Of all the adventures I have daydreamed up over the past year France seems to be a reoccurring location– be it Paris, Reims or Marseille– but lucky for me Provence doesn’t seem to be the only place to find picturesque lavender fields! So many months of being grounded (literally) and cooped up at home has really given me a chance to look at my surroundings for some local explorations, so when the summer months rolled around I decided it was time to take a quick drive north to a Californian lavender field!

I love a good itinerary. Give me a day trip and I’m happy but give me day of ethical morals based around sustainability and supporting local businesses and I’m IN HEAVEN. So, I am here today to share with you my Local Lavender Excursion Guide!

We start of the day at Araceli Farms in Dixon– the cutest, women-owned lavender farm where you can take photos, host a picnic, play some corn hole and shop for all of your lavender needs! I’ve always thought of Dixon as a location for sunflowers in the summer but thanks to another local blog that highlighted the town’s knack for growing lavender I now know differently!

Just a few reasons to love Araceli; the farm is run by a Mexican American woman of color who farms, produces and packages her products in the most environmental-friendly was possible. The family owned 6 acres are Certified Naturally Grown and their lavender products are made of entirely pure ingredients. Must I go on?

We bought tickets online ahead of time to reserve our spots at 10:30, figuring we would have less people to photoshop out of our backgrounds. For $15 you gain entry to the field for 2 hours (loosely) and a bundle of lavender that serves as a prop and the best smelling souvenir. Their lavender products are also super reasonably priced and can be purchased online. I’m excited to use the folgate culinary buds on a batch of lavender lemonade this summer! The staff are also so kind and genuine, offering to take photos for you, encourage product sampling and further your lavender education. The whole event just left us feeling warm and happy.

Tip: the area is generally a bit windy so if you’re hoping for some cute photos I definitely recommend bringing a hair brush along!

After a couple of hours exploring Araceli Farms we drove 5 minutes down the road into downtown Dixon for the yummiest lunch at Barn and Pantry! I highly recommend ordering their grilled cheese sandwich that’s stacked with double creme brie cheese, granny smith apple slices, and fig jam. You will not regret it! Their Butterfly Vodka Lemonade is also a fun signature cocktail that made me feel like I was celebrating my 21st birthday as it sparkled in the sunlight!

Aside from the delicious menu and cute small town vibe Barn and Pantry has a ton of local products for sale! You can bet I bought some of that brie cheese from my sandwich and will be attempting a (likely sad) recreation of it to spice up my work week lunches! They sell all sorts of products from raw milk, local beverages, and bundles of asparagus sourced from local producers in the area.

Our last stop for the day before heading home was Pedrick’s for some fresh produce! There are farm stands all around the area but this one is a large, well-established store with easy parking right off the freeway so I ran it to grab some local fruit and veg before hitting to road.

And just a little bonus lavender tidbit from a past day trip– Lovey’s Tea Shoppe in Pacifica has a delicious black loose leaf tea blend with notes of vanilla and lavender, so if you’re looking to start your day with something yummy I highly recommend.

This whole day trip itinerary was such a joy to put together I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did! We are in the middle of lavender season right now so if you’re considering embracing your best cottagecore self and want to frolic in fields of lavender go make that reservation! You will not regret it.