Overview
Swanton Berry Farm has been growing certified organic strawberries on the Santa Cruz coast since 1983 — it was the first organic farm in the US to sign a contract with the United Farm Workers. The Davenport u-pick fields sit right off Highway 1, a quarter-mile from the Pacific, which means the berries are exceptional (cold coastal air + deep summer sun) and the setting is nothing like a typical agritourism farm. It's small, unpretentious, and run on an honor system where you weigh your own berries and pay into a cash box. For kids, the combination of eating off the vine, open fields, and ocean air is hard to replicate anywhere closer to the city.
How to Do It
The farm is at 25 Swanton Road, Davenport, CA 95017 — on Highway 1, about 7 miles north of Santa Cruz and roughly 90 minutes south of San Francisco. The drive down Highway 1 from Half Moon Bay is the scenic route; Highway 17 to Santa Cruz then north on 1 is faster. Parking is in a large dirt lot directly at the farm — easy and free. The u-pick fields are a short walk from the farm stand.
Check the website (swantonberryfarm.com/home/upicks) before you leave. The farm posts which days u-pick is open and whether berries are available, and it updates in real time. U-pick is typically available on scheduled weekend days during the peak season — in 2025 that included dates throughout May, June, and into July. When you arrive, grab a flat or box from the stand, walk the rows, and pick your way through. Strawberries are $8 per pound. At the end, you weigh the box yourself at the station, write down the total in the log, and pay into the cash register — cash preferred, cards accepted. If you bring your own container, the box weight is deducted from your total.
Tips & Tricks
Only pick the fully red berries. Strawberries don't continue ripening once picked, so anything with white at the shoulders or tip will stay that way. The best berries are usually deeper in the row, away from the path edge where earlier visitors have already cleaned out the easy-to-reach ones.
Get there early — u-pick is first come, first served and the farm doesn't control crowds beyond shutting it down when berries run low. Arriving at or just after 8am (the farm opens at 8am) gives you the best selection and avoids the midday crunch on peak weekends.
The ocean wind at this location is consistent and can be sharp even when it's warm inland. A light jacket and a hat are worth bringing for kids, especially if you're there in the morning. The fields have no shade.
The farm stand sells strawberry lemonade, fresh pies, jams, and seasonal produce. It's legitimately good — budget time and cash for the stand separate from the u-pick. There's no full restaurant, but the stand has indoor and outdoor seating and it's a comfortable place to linger. Cash is preferred throughout the farm.
The only bathroom on site is a porta-potty. If your kids need something more, the Davenport Roadhouse is about two minutes north on Highway 1 and has proper restrooms and a full menu.
Planning
U-pick strawberries are $8/pound. No admission fee. The farm stand is open daily 8am–5pm (extended to 8pm in summer); u-pick fields are only open on designated days, so check the website before going. No reservations for u-pick — it's walk-up. Bring cash (strongly preferred at this farm). Wear clothes and shoes you don't mind getting dirty; the fields can be muddy in spring. Strollers don't work in the fields — a carrier or letting toddlers walk alongside works better. Peak season for strawberries is mid-May through late June, though availability varies by year depending on weather. The Pescadero farm location (separate site, off Cabrillo Highway/1) also does u-pick olallieberries and tayberries later in the summer, Friday through Sunday. Strong combo trip: Año Nuevo State Park (elephant seals, 15 minutes south) or Pescadero State Beach on the same drive.