April through the end of October is U-pick season at Sunmist Estate, located in the hills of De Luz, less than a 10-minute drive from Old Town Temecula. Depending upon the season, visitors will find abundant rows of avocado, Meyer lemon, and tangerine trees to pick from. Blueberry bushes, too. It’s a fun, family-friendly activity, but also requires sturdy shoes, a little agility, and a vigilant eye if with small children.
Sunmist Estate is a 35-acre, family-owned working farm, event venue, and Airbnb. I visited on a Sunday morning in June with a few friends for tangerine U-pick. The sky was a little foggy, workers were out in the orchards, and a few families were making their way down the tree-lined paths. The owner greeted us with large bags for picking, and offered tangerine juice and the Wi-Fi password. The farm is completely surrounded by hills, which makes for beautiful views, but zero reception. For safety’s sake, connecting to Wi-Fi seemed like a good idea.
The farm had been open since April, and the low-hanging fruit on the lowest trees was already picked over. The trees are all on the hillsides, but there are tiers of graded paths to accommodate farm trucks and guests on foot. While it’s a pretty short distance between the levels of walking paths, the hills are steep with loose dirt and gravel, and, in spite of a temporary staircase that hints at a way up, there is no carved path. Sneakers or hiking boots with good treads are a must to attempt the climb.
Two of us scrambled up through the trees to the next tier, grabbing branches for support as we went up. When we reached the top of the short climb, we were rewarded for our minor bravery with tangerine and lemon trees abundant with fruit, and beautiful views as the sun was coming out, turning the sky from gray to blue. We happily plucked, posed for photos, and filled our large bags pretty quickly.
Our more fruit-tree savvy friend had gone back down to chat with the owner to ask if he had poles for picking the fruit higher up on the trees. (She’s a fruit tree owner herself. It would never have occurred to this former city girl.) Well, of course he did, so before we left, she showed us how easy it is to grab fruit with the assistance of the pole that resembled a lacrosse stick. Small clippers and lightweight gloves are probably a good idea to bring along next time, too. The farm does not supply those. Lessons learned.
Picnics are allowed, so bring lunch and a blanket (there are no picnic tables) and make a day of it. The estate is incredibly picturesque, and the tangerines are absolutely delicious.
A few tips for your visit:
- Book your visit on the Sunmist Estate website before you go.
- The fruit trees are on steep slopes, so wear sneakers or hiking shoes with good treads.
- Gloves and small garden clippers may be helpful.
- The farm supplies bags and poles to help pick higher fruit.
- If visiting with small children, try going early in the season when they can still grab low-hanging fruit. Also, keep an eye on them, we didn’t see any snakes but there are holes everywhere.
U-Pick details:
- U-pick is open weekends, 10 am til 2 pm, from April until the end of October.
- Tangerines & Meyer Lemons: $20 per bag (~13 lbs)
- Avocados: $3 per lb or $40 per bag
- Blueberries: $6, $10, or $20 depending on box size
- Fresh 100% Tangerine Juice: $3 (8oz) or $6 (16oz)
- The farm takes cash, Zelle, or Venmo.
- Sunmist farm is not certified organic, but uses organic fertilizers and does not use synthetic sprays.
📍26700 Avenida Del Oro, Temecula, CA
