Summertime brings the most beautiful sun-baked blooms to the fields. Imagine an endless sea of yellow before you; that’s what you will find at the sunflower fields in Maryland each summer from as early as June, through mid-August, and sometimes even into September.
Given that there are almost 7 million hashtags for #sunflower, you’ve probably already seen these golden sunflower fields at peak bloom on your Instagram feed during the summer months.
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Why visit a sunflower farm?
The impressive stature of sunflowers and the glorious golden color of their petals makes for an ideal summer backdrop for both weddings and photo shoots. And who can blame anyone from wanting to run through these fields and capturing special moments?
While Maryland farmers are planting sunflower seeds in spring as you tiptoe through the tulips fields of Virginia, you can start planning which Maryland farm or check out the McKee Beshers sunflowers managed by the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
What to expect at Maryland Sunflower Fields
While sunflower season is in the summer months, you can still expect some muddy conditions, especially after it rains. Pack up your rainboots just in case, and a change of clothes for the kids who will certainly get messy.
Always wear bug spray and sunscreen since the mosquitos (and bees) will be out.
And of course, dress for the season and wear colors that will pop against that brilliant yellow for your pictures (white is always a safe bet when it comes to photos in sunflower fields).
See more at the sunflower fields in Virginia
Where are all of the Sunflower Fields in Maryland?
Maryland is home to spectacular sunflower fields with the possibility of spotting them from every angle imaginable. Here are a few of our favorites across the state, many of which are easy pick-your-own flowers near Washington, D.C.
Butler’s Orchard Sunflowers
- Address: 22222 Davis mill Rd, Germantown, MD 20876
- Open: August (Tuesday to Sunday 9 am-6 pm)
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 33.3 miles (45 minutes) via I-270 N
- Website
The family-run Butler’s Orchard, now in its third generation, is a beautiful farm located among Montgomery County’s Agricultural Reserve. Visitors can grab pre-picked fruits and vegetables at the farm market or indulge in a little pick-your-own berries, pumpkins and flowers throughout the year.
During the Sunflower Spectacular at Butler’s Orchard, you can enjoy sunset picking hours and weekday discount admission. Doc Waters Hard Cider will be available for purchase, along with hand-tossed pizza, slushies, fresh donuts (a harvest time favorite!), pork sausage and more.
You can even reserve a private campfire site for your and your group to enjoy after the sun goes down.
Note: Visitors are allowed to bring in their service animals. However, non-service animals (pets) and emotional support animals are not permitted on the farm.
Find farms to Pick Your Own Strawberries in Maryland
McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area
- Address: 16898-16500 River Rd, MD 20837
- Open: All the legal time and days
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 29.3 miles ( 50 minutes) via George Washington Memorial Pkwy and River road
- Website
McKee-Beshers Wildlife Management Area is 300 acres of preserved woodlands, fields, and wetlands where hikers, naturalists, bird-watchers, and photographer can savor its sunflower fields in mid-June.
Two fields are specifically grown for the mourning doves who call this area home. McKee-Besher’s does allow hunting in these fields at specific days and times in September (and only in September).
Visitors will also see several songbirds, mammals, and even honeybees, hard at work to collect pollen from the flowers to make honey.
Keep in mind that you CAN NOT cut the sunflowers in these fields, but you may enjoy taking photos and carefully walking through the fields. These flowers are for the local wildlife to enjoy, not for you to take home.
Broom’s Bloom Dairy
- Address: 1700 S Fountain Green Rd, Bel Air, MD 21015
- Open: Tuesday to Thursday 11 am-8 pm, Friday and Saturday 11 am-9 pm.
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 65.6 miles (1 hour 21 minutes) via Baltimore-Washington Pkwy and I-95 N
- Website
The 9th generation of the Dallam Family is still making some of the best Maryland ice cream. Oh, and they have sunflowers too!
Their award-winning ice cream is worth the drive. The prices decent and the ice cream are rich and creamy. While ice cream and sunflowers brought you out, remember to pick up some of their farm-made pork sausage, and farmstead cheese.
Clear Meadow Farm Sunflower Field
- Address: 3134 Troyer Rd, White Hall, MD
- Open: Any time for anyone
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 73.2 (1 hour 36 minutes) via I-695 N
- Website
Clear Meadow is most people’s absolute favorite. This is because of its late-blooming sunflower season, which occurs in September when the weather in Maryland, DC, and Virginia is dryer and cooler.
Every other sunflower field, you will encounter blooms in July and August, when the area is hot and swampy.
Other products at the Market at Clear Meadow
- Flower Bouquets
- Fresh picked produce
- Fresh cut Sunflowers
- Eggs
- Chicken, Pork and Black Angus Beef
- Butter, ice cream, cheese and milk
Summers Farm
- Address: 5620 Butterfly Ln, Frederick, MD 21703
- Open: End of August through early September, Monday to Thursday 1pm- 7pm, Friday 1pm-9.30pm, Saturday 10am-9.30pm and Sunday 10am-7pm
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 52.3 miles (1hour I minute) via I-270 N
- Website
The sunflower fields at Summers Farm features thousands of sunflowers across 8-acres. Pick your own sunflowers, enjoy a local drink in the tent, and make memories with your kids. Your admission ticket includes one sunflower stem, along with entry into the Sunflower Festival.
The Sunflower Garden
- Address: 2390 Manchester Rd, Westminster, MD 21157
- Open- Changes weekly. To find out when it is open, you have to click on the Sunflower Garden page’s link on Facebook.
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 72.2 miles ( 1 hour 35 minutes) via Baltimore-Washington Pkwy, 68.6 miles (1 hour 38 minutes) via MD-27N, 71.0 miles (1 hour 42 minutes) via MD-32 W
- Website
Summer Garden isn’t your typical giant field of sunflowers, but a quaint little farm to cut bouquets. Pick-your-own flowers last throughout the season, including sunflowers which they are most known for, but zinnias and other brilliant summer annuals are available for cutting too .
Photographers are welcome to call the farm to set up a time to take senior pictures, engagement photos, wedding portraits, and maternity photos at the farm.
Bring your own containers and baskets to use as carriers, and to keep your bouquet fresh as you travel home.
Maryland Agricultural Resource Council
- Address: 1114 Shawan Rd, Cockeysville, MD 21030
- Open: Mid-August through September
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 59.7 miles (1 hour 19 minutes) via Baltimore-Washington Pkwy and I-695 N, 63.8 miles (1 hour 24 minutes) via Baltimore-Washington Pkwy, 71.5 miles (1 hour 44 minutes) via MD-32 W
- Website
The Maryland Agricultural Resources Council was created to enhance agriculture and to provide educational and technical services to help Maryland citizens conserve wildlife, natural resources, and the environment.
The farm is a great place for a family picnic, a hike along the trails, and of course, to see sunflowers in bloom. Bouquet making classes and demonstrations are offered regularly throughout the summer season, so you will be all ready to grab your sunflowers in mid-August through September.
Bring your own clippers and buckets to collect blooms, as the farm does not provide enough for everyone. Dress in closed toed shoes, leave your dog at home and keep an eye out for pollinating bumblebees and honeybees working in the fields.
Clark’s Elioak Farm Sunflower Patch
- Address: 10500 Clarksville Pike, Ellicott City, MD 21042
- Open: April through November, Tuesday to Sunday 10 am-5 pm
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 36.1 miles (54 minutes) via Baltimore- Washington Pkwy, 38.0 miles (54 minutes) via us-29 S/Columbia Pike, 37.1 miles (1 hour) via MD-1OO E and Baltimore-Washington Pkwy
- Website
Clark’s Elioak Farm is a historic farm that contains 540 acres along Maryland Route 108 in Howard County, Maryland.
April through November there are fun activities and pick-your-own opportunities on the farm, but we love sunflower season most of all. Ride the cow trail, hop on the Enchanted Express Train, let the kids experience a pony ride or enjoy a family wagon ride all together.
When sunflowers are in bloom, your admission tickets gets you access to the sunflower fields and all of the regular attractions, including the farm animals, Fairy Forest and Enchanted Forest.
The farm will stay open until 7pm while the sunflowers are in bloom to give you ample time to grab your photos and really appreciate the colors of the fields as the sun begins to set.
Tickets are required, so grab yours via the website in advance.
Farm Heritage Conservancy Sunflowers
- Address: 6960 Serenity Farm Rd, Hughesville, MD 20637
- Open: September
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 41.3 miles (I hour 10 minutes) via MD-5 N, 55.9 miles (1 hour 22 minutes) via US-50 W
- Website
Farm Heritage Conservancy manages landscapes, preserves buildings, and interprets significant historical features of Serenity Farm. Each year, Sunflower September celebrates the vibrant, yellow blooms with weekend activities, including sunflower picking, food, wine and beer for purchase.
Pro photographers will need to schedule times to be in the sunflower fields. Visitors should bring their own shears and buckets for the picking.
Sunflowers of Lisbon
- Address: two locations
- Lisbon: 15875 Frederick Rd, Woodbine, MD 21797
- Maple Lawn: 11788 Route 216, Fulton, MD 20759
- Open: Monday to Thursday 12 am-8.30 pm, and Friday to Sunday 8 am-8.30 pm.
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 46.8 miles ( 1 hour 7 minutes) via MD-32E and Baltimore-Washington Pkwy
- Website
Sunflowers of Lisbon offers 10-acres of sunflower fields, and hours of fun wandering through these giant blossoms. The Sunflower Pop-Up Shop, which happens every weekend at Maple Lawn location, features live music, craft vendors and food trucks, so plan on staying for lunch or dinner.
Admission to the field includes one sunflower stem, plus a hayride out to the fields. Keep in mind that this farm only accepts cash or check. An ATM is onsite if you forget to stop at your bank on. the way in.
Keep an eye on the website for details on the Clover Sunflower Festival.
Valley View Acres
- Address: 4005 Valley View Rd, Middletown, MD 21769
- Open: Friday to Sunday 10am-4pm
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 57.3 miles (1 hour 12 minutes) via I-270 S, 67.9 miles(1 hour 29 minutes) via VA-267 E
- Website
Founded in 1990 by the Haines brothers, the farm has evolved over the years to a crop farm and a Maryland sunflower field attraction.
About eight acres of sunflowers are planted over several weeks to stagger out the blooms, while four acres of wildflowers are planted and bursting with color all summer long. Visitors are welcome to bring their own shears for u-pick sunflowers that are sold by the stem.
Note: the farm is cash only, and dogs are not allowed.
Gold Petal Farms
- Address: 37260 Manor Rd, Chaptico, MD 20621
- Open: Seasonal (sunflowers run from about June through September)
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 41.5 miles
- Website
In southern Maryland and southeastern Virginia, Gold Petal Farms offers gorgeous sunflower mazes and pick-your-own flower gardens. Past maze designs include a butterbee, a salute to healthcare heroes, Walking in Sunshine, Starry Starry Night, and Cow Jumped Over the Moon.
Sunflower mazes and pick-your-own flower fields are open to cut your own stems, buy pre-cut flowers or take pictures with the kids all summer long. Sunflower season in Maryland is typically June to September, based on weather and field conditions.
Emily’s Produce
- Address: 2214 Church Creek Rd, Cambridge, MD 21613
- Open: Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 9 am-6 pm, and Saturday and Sunday 9 am-5pm
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 90.4 miles ( 1 hour 55 minutes) via US-50 E/Ocean Gateway
- Website
For seven generations, Emily’s produce farm has cultivated excellent and mouth-watering produce.
This family farm offers an amazing picnic environment for visitors.
Lockbriar Farms
- Address: 10051 Worton Rd, Chestertown, MD 21620
- Open: Seasonally from May to December
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 80.2 miles (1 hour 47 minutes) via US-50 E
- Website
U-pick sunflowers at Lockbriar Farms has become a bit of a tradition across the Eastern Shore. Guests are encouraged to come ready to make a bouquet out of whatever is growing in the fields and raised beds. Just remember, you need to bring your own cutting shears.
Upon entry, the farm will give you a mason jar that you can cram full of as many flowers as you like. You then pay for the completed mason jar and take a bouquet all set to display home with you.
Other flowers you may find in the fields, depending on the month:
- gladiolus
- sunflower
- zinnia
- straw-flower
- eucalyptus
- lavender
- gomphrena
- bachelor button
- basil
- coxcomb
- lisianthus
- spearmint
Sunflowers and Ice Cream
Rocky Point Creamery Sunflower Field
- Address: 4323 Tuscarora Rd, Tuscarora, MD 21790
- Open: Thursday to Sunday 11.30 am-7 pm.
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 53.8 miles ( 1 hour 5 minutes) via VA-267 W and US-15 N, 53.4 miles (1 hour 6 minutes) via I-270 N, 49.1 miles ( 1 hour 14 minutes) via I-270 N and MD-80 W
- Website
Rocky Point Creamery’s sunflower field is part of a family farm that was established in 1883. The farm had humble beginnings rearing a small herd of just 10 Holstein cows. Since then, it has grown to offer 80 different flavors of homemade ice cream, in addition to milk, eggs, cheese, and beef.
Today, Rocky Point maintains its own herd of 180 Holstein dairy cows and farms 700 acres of corn, soybeans, wheat, and hay to meet the needs of their animals.
Oh, and sunflowers. Did we mention that they plant two acres of sunflowers every year? Sunflowers are generally available for about two weeks per year. You pay by the stem, and the farm asks professional photographers and people just there to take photos to consider leaving a donation.
Clippers are available at the farm to cut your own sunflowers.
Best of all, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital receives 100% of the proceeds from the sale of the sunflowers that are located in the 2-acre sunflower field.
Misty Meadow Farm Creamery
- Address: 14325 Misty Meadow Rd, Smithsburg, MD 21783
- Open: Tuesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday 11 am-5 pm and Sunday 1 pm-5 pm.
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 76.6 miles (1 hour 29 minutes) via I-270 N, 78.3 Miles (1 hour 35 minutes) via I-270 N and US-15 N, 93.8 Miles (1 hour 48 minutes) via VA-267 W
- Website
Talk about farm fresh– Misty Meadow’s farm makes ice cream on-site! Their flavors vary each week, but there are so many to choose from that you are sure to find one that you’ll love.
The Misty Meadow Farm Creamery sunflower farm is normally in bloom in September, just as the corn maze is kicking off and thoughts turn to pumpkin picking.
This is undoubtedly the place for fun field trips and personalized educational experiences in a farm setting.
Kilby Cream
- Address: 129 Strohmaier Ln, Rising Sun, MD 21911
- Open: Thursday 11 am-7 pm, and Friday-Sunday 10 am-7 pm
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 83.6 miles (I hour 55 minutes) via I-95 N
- Website
While not huge, Kilby Cream does have a beautiful little sunflower field that bursts to life in late July.
Grab a cone of one of Kilby Cream’s 16 different flavors of freshly prepared and hand-dipped ice cream and a few other farm-fresh products, like eggs from the farm chickens.
Maryland Sunflower Festivals
Clarksville Sunflower Festival in Maryland
- Address: Mary’s Land Farm, 4979 Sheppard Lane, Ellicott City, MD 21O42
- Dates: weekends in August
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 28.9 miles (59 minutes) via US-29 N, 36.2 miles ( 1 hour 10 minutes) via Baltimore-Washington Pkwy and MD-32 W, 37.5 miles (1 hour 9 minutes) via I-95 N
- Website
Clarksville Sunflower Festival in Maryland is an annual festival held at Mary’s Land Farm. During the festival, guests get to enjoy walks through the eye-catching Maryland sunflower fields. Grab a bouquet and then tuck into a meal from the food trucks onsite while listening to live, local music.
Visitors are welcome to learn how to make sunflower crafts, while adults should definitely pop into the Inn at Mary’s Land Farm for a cocktail in the sunroom.
Summers Farm Annual Sunflower Festival
- Address: 5620 Butterfly Lane, Frederick, MD 21042
- Dates: Second to last weekend in August through mid-September
- Distance from Washington D.C.: 48.0 miles ( 1 hour 15 minutes) via I-270 N and I-70 W, 52.3 miles (1 hour 7 minutes) via I-270 N, 64.8 miles (1 hour 21 minutes) via VA-267 W
- Website
Your admission price gets you a wagon ride out to the field, a free sunflower field over access to more than 45 activities the entire family will enjoy. Enjoy local music as you sip on local wine and beer and munch on a number of snacks that will be available for purchase.
