The Most Beautiful Sunflower Fields Near Cleveland to Visit

Late summer and early fall bring one of my favorite harvest seasons: sunflower season!

The sunflower – or Helianthus – is a tall annual plant native to North and Central America. It was domesticated thousands of years ago, and grown as a crop throughout the Americas.

But fun fact: did you know that sunflowers aren’t actually “flowers” in the sense we usually think of them as? The head of a sunflower plant is actually made up of thousands of small flowers (under which are the seeds). The yellow petals are actually more like leaves. Cool, huh?

Sunflowers are still an important crop; the plant’s seeds are used for snacking, as well as for making sunflower oil and even sunflower butter. But, in recent years, sunflower fields have also been planted for purely aesthetic reasons since these big cheerful flowers make great photography backdrops.

Northeast Ohio is home to many sunflower fields that bloom in the late summer/early fall, many of which are within easy driving distance of Cleveland.

Here are our favorite northeast Ohio sunflower fields.

Note: Be sure to pay attention to opening dates. Sunflowers are usually planted in the spring to bloom for about 3 weeks in August/September. (Many farms plant fields to bloom around apple-picking season and other fall harvest activities.) But some of the fields listed here may bloom as early as mid-July, or as late as early October.

All info is current for the 2023 sunflower season (as far as we know it so far), and we’ll keep it updated throughout the season!

Sunflower fields near Cleveland (just for looking)

1. Maria’s Field of Hope

The most well-known sunflower fields near Cleveland are the Prayers from Maria “Field of Hope” fields planted each year in Avon and Sandusky. These massive sunflower fields are planted in remembrance of Maria McNamara, who sadly died of a childhood brain cancer called a glioma when she was just 7 years old.

Maria’s Field of Hope was first planted in Avon in 2013 as a way to draw attention to the lack of funding for childhood brain cancer research. The fields continue to be planted each year to raise both money and awareness for the Prayers from Maria Children’s Glioma Cancer Foundation.

The Field of Hope in Sandusky (at Cedar Point) usually blooms each year in mid-August, while the Avon field is planted to bloom in early September to coincide with Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.

Read more about visiting Maria’s Field of Hope here.

Maria’s Field of Hope in Avon

• Where: Corner of corner of Jaycox Rd and Middleton in Avon (new for 2023)
• When to go: The field usually blooms in September
• Distance from Cleveland: 20 minutes

Maria’s Field of Hope at Cedar Point (Sandusky)

• Where: 1201 Cedar Point Dr., Sandusky, OH (next to Cedar Point’s Express Hotel)
• When to go: The field wasn’t fully planted in 2023, so there aren’t many flowers to see
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour

These fields are both free to visit (though donations are recommended). You can dedicate sunflowers to loved ones and take photos, but no flower cutting is permitted at either of these fields.

RELATED: Maria’s Field of Hope: Visit Sunflower Fields for a Good Cause Near Cleveland

Cut-your-own sunflower fields near Cleveland

U-pick farms are all the rage right now, especially during the fall months. The following sunflower fields and farms offer a u-pick or cut-your-own option. Some allow you to just cut a few stems to make a bouquet, while others don’t really place limits on how many flowers you take home.

We don’t have any sunflower fields IN Cleveland, but all the ones listed here are less than a 1 hour drive away.

1. Greenfield Berry Farm

• Where: 2485 Major Rd, Peninsula, OH
• When to go: They stagger the planting of the rows of sunflowers here so that there are blooms from mid-July through mid-September. Check Facebook for opening hours – they usually announce hours one day before.
• Distance from Cleveland: 30 minutes

Listen up, because you won’t find this little farm on most other sunflower field lists. Why? I have no idea, because it’s one of my favorites!

The Greenfield Berry Farm is a small family-run farm inside Cuyahoga Valley National Park. They grow blueberries and sunflowers and a few other crops, and offer pick-your-own throughout the summer.

They plant their rows of sunflowers at different times, ensuring there are flowers to pick for weeks. Sunflowers are usually ready for cutting starting in mid-July, and are available through August and sometimes into September.

What I love about this farm (besides the fact that it’s rarely every crowded) is that they plant a variety of different sunflower species, meaning you can put together a really unique bouquet with blooms of all different colors and sizes.

Flowers are $1 per stem, and they do have a $10 minimum. (Cash or check necessary.) You’ll need to bring your own bucket and clippers, though they can fill you up with water for your stems.

The Greenfield Berry Farm doesn’t have a website or regular opening hours. You need to check their Facebook Page to know when they’ll be open each day. Sometimes reservations are required.

2. Rogish Farm

• Where: 8637 Mulberry Rd, Chesterland, OH
• When to go: They were blooming as of mid-August in 2023
• Distance from Cleveland: 35 minutes

Another great option close to Cleveland is Rogish Farm, located in Chesterland. This family-run farm is also known for u-pick blueberries and Christmas trees, but now is a popular spot for sunflowers, too.

To pick flowers at this farm, you do need to pre-register online here. The Rogish Farm fields are open based on weather and bloom patterns, so be sure to check availability before planning a visit. They only release reservations on Eventbrite a few days in advance. The best way to stay up to date is by following them on Facebook for updates.

This year there is a $15 admission fee per car (paid when you arrive), which covers your entrance and one empty quart-sized mason jar to can fill with sunflowers. Once you arrive, you’ll have 30 minutes to cut your flowers and take all your photos.

You’re encouraged to bring your own clippers, and you’ll get a quick lesson on cutting sunflowers before you go out into the field.

3. Lamphear’s Sunflower Field

• Where: 3344 Pearl Rd. Medina
• When to go: In 2023, sunflowers started blooming in mid-August
• Distance from Cleveland: 35 minutes

Located at the Lamphear’s Lawn Service supply center, this sunflower field is another great option to visit. They’re open 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, and also the same hours on Saturday, August 19 (they are otherwise closed on weekends).

You can cut your own sunflowers at this large field, and stems cost $2 each, or 3 for $5. You can also get a mason jar to fill with flowers for $10, and buy pre-cut bouquets. The field is cash-only.

Follow them on Facebook for further updates on opening days.

4. Medina Sunflower Farm

• Where: 7731 Beach Road, Wadsworth, OH
• When to go: In 2023, the field opened in early August
• Distance from Cleveland: 45 minutes

Brand new in 2021, the Medina Sunflower Farm is the brainchild of retired teacher Reese Rose, who enjoyed visiting sunflower fields so much that he decided to plant one of his own. Rose planted more than 300,000 sunflower seeds across 10 acres of what used to be grazing fields for horses.

The flowers bloomed into a vast sea of sunflowers, and Rose planted again in 2022 and 2023.

Admission to the Medina Sunflower Farm is $5 per person (cash only), and for another $5 you can cut 4 stems to take home. (Bring your own clippers!)

5. Hillcrest Orchards

• Where: 50336 Telegraph Rd, Amherst, OH
• When to go: The Sunflower Festival takes place in September, but dates have not yet been released for 2023
• Distance from Cleveland: 45 minutes

Hillcrest Orchards is most well-known in northeast Ohio for its fall harvest activities like its corn maze, u-pick apples and pumpkins, and farm market. But the orchard also has a sunflower field and sunflower festival each year.

In 2022, the Sunflower Festival took place over two weekends, September 3-4 and September 10-11, from 10 a.m.-6 p.m. each day. Dates have not yet been released for 2023.

To visit during the Sunflower Festival, you’ll need to pay for admission to Hillcrest Orchards, which costs $12 per person (or $10 if you buy your tickets online).

In addition, you can cut your own sunflowers to take home. Rates are $15 for a medium vase, or $20 for a large vase of stems.

The Sunflower Festival coincides with many other fall activities at Hillcrest like apple picking and the corn maze, so you can make an afternoon of it.

6. Kuchta Farms

• Where: 4480 OH-82, Newton Falls, OH
• When to go: Weekends starting September 9, 2023
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour

Kuchta Farms is famous for its epic fall corn maze, but it also has a 2-acre sunflower patch that visitors can enjoy in September.

The farm does charge an admission fee ($12 for “All Access Admission,” which includes the corn maze, a wagon ride, and more), and a separate ticket is required to enter the Sunflower Patch, which will allow you to choose one perfect bloom to cut and take home.

7. Ramseyer Farms

• Where: 4000 Ramseyer Ln, Wooster, OH
• When to go: Sunflower Days are tentatively planned for September 16-24, 2023, though those dates are subject to change based on the growing season.
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour

Ramseyer Farms is a family-friendly fall destination open from September 1 through the end of October. There are over 50 different activities to enjoy at the farm – including a 9-acre sunflower field.

The farm has special “Sunflower Days,” or days celebrating the blooming sunflower field. In 2023, these days are scheduled for September 16-24.

On these days, guests can explore the sunflower field and pick one flower to take home. (Additional u-pick flowers can be purchased separately and cost $13 for a mason jar you can fill, or $25 for a large galvanized vase.)

To access the sunflower field, you need to purchase admission to Ramseyer Farm, which covers all the activities available. Tickets cost $13.95 Wednesday-Thursday, or $19.95 Friday-Sunday, and timed entry tickets need to be purchased online in advance for Saturdays and Sundays.

Other northeast Ohio sunflower fields

Here are some more spots where you can see and cut sunflowers; these places are all more than 1 hour, but less than 1.5 hours one-way from Cleveland. Most also offer other fall events along with sunflower cutting, so you could absolutely make a day trip out of visiting any of these places.

1. Maize Valley Winery

• Where: 6193 Edison St NE, Hartville, OH
• When to go: The sunflower field will hopefully open by the end of August
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour 10 minutes

The Maize Valley Winery & Craft Brewery is a fun destination to visit any time of year, but for this post in particular it’s their sunflower field that’s worth mentioning.

The sunflower field at Maize Valley usually blooms by the end of July, though weird summer weather in 2023 means that they aren’t expecting sunflowers until late August this year.

Admission to the sunflower field is $5 per person, and cut stems are $5 for one, or $30 if you’d like to take home a bucket. It’s open Thursday-Saturday from noon to 8 p.m.

Along with the field being open to the public, Maize Valley also had a Sunflower Festival in 2022, and will likely plan a special event for 2023, too, once they know when the field will bloom.

Follow them on social media for updates.

2. Mill Creek MetroParks Farm

• Where: 7574 Columbiana-Canfield Rd, Canfield, OH
• When to go: Late August/early September is usually when this field blooms, though some years it blooms earlier/later depending on weather patterns during the growing season.
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour 20 minutes

The Mill Creek MetroParks Farm is a 400+ acre working farm in Mahoning County. Along with educational programming and farm animals to visit with, the farm also plants a sunflower field each season. It usually blooms towards the end of August each year.

The field is planted near the disc golf course; to find it, park at the far end of the parking lot away from the educational buildings, and head down the paved trail that leads to the MetroParks Bikeway. You’ll see the sunflower field to the right of the paved path.

Just note that this field is a looking-only field – there’s no sunflower cutting at this one!

3. Angiuli’s Farm Market

• Where: 9600 Columbiana-Canfield Rd, Canfield, OH
• When to go: Sunflowers here usually bloom in August.
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour 20 minutes

Just down the road from the Mill Creek MetroParks Farm you’ll find Angiuli’s Farm Market, which is a family-run farm selling all sorts of produce. They also plant a sunflower field and offer flower cutting each summer.

In years past, the field opened at the beginning of August. You can visit the Angiuli sunflower field most days once it’s blooming, and they also offer “sunset sunflower picking” on weekend evenings. Follow their Facebook page for exact hours and updates.

You are invited to cut your own flowers at this field; sunflowers here are $2 per stem.

4. White House Fruit Farm

• Where: 9249 Youngstown-Salem Rd, Canfield, OH
• When to go: Usually late August into early September
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour 20 minutes

Another Canfield spot you can visit is White House Fruit Farm, a local favorite farm market with lots of family-friendly activities throughout the year. They have a you-pick sunflower field complete with some fun photo areas that is open leading up to their Fall Harvest Weekends.

White House usually opens its sunflower field for picking by late August. You can follow them on Facebook for exact opening days/hours. The cost to cut your own flowers is $1 per stem, and you can either rent some clippers inside the market, or bring your own.

They also are planning some special sunset and early morning sunflower cutting events, which you can get tickets to online.

There’s no fee to visit White House Fruit Farm, and I’d encourage you to visit the market, too, to pick up some fresh apples, cider, and donuts (their blueberry donuts are world-famous; I even had them at my wedding!).

If you visit during their Fall Harvest Weekends (which start September 9, 2023), you can also enjoy things like a pumpkin pavilion, corn maze, and more.

5. Molnar Farms

• Where: 3115 E Western Reserve Rd, Poland, OH
• When to go: Their sunflowers usually bloom in August.
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour 20 minutes

Molnar Farms is a local farm and farm market in Mahoning County, not far at all from the Canfield spots listed above (you could technically visit all of these sunflower fields in one trip!). Along with selling fresh produce like apples and peaches and sweet corn, the farm also has a nice sunflower field in August.

The farm offers cut-your-own sunflowers throughout the season, usually starting in the first half of August. You can follow their Facebook page to learn when they’ll be open for sunflower picking. The field is only open during these designated hours.

Admission to Molnar Farms costs $6, which includes a hayride and 3 stems to take home. Additional sunflowers here cost $2 per stem, and you can pick as many as you’d like.

They have some scissors for cutting, but you’re also invited to bring your own clippers.

6. Arrowhead Orchard

• Where: 11724 Lisbon St NE, Paris, OH
• When to go: The sunflower field opens Labor Day weekend
• Distance from Cleveland: 1 hour 30 minutes

The last field we’ll include here is located near Canton in Paris, Ohio. Arrowhead Orchard is known mostly for its farm market and fruit like apples and peaches, but they also offer fun fall activities and a u-pick sunflower field.

The sunflower field at Arrowhead Orchard opens on Labor Day weekend, and usually remains open through September and into October to coincide with all the other fall events at the orchard like u-pick apples and pumpkins, hay rides, a corn maze, and more.

Admission to the orchard is required to visit the sunflower field; admission is $10-$14 per person depending on the day of the week. If you want to cut sunflowers, they are $2 per stem, or $18 for a half-gallon jar.

READ NEXT: The Best Farms Near Cleveland for Corn Mazes, Pumpkin Patches, and More Fall Fun

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Are you planning to visit any local sunflower fields this season?