Has anyone else seen those dreamy pictures of lavender fields in the South of France and thought “I just want to run through them?” No? Just me?
How did I not know I could hop in my car and drive 1.5 hours east and have this experience? 123 Farm and the Highland Springs Ranch & Inn have been hosting their Annual Lavender Festival for 15 YEARS!
Sharing all the details so you can plan your visit. Unfortunately the 2019 festival ended last weekend, but let this little guide help you for next year – or just inspire you to check out some local events in your area.
I went with my two girlfriends, Alexia and Stella, and honestly we had NO idea what to expect. It could’ve been a complete waste of time, but that’s half the fun of any adventure.
It was not a dud.
As soon as we arrived we were flooded with the smell of lavender. We immediately headed directly into the lavender fields to snap some pics, frolic around, and take in the beautiful scenery around us. (You ARE aloud to walk through the fields, just no picking the flowers).
Inside the festival grounds there was tons to do as well. Tractor rides, a petting zoo, live music, a thousand year old oak tree on the property, booths set up with crafts, shops, and so much more. I ended up purchasing some loose leaf tea (Rose Lavender Earl Grey AND Lavender Chai) as well as some Lavender Earl Grey Honey.
And of course the highlight, eating every lavender flavored/infused thing we could find:
Lavender Blueberry Cream Ale
Strawberry Lavender Mojito
Lavender Lemonade
Brisket with a Lavender Onion Jam
Churros with a Lavender Chocolate Sauce
Lavender Cheesecake
Lavender Blueberry Donut
Lavender Cronut
And yes, it was all delicious.
If you decide to visit, I’d recommend buying the Blue Membership. A normal ticket is $15, but for $30 you get an entry ticket for the festival, a free drink ticket, meal ticket, and dessert ticket plus 10% off anything you purchase PLUS admission to future events at the farm (good for a year).
Don’t live in Southern California? No lavender fields around you? Or maybe you just don’t want to wait an entire year? Take this as a lesson and a little inspiration that if you look hard enough – you’ll probably discover the most random and fun things nearby. A few easy ways to find things going on near you:
- Check out the events tab on Facebook
- Follow instagram accounts that post about your city (for LA folks, some of my favorites are @discoverla, @timeoutla, and @losangelesbucketlist)
- Look for groupons – they can be a great way to try out new things for a discounted price
– Courtney
hardys on holiday 
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