When summer rolls along and the lavender fields in NC fade, I am ready to search for sunflowers! Luckily, there are plenty of beautiful sunflower fields in NC to choose from!
Since I am based in Raleigh, I make it a personal mission to find flower fields around North Carolina. So in this guide, I am sharing some of the best sunflower fields to visit in NC!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Hill Ridge Farms Sunflower Fields
- NC Museum of Art Sunflower Patch
- Dorothea Dix Park Sunflower Fields
- Dewberry Farms Sunflower Fields
- Dogwood Farms Sunflower Fields
- Galloway Farm Sunflowers
- Best Time to Visit NC Sunflower Fields
- What to Know Before Visiting the Sunflower Fields
- How to get to the Sunflower Fields
- Fun Sunflower Facts
- Wrap-up: NC Sunflower Fields
Hill Ridge Farms Sunflower Fields
One of my favorite sunflower fields in NC has to be at Hill Ridge Farms. Not only do they have fields of different sunflowers that are U-pick, but also tons of other wildflowers too!
Walking through the fields at Hill Ridge Farms feels like you’re walking through a jungle of sunflowers. Located in Youngsville, NC (just outside of Wake Forest), they are pretty close to the Raleigh / Durham / Chapel Hill area with over 50 acres.
Their Sunflower festival is generally mid-July. So far, they have had some of the most unique sunflower patches I’ve ever seen!
This year, they will also have a food truck, music, and even a covered wagon ride to and from the sunflower fields.
If you want to U-Pick the flowers, make sure to bring shears! To stay up-to-date with the sunflower blooms at Hill Ridge Farm, check out their Facebook Page.
Hours: Saturday: 10 am – 8 pm; Sunday: 10 am – 8 pm; Wednesday – Friday: 10 am – 8 pm.
Admission: $14 ages 2-64; Military and Seniors $13 – Tickets are purchased once you arrive. Prices subject to change.
Hill Ridge Farm Address: 703 Tarboro Road Youngsville
NC Museum of Art Sunflower Patch
Not only is the North Carolina Museum of Art one of the best free things to do in Raleigh, they have also partnered with Dorothea Dix Park to bring us the City of Sunflowers in Raleigh, NC!
They first planted their 2.5-acre sunflower field in 2018 with an array of different sunflowers, cosmos, and zinnias.
The best part is that the NC Museum of Art sunflower fields are completely free to visit. Last year, the Museum also offered a two-part outdoor workshop to teach nature photography in the sunflower field. They will likely do something fun for 2024.
Even without their sunflower patches, the NCMA is a great place to visit, with tons of photo-worthy spots!
The Park is open from Dawn to dusk, and the sunflower patch should be blooming around mid-July! Please note, that these flowers are not to be picked. You will find a ton of free parking.
North Carolina Museum of Art Address: 2110 Blue Ridge Rd, Raleigh
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Dorothea Dix Park Sunflower Fields
One of my all-time favorites is Dorothea Dix Park! Not only do they have beautiful daffodil fields bloom each year, but also a Sunflower Festival right in the heart of Raleigh! This year they are planning for their sunflower fields to bloom in mid-late July!
Enjoy epic Downtown Raleigh skyline views over a field of sunflowers. Their 4-acre sunflower patch is also free to visit, and the park is open 7 days a week from dawn until dusk.
This is one of the most popular sunflower fields in Raleigh, so prepare for lots of people. You are encouraged to enjoy the fields and even set up a picnic (no alcohol), your dogs or kids, chairs, and your camera for those instagrammable photos.
When visiting, there are rules to where you should be parking. Weekday public parking for the sunflowers at Dix Park is available in the gravel lot off Hunt Drive and in the parking lot near the Magnolia Room. See the Dix Park sunflower field map here!
On weeknights and weekends, you can use any paved lot. Additionally, you can walk or bike to the park since they are conveniently located on the Rocky Branch Greenway.
Fun fact: In collaboration with the City of Raleigh Water, the sunflowers help them work towards sustainability by harvesting the sunflowers at Dix Park to process biodiesel for educational programs and demonstrations!
Address: 1987 Umstead Dr, Raleigh
Dewberry Farms Sunflower Fields
After having the best time visiting Dewberry Farms tulip fields, I was pleasantly surprised to find out they also open their private 20-acre farm for sunflowers too!
This year they will have 17 different varieties of sunflowers, dahlias, and zinnias for U-pick. From opening day, they usually have their fields open to the public for about 2 weeks.
They also have a lovely farm, a stunning barn (think epic barn wedding), and farm animals (horses, chicks).
Tickets must be purchased in advance on Dewberry farms website. To stay up-to-date with their bloom, make sure to check their Instagram.
Admission: $5 for Adults; $3 for children (2 years old and under are free).
Dewberry Farm Address: 2585 Dewberry Farm Ln, Kernersville
Dogwood Farms Sunflower Fields
Located about 1 hour and 15 minutes from Raleigh or 1 hour and 30 minutes from Charlotte, Dogwood Farms Freedom Flower Festival event will be opening soon, as their sunflowers are almost bloomed.
Enjoy walking through their sunflower patches and even U-pick your own sunflowers to bring home. The father and son duo said they want to make it as easy as possible for you to visit. They will provide the buckets and shears, you just have to show up! Sunflower Stems are just $1!
The hours are 9 AM- 12 PM Monday – Saturday and 4 PM – 9 PM on Sunday’s weather permitting. They are also dog-friendly and allow you to take photos and picnic.
Stay up-to-date with how the fields at Dogwood Farms look on their Facebook Page!
Admission: Adults $8; 65+ $5; Children 6 years or younger are free; Active military and veterans are free. They accept cash or card. Weekends are $10 USD.
Dogwood Farms Address: 8096 Belews Creek Rd, Belews Creek,
Galloway Farm Sunflowers
Located just 45 miles west of Wilmington, NC, and a little over an hour north of Myrtle Beach, Galloway Farm has opened its sunflower fields for the past 5 years.
This year, they are expecting to have about 12 acres of blooming flowers by the end of August/first week of September. Explore tons of photo-ops with props around the farm, including a claw foot bathtub, benches, a swing, and more!
Besides taking your “selfies in the sunflowers,” the farm is also offering U-pick!
1$ per flower – buy 5 get 2 free; buy 10 get 3 free or you can do a bucket for $20 to put as many as you like in the bucket. A pretty great deal!
You can also view and even feed some of the farm animals including donkeys, goats, and rabbits. The farm also offers a ride on the “bee train”(covered in admission) and has a playground making it a great place to visit for families.
After exploring the sunflower fields, enjoy a picnic at their covered pavilion. Water and drinks will be available for purchase or you can bring your own food and drinks.
Aside from their sunflowers, they are also home to one of the largest corn mazes in East NC! Galloway Farm has been open since 1944 and family-owned and operated for 4 generations.
Admission to the sunflower fields is $8. Tickets will be available for purchase in advance on their site and will be sold by day and time.
Tickets may also be purchased at the gate if open slots are still available and both cash and card are accepted.
Lastly, well-behaved leashed dogs are allowed to the farm as long as you clean up after them!
Hours: Thursday -Sunday: 8 am – 7 pm (weather permitting)
Address: 372 Artesia Rd, Hallsboro
Best Time to Visit NC Sunflower Fields
Now that you know where some of the best sunflower fields in NC are, it’s important to know when to visit them! Sunflowers in NC generally bloom around Mid-late July and will last into August.
However, you can still see sunflowers NC throughout September. The blooms are heavily dependent on the weather (rain), so this can change every year.
This is why it is always important to check with the farms before you go!
What to Know Before Visiting the Sunflower Fields
Never been to a sunflower field before? Here are some things to keep in mind when visiting the flower fields in North Carolina.
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- It is best to wear close-toed shoes that you don’t mind getting dirty. The fields can get pretty muddy especially if it recently rained. My white shoes never looked the same after wearing them at Hill Ridge Farm.
- Please do not trample on the flowers or pick them if you are not supposed to. Following the rules of the farms and parks allows everyone to continue enjoying the flower fields in NC for years to come!
- Bring a sun hat, reusable water bottle, bug spray, and sunscreen! Sunflowers grow best in direct sunlight, which means there might not be that much shade and I am sure you are already well aware of the North Carolina Summer heat!
- Don’t wear fragrant perfumes or cologne. This will help keep the bees away from you and focused on the sunflowers.
- Speaking of the bees, please do not swat at them. The bees are hard at work pollinating for us. They are interested in the flowers, not you!
- Please practice leaving no trace behind NC outdoor pledge. This means cleaning up after yourself and taking everything you brought with you.
How to get to the Sunflower Fields
If you are visiting North Carolina from out of state, the best way to get around NC is by car. Therefore, the best way to explore the sunflower fields around North Carolina will also be by car. You can call an Uber or Lyft if you don’t plan on renting a car.
Fun Sunflower Facts
If you landed on this page, I can assume you are a sunflower lover, so here are some fun facts about sunflowers!
- Sunflowers are native to the Americas and were domesticated around 1000 B.C.
- The best time to pick sunflowers for your vase is early in the morning after the morning dew has dried.
- Sunflowers always face the sun. This means they actually follow it throughout the day. How cool?!
- There are over 70 different types of sunflowers!
- A Sunflower is actually made up of 1,000-2,000 mini flowers that make the full flower we pick.
- Sunflowers can grow over 16 ft tall! The tallest sunflower reached 30 FT!
- Not all sunflowers are yellow and they come in different shapes and sizes.
Wrap-up: NC Sunflower Fields
This covers some of the best sunflower fields to visit around NC! I hope you have the best time enjoying the beautiful blooms. Are there any other sunflower fields or farms I should add to this list? Let me know in the comments below!
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Did you find this guide helpful? I’d appreciate it if you could share it below!
As a local NC girl, I love following along on your adventures in this state!
Thank you so much Lisa, that means a lot! I have been loving my time here!