🍓 Deep Dive · May 2026

Strawberry Picking Near ATL

Every U-pick farm within 90 min of Atlanta — scored, compared, and road-tested for families with toddlers.

📍 From 30306 👶 Toddler + newborn 📅 Season: late Apr – mid May 🗓 Target date: Sun May 3
🏆

Southern Belle Farm — McDonough, GA

45 min straight down I-75. Open Sundays 1–6 PM. Confirmed peak season Apr–May 2026. 4.7/5 on TripAdvisor (205 reviews) — #1 thing to do in McDonough. Travelers' Choice winner. Best toddler activity lineup of any U-pick farm in the metro (30+ attractions). Skip Jaemor's 80-min drive with two babies in the car.

southernbellefarm.com 📍 Directions from 30306
Top Two · Scored Head-to-Head
The main contenders
✓ Recommended
Southern Belle Farm strawberries
Southern Belle Farm
1658 Turner Church Rd, McDonough, GA 30252 📍 Map
Drive from 30306
~45 min
Hours (Picking & Market · Closed Mondays)
Tue–Fri: 9am–5pm  ·  Sat: 10am–6pm  ·  Sun: 1pm–6pm Last entry to u-pick patch 1 hour before closing
Admission
$1/person patch entry
Picking Cost
$14.95 half-gal · $19.95 gal
Barnyard Activities
$17.95 online · $20.95 gate
Kids 2 & under
FREE
🐄 Cow train 🏀 Jumping pillows 🐖 Petting barn 🚜 Tractor ride 🛝 Tube slides 🐷 Pig races 💎 Gem mining 🛒 Country Market 🍦 Strawberry ice cream
⚠️ Strollers don't fit strawberry rows. Bring a baby carrier for the field. No bags/backpacks in u-pick area. Strollers fine everywhere else.
Runner-up
Jaemor Farms
Jaemor Farms
5340 Cornelia Hwy, Alto, GA 30510 📍 Map
Drive from 30306
~80 min
Sunday Hours
12 PM – 5 PM
Admission
$6/adult · kids 2 & under free
Picking Cost
$20/gallon box (required)
Heritage
6-gen family farm, since 1912
On-site Food
Full Eatery + Bakery
🏪 Farm market 🥛 Milkshakes 🥗 The Eatery 🎮 Farm games 🌄 Scenic N. GA drive
ℹ️ 80-min drive each way = 2.5+ hrs in the car with a toddler + newborn. Great farm, wrong day for this group.
U-pick strawberry field Jumping pillows Cow train Barnstormer slide Country market
How they scored
Scoring breakdown
Southern Belle Jaemor Farms
Sunday availability (25%)
5 / 5
5 / 5
Drive time (20%)
4 / 5
2 / 5
Toddler activities (20%)
5 / 5
3 / 5
Season reliability (15%)
5 / 5
5 / 5
Reviews + reputation (10%)
5 / 5
4 / 5
Weighted Total
Southern Belle — 4.70
Jaemor — 3.80
Also within 90 min
More farms worth knowing
🍓
Warbington Farms
5555 Crow Rd, Cumming, GA 30041 📍 Map
Drive from 30306~40 min north (GA-400)
HoursCall weekly — varies by crop
AdmissionFree
Picking costOnline presale required (Fri 3pm)
Kids activitiesFun Park included
SeasonThrough early June
⚠️ Online presale tickets required on weekends — opens Friday at 3pm. Walk-ins very limited.
LCCL Strawberry Farm
LCCL Strawberry Farm
3743 Old Dalton Rd, Rome, GA 30165 📍 Map
Drive from 30306~75 min NW (I-75 / US-411)
Hours~10am–5pm (call ahead)
AdmissionFree
Picking cost$1.50/lb u-pick · $2.50/lb pre-picked
Kids activitiesTrain rides $1/ride (weekends)
PaymentCash or check only
⚠️ Cash/checks only. No card. Budget-friendly pick for a weekday trip.
Dickey Farms
Dickey Farms
3440 Musella Rd, Musella, GA 31301 📍 Map
Drive from 30306~78 min SW (I-75 South)
HoursCall ahead (flexible)
AdmissionFree
Picking cost$2.75/lb
BonusStrawberry ice cream + shortcake on-site
Heritage127-year-old peach + strawberry farm
Best combined with peach season stop. Iconic GA farm — the ice cream is worth the drive.
Sunday May 3 · Full Day Plan
How the day looks

🍓 Southern Belle Farm — May 3 · Leave at 8 AM

8:00 AM
Leave 30306
I-75 South via the Connector. Pack carriers, cooler, snacks, extra clothes. ~45 min drive.
8:50 AM
Breakfast — Truett's Grill, McDonough
1950s Chick-fil-A diner by founder Truett Cathy. Extended menu, familiar food for the toddlers, high chairs, fast. 1785 Jonesboro Rd, McDonough.
9:30 AM
Head to Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary — 15 min
712 LG Griffin Rd, Locust Grove. Opens 10am. Grab coffee and stall for 30 min if early.
10:00 AM
Noah's Ark opens — paved paths, stroller-accessible
Tigers, bears, wolves, lions on paved self-guided paths. $5/person. Kids 12 & under free. Plan ~2 hrs.
12:15 PM
Leave Noah's Ark → Southern Belle (15 min)
Buy activity tickets online before you arrive — $17.95/adult. Gate price is $20.95.
12:45 PM
Arrive Southern Belle — get organized
Park, load carriers, grab water. Gates open at 1pm sharp — be at the entrance ready to go.
1:00 PM
Gates open — straight to the strawberry field
Leave strollers at the edge. Baby carriers in. Toddlers will eat half of what they pick. That's the plan.
2:15 PM
Barnyard activities
Cow train, jumping pillows, Barnstormer slide, petting barn, pig races. Toddlers could run this for 90 min.
3:30 PM
Country Market + Mimi's ice cream
Homemade strawberry ice cream is famous. Pick up jams, fresh produce for the week. Load cooler.
4:00 PM
Head home — I-75 North
Home by ~4:45 PM. Plenty of time before bedtime. Berries straight into the fridge — don't wash until ready to eat.
Budget
Cost for two families

4 adults · 2 toddlers (~2 yrs) · 2 newborns. Kids 2 & under are free for admission and activities.

Item Who Cost
Noah's Ark admission 4 adults $20
Truett's Grill breakfast (estimate) 4 adults $50
U-Pick field admission 4 adults $4
Picking (2 gallons — plenty for both families) Shared $40
Barnyard activities — buy online ($17.95/person) 4 adults (kids FREE) $72
Country Market snacks / ice cream / jams Estimate $30
Full day — Noah's Ark + farm + barnyard ~$216
Farm only (no barnyard, no Noah's Ark) ~$74
Logistics
What to bring

👶 For the kids

  • 🎒 Baby carrier (essential — strollers can't enter rows)
  • 👗 Change of clothes — strawberries stain everything
  • 🧴 Sunscreen — field is fully exposed
  • 👒 Sun hats for toddlers
  • 🧃 Extra snacks and water bottles

✅ Day-of checklist

  • 📱 Check southernbellefarm.com banner morning of May 3 — fields can close early if picked out
  • 📞 Call 770-288-2582 morning-of to confirm field is open
  • 🎟️ Buy activity tickets online — saves $3/person vs. gate
  • 👟 Closed-toe shoes — expect dirt, possibly damp rows
  • 💳 Card or cash — gate + market
  • 🧊 Cooler in the car — berries in summer heat = mush
  • ⏰ Last entry to u-pick patch is 5pm (1 hr before 6pm close) — plan to be in the field no later than 4:30pm

🚗 Getting there from 30306

  • 🛣️ Head to I-75 South via the Downtown Connector
  • 🚦 Exit 216 (Hwy 155 / McDonough) → ~5 min east to Turner Church Rd
  • ⏱️ ~45 min, 35 miles
  • 🅿️ Free parking, large lot on arrival
  • 📍 Get directions from 30306 →

🍓 Picking tips

  • 🔴 Deep red all the way up, firm but gives slightly — that's ripe
  • 🚫 White shoulders = not ready; soft/mushy = overripe
  • ✂️ Twist and pull, don't yank the plant
  • 🧺 One gallon fills a flat of quarts — more than you think
  • 😄 Toddlers will eat 30% of what they pick. That's fine.
Around Southern Belle Farm
What's nearby
Noah's Ark tiger
🦁
Noah's Ark Animal Sanctuary
📍 15 min south · 712 LG Griffin Rd, Locust Grove · Map
1,500+ animals — tigers, wolves, bears, lions, monkeys. Paved self-guided paths, stroller-friendly. $5 adults, kids 12 & under free. Open Tue–Sun 10am–4pm (last ticket 3pm).
Website 📍 Directions
🍗
🥤
Truett's Grill
📍 10 min · 1785 Jonesboro Rd, McDonough · Map
1950s-style Chick-fil-A diner concept by founder Truett Cathy. Extended menu beyond standard CFA, milkshakes, familiar food for toddlers. High chairs. Perfect family breakfast stop.
📍 Directions
Panola Mountain
🏔️
Panola Mountain State Park
📍 20 min north · 2620 GA-155, Stockbridge · Map
100-acre granite monadnock with easy hiking, birding, geocaching, tree climbing. Stroller-accessible entry areas. Good for the toddler if energy allows after the farm — on the way home.
Website 📍 Directions
🏘️
🍦
McDonough Square
📍 12 min · Downtown McDonough · Map
Historic walkable town square with Scoops ice cream, local restaurants, and shaded paths. Nice end-of-day stroll before the drive home. Easy parking, stroller-friendly sidewalks.
📍 Directions