One of the best parts of summer in the Pacific Northwest is that berry season does not come and go in a single weekend. It stretches. Strawberries open things up in June, raspberries take over in July, blueberries run deep into August, and blackberries show up right when the season seems to be winding down.

Late July is the sweet spot. Strawberry fields have mostly wrapped for the year, but raspberries and blueberries are both going strong, and a surprising number of farms sit within an easy drive of just about any Seattle neighborhood.

One thing before you go: check the farm’s Facebook page the morning you head out. This is not a throwaway tip. Fields close with very little warning once they have been picked over, and hours shift constantly with weather and crop conditions. Facebook is almost always where that news lands first.

Raspberries are at their peak

July is prime raspberry time, and these fields are open now.

• Terra Valley Farms (Monroe)
• Bailey Family Farm (Snohomish), a longtime Snohomish Valley favorite
• Biringer Farm (Arlington), with a playground and a trolley if you are bringing kids
• Harvold Berry Farm (Carnation)
• Remlinger Farms (Carnation), where picking comes with rides, a steam train and farm animals
• Spooner Farms (Orting)
• Rodale Institute Pacific Northwest Organic Center at Cascadia Farm (Rockport), for organic picking in the Skagit Valley

Blueberries are the long game

Blueberries are the marathon of u-pick season. New farms have been opening nearly every week this month, and many keep producing well into August, which makes them the most forgiving option if your weekends are already spoken for.

Open now

• Blueberry Blossom Farm (Snohomish)
• Mountainview Blueberry Farm (Snohomish)
• Valentina Farm (Arlington)
• Schuh Farms (Mount Vernon), worth pairing with pie, milkshakes and a full Skagit Valley day
• Bow Hill Blueberries (Bow)
• Blue Dot Farm (Enumclaw), by appointment only

Closest to the city

• Larsen Lake and Mercer Slough in Bellevue are both city-run and genuinely close in, which makes them the easiest yes on a weeknight.

Opening through the rest of July

• Carpenter Creek Farm (Mount Vernon)
• Terra Valley Farms (Monroe)
• Blueberry Glen (Duvall)
• Bybee Farms (North Bend)
• Canter-Berry Farms (Auburn)
• Linbo Blueberry Farm (Puyallup)
• Pearson’s Bees and Berries (Renton)
• Bainbridge Island Blueberry Co. (Bainbridge Island)

A few things that make the trip better

A little planning goes a long way during u-pick season.

• Go early. The berries are better, the fields are cooler and the crowds are thinner.
• Wear shoes you do not mind ruining. You will be walking uneven rows.
• Bring sunscreen, hats and water, especially if you are going in the afternoon.
• Pack a cooler if you have errands after picking. Warm berries in a hot car do not survive the drive home.
• Leave room in the car. Many of these farms also sell produce, baked goods, honey, flowers and ice cream, and most of them are small family operations where that extra stop actually matters.

Worth building a weekend around

This is one of the things that makes living here feel specific. You can spend a morning in a raspberry field in Snohomish and be home in time for a late lunch, or turn a blueberry stop into an excuse to wander Skagit Valley for the day. Blackberries are next, right around the corner in August, so there is no real rush. That is the gift of a season that lasts months instead of days.

Happy picking!

This post was based on information found on Seattle Refined.