The strawberry window in New York is a blink-and-you-miss-it sort of thing—roughly six weeks from mid-May to early July—but spending a morning hunched over in the sun with my kids is exactly the kind of summer kickoff I look forward to every year.
Day Trip Hudson Valley Long Island Pick-Your-Own Ages 2+
I almost didn’t write about strawberry picking because it feels like such an obvious thing to do. Then I remembered how many times I’ve stood in my kitchen staring at the calendar, willing the season to start so we’d have somewhere to go that wasn’t a museum or a playground. The comfort-vs-payoff equation here is straightforward: you trade a solid chunk of a day in the car for a couple of hours in a field, and the payout is the best strawberry you’ll eat all year. That’s a trade I’ll take every time.
What It Actually Feels Like on the Ground
Here’s the thing nobody tells you about u-pick: it’s not really about the berries. It’s about the heat coming off the soil, the low-grade panic of keeping track of two kids in a sprawling field, and the quiet thrill of finding a row that hasn’t been picked clean yet. The farms near New York City are dusty, sometimes muddy, and the sun has a way of feeling much stronger when you’re bent over at the waist.
The physical demand on kids is uneven. A 6-year-old can absolutely do this, but they’ll get bored after about 45 minutes. A 13-year-old can handle a full hour if the berries are good and the sun isn’t punishing. The secret is to go in with low expectations for your haul and high expectations for the experience. The berries you bring home are a bonus.
The Best Farms Near the City
I’ve split these by region because the Hudson Valley farms and the Long Island farms are different animals entirely. The drive matters, the terrain matters, and the vibe matters. Here are the ones I keep coming back to.
Hudson Valley Favorites
Fishkill Farms in Hopewell Junction is probably the best-known option around, and for good reason. It’s about an hour and fifteen minutes from Midtown, and theorganic pick-your-own strawberries are genuinely excellent. Reservations are required here, which is a pain but also means the fields aren’t overrun. The $34 Organic Strawberry Package covers up to five people (ages 2 and up) and includes two quarts of berries. They release slots on Thursday evenings for the upcoming weekend, so you have to be on top of it. Emma loved that the strawberries are low to the ground—she could pick her own without help.
Lawrence Farms Orchards in Newburgh is about an hour and twenty minutes out, and it’s my pick if you want a classic u-pick setup with a playground. Entry is $7 per person Monday through Thursday, $10 Friday through Sunday, and kids under 2 are free. The farm has a strict no-sampling policy, but they have a concession stand, and the playground is a lifesaver for burning off the last of a kid’s energy before the drive home. Walk-ins are welcome here, which takes the pressure off.
Long Island Standouts
Lewin Farms in Calverton is the big one on Long Island—about an hour and a half from the city, depending on traffic. No reservations needed, just walk into the field. They also grow raspberries and peaches, so you can make a multi-fruit trip out of it if the timing lines up. Check their crop updates before you go. The farm stand has ice cream on weekends, which is a non-negotiable stop for Sofia.
Patty’s Berries and Bunches in Mattituck is a little farther east, but it’s worth the extra drive if you want flowers, baked goods, and a prettier setting. They do strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and flowers, and they have vegan ice cream options, which matters more than it should on a hot day. No reservations here either.
Logistics and Getting There
I don’t really get the hype around the big strawberry festivals. I’d rather hit a smaller farm on a weekday and grab a pie from the farm stand on the way out.
— Sophie Bennett
The drive is the real gatekeeper for this activity. Fishkill Farms is the closest at about 1 hour 15 minutes from Midtown. Lawrence Farms is similar. The Long Island farms run closer to 1 hour 30 minutes, but that’s on a good day. Summer weekends on the LIE are a gamble. I try to aim for a Tuesday or Wednesday morning if I can swing it.
| Farm | Drive Time | Reservations | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fishkill Farms | ~1 hr 15 min | Required | Organized families, big groups |
| Lawrence Farms | ~1 hr 20 min | Walk-ins welcome | Families with toddlers, playground needed |
| Lewin Farms | ~1 hr 30 min | Walk-ins welcome | Multi-fruit picking, budget-friendly |
| Patty’s Berries | ~1 hr 45 min | Walk-ins welcome | Scenic day out, baked goods, flowers |
If you don’t want to drive, the Metro-North Hudson Line goes from Grand Central to Beacon Station in about 1 hour 40 minutes, and then it’s a 15-minute Uber to Fishkill Farms. It’s not cheap, but it beats sitting in traffic. Some links are affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting TravelsWithSophie! If the logistics of a DIY trip feel overwhelming, akid-friendly guided day tour from the city handles the transport and planning, which takes the edge off for parents wrangling little ones alone. I’ve looked at them for days when I just can’t face the drive myself.
What to Pack and Know Before You Go
Strawberry picking is a low-stakes activity, but a little prep makes the difference between a fun morning and a meltdown. The fields are dusty, the sun is strong, and the berries are fragile. Here’s what I’ve learned the hard way.
- Go early on a weekday. The fields at Lewin Farms are picked over by late morning on weekends, and the heat by 11 a.m. is rough on a 6-year-old.
- Check the farm’s Instagram stories before you leave the city. I’ve driven an hour and a half to Fishkill Farms only to find the field closed due to an early harvest. A five-second scroll would’ve saved me.
- Bring a cooler with ice packs. Those berries get juicy fast in a hot car, and a cooler full of warm, squished strawberries is a sad thing.
- Closed-toe shoes and a sun hat
- Reusable bags or flat-bottomed baskets (some farms charge for containers)
- Cooler and ice packs
- Water bottles and snacks—the farm stands are great but not always cheap
- Cash, some smaller farms like Condzella’s Farm are still cash-only for u-pick
Strawberry Picking Questions from Parents
Fishkill requires reservations. What if I just show up?
They’ll turn you away. The reservation system is strict, and they don’t hold slots for walk-ins. I’ve seen families drive all the way from the city only to be sent to the farm store. Book ahead or pick a farm that takes walk-ins.
Are there bathrooms at these farms?
Most of them have port-a-potties. Lawrence Farms and Windy Acres Orchard have actual restrooms, which is a huge win for potty-training parents. The smaller farms like Glover Farms have port-a-potties near the parking area.
Can we make a whole day out of it, or is it just the picking?
Depends on the farm. Fishkill Farms has a good farm store and scenic views, but it’s not a full-day destination. Pair it with a visit to Beacon or Cold Spring for lunch. Lewin Farms is close to the North Fork wineries (for the adults) and Patty’s Berries is near Harbes Family Farm, which has corn mazes and hayrides later in the season.
What if it rains on the day we booked?
Check the farm’s policy. Most will refund or reschedule if they close the fields due to weather, but it’s not automatic. Fishkill Farms is good about posting closures on their website and social media. If it’s just a light drizzle, the picking is still on—strawberries love a little rain.
My Last Word on Strawberry Season
Strawberry picking is one of those rare New York area activities that works for both a 6-year-old and a 13-year-old without much fuss. The drive is long, the fields are dusty, and you’ll probably come home with more berries than you can eat. But the memory of Emma’s juice-stained cheeks and Sofia’s grudging admission that the berries were “actually good” is worth the traffic. If you want more ideas for spending a summer day outside the city without a ton of planning, the full NYC guide on the site has you covered from farm stands to ferry rides.
Sources
13 Pick-Your-Own Strawberry Farms Near NYC. Mommy Poppins, 2025.
Fishkill Farms Strawberry Picking in the Hudson Valley. Secret NYC, 2025.
Best Strawberry Picking Spots on Long Island. New York Family, 2025.
8 Best Strawberry Picking Farms in Long Island. The Holiday Story, 2025.
Best Pick-Your-Own Strawberry Farms on Long Island. Mommy Poppins, 2025.
