The best lavender fields near New York City

Governors Island has the city’s only lavender field! That’s right, in addition to more high-profile attractions like The Hills, Castle William, Island Oyster and bike rentals, you can also spend a relaxing day on the island picking your own bouquet from a waterfront field of gently swaying lavender. It’s exactly the sort of relaxing, soul-calming activity that this crazy year calls for. The field is overseen by Earth Matter NY, a city organization dedicated to promoting composting in the city. Launched in 2017, The Lavender Field doesn’t just provide a peaceful oasis for New Yorkers, it also acts as a pollinator attractor. While you can't usually pick it yourself, there are special harvesting times held by Earth Matter that will supervise and guide your harvest.

Lavender by the Bay is an incredible family-owned lavender farm in East Marion nearby. The 17-acre farm has over 80,000 plants, which you can breathe in and take incredible photos of. You need to time your trip right—there are different blooming schedules. For example, the English bloom ended in June and the French lavender blooms the first week of July. Be sure to check the website for bloom updates and buy your tickets online before you head out. And of course, there is a gift shop on premises where you can buy products from the farm and its products are sold at select NYC Greenmarkets every week.

Port Murray, NJ
1 hr 36 min by car
No admission fee

Cut your own lavender at this smaller but gorgeous farm that offers English lavender in June and French in July. Their fields, which also include perennial gardens, are beautiful and well-maintained without the use of chemical pesticides and herbicides. And stay to explore— it also has beehives, historic buildings and a shop that sells incredible lavender products, including lavender ice cream flavors. It also hosts events throughout the season, too, so make sure you check its social media to stay connected about those.

Manalapan, NJ
1 hr 30 min by car
$10 per person, cash only

This 130-acre farm has more than just lavender going for it—from pumpkins and a corn maze in the fall to sunflowers, blueberries, raspberries and zinnias in the summer, Happy Day Farm caters to a lot of different seasonal activities. Lavender viewing (not cutting) is on through July 11, with sunflower and zinnia picking following right on its heels. If you get thirsty while on site, there's fresh-squeezed lemonade and shaved ices to keep you cool.

Morganville, NJ
1 hr 9 min by car
Pre-register $20 per car—includes a large bouquet and 90 minutes field access for all occupants of your car. 

July 10-11 is the last weekend of "U-Pick" at this beautiful 10-acre farm of English and French lavender. It also offers cut bundles, dried lavender, loose buds, sachets, soaps, honey and full plants for those who miss picking their own. In the summers, when the blooms are out, the farm holds amazing events, including wine glass painting, professional photoshoots, lavender wand workshops and more.

Skillman, NJ
1 hr 30 min by car
No fee to enter

This farm is a great place for taking amazing photos of yourself in a sea of purple blooms with 15 varieties of lavender. You can't cut the flowers yourself, but you can find a slew of gorgeous products in the farm's shop, which carries anything you could imagine. The farm, open on the weekends, is also an alpaca farm—yes, you can feed and pet them.

Lawrenceville, NJ
1 hr 32 min by car
No entry fee

This sweet family-owned farm grows and sells four varieties of Lavender: Big Time Blue, Phenomenal, Sensational! and Super Blue because they were developed for the Northeast climate—and you're welcome to walk among the bushes yourself (but not pick them yourself) fresh and dried lavender is available for purchase, as well as a slew of products like lavender coffee, cold brew, lemonade, ice cream and candied lavender flower. You can also tour the farm for $5 and feed the alpacas, pony and goats. 

Greenwich, NJ
2 hrs 50 min by car
No entry fee

This private farm, which has held goat yoga in the recent past, allows you to walk among the blooms but not to pick them. If you want your own bouquets, they sell fresh-cut blooms at the end of July—two for $12—among other products from essential oils to full plants.