U-Pick Your Own Adventure
A delicious Bay Area berry picking, beach picnic day trip
Summertime in the Bay Area tastes like sun-kissed strawberries and long picnics on the beach. This mini road trip stitches together some of my favorite berry picking spots in the South Bay, wandering up the scenic Highway 1 between Santa Cruz and Half Moon Bay.
Some general tips and advice:
- Go early. You’ll have less crowds, less heat, and the first pick of the fields.
- Pack sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water, as much of the day will be spent outside in the sun.
- U-pick is seasonal with different berries coming to peak at different times. Check the farms you are planning to visit for their current hours and availabilities.
- Above all, respect the land and be mindful that you are a guest within these farms and communities.
And with that, let us commence! The drive begins by making your way down to Gilroy, the southernmost tip of the Bay Area. Heading south on 101, the city gives way to sprawling suburbs and then finally rolling hills of parched golden grass.
Berry Island Farms
The first stop of the day is Berry Island Farms, a small family-run farm with U-pick berries all summer long. Depending on the month, you’ll find some combination of strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, boysenberries, and olallieberries.
It is not an exaggeration to say that their blackberries are the largest and sweetest I have ever eaten. You feel like you’re on an easter egg hunt, peering through the brambles to find these juicy, glistening, walnut-sized treasures.
As of June 2021, their hours are 9am to 1pm on Saturdays and the farm is cash only.
Gizditch Ranch
Baskets filled and fingers berry-stained, the journey continues, winding its way through the Santa Cruz mountains to Gizditch Ranch in Watsonville. Growing up in the South Bay, Gizditch brings back fond childhood memories of apple picking field trips.
The U-pick opportunities at Gizditch are plentiful, offering an array of berries throughout the summer and apples in the early fall. They are well known in the Bay for their pies, which are buttery and flaky and packed with the seasonal fruits of the moment. I also can never seem to leave without some of their fresh pressed apple juice that tastes like crisp afternoon sunshine.
Gizditch is open daily from 9am to 5pm, but available U-pick and pies vary based on the season.
Santa Cruz offers a nice mid-day break from berry picking. Some of my favorite options are:
- A short hike — Bonny Doon Beach and Shark Fin Cove Loop (2.4 miles) to see a dramatic coastline and the namesake shark fin shaped rock.
- A long hike — Wilder Ranch State Park (somewhere between 3 and 12 miles) to experience a stunning diversity of scenery from coastal views to wildflowers to meadows to redwoods.
- The Santa Cruz Beach Boardwalk — a nostalgic summertime favorite. Note that during summer 2021, visits are limited by reservation only.
Swanton Berry Farm
The adventure continues north along a gorgeous section of Highway 1, a drive that is meant to be savored as you take in sweeping ocean views on your left and rolling farmland on your right.
As you enter the town of Davenport, keep your eyes peeled for Swanton Berry Farm. The turnoff from the highway is cheerfully marked by a sunny yellow truck hoisting a brightly painted strawberry sign.
Their quaint farmstand has fresh fruit, homemade jams, and pies (all delicious — I especially liked the olallieberry pie). Everything is picked and produced with union labor. During my last visit, U-pick was temporarily suspended due to the pandemic but it has recently reopened.
Swanton Berry Farm is open daily from 8am to 7pm. Their farmstand is run on a self-service honor system; you check out and pay yourself via a tablet or cash box.
En route to the next stop, Waddell Beach is the perfect place to stop for an impromptu picnic with all the goods you have no doubt accumulated by now.
Pescadero
Continuing north, you will come upon the rural farming and ranching community of Pescadero. The “downtown” is but a single street, though there is no shortage of small delights to be found. Some recommendations:
- Harley Farms Goat Dairy (open 11am to 4pm)—try deliciously creamy goat cheese and pet some baby goats. Seriously, their cheese is as fresh as you can buy it.
- Arcangeli Grocery Co (open 11am to 5pm) — their garlic herb artichoke bread is crisp on the outside and fluffy on the inside with pockets of tender artichokes. The loaf is still warm upon purchasing and pairs beautifully with Harley Farms goat cheese.
- Pie Ranch (open 10am to 5pm) — I love their mini pies as I am chronically indecisive when choosing flavors. Note that it is worth calling ahead to reserve something if you’re planning to stop by in the afternoon, as they can sell out of their more popular options.
Our final stop is Half Moon Bay, where you can stop for another beach picnic at Half Moon Bay State Beach, grab a snack at Dad’s Luncheonette (a no-fills cafe operated out of a train caboose!), or wander around the downtown area (I like Ink Spell Books and the Half Moon Bay Bakery).
Like all sweet things, this journey must come to an end. If you choose to embark on this trip or some variation of it, I hope that you are filled not only with berries, but also with this deep appreciation for the earth and the communities that cultivate it.
