The 50 Best Farms to Visit in Florida, Ranked (Not One Farm Paid to Be on This List)
On the night of January 31, 2026, the temperature in David and Lisa Hill's blueberry fields in Clermont fell to 21 degrees. The wind gusted to 40 miles an hour. By the time the cold snap ended, Southern Hill Farms had lost at least half of its blueberry crop, at least a third of its strawberries and every one of its sunflowers. The family told local reporters they expected to lose at least 35% of the year's income.
It wasn't the first blow. In September 2024, a fire, most likely sparked by lightning, destroyed the farm's barn and about $750,000 worth of equipment.
The Hills didn't close. They replanted, reopened, and this fall they're running their 11th annual Fall Festival. On our scorecard, Southern Hill Farms is the No. 1 farm to visit in Florida in 2026.
That's the real story behind Florida's farms. They grow your strawberries, oranges and blueberries in a state where one cold night, one hurricane or one lightning strike can wipe out a year's work. The best of them open their gates anyway, and they deserve your visit.
So here's the answer, up front. These are the 50 best farms to visit in Florida in 2026. They're ranked on a 100-point scorecard built from real visitor reviews, press coverage, history and things to do. We checked nearly 180 Florida farms, groves, ranches and dairies. Only 84 had enough strong reviews to clear our first bar, and about 60 passed every entry test. The 50 best are below, from No. 1 to No. 50.
And not one farm paid a single cent to be here.
The short answer The best farm to visit in Florida in 2026 is Southern Hill Farms in Clermont (79.0 out of 100), followed by Schnebly Redland's Winery in Homestead and Babcock Ranch Eco Tours near Punta Gorda. For winter strawberries, go to Plant City or the Redland. For blueberries, head to Lake and Orange counties in spring. For horses, Ocala is the place. For something truly rare, book a tour of Grimal Grove's breadfruit trees in the Florida Keys, billed as the first and only breadfruit grove in the continental U.S. |
What you'll find in this guide ✅ The top 10 at a glance, plus a map of all 50 farms ✅ Every farm ranked, with why it made the list, what not to miss and when to go ✅ The best farms near Pensacola, Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Gainesville, Orlando, Tampa, Fort Myers and Miami ✅ A month-by-month calendar for strawberries, citrus, blueberries, mangoes, pumpkins and more ✅ Exactly how we scored every farm, so you can check our work ✅ For farm owners: five lessons from the farms at the top |
Why Florida Is America's Winter Farm Stand
Most of the country's farms go quiet in January. Florida's are just getting busy. The state is America's top grower of watermelons and sugarcane, and a top-two grower of oranges, strawberries and tomatoes, according to USDA figures. Florida farms sold $10.2 billion worth of crops and livestock in 2022, from 44,703 farms.
Strawberries alone tell the story. Florida grows about 16,000 acres of them, worth roughly $500 million a year, and the season runs from December to the end of March, according to UF/IFAS. The Florida Strawberry Festival in Plant City started in 1930. In 2026 it drew 573,299 guests in 11 days.
Visitors have noticed the farms, too. The USDA's 2022 Census of Agriculture counted 784 Florida farms earning money from agritourism and recreation. Together they took in $39.9 million. (We ranked the two biggest farm-visit states as well: here are the 50 best farms to visit in Texas and the 50 best farms to visit in California.)
And it's growing fast. Between 2017 and 2022, Florida's agritourism income rose from $27.0 million to $39.9 million, a jump of about 48% before inflation. The number of farms taking part rose from 761 to 784. That's about $50,900 per farm on average. (Our roundup of agritourism statistics shows the same boom across the country.)
There's a harder truth behind the numbers, though. Florida's famous orange groves are disappearing. The state harvested 244 million boxes of oranges in the 1997-98 season. In 2025-26 it harvested about 13 million. The first USDA forecast for 2026-27 is about 10 million boxes, down 23% after the freezes of early 2026. Citrus greening disease, hurricanes and cold snaps have done the damage, and UF/IFAS researchers say Florida loses about 10,000 acres of farmland a year to development.
That's why the groves on this list matter. When you pick a Honeybell at Dooley Groves or ride through the trees at Showcase of Citrus, you're seeing a part of Florida that may not be here for your grandchildren.
The Top 10 Farms to Visit in Florida at a Glance
Short on time? These are the 10 highest scores on our 100-point scorecard. Every farm on this list has at least 4.3 stars on Google from at least 100 reviews, and a story worth the drive.
No. | Farm | Town | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
1 | Southern Hill Farms | Clermont | U-pick blueberries, strawberries and festivals |
2 | Schnebly Redland's Winery | Homestead | Wine made from tropical fruit |
3 | Babcock Ranch Eco Tours | Punta Gorda | A swamp buggy ride through a cattle ranch |
4 | Gypsy Gold Horse Farm | Ocala | Gypsy Vanners at the farm that brought them to America |
5 | Keel Farms | Plant City | Strawberry picking, then cider and wine |
6 | Ocheesee Creamery | Grand Ridge | Milk and ice cream from a Jersey dairy |
7 | Dakin Dairy Farms | Myakka City | A real dairy tour, cow to bottle |
8 | LunaSea Alpaca Farm | Clermont | Hand-feeding alpacas and baby crias |
9 | Knaus Berry Farm | Miami (Redland) | Cinnamon rolls and winter strawberries |
10 | Grimal Grove | Big Pine Key | Breadfruit and rare tropical fruit |
Map of the 50 Best Farms to Visit in Florida
Tap any pin to see the farm's name and rank, then open it in Google Maps for directions and opening hours.
How We Picked and Ranked These Farms
Every farm had to pass three entry tests before it could be scored:
Open to the public and still operating in 2026, with set hours, seasons or bookings, and recent visitor reviews. Seasonal farms are fine. Farms that had closed, changed hands without a clear reopening, or showed no sign of life in 2025-26 were left out.
At least 4.3 stars on Google from 100 or more reviews. This one rule knocked out some famous names.
A real working farm, grove, dairy or ranch. Visitors must see crops or animals being raised. Fun parks with a farm theme, zoos, plant nurseries, wedding barns and roadside stores with no fields to see didn't count.
Farms that passed were scored out of 100 on eight things. Star ratings and the number of reviews come from Google. Press and awards come from newspapers, magazines and TV. "The experience" measures how much there is to do. We also read recent reviews for rising complaints, and weighed each farm's story, value for money and how easy it is to visit.
Then we balanced the list so every part of the state is covered, from Pensacola to the Keys. We kept corn mazes and pumpkin patches to 11 spots and wineries to four, so this stays a farm list. Ratings were checked on October 27, 2026. Ratings change, so we'll recheck this list every six months.
Reality Check: famous isn't the same as good Some of Florida's best-known farm stops didn't make the cut. A few of the most famous are really fruit stands or gift shops, where the fields are somewhere else. Others are fun parks with a farm name, or sit below 4.3 stars with recent complaints about crowds, prices and long lines. And even on our list, one well-known grove (Showcase of Citrus, No. 25) has paused its U-pick so young trees can grow. A big name is not a guarantee. Read the last three months of reviews, and check the farm's own page, before you drive. |
The 50 Best Farms to Visit in Florida, Ranked
No. 1: Southern Hill Farms, Clermont
Score: 79.0/100 · Best for: U-pick blueberries, strawberries and family festivals · When to go: December to May for picking; late September to November for the Fall Festival
This is one of Central Florida's busiest family farms, and it earns it. David and Lisa Hill planted their first blueberries in 2010 on land where they once grew ornamental trees. They opened to the public in 2014. Today the farm covers about 120 acres, with roughly 40 acres of blueberries, 15 of strawberries and 5 of peaches. The family says the third and fourth generations now work the fields.
You can pick something here almost every month from December to May. In spring 2026, U-pick blueberries were $5 a pound and peaches $4, with free entry to the regular U-pick fields. In fall, the farm turns into a festival with pumpkins, rides and a bakery. The 2026 Fall Festival runs September 26 to November 22, at $29.94 plus fees, sold online only. Back in 2020, the festival averaged about 8,000 visitors a day.
What sets it apart is grit. After the 2024 barn fire and the 2026 freeze, the Hills kept going, and local TV crews from FOX 35 and Spectrum News 13 followed the story.
Don't miss: Blueberry season in spring, then a blueberry donut from the farm bakery.
Good to know: Closed Monday to Wednesday. Fall Festival tickets must be bought online in advance.
No. 2: Schnebly Redland's Winery & Brewery, Homestead
Score: 76.8/100 · Best for: Wine made from mangoes, lychees and guavas · When to go: Year-round; November to April is most comfortable
Peter and Denisse Schnebly ran a fruit-packing business in the Redland, south of Miami. Every season they watched good fruit go to waste because it was too odd-looking to sell. In the mid-2000s they started turning it into wine. Today the winery makes lychee, mango, guava, passion fruit and carambola wines, plus craft beer at Miami Brewing Co. on the same grounds.
The winery bills itself as the southernmost winery in the continental U.S. NBC News, Visit Florida and Islands.com have all featured it. In October 2026, a winery tour was $16, a tasting $25, and the tour-and-tasting combo $41.
For farmers, this is one of the best lessons on the list. The Schneblys didn't find a new crop. They found a new product for the crop they already had.
Don't miss: The tour-and-tasting combo, then live music in the garden on a weekend evening.
Good to know: Open Monday to Thursday noon to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. (2026 hours). Weekends get busy.
No. 3: Babcock Ranch Eco Tours, Punta Gorda
Score: 74.8/100 · Best for: A swamp buggy ride through a working cattle ranch · When to go: November to April
Lumber baron E.V. Babcock started buying land in southwest Florida more than a century ago. Part of it became Crescent B Ranch, a working cattle ranch with more than 14,000 acres of pasture, according to Fox 4. In 2006 the State of Florida and Lee County bought about 73,000 acres of the ranch as a preserve.
The 90-minute tour rides through four kinds of Florida country, including Telegraph Cypress Swamp, in an open-air swamp buggy. Visitors regularly spot alligators, deer, wild turkeys and sandhill cranes. The real treat is the ranch's Florida Cracker cattle, a hardy breed that traces back to cattle the Spanish brought to Florida.
Reviews are some of the warmest on this whole list, and guides get named again and again. Groups were still booking tours in May 2026, and a review dated September 2026 shows it running.
Don't miss: Spotting Cracker cattle and alligators on the same ride.
Good to know: Book ahead, and call before you go (1-800-500-5583). The old name, Babcock Wilderness Adventures, still shows up online as closed, but the tours now run as Babcock Ranch Eco Tours.
No. 4: Gypsy Gold Horse Farm, Ocala
Score: 74.3/100 · Best for: Meeting a rare horse breed with the man who brought it to America · When to go: Year-round; tours Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday
In the mid-1990s, Dennis and Cindy Thompson saw a horse in Britain they couldn't forget: the Gypsy Vanner, bred by Romani travelers to pull their wagons. They brought the first ones to the United States. Their 40-acre farm in Ocala is home to a herd of more than 30 Gypsy Vanners.
The two-hour Horses & History Tour is led by Dennis Thompson himself. You hear how a whole breed crossed the Atlantic, then meet the horses up close. In October 2026 the tour was $55 for adults, $45 for seniors and military, and $25 for children aged 2 to 12. A one-hour walking tour costs $30.
Spectrum News featured the farm on its "Florida on a Tankful" series, and its Google reviews are among the best in the state.
Don't miss: The 10 a.m. Horses & History Tour with the founder.
Good to know: Book online ahead; tours start on time. Bring carrots, as reviewers suggest.
No. 5: Keel Farms, Plant City
Score: 74.1/100 · Best for: Picking strawberries, then tasting what they become · When to go: January to March for strawberries; April for the Blueberry Festival; October weekends for Harvest Days
The Keel family grows berries in the Winter Strawberry Capital, and since 2003 it has turned them into wine, cider and beer. The Tampa Bay Times marked the family winery's 20th year in 2023.
In the 2025 season, Keel Farms ran a 25-acre strawberry U-pick field, at $5 per picking container. In April 2026, its 18th Blueberry Festival had free admission every weekend, with $10 parking. Every October weekend in 2026, Harvest Days bring a corn maze, hayrides and pumpkin painting, again with free entry.
After picking, you can eat at the farm restaurant, taste the wines and ciders, or take a behind-the-scenes trolley tour. It's one of the most-reviewed farms on this list, with more than 6,000 Google reviews.
Don't miss: A January strawberry-picking morning followed by a cider tasting.
Good to know: U-pick runs on set dates only, so check the farm's social media first. The tour price isn't posted online; an undated local article put it at about $25.
No. 6: Ocheesee Creamery, Grand Ridge
Score: 72.8/100 · Best for: Milk, butter and ice cream from a family Jersey dairy · When to go: Year-round, weekdays and Saturday mornings
This little creamery on the Calhoun-Jackson county line has a big story. Mary Lou and Paul Wesselhoeft bought the dairy in 1989. About 110 Jersey cows are milked here, on roughly 160 acres, and the family is now in its third generation.
In 2012 the State of Florida told the family it couldn't call its skim milk "skim milk" unless it added vitamins back in, or else labeled it something like "imitation milk." With help from the Institute for Justice, the family sued over the label and won in federal appeals court in 2017. Tallahassee Magazine told the story in 2024.
You can buy cream-top milk, chocolate milk, butter, cheese and ice cream at the shop, about 200 yards from the milking barn. Back in 2010, 850 Business Magazine reported that shoppers could watch the milk being bottled. Reviewers rave about the ice cream and the prices.
Don't miss: A scoop of ice cream and a bottle of the famous skim milk.
Good to know: The farm's old website no longer works, so call ahead to check hours (850-674-1573). Google lists the shop as closed on Sundays.
No. 7: Dakin Dairy Farms, Myakka City
Score: 71.7/100 · Best for: A real dairy tour, from cow to bottle · When to go: Year-round (closed Sundays); October for the Harvest Festival
The Dakin family says it has milked cows in Manatee County since 1973. In 2024, four brothers, Jason, Garrett, Grant and Ethan, bought the farm from their uncle Jerry. The Sarasota Observer reported in 2025 that the farm milks about 1,200 Holsteins on a 350-acre complex. The family says it is the only dairy in Florida open to the public.
The tour takes you through the free-stall barns, the milking parlor and the plant where milk is bottled and cheese is made. You taste the milk, shake cream into butter and meet the calves. The farm's market, café and playground are open without a tour. The 2026 Harvest Festival ran over two October weekends at $20 a person.
This is a farm that has been through hard times. It lost about 250 cows in Hurricane Ian in 2022 and was listed for sale in 2023 before the nephews stepped in. Today it's thriving.
Don't miss: The butter-shaking stop at the end of the tour, then a milkshake at the café.
Good to know: Call for current tour prices (941-322-2802); a homeschool group paid $12 a person in 2024.
No. 8: LunaSea Alpaca Farm, Clermont
Score: 71.6/100 · Best for: Hand-feeding alpacas and holding a baby cria · When to go: Year-round, by reservation
King and Lucy Lee Fowler keep more than 35 Suri alpacas and five llamas on five acres in the Clermont hills. It's a registered agritourism farm, with a nursery where you can meet newborn crias.
Tours are small and personal. You hand-feed the herd, learn how alpaca fiber is used, and may get to hold a baby. The farm also runs alpaca yoga and painting classes. Spectrum News 13 reported tour prices of $20 for ages 12 and up and $10 for ages 3 to 11 in July 2024. Lake & Sumter Style featured the farm again in April 2026.
Don't miss: Time in the cria nursery.
Good to know: Reservation only (352-223-9457). Confirm the current price when you book.
No. 9: Knaus Berry Farm, Miami (Redland)
Score: 70.6/100 · Best for: Cinnamon rolls, milkshakes and winter strawberries · When to go: Mid-October to April; U-pick from about Christmas
In 1956, brothers Ray and Russell Knaus started selling strawberries from a roadside stand in the Redland. Ray's wife, Barbara, created the cinnamon roll recipe that made the farm famous. Seventy years later, people still line up before sunrise.
The farm changed hands in 2025. A local investor group bought it, the Knaus family stayed on as consultants, and the farm moved a few miles to 16790 SW 177th Ave, Miami. For 2026-27, it opened on October 13, two months earlier than the year before. In the 2026-27 season, cinnamon rolls are $2 each or $1.45 each by the dozen, with a limit of four dozen per person. U-pick strawberries are expected back around Christmas, from about 25,000 plants grown with Accursio Farms.
WLRN, the Miami Herald, WSVN 7News and Visit Florida have all covered Knaus. The one complaint in recent reviews is the wait, which can stretch for hours.
Don't miss: A warm cinnamon roll and a fresh strawberry milkshake, then the U-pick field once it opens.
Good to know: Open Tuesday to Sunday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Go on a weekday, early. The old website may still show the former address.
No. 10: Grimal Grove, Big Pine Key
Score: 69.7/100 · Best for: Breadfruit and rare tropical fruit you've never tasted · When to go: Year-round tours; summer for the most fruit
In 1955, Adolf Grimal, a reclusive inventor and fruit hunter, bought a rocky lot on Big Pine Key. He reshaped it by hand into a two-acre jungle of rare fruit trees. After he died, the grove was abandoned. Around 2011, Patrick Garvey and a team of volunteers began bringing it back, and it reopened in 2013.
Hurricane Irma killed about half of the original trees in 2017. The breadfruit trees were fruiting again about 15 months later. Today the grove has more than 30 breadfruit trees. The Florida Keys tourism council calls it the first and only breadfruit grove in the continental United States, and WLRN covered it in July 2026.
The 75- to 90-minute guided tour ends with a tasting of fruit prepared on site. The grove also hosts farm dinners.
Don't miss: The tasting, including breadfruit cooked the way it's eaten in the tropics.
Good to know: Book tours online ahead. A ticket reseller listed the regular tour price at $20 in October 2026.
No. 11: ECHO Global Farm, North Fort Myers
Score: 69.0/100 · Best for: Seeing how food grows around the world · When to go: Year-round; January to April is busiest
ECHO has helped small farmers in poor countries grow more food since 1981. Its farm in North Fort Myers is where it tests the ideas. The 57-acre campus has zones that copy tropical climates from around the world, a garden that grows food with little or no soil, and a village showing simple tools farmers can build themselves. ECHO says it holds one of the largest collections of tropical food plants in the United States.
The guided Global Farm Tour runs Tuesday to Saturday at 9:30 a.m. and takes about two hours. In 2026 it cost $16 for adults, $14 for seniors and veterans, $10 for ages 6 to 17, or $40 for a family.
Don't miss: The Urban Garden, then the nursery, where you can buy tropical fruit trees to take home.
Good to know: Arrive about 20 minutes early. Groups of 10 or more must book ahead.
No. 12: Tom West Blueberries, Ocoee
Score: 68.9/100 · Best for: U-pick blueberries 20 minutes from downtown Orlando · When to go: March to May
Tom West started his farm business in 1954, growing citrus west of Orlando. Freezes later wiped out the groves, and in 2010 the family switched to blueberries. U-pick opened in 2012, and four generations have been involved.
The Orlando Avenue farm has about 22,000 blueberry plants, and the family has planted thousands more nearby. In season you pick into a bucket, borrow a little blue wagon, and take a free boat ride on weekends. The blueberry muffins and popsicles are a hit.
Don't miss: A blueberry muffin or popsicle after picking.
Good to know: The 2026 season has closed; the farm plans to reopen in March 2027. U-pick was $5 a pound in 2024.
No. 13: Farm Tours of Ocala, Ocala
Score: 68.3/100 · Best for: Getting behind the fences of the Horse Capital of the World · When to go: Year-round; spring for foals
Ocala's horse farms are famous, but most of them are private. Karen Grimes, who settled in Ocala in 1990, started this tour company after the 2007 real estate crash, with one van and a lot of horse knowledge.
The 3.5-hour tour visits three working horse farms. Depending on the season, you may see foals, racehorses training on the track and stallions, then meet a retired champion. In October 2026 it started at $65 a person, with a minimum of three guests. Strictly speaking, this is a tour company, not one farm, but every stop is a real working farm, so it earns its place.
Don't miss: Watching young racehorses gallop on the training track.
Good to know: Spots are limited to about 11 per tour, so book well ahead.
No. 14: Congaree and Penn, Jacksonville
Score: 67.5/100 · Best for: Orchards, farm dinners and a night in a farm bungalow · When to go: June for blackberries; late September to October for pumpkins; winter for oyster events
Scott and Lindsay Meyer started this farm in 2014 with about four acres of rice, a crop the region grew a century ago. It has grown to about 300 acres on Jacksonville's Northside, with one of the largest mayhaw orchards anywhere (the farm says it's the largest), goats, horses, bees and a farm-to-table restaurant called The Roost.
You buy a farm pass to wander the orchards and meet the animals. In June 2024 it was $10, or $5 for diners. You can pick blackberries and wildflowers in season, visit the pumpkin patch in fall, and stay overnight in a bungalow, two of them dog-friendly. We wrote a full Congaree and Penn case study on how the farm makes its money.
Don't miss: The mayhaw orchard, then mayhaw jelly or a hard cider.
Good to know: Closed Monday and Tuesday. U-pick days are limited, so check the calendar.
No. 15: Beasley Farm, Brooksville
Score: 67.5/100 · Best for: A free farm festival with flowers to pick · When to go: October weekends; spring for sunflowers
Woody and Joann Beasley run this Hernando County farm, and four generations of the family work the land. It's one of the simplest farms on our list, and visitors love it for that. Its Google rating is 4.9 stars from more than 700 reviews.
In October 2026, the fall festival with a 3-acre corn maze, U-pick flowers, a petting zoo and a pumpkin patch had free entry and free parking. The rest of the year, the produce barn and monthly farmers market sell vegetables grown right there. Reviewers single out the farm's produce boxes as a bargain.
Don't miss: Picking your own flowers, then a box of fresh vegetables.
Good to know: Bring some cash for vendors, just in case. The farm posts updates on Facebook only.
No. 16: Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards, Clermont
Score: 67.4/100 · Best for: Free tours and tastings among the muscadine vines · When to go: Year-round; August for the Harvest Festival and grape stomp
Lakeridge opened in 1989 on a 127-acre estate in the hills of Lake County. It grows muscadine grapes, Florida's native grape, and calls itself Florida's largest winery. Its sister vineyard in the Panhandle adds 450 more acres.
Tours and tastings are free, seven days a week. You watch a short film, walk past the production rooms and taste a run of wines. In August, the Harvest Festival and grape stomp cost $10 for adults in 2026, with tasting included.
Don't miss: The August grape stomp.
Good to know: The last tour starts at 4 p.m. Parking is free.
No. 17: Fancy Farms, Plant City
Score: 67.3/100 · Best for: Strawberries, flower picking and strawberry shortcake · When to go: December to April for strawberries; May to June for flowers
Carl Grooms planted 15 acres of strawberries with his wife, Dee Dee, in 1974. The family now farms nearly 140 acres and grew its 53rd strawberry crop in 2026. Son Dustin joined the farm in 2007, and daughter Kristi runs the market, which opened in 2020.
After berry season, about 12 acres turn into zinnia and sunflower fields you can pick. In the 2024 season, flower field entry was $2, with cups of flowers from $5. The market serves lunch and strawberry desserts that reviewers can't stop talking about. Central Florida Ag News profiled the family in March 2026.
Don't miss: Strawberry shortcake or a strawberry milkshake after picking.
Good to know: The market is open October to June, Monday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. It sits just outside Lakeland; the strawberry fields are in Plant City. Check social media for U-pick dates and which field is open.
No. 18: Dudley Farm Historic State Park, Newberry
Score: 66.4/100 · Best for: A real 1800s Florida farm, still worked the old way · When to go: Year-round, Wednesday to Sunday; early December for the Cane Festival
P.B.H. Dudley Sr. bought this land in 1859, and three generations of his family farmed it. Myrtle Dudley, the youngest of 12 children, made sure it was saved for the public. Today it's a National Historic Landmark, with 18 restored buildings from the 1880s to the 1930s on 327 acres.
Rangers in period clothing keep the farm running. You'll see Florida Cracker cattle, horses, bronze turkeys and heritage chickens, and in the fall the family's mule-powered cane mill grinds sugarcane into syrup. In 2026, entry was just $5 per vehicle.
Don't miss: The Fall Farm and Cane Festival, usually in early December, when cane is ground and syrup boiled.
Good to know: Closed Monday and Tuesday. The farmstead closes at 4 p.m. Bring exact change for the honor box.
No. 19: Bedner's Farm Fresh Market, Boynton Beach
Score: 66.1/100 · Best for: Picking strawberries, vegetables and sunflowers beside a wildlife refuge · When to go: October for the Fall Festival; December to April for strawberries
Arthur and Henrietta Bedner moved from Pennsylvania to South Florida in the early 1950s. Today the fifth generation farms 80 acres west of Boynton Beach, right next to the Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge. While you pick, you may spot wood storks and spoonbills.
U-pick began in 2010 with strawberries. It has grown to tomatoes, peppers, cucumbers and sunflowers. The fall festival can draw up to 9,000 visitors on a single Saturday. In 2026 it ran from October 3 to November 1 at $19.99 on weekdays and $24.99 on weekends. Outside the festival, entry to the farm is free.
Don't miss: Strawberries and sunflowers on a winter weekday morning.
Good to know: U-pick is closed on Tuesdays and through the summer. The markets are open all year.
No. 20: Island Grove Wine Company, Hawthorne
Score: 65.2/100 · Best for: Blueberry wine from a working blueberry farm · When to go: Year-round; April to May for the blueberry harvest
Island Grove Ag Products has grown blueberries for more than 35 years, on about 200 acres. In 2010 it found a use for berries that weren't pretty enough to sell fresh: it started making wine from them. Its blueberry wines are made from 100% blueberries, with no grape juice.
That idea paid off. In 2023 it won Florida's Agricultural-Environmental Leadership Award, presented by Agriculture Commissioner Wilton Simpson, for its organic growing and water-saving drip irrigation. The tasting house sits just minutes from the blueberry fields.
Don't miss: A side-by-side tasting of the dry blueberry wine and the blueberry moscato.
Good to know: Call ahead to ask about tours of the blueberry fields (352-481-9463).
No. 21: Southern Grace Lavender Farm, Southport
Score: 65.1/100 · Best for: Lavender fields and an owner-led tour · When to go: Spring and early summer for blooms; check the farm's hours
People told Jason and Kari Leabo that lavender wouldn't grow in Florida's heat. Jason, a veteran of 11 years in the Air Force and 11 in the Army Reserve, planted it anyway. WJHG-TV called it the first lavender farm in Florida. In 2019 the couple had 1,240 plants on a quarter acre, and they distill their own oil in a copper still.
Visitors meet the owners, walk the rows and learn how lavender is grown and distilled. The shop sells oils, creams, candles, syrups and lavender toffee. RV travelers can stay overnight through Harvest Hosts, and reviewers call it one of their favorite stops anywhere. Its Google rating is a perfect 5.0.
Don't miss: The tour with Jason, then the lavender toffee.
Good to know: Hours are limited and vary, so check the farm's own page before you drive.
No. 22: Holland Farms, Milton
Score: 64.7/100 · Best for: A pumpkin patch and corn maze on a 150-year-old farm · When to go: Late September to early November
The Holland family has farmed this land since the 1870s. It covers 600 acres, and it still grows cotton, green peanuts, watermelons, sunflowers and pumpkins. Bruce Holland took over in the early 1970s, and his son BJ now works it with him. The farm has come through Hurricanes Ivan and Dennis, and Bruce told WEAR-TV he can't see himself "ever throwing in the towel."
In fall the farm opens a corn maze, pumpkin patch, sunflower and zinnia fields, hay and train rides, a zipline and a giant slide. The 2026 season runs September 26 to November 1, at $16.64 a person or $18.72 with a pumpkin.
Don't miss: The sunflower and zinnia fields, then the corn maze.
Good to know: Everyone aged 3 and up needs a ticket. Pony rides and food trucks run on weekends and cost extra. The military discount is sold at the gate only. The farm closed briefly after an October 2026 storm, so check its page before you go.
No. 23: Sweet Season Farms, Milton
Score: 63.4/100 · Best for: A giant corn maze cut into a working field · When to go: Late September to early November, weekends
Trent Mathews, a fourth-generation farmer and former USDA conservationist, started Sweet Season Farms in 2008 to show town families how farming works. His home farm runs to about 900 acres with a cattle herd. The festival grounds have grown to 43 acres, with a bakery and commercial kitchen.
The corn maze covers more than 8 acres inside a working corn and sunflower field. There's a trivia passport to play through the maze, a cow train, a jumping pillow and an animal barn. In 2023 its maze honored Reba McEntire. The 2026 season, its 18th, runs September 26 to November 8, on Saturdays and Sundays only.
Don't miss: The trivia passport game in the big maze, then a treat from the red barn bakery.
Good to know: Closed on weekdays. Pumpkins aren't included with admission. Check the farm's page for storm closures in October.
No. 24: Hot Tropic Fruit Farm, St. James City (Pine Island)
Score: 62.8/100 · Best for: Picking mangoes and lychees straight from the tree · When to go: Mid-May to September
Charlie and Bach Ho opened this 14-acre fruit farm on Pine Island in 2021. It has about 1,500 fruit trees, including 45 kinds of mango and roughly 500 lychee trees, plus longan, jackfruit, sapodilla, soursop and star fruit.
A one-hour guided tour in a golf cart lets you taste fruit and pick your own in season. On the farm's listing for its 2025 and 2026 seasons, tours were $25 for adults and $10 for children aged 3 to 9. Afterward, Bach's market serves Vietnamese street food, fresh sugarcane juice and mango ice cream. Reviewers say the banh mi alone is worth the trip.
Don't miss: Mango picking in July, then sugarcane juice pressed in front of you.
Good to know: Open in summer only; it's closed now until next May. Tours take 2 to 6 people, so book ahead.
No. 25: Showcase of Citrus, Clermont
Score: 62.1/100 · Best for: A monster-truck ride through the orange groves · When to go: Year-round; November to May is best
This family-owned citrus estate has grown Florida citrus since 1989. You climb into a lifted monster truck and bounce through the groves and woods, past cattle, zebras and camels. Leftover rind and pulp from the oranges go to feed the cattle, so nothing is wasted.
In 2026, the monster truck tour was $29 for ages 13 and up, $15 for ages 4 to 12 and $15 for military and veterans. The country store sells fresh juice and citrus slushies. Spectrum News has featured it on "Florida on a Tankful" more than once.
Don't miss: The monster truck grove tour, with a citrus slushy after.
Good to know: U-pick citrus is paused while young trees grow, so don't plan on picking. Wear closed-toe shoes. Pets are welcome. Open daily, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.
No. 26: Far Reach Ranch, Tavares
Score: 61.9/100 · Best for: Lakeside blueberry picking · When to go: April to early May
The Hamill family started this land on the shore of Lake Dora in 1947 as a cattle ranch and orange grove. The property covers about 1,500 acres, with roughly 40 acres in crops. Today it grows more than 200,000 pounds of blueberries a year.
The 2026 U-pick season opened on April 4, at $6 a pound to pick your own or $7 a pound pre-picked. On spring Sundays there's a vinyl brunch with live music, and the farm sells honey and jams. In fall, part of the property becomes the Fear Reach Scream Park, now run by a nonprofit arts group.
Don't miss: A Sunday morning of picking, then brunch by the lake.
Good to know: U-pick runs Wednesday to Sunday in season, and the season usually ends around Mother's Day.
No. 27: Smiley Honey, Wewahitchka
Score: 61.5/100 · Best for: Tasting rare tupelo honey where it's made · When to go: Year-round on weekdays; May for the Tupelo Honey Festival
Wewahitchka sits in the swamps of the Apalachicola River, home of the white tupelo tree. The tree blooms for only two to three weeks a year, and the honey bees make from it is prized because it's so smooth. The 1997 film "Ulee's Gold" made the town's tupelo honey famous.
At Smiley Honey, admission is free. You can taste a flight of honeys, from tupelo to orange blossom and blackberry, and watch honey being bottled. In October 2026, a 16-ounce glass jar of tupelo was $23.50 online. Reviewers say they've been buying here for more than 20 years.
Don't miss: A tasting flight that puts tupelo next to the other honeys.
Good to know: Open weekdays only; hours vary by source, so call ahead (850-639-5672). Pair a visit with the Tupelo Honey Festival, held in Wewahitchka on the third Saturday of May.
No. 28: Sweetfields Farm, Masaryktown
Score: 61.5/100 · Best for: A sunflower maze in spring and a corn maze in fall · When to go: Late April to May for sunflowers; late September to early November for fall
Ted and Lisa Kessel's family farm north of Tampa has grown its fields with organic methods for more than 16 years. In 2025 its spring sunflower maze covered 5.5 acres, with nearly a million sunflowers.
In fall the farm becomes a corn maze and pumpkin patch, with hayrides, a duck race and farm animals. The 2026 fall season runs September 26 to November 8. Tickets were $11.95 online plus fees, or $14 at the farm. That makes it one of the best-value farm days on this list. Spectrum Bay News 9 has covered its sunflower season twice.
Don't miss: The spring sunflower maze.
Good to know: No pets. Buy fall tickets ahead, as popular days sell out.
No. 29: Conner's A-Maize-Ing Acres, Hilliard
Score: 60.8/100 · Best for: A corn maze with a comeback story · When to go: October to mid-November
Parts of the Conner family's land in Nassau County have been in the family since before the Civil War, and a 175-year-old farmhouse still stands. For years, Eddie Conner raised about 400,000 chickens a year for Tyson Foods. When Tyson left Northeast Florida, that income disappeared.
His daughter Amanda suggested a corn maze. Eddie's first reaction: no one would pay to walk in a cornfield. He was wrong. By 2015 the seven-week season was drawing more than 20,000 visitors, and an old 500-foot chicken house is now the activity barn. In 2026, admission was $22.95 online for ages 2 and up, and veterans and active military get in free with ID.
Don't miss: The rare-breed animals in the petting barn.
Good to know: Closed Sundays and Mondays. The 2026 schedule includes Friday evenings and Saturdays in October.
No. 30: Aunt Louise's Farm, Monticello
Score: 60.3/100 · Best for: Young kids, farm animals and a sunflower field · When to go: Fall Farm Days (October to mid-November); Spring Farm Days (April to May)
Louise Jones grew up on this land, her father's family farm, near Monticello. About 20 years ago, she and her husband Bob bought a goat. Then another, then chickens. Today their farm is home to alpacas, goats, Highland cows, zebu and emus, and their five sons help run it.
On Farm Days you ride the wagon and barrel train, feed the animals, run the corn maze and walk the sunflower field. In 2026, Fall Farm Days run October 3 to November 15, at $15 a person, with under-3s free. The family cleaned up after Hurricane Helene damaged an animal building in 2024 and opened on time.
Don't miss: The sunflower field in season.
Good to know: Open Saturdays and Sunday afternoons on Farm Days. No dogs.
No. 31: Rooney's Front Porch Farm, Live Oak
Score: 59.4/100 · Best for: Big blueberries and thornless blackberries in early summer · When to go: From about June 1
Scott and Billie Rooney grow rabbiteye blueberries and thornless blackberries in the Suwannee Valley. They farm smart: they plant sunflowers and triticale as "trap crops" to lure stink bugs away from the berries, and put up bird boxes to cut down on spraying.
Reviewers love the wide, mowed rows and the size of the berries. There are farm animals to visit, a shady picnic area and homemade jams. The farm thanked customers for the 2026 crop and plans to reopen in June 2027.
Don't miss: The thornless blackberries, with no scratched arms.
Good to know: No cards; bring cash, a check, or use Cash App, Venmo or Zelle.
No. 32: Amber Brooke Farms, Eustis
Score: 58.3/100 · Best for: The widest mix of U-pick crops near Orlando · When to go: February for strawberries; April for blueberries; May for sunflowers; fall for the festival
This Lake County farm runs on more than 55 acres and lets you pick seven crops through the year: strawberries, blueberries, sweet corn, peaches, sunflowers, zinnias and pumpkins. There's a festival almost every season, from February's Strawberry Festival to a fall festival that runs into late November.
In February 2026, U-pick strawberries were $4.95 a pound. The 2026 Fall Festival started at $19.95 before fees, with $3 off online. After a storm damaged its fields in October 2025, the farm replanted and reopened.
Don't miss: Spring peaches and fresh sweet corn.
Good to know: Don't confuse it with the former Amber Brooke farm in Williston, which closed to the public in 2025.
No. 33: Schacht Groves, Vero Beach
Score: 57.4/100 · Best for: Picking Indian River citrus on a 1950 grove · When to go: November to March
Henry H. Schacht, a traveling salesman, started this grove in 1950 on 50 acres. Three generations later, the family still grows Indian River citrus, the fruit Florida's east coast is famous for.
U-pick returns in November 2026. The grove runs guided tours one Monday a month from November to March, plus a Fall Festival on November 14 ($10 per car), a Holiday Festival on December 5 and a Honeybell Festival on January 23. The market sells fresh juice, ice cream and citrus to ship.
Don't miss: A guided grove tour, then picking your own oranges.
Good to know: Hours change when the season starts, so check before you go.
No. 34: Ananda Farm, Terra Ceia
Score: 56.9/100 · Best for: Flower picking and a chef-run farm kitchen · When to go: Late September to November; spring for flowers
Four longtime friends founded this 40-acre farm on an old palm nursery near Bradenton. "Ananda" means happiness in Sanskrit. It's turning into a tropical fruit farm, with mango, avocado and dragon fruit, and its kitchen is run by a Michelin-trained chef.
The 2024 hurricanes destroyed about two-thirds of the newly planted mango, according to Bay News 9. The farm reopened in fall 2025 with full fields. Today you can fill a bucket of flowers ($25, with $15 refills, in 2026), wander a sun hemp or corn maze, climb a giant treehouse and eat wood-fired pizza. The 2026 Fall Festival runs to November 1.
Don't miss: Picking a bucket of flowers, then dinner from the farm kitchen.
Good to know: Open Friday to Sunday. Cashless, and no pets.
No. 35: Blu By U Blueberry Farm, Jacksonville
Score: 55.9/100 · Best for: Easy blueberry picking close to Jacksonville · When to go: Late April to early June
Founded in 2016 and once known as Veterans Farm, Blu By U grows its blueberries with natural methods. The season opens in late April and lasts about six weeks.
Besides the berries, there's a petting zoo, a butterfly house, a big sandbox and a small store with honey and soaps. Reviewers say the rows are well kept and the staff friendly.
Don't miss: The butterfly house and petting zoo after picking.
Good to know: Open only certain days in season, so check the farm's Facebook page before you go.
No. 36: Beck Brothers Blueberries, Windermere
Score: 55.6/100 · Best for: Quiet, cheap blueberry picking near Disney · When to go: Mid-April to May
The Beck family's land in Windermere once held orange groves and cattle. Now it grows blueberries, and it has opened for U-pick every spring since about 2011.
The 2026 season opened on April 9. A full bucket was $25, a large clamshell $14 and a pint $4, cash only. Reviewers love the mowed grass rows and how easy it is to pick, even with a walker. It's a peaceful break from the theme parks just down the road.
Don't miss: The bucket deal, if you're freezing berries for the year.
Good to know: Cash only. Entry is free.
No. 37: Cannon Farms, Dunnellon
Score: 55.1/100 · Best for: Pumpkins off the vine and spring sunflowers · When to go: May to June for flowers and sweet corn; mid-September to November for pumpkins
Five generations of this Marion County family have worked the land. Cannon Farms grows its own pumpkins, so you can cut one straight off the vine. In spring, its sunflower and zinnia fields bloom and the farm stand sells sweet corn and cantaloupe.
The 2026 fall season opened September 18. There are wagon rides, goats and calves to meet, a play area and food trucks. Prices are posted at the patch entrance and on the farm's social media.
Don't miss: Filling a mason jar with flowers in spring.
Good to know: Closed Mondays. Use the farm's newer website, cannonfarms.net.
No. 38: Blueberry Bunch Farm, LaBelle
Score: 54.6/100 · Best for: Blueberry picking at what's billed as Florida's southernmost blueberry farm · When to go: March to early May
This family-owned farm in Hendry County grows about 50,000 blueberry bushes on 40 acres, and calls itself Florida's southernmost blueberry farm. Hurricane Ian destroyed thousands of its plants in 2022. The family replanted with hardier varieties, and Fox 4 covered the comeback.
In spring 2025, U-pick was $7 a pound or $30 for a full bucket, with free entry. The rows are easy to pick, and the blueberry popsicles and lemonade are a hit with kids.
Don't miss: A blueberry popsicle or lemonade after picking.
Good to know: In 2026 the farm opened Tuesday to Sunday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., until May 10.
No. 39: The Berry Farm, Miami (Redland)
Score: 53.9/100 · Best for: A full farm day out minutes from Miami · When to go: December to March for strawberries; mid-September to mid-November for the Harvest Festival
This family-owned farm in the Redland grows strawberries, tomatoes, sunflowers and flowers on about 40 acres. You can pick your own, feed the Scottish Highland cows, and in fall get lost in a 5-acre corn maze.
The 2026 Harvest Festival runs to November 15, at $17 for adults and $14 for kids, and the Winter Festival starts November 27. The strawberry soft-serve is a must. It's busy and full of extras, which is why it sits lower than Knaus on our list, but families keep coming back.
Don't miss: Strawberry soft serve after picking.
Good to know: Go on a weekday for a calmer visit.
No. 40: Sykes Family Farms, Elkton
Score: 53.8/100 · Best for: A 9-acre maze near St. Augustine · When to go: October to early November
The Sykes family has farmed near Elkton, in St. Johns County's potato country, for more than 50 years. Since 2010 it has opened its fields every fall. The 9-acre maze is grown from sorghum, not corn, and comes in four levels from easy to hard.
The 2026 maze runs Fridays to Sundays, October 3 to November 1. Admission is $16.99 plus fees, and almost everything is included: hayrides, a kiddie cow train, duck races, bounce pads and slides. U-pick flowers are $2 a stem. Reviewers like that they aren't "nickel and dimed."
Don't miss: The hayride after you finally find your way out of the maze.
Good to know: Food is cash only, and there's an ATM on site.
No. 41: HNH Blueberry Farm, Palatka
Score: 53.1/100 · Best for: Weekend blueberry picking near the St. Johns River · When to go: Mid-April to May
This family blueberry farm in Bostwick, about an hour south of Jacksonville, is simple: buckets, rows of well-kept bushes and big, sweet berries. Reviewers say the owners even hold back picking before Mother's Day so families have berries to pick.
In the 2025 season, U-pick was $5.25 a pound in cash or $5.75 by card. It's usually open on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons in season.
Don't miss: Saturday morning picking before the heat.
Good to know: Check the farm's Facebook page for opening days.
No. 42: Berry Sweet Acres, Plant City
Score: 52.3/100 · Best for: Picking strawberries from a commercial grower's own fields · When to go: January to March
Matt Parke is a fourth-generation strawberry farmer from Dover who also runs Parkesdale Farms, and he and his wife Kandice opened about four acres of their commercial fields to pickers in December 2023. Spectrum Bay News 9 visited in March 2026, in his third season of U-pick.
Besides strawberries, you'll find vegetables, zinnias and sunflowers to pick, a "Barntique" shop and farm animals for the kids. Reviewers say it's calmer than the festival crowds in Plant City.
Don't miss: A weekday morning in the strawberry rows in January.
Good to know: Closed Monday and Tuesday, and first come, first served until the fields are picked out. The farm says it reopens in December 2026.
No. 43: Abshier Farms, Belleview
Score: 51.9/100 · Best for: Blueberries and blackberries in horse country · When to go: April to late May
This Marion County farm grows several blueberry varieties, including Primadonna, Emerald and Sweet Crisp, plus blackberries. Reviewers mention long rows of bushes loaded with fruit.
You can buy jam and blueberry plants to take home, and there are picnic tables under the trees. It's a good spring add-on to a horse-farm day in Ocala.
Don't miss: Taking home a blueberry bush for your own garden.
Good to know: Hours vary between sources, so check before you drive.
No. 44: Amazing Grace Family Farms, Green Cove Springs
Score: 51.2/100 · Best for: The Jacksonville Pumpkin Festival · When to go: October; May for sunflowers
Justin and Kelly Mosley both grew up on small Florida farms. In 2010 they won the Florida Farm Bureau's young farmer award, and in 2013 they cut their first crop maze. Then a highway project forced them to move the whole farm. They rebuilt at a new site in 2022.
Their maze is planted in sorghum, and each year's design honors a local cause. The 2026 festival runs through October 31, at $17.95 online plus a small fee or $24.95 at the gate. There's a cow train, a corn crib, a pumpkin patch and sunflower and zinnia fields.
Don't miss: The spring sunflower fields, if you can't make it in fall.
Good to know: Closed Sundays. Buy tickets online to save $5.
No. 45: Great Scott Farms, Mount Dora
Score: 50.8/100 · Best for: Zellwood sweet corn and a classic corn maze · When to go: Late September to mid-November for the maze; spring for sweet corn
Billy Long was already growing sweet corn in Zellwood when, in 1963, his childhood friend Frank Scott moved his family's vegetable farm there from Virginia's Eastern Shore. Long & Scott Farms grew to about 1,200 acres, and in 2001 it trademarked Scott's Zellwood Triple-Sweet Gourmet Corn. The fourth generation runs it now.
The fall festival and corn maze has run for more than 20 years. In 2026 it runs September 26 to November 15, at $18 a person. In spring, the Country Market sells corn picked that morning, and the farm hosts cooking classes.
Don't miss: A bag of fresh Zellwood sweet corn in spring.
Good to know: Buy maze tickets in advance.
No. 46: Hunsader Farms, Bradenton
Score: 50.2/100 · Best for: A pumpkin festival in its 35th year on a real vegetable farm · When to go: December to April for strawberries; October for the Pumpkin Festival
In 1967, Jim, Paul and Robert Hunsader sold their Wisconsin dairy farm and moved to Bradenton, clearing about 80 acres by hand. In 1990, the next generation opened it up as "the public's farm." Today Rachel Hunsader, the third generation, manages it, and the festival draws tens of thousands of visitors a year.
The 2026 Pumpkin Festival, its 35th, lost its opening weekend to flooding but ran its remaining October weekends. In 2026, admission was $15 for ages 10 and up and $5 for ages 5 to 9, plus $5 cash parking. The farm market is open from September to early June, with U-pick strawberries in winter and, in 2026, flowers at $8 a cup.
Don't miss: The Butterfly Experience at the Pumpkin Festival.
Good to know: Call the U-pick hotline before you go (941-331-1212). It's a working farm rather than a theme park, so expect a simple, old-school festival.
No. 47: Dooley Groves, Ruskin
Score: 49.6/100 · Best for: Picking Honeybells, one of Florida's sweetest citrus fruits · When to go: November to April; January to March for Honeybells
In 1967, Julius and Edith Houghtaling started letting people pick citrus from their grove, selling from their carport. The "Dooley" name came from Julius's little sister, who couldn't pronounce his name as a child. Their grandson Mike and his wife run it today.
The grove has about 6,500 Honeybell trees, and Authentic Florida calls it Florida's largest Honeybell U-pick. You can also pick tangerines, oranges, grapefruit and lemons, then buy fresh-squeezed juice and honey in the market.
Don't miss: Honeybells straight off the tree in January or February.
Good to know: Check the grove's Facebook page for hours and prices.
No. 48: Farmer Mike's U-Pick, Bonita Springs
Score: 49.0/100 · Best for: Strawberries in winter and a haunted corn maze in fall · When to go: November to May for U-pick; October weekends for Fall Fest
Michael Clevenger Jr.'s vegetable farm is one of the few places left in fast-growing Lee and Collier counties where you can pick your own. In season you'll find strawberries, tomatoes, sunflowers and flowers.
The 2026 Fall Fest, its 12th, runs Friday to Sunday in October, with a corn maze (haunted at night), hayrides and pumpkins to pick. The farm also runs a café, a CSA box and field trips. In 2024, U-pick strawberries at the farm's Fort Myers field were $3 a pound.
Don't miss: The daytime corn maze with the kids.
Good to know: After heavy rain the paths get muddy, so wear old shoes.
No. 49: Partin Ranch Corn Maze, Kenansville
Score: 48.4/100 · Best for: A corn maze on a working cattle ranch · When to go: Weekends from mid-October to early November
Partin Ranch is a working cattle ranch on the open prairie of Osceola County. In October it opens a 5-acre corn maze, a pumpkin patch and a hayride that stops so kids can feed the Brahman cattle.
Reviewers mention the wide-open spaces, a ride on a combine, cider donuts and discounts for first responders and military. Spectrum News 13 covered the maze back in 2015, and Around Osceola reported its return for the 2026 season.
Don't miss: Feeding the Brahman cows from the hayride.
Good to know: In 2026 the maze runs weekends only, October 10 to November 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
No. 50: Wesley Wells Farm, St. Augustine
Score: 46.9/100 · Best for: Picking something almost year-round · When to go: February to April for strawberries; September to October for pumpkins and the crop maze
The Wells family has farmed this land since 1959. Wesley Wells grows 10 acres of strawberries, plus sunflowers, tomatoes, vegetables and pumpkins, and keeps farm animals for visitors to meet.
On the night of January 31, 2026, a freeze destroyed the farm's strawberry crop, a potential loss of about $100,000, just a week before its first-ever Strawberry Festival. Instead of cancelling, the family arranged for strawberries from South Florida growers and kept the festival on the calendar. That's the spirit that put this farm on the list.
Don't miss: The Sunflower and Tomato Soirée or the fall Pumpkin Festival.
Good to know: Check the farm's events page for U-pick days. Some listings say cash only.
The Best Farms to Visit Near You in Florida
Florida is a long state. Pensacola and Key West are more than 800 miles apart by road. Here are the ranked farms grouped by region, so you can plan a day trip.
Panhandle (Pensacola, Panama City, Tallahassee): Ocheesee Creamery (No. 6), Southern Grace Lavender Farm (No. 21), Holland Farms (No. 22), Sweet Season Farms (No. 23), Smiley Honey (No. 27), Aunt Louise's Farm (No. 30).
North Central Florida (Gainesville, Ocala, Suwannee Valley): Gypsy Gold Horse Farm (No. 4), Farm Tours of Ocala (No. 13), Dudley Farm (No. 18), Island Grove Wine Company (No. 20), Rooney's Front Porch Farm (No. 31), Cannon Farms (No. 37), Abshier Farms (No. 43).
Northeast Florida (Jacksonville, St. Augustine, Palatka): Congaree and Penn (No. 14), Conner's A-Maize-Ing Acres (No. 29), Blu By U (No. 35), Sykes Family Farms (No. 40), HNH Blueberry Farm (No. 41), Amazing Grace Family Farms (No. 44), Wesley Wells Farm (No. 50).
Orlando and Central Florida: Southern Hill Farms (No. 1), LunaSea Alpaca Farm (No. 8), Tom West Blueberries (No. 12), Lakeridge Winery (No. 16), Showcase of Citrus (No. 25), Far Reach Ranch (No. 26), Amber Brooke Farms (No. 32), Beck Brothers (No. 36), Great Scott Farms (No. 45), Partin Ranch (No. 49).
Tampa Bay and Sarasota: Keel Farms (No. 5), Dakin Dairy (No. 7), Beasley Farm (No. 15), Fancy Farms (No. 17), Sweetfields Farm (No. 28), Ananda Farm (No. 34), Berry Sweet Acres (No. 42), Hunsader Farms (No. 46), Dooley Groves (No. 47).
Southwest Florida (Fort Myers, Naples, Punta Gorda): Babcock Ranch Eco Tours (No. 3), ECHO Global Farm (No. 11), Hot Tropic Fruit Farm (No. 24), Blueberry Bunch Farm (No. 38), Farmer Mike's U-Pick (No. 48).
Southeast Florida and the Keys (Miami, Palm Beach, Treasure Coast): Schnebly Redland's Winery (No. 2), Knaus Berry Farm (No. 9), Grimal Grove (No. 10), Bedner's (No. 19), Schacht Groves (No. 33), The Berry Farm (No. 39).
When to Visit Florida Farms: A Season-by-Season Guide
Florida's farm calendar runs backward compared with the North. Winter is strawberry season. Summer is for mangoes and lychees. Fall brings pumpkins and corn mazes, though many Florida pumpkins are trucked in from cooler states, so look for farms like Cannon Farms and Holland Farms that grow their own.
Season | Where to go |
|---|---|
Winter (Dec–Mar) | Plant City strawberries: Keel Farms (No. 5), Fancy Farms (No. 17), Berry Sweet Acres (No. 42); Knaus Berry Farm (No. 9) and The Berry Farm (No. 39) in the Redland; citrus at Schacht Groves (No. 33) and Dooley Groves (No. 47); Bedner's (No. 19) |
Spring (Mar–May) | Blueberries at Southern Hill Farms (No. 1), Tom West (No. 12), Far Reach Ranch (No. 26), Beck Brothers (No. 36), Blueberry Bunch (No. 38); sunflowers at Sweetfields (No. 28); tupelo honey at Smiley Honey (No. 27) |
Summer (Jun–Sep) | Mangoes and lychees at Hot Tropic Fruit Farm (No. 24); blackberries at Congaree and Penn (No. 14) and Rooney's (No. 31); grape stomp at Lakeridge (No. 16) |
Fall (Sep–Nov) | Corn mazes at Holland Farms (No. 22), Sweet Season (No. 23), Conner's (No. 29), Sykes (No. 40), Great Scott (No. 45); pumpkins off the vine at Cannon Farms (No. 37); Dakin Dairy's Harvest Festival (No. 7) |
Year-round | Gypsy Gold (No. 4), Ocheesee Creamery (No. 6), LunaSea Alpacas (No. 8), Grimal Grove (No. 10), ECHO (No. 11), Dudley Farm (No. 18), Schnebly Winery (No. 2), Showcase of Citrus (No. 25) |
Reality Check: always check before you drive Florida weather moves fast. In 2026 alone, a winter freeze badly damaged strawberry and blueberry crops in Central and North Florida, and flooding closed a Bradenton pumpkin festival for its opening weekend. U-pick fields open and close by the day. Check the farm's own website or Facebook page the morning you go. |
For Farm Owners: 5 Lessons From Florida's Best Farms
If you own a farm, this list is a free lesson in what visitors will pay for. Here's what the top-scoring farms have in common.
1. Turn your "waste" into your best product
Schnebly Redland's Winery (No. 2) began with fruit too odd-looking to sell. Island Grove (No. 20) made wine from blueberries that weren't pretty enough for the grocery shelf, then won a state environmental award. Both found new money in a crop they already grew. Our guide to value-added products and the USDA grant that helps fund them shows how.
Field-Tested Play: list your "seconds" Walk your farm and write down everything you throw away or sell cheap: misshapen fruit, extra eggs, culled trees, old barns. For each one, ask: could a visitor eat it, drink it, pick it, photograph it or stay in it? |
2. Tell the story, not just the crop
Gypsy Gold (No. 4) sells a two-hour tour, and the founder tells the story himself. Conner's (No. 29) is famous for going from chicken houses to a corn maze. Visitors pay for the history behind the farm, not just the field. Read why sharing your farm story matters.
3. Plan for the bad season before it comes
Southern Hill Farms (No. 1), Wesley Wells (No. 50) and Hunsader Farms (No. 46) all lost crops or festival days to weather in 2026. They survived because they had more than one way to earn: festivals, markets, events and loyal customers who came back anyway. Wesley Wells even lined up strawberries from South Florida growers so its festival wouldn't have to be cancelled. See our weather backup plan and how farms are drought-proofing their income.
4. Your reviews are your shop window
Every farm on this list cleared 4.3 stars from at least 100 Google reviews. That's not luck. It's clean rows, friendly staff and a fair price, repeated thousands of times. Reviewers name the guides at Babcock Ranch again and again. Learn how reviews turn small farms into destinations and how to get found on Google Maps.
5. You don't need 1,000 acres
LunaSea Alpaca Farm (No. 8) sits on five acres. Grimal Grove (No. 10) is two. Southern Grace Lavender Farm (No. 21) grew 1,240 plants on a quarter acre in 2019. Small farms can win on experience. Our report on small-farm agritourism has the numbers.
I learned this on my own farm. Bloopy Durians, my durian farm in Bentong, Malaysia, has durian seasons that add up to only about four to five months a year, in two short windows. We don't have rides or a corn maze, just a muddy road and a fruit some hotels ban for its smell. But visitors come from around the world, and a list of loyal customers on WhatsApp buys our durians every season. Like the Hills in Clermont, we learned that people come back for the people and the story.
Florida Agritourism Law: Questions to Ask Before You Open
Florida has an agritourism law that can protect farm owners from some lawsuits. Section 570.88 of the Florida Statutes limits a farm's liability for the "inherent risks" of agritourism activities, but only if the required warning is posted, and never for gross negligence, willful or wanton disregard for safety, or intentional harm. Section 570.89 says you must post a specific warning sign in a clearly visible place at the entrance and at the site of each activity, in black letters at least one inch tall. The same warning must appear in any written contract for professional services, instruction or equipment rental. Skip this and you lose the protection. Section 570.85 also limits how local governments can restrict agritourism on agricultural land.
This isn't legal advice. Before you open, ask a Florida lawyer and your insurance agent:
Does my activity count as "agritourism" under Florida law, and is my land classified as agricultural?
Is my warning sign worded and sized exactly as section 570.89 requires, and is it posted in every required place?
Do my contracts for instruction, services or equipment rental include the same warning?
Does my farm policy cover paying visitors, or do I need a separate agritourism policy?
What happens to my coverage if a visitor is hurt by an animal or on a hayride?
Our guides to agritourism laws by state, where to post agritourism warning signs and agritourism insurance explain each step. Florida farm owners should also read about Florida's Amendment 2 farm equipment tax vote, where agritourism is written into the ballot.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best farm to visit in Florida?
On our 2026 scorecard, Southern Hill Farms in Clermont scored highest, at 79.0 out of 100. Schnebly Redland's Winery in Homestead and Babcock Ranch Eco Tours near Punta Gorda came next. The best farm for you depends on what you want: U-pick fruit, animals, horses, wine or history.
Where can I pick my own strawberries in Florida?
Plant City, the "Winter Strawberry Capital," has Keel Farms, Fancy Farms and Berry Sweet Acres. In the Miami area, try Knaus Berry Farm and The Berry Farm. Bedner's in Boynton Beach and Southern Hill Farms in Clermont also grow strawberries. Florida's season usually runs from December to the end of March.
When is blueberry season in Florida?
Most Florida blueberry U-picks open from March to May. Farms around Orlando, like Tom West, Beck Brothers and Far Reach Ranch, usually start in late March or April. North Florida farms, like Blu By U and Rooney's, run later, into June.
Can you pick oranges in Florida?
Yes, but there are fewer places each year. Schacht Groves in Vero Beach and Dooley Groves in Ruskin offer U-pick citrus in season, usually November to April. Honeybells ripen from January to March.
Which Florida farms are free to visit?
Beasley Farm in Brooksville had free entry and parking for its 2026 fall festival. Keel Farms' Harvest Days and Blueberry Festival are free (parking is $10). Lakeridge Winery's tours and tastings are free, and Smiley Honey's tastings are free. At most U-pick farms you pay only for what you pick.
How did you rank these farms?
Every farm had to pass three entry tests: open to the public in 2026, at least 4.3 Google stars from 100 or more reviews, and a real working farm. Each was then scored out of 100 on star ratings, number of reviews, press and awards, things to do, recent reviews, story, value and ease of visiting. No farm paid to be listed.
Got a Farm? Find Out If It's Ready for Visitors
Every farm on this list started where you are. They had land, a crop, and a question: would people pay to come here? Take our free quiz to see how ready your farm is. Then grab the 21-Point Agritourism Blueprint to plan your first season.
P.S. On a 21-degree night in January, the Hills of Southern Hill Farms began losing at least half of their blueberry crop. Eight months later, families are walking through their pumpkin patch. If there's a farm on this list you've meant to visit, go this season. And if you're a farmer, remember that every farm here chose to open its gate. The Kuipers family turned a weekend pumpkin patch into 150,000+ visitors a year. Your farm's story could be next.
By Stephen Loke of AgritourismSuccess.com, whose farm is featured in Bloomberg News and Asahi Shimbun. Rankings use Google ratings checked on October 27, 2026, plus published press and farm information. Prices, seasons and hours change, so always confirm with the farm before you visit. No farm paid to be included.
Sources
Statistics and background
USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture, Florida Table 7: Income From Farm-Related Sources
USDA NASS, 2022 Census of Agriculture, US Table 6: Income From Farm-Related Sources by State
UF/IFAS, Florida strawberry season bursts with sweetness (Dec 2025)
WUSF, How Plant City became the Winter Strawberry Capital (2022)
Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta, Florida citrus industry faces an uncertain future (2023)
Fresh Fruit Portal, Winter freezes cut Florida orange forecast (Oct 2026)
WUFT, Imported pumpkins help bring the fall season to Florida (2014)
Photo credits
Babcock Ranch: Chris Christner (Flickr, Frederick, MD), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Gypsy Gold Horse Farm: AaronBarlow, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Lakeridge Winery: Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Dudley Farm Historic State Park: anoldent (Flickr, Asheville, NC), CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Charts and map: AgritourismSuccess.com, from the sources above. Florida outline: US Census Bureau (us-atlas).
The 50 farms (website and press coverage)
No. 1 Southern Hill Farms: Spectrum News 13 (2024), Website, Spectrum News 13 (2026), FOX 35 Orlando (2026), Orange Observer (2026)
No. 2 Schnebly Redland's Winery & Brewery: Website, Islands.com (2025), Secret Miami (2026), NBC News
No. 3 Babcock Ranch Eco Tours: Website, Babcock Ranch (community site) (2025), Bay News 9 (Spectrum) (2020), Fox 4 (WFTX)
No. 4 Gypsy Gold Horse Farm: Website, Spectrum News 13 / Bay News 9 (2025), Spectrum News 13 (2022), Creekline / Florida Newsline (2017)
No. 5 Keel Farms: Website, Tampa Bay Times (2023), WWSB ABC7 (2026), Bay News 9 (2023)
No. 6 Ocheesee Creamery: WGCU (2017), Tallahassee Magazine (2024), 850 Business Magazine (2010), Institute for Justice (2015), Emerald Coast Magazine (2024)
No. 7 Dakin Dairy Farms: FOX 13 (2022), WUSF (2023), Website, Sarasota Observer (2025), WWSB ABC7 (2026), WWSB ABC7 (2026)
No. 8 LunaSea Alpaca Farm: Website, Lake & Sumter Style (2026), Spectrum News 13 (2024), Narcity (2020)
No. 9 Knaus Berry Farm: WLRN (2026), Miami Herald (via AOL) (2025), WSVN 7News (2025), Visit Florida (2020)
No. 10 Grimal Grove: Website, Florida Keys & Key West (fla-keys.com), WLRN (2026), Keys Weekly
No. 11 ECHO Global Farm: Website, WGCU (Gulf Coast Life) (2023), Visit Fort Myers
No. 12 Tom West Blueberries: Central Florida Ag News (2018), Orange Observer (2015), Growing Produce, WKMG ClickOrlando (2024)
No. 13 Farm Tours of Ocala: Website, Visit Florida, Florida Newsline (Creekline) (2017), Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association (2025)
No. 14 Congaree and Penn: Website, Fernandina Observer (2024), WJCT News (2016), TCU Magazine
No. 15 Beasley Farm: Spectrum Bay News 9 (2023), Tampa Bay Parenting (2026)
No. 16 Lakeridge Winery & Vineyards: Website, Central Florida Ag News (2022), Lake & Sumter Style (2026), Lake & Sumter Style (2026)
No. 17 Fancy Farms: Website, Central Florida Ag News (2026), FOX 13 Tampa Bay (2021), Tampa Bay Parenting (2023)
No. 18 Dudley Farm Historic State Park: Website, WCJB TV20, Visit Natural North Florida, Florida State Parks
No. 19 Bedner's Farm Fresh Market: Website, Vegetable Growers News (2025), Discover The Palm Beaches (county tourism) (2026), WFLX Fox 29 (2025)
No. 20 Island Grove Wine Company: Website, WCJB TV20 (2023), WUFT (2014), Wine Industry Advisor (2022)
No. 21 Southern Grace Lavender Farm: WJHG (2024), WJHG (2019), Harvest Hosts (2022), Unearth the Voyage (2026)
No. 22 Holland Farms: Website, WEAR-TV (ABC 3) (2019), WEAR-TV (2021), Local Pulse (2024)
No. 23 Sweet Season Farms: Website, WEAR-TV / NBC 15 (2023), Farm Credit (2018), Authentic Florida
No. 24 Hot Tropic Fruit Farm: Website, Gulfshore Life, Visit Fort Myers (2026), Visit Fort Myers (2026)
No. 25 Showcase of Citrus: Website, Spectrum Bay News 9 (2019), Visit Florida (2017), Spectrum News 13 (2021)
No. 26 Far Reach Ranch: Website, My Central Florida Family (2026), WKMG ClickOrlando (2023), Orlando Weekly (2026)
No. 27 Smiley Honey: Website, Unearth the Voyage (2026), Fresh From Florida (FDACS), Islands.com (2026)
No. 28 Sweetfields Farm: Website, Spectrum Bay News 9 (2025), Spectrum Bay News 9 (2023), Tampa Bay Parenting (2026)
No. 29 Conner's A-Maize-Ing Acres: Website, Action News Jax (2026), Raydient Rural (Rethink Rural blog) (2015), News4JAX (WJXT) (2025)
No. 30 Aunt Louise's Farm: Website, WCTV (2024), WTXL ABC 27 (2020), Authentic Florida (2023)
No. 31 Rooney's Front Porch Farm: Website, Florida Rambler (2026)
No. 32 Amber Brooke Farms: WCJB (2025), Website, My Central Florida Family (2026), Lake & Sumter Style (2025), FOX 35 Orlando (2025)
No. 33 Schacht Groves: Website, CBS12 (2020), Macaroni KID Vero Beach (2023)
No. 34 Ananda Farm: Website, Spectrum Bay News 9 (2024), WWSB ABC7 (mysuncoast) (2025), Tampa Bay Parenting (2026)
No. 35 Blu By U Blueberry Farm: Website, Edible Northeast Florida (2023), Jacksonville Mom (2026), Edible Northeast Florida (2025)
No. 36 Beck Brothers Blueberries: Orange Observer (2026), Orange Observer (2016), WKMG ClickOrlando (2024)
No. 37 Cannon Farms: Website, 352Today (2026), Ocala/Marion County VCB
No. 38 Blueberry Bunch Farm: Website, Fox 4 (WFTX), Hortidaily (2025), Florida Rambler (2026)
No. 39 The Berry Farm: Website, Time Out Miami (2026), Axios Miami (2025), WSVN 7News (2024)
No. 40 Sykes Family Farms: Website, Islands.com (2025), Visit St. Augustine (county tourism), Florida's Historic Coast (St. Johns County CVB) (2025)
No. 41 HNH Blueberry Farm: Jacksonville Mom (2026), Edible Northeast Florida (2023)
No. 42 Berry Sweet Acres: Website, Spectrum Bay News 9 (2026), Spectrum Bay News 9 (2023)
No. 43 Abshier Farms: Ocala/Marion County Visitors & Convention Bureau, Jacksonville Mom (2026), Ocala/Marion County VCB (2025)
No. 44 Amazing Grace Family Farms: Website, Clay Today (2024), Jacksonville Mom (2023), Clay Today
No. 45 Great Scott Farms: Website, The Apopka Chief (2025), WKMG ClickOrlando (2024), UF/IFAS Small Farms blog (2017)
No. 46 Hunsader Farms: Website, Spectrum Bay News 9 (2026), WWSB ABC7 (2026), Spectrum News 13 (2021)
No. 47 Dooley Groves: Website, Osprey Observer (2017), Authentic Florida, Osprey Observer (2020)
No. 48 Farmer Mike's U-Pick: Website, The Scout Guide Naples (2026), Gulfshore Life
No. 49 Partin Ranch Corn Maze: Around Osceola (2026), Spectrum News 13 (2015)
No. 50 Wesley Wells Farm: Website, Action News Jax (2026), St. Johns Citizen (2026), Florida's Historic Coast (2025)
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