17 Places for Strawberry Picking in Minneapolis for Fresh Fruit (2023)
Are you looking for the best places to go strawberry picking in Minneapolis this summer?
Nothing says summer quite like the sweet taste of fresh-picked strawberries, and getting out and picking your own is one of the best activities!
Whether you’re looking for a fun family outing or a romantic date idea, strawberry picking is a great way to get outside and enjoy the beautiful Minnesota weather.
I have spent every summer going picking strawberries with my mom since I was just little, and live right in Minnesota, so I have lots of experience doing this!
In this post, I’m going to share with you some of the best places to go near Minneapolis to get your fresh berries this summer!
Best Places for Strawberry Picking in Minneapolis
While there aren’t any berry farms in Minneapolis, there are many great places within an hour or so of the big city.
Here are the best places to go for pick your own berries in the Twin Cities!
1. Pine Tree Orchard Strawberry Farm
Location: White Bear Lake
Distance From Minneapolis: 35 minutes
Whether you want to pick your own or you want to just pick some up and head home, Pine Tree Orchard will have what you’re looking for!
The season here is typically between late June and early July and is the perfect place for families to visit and go berry picking in Minneapolis.
Boxes are provided for you and the employees will show you where to pick. You can then enjoy your time out in the field!
Or if you’re running short on time, you can just pick up a pre-picked box of berries that are ready to be brought home!
Before you leave, be sure to stop at their Strawberry Bakery, where you’ll find delicious strawberry treats like Strawberry Rhubarb Pie.
2. Pleasant Valley Orchard
Location: Shafer
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
Found shortly out of the adorable town of Taylors Falls on the St. Croix River, Pleasant Valley Orchard is a great place to start the tradition of berry picking.
With 3 acres of berry fields to wander through and pick your own fresh fruit, you’ll surely leave with plenty of great berries.
From apples in the fall time to strawberries in the summer, this is a fantastic year-round orchard to visit.
3. Afton Apple Orchard
Location: Hastings
Distance From Minneapolis: 40 minutes
Making a visit to Afton Apple Orchard for strawberry picking is just a short distance from the Twin Cities.
As you wander through the rows of luscious red berries, you’ll feel like a kid again as you search for the most beautiful strawberries!
The orchard is found along the St. Croix River and the rolling hills and apple trees add to the idyllic setting.
The boxes are provided and the helpful staff will set you up to make sure that you have the best experience.
And don’t forget to stop at the Berry Barn, where you’ll find delicious fresh strawberry shakes, waffles, donuts, and more.
In the fall months, Afton Apple Orchard features a corn maze, lots of apples, pumpkins, and more.
4. The Berry Patch
Location: Forest Lake
Distance From Minneapolis: 40 minutes
The Berry Patch in Forest Lake takes pride in growing some of the most delicious berries and offers great pick-your-own strawberries near Minneapolis.
In the fields, you’ll find farm-fresh strawberries for about a 3 week period between June and July.
Blueberries are also available a bit later in the season, as well as raspberries.
If you’d rather not pick your own, you can also order pre-picked berries and just pick them up whenever you’re ready!
5. Lorence’s Berry Farm
Location: Northfield
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
Just under an hour outside of the Twin Cities, Lorence’s Berry Farm has everything from asparagus to raspberries, and of course, strawberries.
The fields open up early in the day and the berries are ready for picking from mid-June until mid-July.
Pick your own berries are available, or you can grab their pre-picked quarts and flats either at the farm or at one of the farmer’s markets that they attend.
As with any other farm, be sure to call ahead and make sure that their fields are still full, since they may be picked out early!
6. Berry Hill Farm
Location: Anoka
Distance From Minneapolis: 45 minutes
This beautiful berry farm in Minneapolis grows some of the best fresh fruit in the Twin Cities!
With over 100 acres making up the farm, it’s easy to see how the owners have been able to grow delicious produce like pumpkins in the fall months, strawberries, and raspberries.
Gather your entire family and embark on a fun adventure to the Minneapolis berry picking farm, where you can pick your own, fresh from the field!
7. The Strawberry Basket
Location: Monticello
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
The Strawberry Basket has been growing and allowing guests to come pick their own berries for over 20 years in Monticello!
While the berry picking season is short, The Strawberry Basket gives you a perfect spot to pick the juiciest berries around!
You don’t need to bring anything with you besides your motivation to pick your own fruit, since flats are provided.
In their small store, you’ll also find some of their other items, such as fresh garlic and honey and beeswax products.
8. Miracle Strawberry Farm
Location: Dodge Center
Distance From Minneapolis: 1 hour 30 minutes
Although a bit further of a farm to go strawberry picking near Minneapolis, Miracle Strawberry Farm is a great place to escape the city.
While closer farms tend to be more crowded, this one will have fewer people and more space to spread out to get those juicy berries.
The owners of this farm are survivors of a plane crash that happened in 2008 in the Democratic Republic of Congo and have named their farm after the miracle that day.
Nearly 3 acres of fields are available, which grow 3 varieties of strawberries to pick and enjoy once you get home.
Either pick them yourself or purchase a flat of already-picked berries.
9. Rod’s Berry Farm
Location: North Branch
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
With his first strawberry plants going in the ground in 1980, the owner of Rod’s Berry Farm, Rodney, has long been growing the best berries for people to pick.
This farm offers berry picking near Minneapolis and give you the chance to get into the fields and experience the farm life for yourself!
Either bring your own container or use one that they provide, and then head out into the field for some family friendly fun picking strawberries!
10. Nowthen Berries
Location: Elk River
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
Pay a visit to the Nowthen Berries farm to either pick your own strawberries near Minneapolis or grab a fresh tray of pre-picked berries!
Located just under an hour outside of the Twin Cities makes this farm a great way to get out of the city and enjoy the sunshine.
They also often sell their fresh berries at farmers markets around the area, so if you can’t make it to the farm, you can still enjoy the juicy fruit.
Another fantastic purchase here is their freshly made jams, which are made from their fruit like blueberries, strawberries, and raspberries.
11. Wyatt’s Strawberries
Location: Hastings
Distance From Minneapolis: 40 minutes
If you’re hoping to head home with a full box of the freshest strawberries around, then Wyatt’s Strawberries is the place to be!
With delicious berries ripe and ready to pick typically by mid-June, you can plan to spend as many days as you want picking berries.
Sometimes, my family goes back a few times to have fresh berries and then some to freeze!
You can also choose to opt for the pre-picked berries which are available until they run out for the day.
12. White Pine Berry Farm
Location: River Falls, WI
Distance From Minneapolis: 45 minutes
Being located shortly across the Wisconsin border doesn’t stop White Pine Berry Farm from having some of the best berries around!
Head out into the countryside of Wisconsin to enjoy some beautiful, juicy, and organic fresh strawberries this summer season.
If you’re feeling up to it, head out into the fields and pick your berries for yourself, or opt for their ‘we-pick’ berries to save you some time.
A unique thing about White Pine Berry Farm is that they offer 5 flavors of strawberries, with the most popular being the Jewel.
13. Casey’s Berries
Location: New Richmond, WI
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
Another place to go strawberry picking in Minneapolis is Casey’s Berries, which is found just slightly over the Wisconsin border.
Each year, this family-owned farm grows a variety of fresh produce, with some of their most popular being strawberries.
Throughout the rest of the year, they also sell pumpkins, squash, and gourds in the fall time, as well as sweet corn in the summer season.
14. Little Hill Berry Farm
Location: Northfield
Distance From Minneapolis: 50 minutes
Just a short hour-long drive will bring you to this fantastic berry farm in the Twin Cities that grows fresh, organic fruit.
As the only organic pick-your-own berry farm in Minnesota, you know that you’ll be getting the best of the best.
No harsh chemicals on any of their strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries means that you won’t be putting anything harmful into your body.
Choose to either pick your own or order a pre-picked box and head home to make some delicious goodies with them.
15. Chester Strawberry Farm
Location: Rochester
Distance From Minneapolis: 1 hour 45 minutes
A bit further south of Minneapolis is Chester Strawberry Farm, located in Rochester.
There are quite a few places for berry picking in Minneapolis, but most of them require at least a short drive, or something longer, like Rochester.
Chester Strawberry Farm grows a variety of fruits, but they specialize in strawberries, hence the name.
Enjoy either picking your own out in the field for a family friendly activity, or quickly pick up a pre-picked box to save yourself the work.
16. Dew Fresh Produce
Location: Stanchfield
Distance From Minneapolis: 1 hour
Juicy strawberries fresh off the vine are just one of the yummy fruits that you’ll find at Dew Fresh Produce.
Wander out into the fields and pick your own berries, or pick up some pre-picked ones from the farm stand.
The farm also grows apples, pumpkins, squash, carrots, raspberries, and more throughout the year.
17. Firefly Berries
Location: Rochester
Distance From Minneapolis: 1 hour 45 minutes
This small, family-owned berry farm near Minneapolis is the perfect place to go if you’re looking for some of the best berries.
They specialize in pre-picked strawberries, so you can enjoy that delicious, juicy, fresh taste, without having to do any work.
If the crop is plentiful, they may open up for you-pick berries, but typically, you can just easily grab them from the farm store.
Throughout the year, Firefly Berries also grows blackberries, raspberries, and concord grapes.
Map of the Best Minneapolis Strawberry Picking
When Can You Pick Strawberries in Minnesota?
The peak season for picking strawberries in Minnesota typically falls between June and July.
It all comes down to the weather, how much rain we’ve had, and how well the farmers are doing, but these are typical picking times.
It’s always a good idea to call up the berry farm you will visit and ask them how their picking is doing!
They can also usually give you a time frame for when the season will end for the year.
FAQs
In Minnesota, late June to early July is typically strawberry picking season. But this can really depend on the weather and conditions during that year.
Strawberries typically only last for a few weeks, maybe 3 to 4 weeks, depending on how many are available. Check with your local farmer to see how their berries are doing!
There aren’t a lot of places where wild strawberries grow in Minnesota, but according to the Minnesota Board of Water and Soil Resources, they can grow in dry, open meadows and woodlands.
Dress comfortably for strawberry picking. There’s no reason to get all dressed up, since you’ll be near the ground and you might even step in a strawberry or two. So wear something that you don’t mind getting dirty or stained.
It’s best to pick strawberries when it’s sunny out, because you won’t want to be standing outside in the rain. Some berry patches may even close if it rains. I recommend going in the early morning to avoid too much sun and get the best berries!
Wrap-Up: Strawberry Picking Minneapolis
Picking your own strawberries is one of the best ways to get outside and support your local farmers, all while getting a special treat.
Fresh-picked berries are so delicious, fresh, and sweet, and it’s great fun to pick your own, whether with the whole family or by yourself.
And with so many great places for strawberry picking in Minneapolis, it’s easy to find somewhere to go!
