Attention New England friends– Colby Farm, arguably the best sunflower field in Massachusetts, is now in peak bloom!
This is a fleeting time of year, only lasting a few weeks at the most, so be sure to visit in the next few days to make sure you don’t miss it!
Located in Newbury, Massachusetts (about 45 minutes north of Boston, next to Newburyport), Colby Farm has been growing and selling fresh produce since it opened in 1960.
Today, Colby Farm boasts 350 acres of hay and 20 acres of vegetables and herbs, which they grow and sell at their farmstand. They also partner with a variety of local dairies, bakeries, farmers, and other artisans to sell all sorts of local goodies at the farmstand– from ice cream to granola to soap.
Perhaps most notably, Colby Farm is known for its jaw-dropping sunflower field, spanning further than the eye can see. It blooms in late August/early September each year and is truly a sight to behold.
We love going to Colby Farm during sunflower time, and are excited to share with you all the best tips and tricks for your visit below. But hurry– the sunflower bloom won’t last too much longer!
Getting There:
Colby Farm is located a quick 45-minute trip from Boston by car or commuter rail in Newbury.
If you’re driving, it’s super close to highway routes 95 and 1. If you’re taking the commuter rail, take the Newburyport/Rockport line from North Station and get off in Newburyport. It’s about a half-hour walk, which passes by very quickly on a beautiful day!
Tip: If you visit on a weekend, the commuter rail is often running a $10 unlimited ride special— meaning you can ride the commuter rail as often as you’d like over the course of a weekend for only $10. This is an incredibly good deal, and there’s so much of Greater Boston to see that is easily accessible from the commuter rail. On the Newburyport/Rockport line alone, you can tack on a visit to Newburyport, Rockport, and Gloucester after you’re done at Colby Farm. You can read more about the $10 fare special here, and you can easily buy tickets online or at your station of origin (likely North or South Station!)
Tips for a Great Visit:
- We strongly recommend that you arrive as early as you can, and try to go during the week if possible. We’ve visited both on a Saturday and on a Thursday morning in different years, and arriving early is crucial. In fact, if you can be the first to visit on a weekday morning, you’ll be thrilled with the views and photos. Weekends are (as is to be expected) very crowded.
- Keep in mind parking is $10, and cash only. They open the gate at exactly 9AM, and there’s no great place to wait nearby– Scotland Road has highway-level traffic but only two lanes, so we don’t recommend pulling over to the side of the road. If you’re early, keep going down the road and there are a few parking lots to pull into where you can wait for a few minutes. When they do open the gate, follow the signs to the parking area and pay the $10 there.
- Dogs are allowed, on-leash, but be careful not to let them trample the flowers.
- On that note– we’ve noticed a lot of people being fairly disrespectful in their attempts to get the best photo: going off the path, trampling some of the smaller sunflower stalks, pulling down on the flowers, etc. This is a local, family-owned establishment– it goes without saying that everyone should be respectful and treat the flowers gently! As they say, “leave no trace.” And of course, don’t pick them!
- Don’t miss the farmstand! As we said above, it’s filled with fantastic, yummy local produce and treats.
Photo Tips:
- As you walk over to the sunflowers, note that there are 2 large fields. The 1st has taller and larger flowers, but peaks earlier than the 2nd. The 2nd has smaller blooms with shorter stalks, but with much more vibrant colors. They are both gorgeous!
- If you’re one of the first to arrive, we recommend making a beeline for the far end of the 2nd field, so you’re more likely to have unobstructed photos. If you walk all the way to the back corner, you can take photos of the sunflowers head-on diagonally across the field, since they all arch in the same direction.
- There isn’t enough space to walk between the rows without trampling the flowers. As we said above, we saw people doing this and… don’t be that person. Instead, look for indentations where there aren’t any flowers. This is the perfect place to perch for the “surrounded by flowers” shot without hurting any of the plants. There are plenty of places where you can slip in. In the large field, there are lots of paths that you can meander down.
- Don’t worry too much if it’s overcast. As you can see in our photos, the day was fairly cloudy, but we actually found that it brought out the vibrant color of the sunflowers in a really beautiful way.
- For those curious, our photos were taken with a mixture of an iPhone 10 and a Canon Rebel DSLR camera. It’s impossible to get bad photos here!
As we said above, after you finish your visit to Colby Farm, you should definitely consider continuing on (by car or by rail) to Newburyport, Rockport, and Gloucester, or anywhere on Cape Ann for that matter.
Gloucester in particular is lovely if you’re in the mood for an afternoon on the beach, and Newburyport and Rockport both have absolutely charming downtown areas and sea views.
Check out our guide to Newburyport and Rockport here!
Are you planning to visit Colby Farm, or have you already visited this season?If you don’t live in New England, where are your favorite sunflower fields to visit? Let us know in the comments!
Be sure to pin our guide by clicking the photo below!
23 comments
Gorgeous! ❤️
My seven year old would love to have her picture taken in a field of sunflowers. We grow a few every year and it is always a highlight for her. Thanks for the tips on getting there early and heading out to the end of the second field.. The insider knowledge really helps with planning out a visit.
Thank you Donna! Hope you guys are able to visit sometime!
Wow! Your pics are fabulous!! I don’t live in that area but have visited a sunflower field a few weeks ago in Cincinnati. I love that you wore blue for your ‘photo shoot.’ It’s the perfect complement to the yellow.
Thank you for your kind words Ildi! It’s my favorite dress, I was happy it matched! 🙂
Beautiful photos! I have never visited a sunflower field, but it looks beautiful. The tips are great for a newbie like me 🙂 Great post, love it!
Thanks so much, Stef! Hope you can make it out for a visit soon!
the farm looks refreshing
Wow I would love to visit that farm and those sunflower pictures are gorgeous! 😍
It was an amazing day!
This looks unbelievable. I have never visited a sunflower field and your tips would be applicable to most of them, not just the one in MA! Thanks!!
Hope you can check one out soon!
Great guide and fantastic pictures!
Thanks Steph!
Great place for people who likes to spend times amongst nature! snaps are beautiful too!
Thank you so much!
Such an informative post, love the structure! You’ve put a lot of heart into it! Especially love the photos! I’d love to get a picture of such awsome sunflowers! Reminds me of a Van Gough painting! 😂
Thank you so much Holly! Reminded us of Van Gogh’s paintings, too!
So beautiful! Informative post. Now I have to find a sunflower farm in Europe you have convince me for a photo session. I might have to wait for the next sunflower season..lol
I hope you’re able to find one in Europe!
Stunning! And not too far from me! Looks like I’ll have to plan a trip!
You absolutely should!
Wow, your photos look so amazing! ♥ This is definitely one of the sunniest and sweetest posts I have ever read!
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