Almond Blossoms in California

(Last Updated On: June 9, 2020)

Palm trees to sunflower fields, poppy reserves to lavender farms, redwoods to orange orchards, California has it all. And today, I am taking you through one more attraction of this sunny state: The Almond Blossoms.

ALMOND BLOSSOMS : EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW

California state produces 80% of the world’s almonds and 100% of United States’ commercial supply. Major areas are concentrated in Bakersfield (Southern California) and Woodland (Northern California).

I stay in San Jose, so we decided to do a 2 hour road trip close to Sacremento on a mid-March day to see the incredible displays of pale pink and white blooms.

WHEN TO VISIT:

Between mid-February and early March, the almond tree buds burst into beautiful light pink and white blooms in preparation for pollination and would be the best time to visit. I went in 2nd week of March and absolutely fell in love with this white floral paradise.

Tip: Be sure to check on Instagram for Geotags of Woodland and Winters during the February – April timeframe. Once almond blossom images start popping up that’s when you’ll know it’s time for a visit!

They don’t last long, so make sure to visit during this time frame to catch these beautiful colors!

WHERE TO FIND THE BLOSSOMS:

The largest concentration of orchards in Northern California is located in Woodland (25 minutes from Sacramento) and Winters (36 minutes from Sacramento); We chose Woodland.

If you are driving out of Sacramento, it’s about a 40 minute drive North-West on 80-West towards San Francisco and then connect to the 5-North/99 towards Redding. Take the 16-West exit and you’ll begin to see the almond orchards.

From San Jose/San Francisco I usually put this address into my GPS – 18045 County Road 95, Woodland CA 95695. It takes you into some interior orchards so that you can park your cars alongside the orchard off the road, and easily hop out and snap some pics!

BEST TIME TO VISIT:

The best time to photograph almond blossoms fields is at sunrise or sunset, when the light is soft and diffused. It will not cast crazy long shadows down the orchards or make spotty patches of light, which can be hard to shoot around.

Or you can pick a day which is a little cloudy so that you can have the perfect lighting for your photos and also let the wind add some effects in your photos, like in our case.

PRO TIPS:

What to wear? Wear any bright floral dress that will make the colors in your photos pop. Or you could also wear a little camouflaging outfit like me and try to color blend. Wear shoes you don’t mind getting muddy or even go barefoot.

Photography Tips: When you’re driving through and selecting an orchard, look for rows of trees that are close together and that are in full bloom and avoid large dirt patches.

When shooting also try to capture some of clear blue skies in the background to add more definition of colors in your photos.

Be polite and respectful of the property: Most of the fields are private property, and while there aren’t any “no trespassing” signs, it’s important to be respectful! We were careful while we try to photograph some lanes and made sure we did not destroy anything. If you plan on taking photos, stick to the edge or first lane and remember to be respectful of the space you are in.

Here is a short video:

I hope this helps you plan a visit to see the almond blossoms in Northern California! Leave a comment below if you have any questions or DM me on Instagram @preksharaj

XOXO