When the farms open
Most tree farms in the Santa Cruz Mountains open on the day after Thanksgiving. A few open earlier, often the weekend before Thanksgiving, which gives early planners first pick before the rush. Each farm sets its own dates, so check before you go, especially early in the season.
The busiest day of the season
The day after Thanksgiving is the busiest day of the year at the farms. It’s opening day for most of them, and lots of families are off work and school. Expect full parking areas, cars backed up on narrow mountain roads, and lines to pay and have your tree netted. The rows closest to the entrance get picked over first, so be ready to walk if you go that day.
If you want the full opening-day atmosphere, go early and bring patience. If you’d rather avoid the crowds, almost any other day is calmer.
Weekends are busy, and some farms are open only on weekends
Saturdays and Sundays are the busiest times all season, with late morning to mid-afternoon the peak. Many smaller farms are open only on weekends, so on a weekday you’ll have fewer farms to choose from. The farms that do open on weekdays are usually much quieter then, sometimes with only a few other families in the field.
Quieter times to go
- Weekday afternoons, at farms that open on weekdays
- Weekend mornings, right when the farm opens
- Weekends after Thanksgiving weekend, once the opening rush has passed
- Drizzly days, when most people stay home (wear boots, since the fields get muddy)
Selection versus crowds
The earlier in the season you go, the better the selection, and tall trees tend to go first. A tree cut around Thanksgiving will easily last until Christmas if you keep the stand full of water. Later in December the crowds thin out, but some farms run low on trees or close early once they sell out, so call ahead before you drive up.
Watch the daylight
The sun sets before 5 p.m. in December, and many farms close around dusk. It also gets dark early under the redwoods. Plan to arrive with at least an hour of daylight left, so you have time to find a tree and drive back down the mountain roads before dark.