summer long, peak color is typically in June and July, though timing can vary year by year and may start earlier or later depending on the growing season.

Because bloom windows shift from farm to farm, it's worth building some flexibility into a lavender trip. A farm in a warmer inland spot like Paso Robles or San Miguel may hit peak color a week or two ahead of a coastal farm, so make sure to check individual farm social media pages and websites for updated bloom info.

Where to Visit: SLO CAL Lavender Farms

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Exterior view of the Hambly Lavender Farm Store in a field of lavender
Cavalli Estates Lavender Farm

 📍 445 Green Gate Rd San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

Right outside of San Luis Obispo in Edna Valley, Cavalli Estates grows 17 unique lavender varieties across 15 acres. The farm has organic, coastal-breeze grown fields with plenty of room to wander, and is open seasonally for U-pick, wreath-making workshops and lavender talks. There is also a farm shop on site stocked with dried bundles and other lavender goods, and picnicking is welcome right in the rows, so bring lunch and enjoy the blooms.
 

Jack Creek Farms

 📍 5000 Highway 46 West, Templeton, CA 93465

A fifth-generation family farm just off Highway 46 West, Jack Creek Farms grows fragrant lavender alongside U-pick olallieberries, heirloom tomatoes and giant sweet onions in season. The farm store also carries raw honey, apple cider slushes and other homemade goods, and the on-site Happy Acres area gives kids plenty of room to explore between visits to the fields. Hours shift with the season, so it is worth checking the farm's website or social pages before heading out.

 

Hambly Lavender Farm

 📍 1390 Grana Pl, San Miguel, CA 93451

Located in San Miguel, Hambly Lavender Farm is roughly a 40-minute drive from San Luis Obispo or a 20-minute drive from Atascadero. Family owned and operated since 2019, Hambly offers a variety of different experiences including U-pick, guided visits, workshops and picnics. They also distill their own pure essential oil on site, and offer a line of natural, sustainably made bath and body products.
 

California Lavender Honey Farm

 📍 6380 Hawk Ridge Pl, San Miguel, CA 93451

This 10-acre family farm sits in Paso Robles wine country and combines lavender growing with beekeeping, including a one-of-a-kind Bee Museum on site. Visits to California Lavender Honey Farm are by appointment, and guests can choose from a walking tour, a sit-down tea tasting or a lavender wreath workshop, with honey tastings included year-round. It is a fun stop for families and anyone curious about how lavender and bees work together.

 

Hours vary by farm and by season, and not every farm offers U-pick, so check ahead if hands-on picking is part of the plan. Several of these farms are kid-friendly, with open fields, animals or craft activities to keep the whole family busy.

Lavender Products to Try and Bring Home

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Lavender cocktail from above

Part of the fun of visiting a lavender farm is bringing a little bit of the experience home. Most farms sell their own house-made goods alongside the U-pick bundles, so there's plenty to browse even for visitors who just want to shop.

  • Dried lavender bundles and wreaths
  • Sachets for drawers and closets
  • Pure lavender essential oil
  • Handmade lavender soaps
  • Lavender syrup, great for cocktails or lemonade at home

For more lavender finds, consider stopping by Idlewild Floral Co. in San Luis Obispo and Adelaida Botanicals in Paso Robles.

 

Where to Sip: Lavender at Local Cafes

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Scout Coffee Interior in San Luis Obispo

Lavender has made its way from the fields into SLO CAL's coffee cups, too. Pairing a stop at a local cafe with a farm visit makes for an easy, full lavender day.

📍 Scout Coffee

Known for its Honey Lavender Latte, a favorite among locals and visitors alike.


📍 Amstrdm Coffee House

Has built a following around its signature Lavender Latte.


📍 Binx Coffee

Features a specialty Lavender Matcha.


📍 Scorpion Bay Coffee Co.

Offers a delicious honey lavender syrup, great in coffee or matcha.
 

Other Activities to Do During Lavender Season

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Women at Winery with Lavender in Paso Robles

 

Try Delicious Bites

Tin City in Paso Robles is an industrial makers market a few miles south of downtown that brings together wine, craft beer and craft cider under one roof, plus eateries like Etto Pasta Bar and Six Test Kitchen as well as a creamery, making it an easy stop to add onto a lavender farm morning.

 

Olive Oil Tasting

We Olive in downtown Paso Robles offers tastings of California olive oils, along with balsamic vinegars, mustards and tapenades, while producers like Pasolivo and Kiler Ridge Olive Farm let you tour the press and enjoy samples, comparing flavor profiles just like a wine flight.

 

Wine Tasting

Just south of San Luis Obispo, Edna Valley is home to several tasting rooms, including Chamisal Vineyards, Baileyana and Biddle Ranch Vineyard just to name a few.

 

Explore the Trails

Tucked along the mostly paved and flat, 6-mile round trip Bob Jones Trail in Avila Beach, the Secret Garden at Sycamore Mineral Springs Resort is a community-centered hangout with wood-fired pizza, local wine and beer and occasional live music in a laid-back outdoor setting under the trees. A hidden gem and must-see if you're already walking or biking the path down to the coast.

From fragrant fields to lavender lattes, SLO CAL makes it easy to build a whole day, or weekend, around lavender season. Whether the plan is filling a basket with U-pick bundles, getting creative in a floral wreath-making workshop or slowing down with a lavender latte in, the region's farms and cafes have something for every kind of visit.