Get a real sense of what makes farm life tick at a California farm stay. Lend a hand collecting eggs and tending vegetables, or just sit back and enjoy the picturesque landscape. Listed north to south, these unique accommodations feature one of the Golden State’s best assets—its abundant produce.
Stemple Creek Ranch, Tomales
Walk rolling pastures, meet resident livestock, and learn how regenerative ranching restores soil and wildlife habitat at this working ranch that raises grass-fed beef and lamb plus pastured pork. Seasonal tours, chef-led ranch dinners, and family-friendly open-farm days invite picnics, photo ops, and tastings—all with sweeping West Marin views.
Mar Vista Farm + Cottages, Gualala
Families love these 10 self-catering cottages nestled in dramatic coastal hills along the North Coast. Kids can collect eggs and harvest berries for breakfast, and owners encourage you to use the produce on the property to prepare meals in your cottage’s kitchen. Good news for Fido: Mar Vista Cottages are dog-friendly (with a fee).
Honeybee Discovery Center, Orland
Celebrate California’s pollinators at the Honeybee Discovery Center in downtown Orland, 20 miles west of Chico. Explore hands-on exhibits—like Bee-natomy 101 and the Honey! display—then peek into the region’s beekeeping history and modern hive tools. Family-friendly programs and intro beekeeping classes run year-round; check the calendar for open days. Future plans include a permanent facility with classrooms, outdoor displays, and a pollination garden.
Menagerie Hill Ranch, Vacaville
Meet gentle alpacas at Menagerie Hill Ranch in Vacaville, a working farm offering private, by-appointment tours where you can feed, photograph, and learn about the herd. Browse the ranch store for ultra-soft yarns and fiber goods, or book an overnight farm stay in the on-site bungalow for a wake-up-with-alpacas experience. The ranch also hosts occasional events and alpaca appearances for photo shoots and weddings.
Rancho Dos Amantes, Monterey County
This Central Coast property offers everything you’d hope for in a farm stay—goat milking, egg gathering, u-pick fruit trees—with touches of modern comfort. You can learn how to master farm-to-table dining at of the ranch’s cooking classes and end your night with a fireside glass of vino from nearby Paso Robles.
Preston Farm & Winery, Healdsburg
On Healdsburg’s West Dry Creek Road, Preston Farm & Winery pairs organic wines with a working, diversified farm. Picnic among the gardens (wine purchase required; reserve a table), then browse the farm store for hearth breads, estate olive oil, and seasonal produce. Tastings are by appointment (Thurs.–Sun.). Keep an eye out for sheep and friendly farm cats as you play bocce or wander orchards amid Dry Creek Valley vineyard views.
Flip Flop Ranch, Lucerne Valley
At Flip Flop Ranch in Lucerne Valley, days of feeding chickens, making soap, and pitching in on homesteading chores keep overnight guests busy on the east side of the San Bernardino Range. Meet the menagerie—hens, ducks, turkeys, goats, sheep, pigs, cattle, horses, donkeys, rabbits, plus farm dogs and barn cats—and help collect eggs or bottle-feed spring babies. Learn skills, tend animals, then unwind under starry high-desert skies around the campfire.