Photo:
Berry picking is a favorite summer tradition. Credit: iStock
Local U-pick berries: The best taste of summer
Is there anything sweeter than picking berries straight from the vine and enjoying them in the summer sun? Every year, I look forward to the first signs of summer, because I know it means the U-pick berry season is just around the corner.
U-pick berry farms are a longstanding tradition in the PNW, and the season starts with picking strawberries. Then, we have raspberries, and finally blueberries to look forward to. Last year, I was so excited that my toddler daughter was old enough to run around the farms and fill a bucket of berries alongside her older cousins. Her 4-year-old cousin was eager to fill his bucket to the top (a lofty goal, as each bucket held five pounds), while my daughter filled hers much more slowly, finding it hard to resist sneaking the berries into her mouth before they could even make it into the bucket.
If you’re ready to start a summer tradition of your own, we have rounded up all the best U-pick berry farms near Snohomish and Skagit counties, the Eastside, South King County and the South Sound. Plus, we have all the tips and tricks to make your day of berry picking a success.
Snohomish and Skagit County strawberry picking
Eastside strawberry picking
South Sound and South King County strawberry picking
Snohomish and Skagit County blueberry picking
Eastside blueberry picking
South Sound and South King County blueberry picking
Key tips for picking berries with kids
Editor’s note: This article was first published in 2017 and is updated extensively every year, most recently in May 2024. We updated the article with additional farms, dates for this year’s berry picking season and have fact-checked all farm details. ParentMap’s family fun editor, Meredith Charaba, contributed to this article.
