Tanaka Farms Orange County Family Day Trip: Tractor Tours & Events

Plan a Day at Tanaka Farms, Irvine, California

A working farm still sits inside Irvine, and that is the surprise that makes Tanaka Farms worth the drive. On about 30 acres along University Drive, the Tanaka family grows strawberries, tomatoes, melons, pumpkins, and other seasonal crops while running tractor tours that let you walk the rows, taste fruit off the plant, and take a basket home. The farm is one of the last family-run operations of its kind in Orange County. Children see where food comes from, and adults leave with dirt on their shoes and produce that actually tastes like itself.

Tours change with the harvest. Spring is strawberries. Midsummer is melons. October is the pumpkin patch, the busiest stretch of the year. Between those peaks, the produce stand stays open most days; Saturday and Sunday breakfast draws early risers, and a second Tanaka property, Hana Field in Costa Mesa, handles flower picking and its own fall festival. Book timed tickets for tours and special events. Walk-up spots disappear on weekends, and crops sell out when the weather is kind.

Tractor Tours and Hands-On U-Pick

The signature outing is a guided tractor or wagon ride through the fields. A guide points out what is in the ground that week, how the Tanaka crew plants and harvests, and which varieties are ready to pick. Most tour packages include time in the rows, samples from the vine, a container of fruit or a seasonal vegetable to take home, and a stop to meet the farm animals when the barnyard is open.

Strawberry tours are the crowd favorite. A ticket covers a 45-minute to one-hour tractor tour, about a pound of berries to pick, berries you can eat while you work the plants, and one extra vegetable when the crop is available. Reservations are required, and weekend slots fill first. Strawberry tours run mid-March through late April; some years, the berries run longer into early summer. Check the farm calendar for current details.

Melon tours usually roll in July and August. Guests ride through summer rows, taste what is ripe, and leave with a farm-grown melon. Tours cost about $21 per person, and children 2 and under are free. Melons may include cantaloupe, honeydew, canary melon, and yellow watermelon.

Fall turns the farm into the Irvine Pumpkin Patch. Admission generally includes wagon rides, the barnyard, a U-pick vegetable patch (carrots, green onions, cilantro, Japanese turnips, and similar crops), games, and, on many Friday through Sunday dates, the pumpkin cannon. Pumpkins are extra and sold by the pound. Weekend parking has been about $12 per vehicle, with weekday parking often free. Military discounts are available; bring a valid ID.

The Barnyard Education Exhibit is part of many visits, but it is not always open. The farm posts closures on its homepage. If meeting goats, sheep, and chickens is the main reason your kids want to go, confirm the exhibit status the morning you leave.

What Grows When

U-pick and tour dates follow the crop, not a fixed civic calendar. Strawberries: Late winter through spring, sometimes into early summer. Pick and eat from the plant; take a basket home. Melons and summer produce: Typically July and August. Wagon tours, tastings, and a melon to carry out. Pumpkins and fall vegetables: September through late October or early November. Choose a pumpkin from the patch or off the vine; pull vegetables in the U-pick garden. Year-round market crops: Tomatoes, greens, and other field vegetables appear at the stand when harvest allows. Books tours in advance at tanakafarms.com.

Tanaka Farms Produce Stand

You do not need a tour ticket to shop. The produce market stand at 5380 3/4 University Drive is generally open Monday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fruit and vegetables come from the same fields you see from the road. The stand also stocks dried fruit, nuts, bread, honey, jams, and other goods from nearby makers. Service is straightforward, prices are fair for the quality, and this is the easiest way to take Tanaka produce home if you cannot get on a tour.

Breakfast at the Farm

Saturday and Sunday mornings, Tanaka Farms serves a made-to-order breakfast. In recent seasons, seating has started around 7:30 a.m., with last orders near 10 a.m. Breakfast purchases include free tractor rides (last ride earlier in the morning) and time with the barnyard animals. The menu changes; strawberry-forward plates show up when the berries are in season. If you want a quieter farm morning without a full U-pick ticket, this is the easiest entry point. Confirm hours and the current menu before you go, because breakfast is popular and the kitchen can wrap early.

Hana Field in Costa Mesa

Hana Field is a separate Tanaka property at 427 Anton Boulevard in Costa Mesa, at the corner of Sunflower and Anton. It is not the Irvine farm. Parking and check-in are on Anton Boulevard. Do not park in neighboring lots or residential streets.

In summer, Hana Field is the flower stop: sunflowers and other seasonal blooms, bouquet picking, and barnyard animals. End-of-season sunflower days have used a low general admission with an “all you can carry” picking special. Spring programming has included baby goat storytime, goat yoga, and a sheep shearing and fiber festival. In the fall, Hana Field runs its own pumpkin patch.

How to Get to Tanaka Farms

Tanaka Farms sits just off University Drive in Irvine, a short hop from the San Diego Freeway (I-405)—address: 5380 3/4 University Drive, Irvine, CA 92612. As you approach, farm fields open on one side of the road, and the produce stand on the other. Follow the farm’s signs into the lot rather than improvising a roadside stop.

Parking is on site. It is often free on ordinary weekdays and ticketed during the pumpkin patch and other peak events. Arrive early on Saturdays in October. Wear closed-toe shoes you do not mind getting dusty. Bring sun protection, water, and a cooler for berries or a melon. Strollers struggle in soft dirt; a carrier is easier with toddlers. Tours rain or shine only when the fields are safe, so have a backup plan for wet mornings.

Nearby Trails and Outdoor Stops

If you still have energy after the fields, three outdoor spots sit close enough to fold into the same day without turning the outing into a marathon.

Quail Hill Loop Trail. This easy loop in the Irvine Open Space Preserve runs about two miles with a modest climb to Vista Point. On a clear day, you can look across Quail Hill Preserve and the Irvine Valley. The trailhead is at 34 Shady Canyon Drive. The lot has free parking, restrooms, and water. The trail is open dawn to dusk. Leashed dogs are allowed on the loop; stay on the path, especially in warm months when rattlesnakes use the brush.

San Joaquin Marsh and Wildlife Sanctuary. About 300 acres of restored wetland off Riparian View, this Irvine Ranch Water District site offers roughly 12 miles of mostly flat trails, benches, and one of the better birding lists in the county. More than 200 species have been recorded, and some counts run higher. The grounds are open dawn to dusk. Admission and parking are free. Pets, bikes, and drones are not allowed. Audubon House, staffed by Sea & Sage Audubon, is often open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. with maps, a small shop, and loaner binoculars.

Upper Newport Bay Loop Trail. South of the farm, a paved path follows the edge of the Upper Newport Bay Nature Preserve and Ecological Reserve. The back bay covers hundreds of acres of marsh and bluff and remains one of the last major estuaries in Southern California. It is a quieter walk than a theme-park afternoon, with herons, mudflats, and harbor views if you continue toward Newport.

Tanaka Farms FAQ

Do I need a reservation?

Yes, for U-pick tours, the pumpkin patch, and most special events. The daily produce stand does not require a ticket.

Is the produce stand open without a tour?
Yes. Typical hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily.

Are there farm animals?
Yes, when the barnyard is operating. The exhibit is sometimes closed. Confirm the morning of your visit.

Is Hana Field the same as Tanaka Farms in Irvine?
No. Hana Field is the Costa Mesa location for flowers and a smaller seasonal festival. Tours through the main vegetable fields happen in Irvine.

Is there parking?
Yes, on-site. It is often free on regular weekdays and paid on pumpkin-patch weekends (about $12).

What should I bring?
Sun hat, water, closed-toe shoes, wipes, and a cooler. Leave pets at home unless an event is specifically dog-friendly. Hana Field does not allow pets except service animals, except on rare advertised dog days.

Is it good for young kids?
Yes. Tractor rides, picking fruit, and the barnyard are built for families. Uneven ground and sun are the main challenges. Weekday tours are easier with little ones.

Harvest Heaven: Southern California U-Pick Farms, Orchards & Tours