California grows over 99 percent of the table grapes produced in the United States, and a growing number of vineyards open their rows to u-pick visitors during the autumn harvest. Whether you want to eat them fresh, make juice, or try your hand at homemade grape jelly, the San Joaquin Valley and the coastal regions offer some of the best picking in the country. Here is how to plan your trip.
When to go
Grape season in California runs from late August through October, with peak picking in September.
The San Joaquin Valley — the heart of California table grape country around Fresno, Tulare, and Kern counties — starts earliest. Farms there may open by mid-August. The harvest then moves north and into the coastal regions, where cooler temperatures delay ripening. Vineyards in Sonoma and Mendocino counties often run through late October.
Grapes ripen in clusters and a single vineyard block is usually picked over two to three weeks. Unlike cherries, grapes do not all come at once, so you have some flexibility. But late-season varieties sell out, and the best clusters go first. September is the sweet spot for most farms.
Call ahead. Grape harvest timing shifts year to year based on the summer heat. A hot August pulls the season earlier; a cool one pushes it back. Farms post updates on their websites and social media.
What to bring
- Sun hat and sunscreen. Vineyard rows offer little shade in the Central Valley, where autumn temperatures can still hit the 90s.
- Sturdy closed-toe shoes. Vineyard floors are dirt and grass, uneven between the rows. Dewy mornings make them slick.
- Pruning shears or scissors. Some farms provide them, but bringing your own sharp pair makes picking faster and cleaner. Tearing grapes from the vine damages the cluster.
- Containers. Farms usually provide trays or lugs. Bring a cooler for the drive home — grapes lose firmness fast in a hot car.
- Water. The Valley is hot and dry through September. Bring more than you think you need.
- Cash. Some smaller vineyards and farm stands are cash-only.
Which varieties to look for
California vineyards grow dozens of table grape varieties. The ones you are most likely to find for u-pick:
Thompson Seedless is the classic green grape. Light green, firm, and sweet. The most widely grown table grape in California and the standard for raisins. Good for fresh eating, juice, and drying.
Crimson Seedless is a red grape that ripens later in the season. Firm, crisp, and sweet-tart. Holds up well in the refrigerator. Often available into October.
Flame Seedless is an earlier red variety. Bright red, round, and juicy. Sweeter than Crimson and a favorite for fresh eating. Usually picked in late August and September.
Concord is the grape to pick if you want juice or jelly. Dark purple, thick-skinned, and intensely flavored — this is the grape behind grape juice and classic grape jelly. Concords slip off the stem easily when ripe. Less common in the Central Valley but found at some farms and in cooler regions.
Ruby Seedless is a late-season red grape. Dark red, very sweet, and stores well. A good choice if you are picking in October.
Muscat (especially Muscat of Alexandria) is a fragrant heirloom. Golden-green, intensely aromatic, and sweet. Muscats are the grape for anyone who wants flavor over shelf life. Worth seeking out for eating fresh or for preserves.
How to pick
Grapes do not ripen after picking, so pick only clusters that are fully colored for their variety. Green grapes should be a pale, even green with no green transparency — a ripe Thompson takes on a slight amber tint. Red and purple grapes should be full-colored with no green spots near the stem.
Cut the cluster from the vine with pruning shears. Make the cut close to the vine, leaving a short stub of stem on the cluster. Do not pull or twist the cluster off — tearing damages both the vine and the fruit, and the grapes closest to the stem will pop off and be lost.
A ripe grape is firm and attached tightly to the cluster. If grapes are dropping off the cluster on their own, the cluster is overripe. If they resist being plucked, it is underripe.
Look for clusters with a dusty white coating called bloom. It is natural and protects the grapes. Rubbing it off is fine, but its presence means the grapes have not been overhandled.
After the pick
Grapes keep better than berries but are still perishable. Store them unwashed in the refrigerator in a perforated bag or loose in the crisper. They will keep for 1-2 weeks. Do not wash them until you are ready to eat — moisture causes mold.
For freezing: rinse and dry the grapes, then spread them on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze until solid. Frozen grapes are a snack on their own and keep for up to a year. They do not thaw well for fresh eating but are excellent blended into smoothies.
For juice and jelly: Concord grapes are the classic choice. Crush the grapes, simmer until soft, and strain through a jelly bag. The juice can be canned or frozen. A simple grape jelly needs juice, sugar, and pectin — Concord’s high natural pectin makes it forgiving for beginners.
For drying: Thompson Seedless grapes dry into raisins in the California sun or in a food dehydrator. Home-dried raisins have far more flavor than store-bought.
Find a vineyard
California has over 180 agritourism farms in our directory. Browse California farms to find a u-pick grape vineyard near you.