Bow offers two distinct agricultural experiences: In August, U-pick is available on certain days of the week at Bow Hill Blueberries; in fall, the Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms puts participating family farms in Bow in the spotlight. This seasonal distinction offers a practical guide for planning your stay. First decide whether a blueberry visit or the festival will be your main focus, then check the dates for each event.
Blueberries and Farm History
Bow Hill Blueberries is home to the oldest family-owned blueberry farm in the agriculturally rich Skagit Valley. The farm was established in 1947. The farm grows the heirloom varieties Rubel, Stanley, Jersey, and Bluecrop. Bow Hill Blueberries was certified organic in 2011.
U-pick is available only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays in August. Exact dates and availability may vary from one harvest year to another. If you want to plan your stay around this visit, check the information for the year in question before planning your trip.
The Fall Festival of Family Farms
The Skagit Valley Festival of Family Farms is a recurring fall event featuring participating family farms in Bow. In 2026, the festival celebrates its 28th year. The two-day program lets visitors tour the participating farms at their own pace. The festival includes free samples and agricultural products to take home; individual activities and offerings may vary depending on the year and weather.
For travel planning, the two farm experiences differ mainly in season and format: U-pick at Bow Hill Blueberries is limited to weekends in August. The fall festival, by contrast, offers a two-day setting for visiting several participating family farms. You can plan your stay accordingly, depending on whether blueberries or a broader farm program matters more to you.
A Look at Shellfish Farming
During a tour of Taylor Shellfish Farms’ facilities, visitors learn about shellfish farming and protecting clean waters. They can also meet shellfish growers and view photographs and educational exhibits. Taylor Shellfish Farms’ facilities include 2,000 acres of clam beds in the tidal flats of Samish Bay. At Chuckanut Drive, an oyster bar and shellfish market are located in a historic oyster-processing facility.
Samish Gold Seafoods offers fresh shellfish such as oysters, clams, shrimp, and prawns, as well as fish. The shellfish offered there are exclusively farmed and harvested in the waters of Samish Bay. This makes it possible to consider a specific origin when choosing seafood.
Chuckanut Drive and Coastal Scenery
The Chuckanut Drive Scenic Byway runs along State Route 11 between Skagit Valley and Bellingham. The route opened in 1916 and is considered one of Washington’s earliest scenic highways. It adds another scenic and transportation-history dimension to exploring Skagit Valley.
Bay View State Park lies west of Bow. The 25-acre campground has 1,285 feet of saltwater shoreline on Padilla Bay. Its stated size and stretch of shoreline give this regional point of interest a different character from Bow’s farm and harvest themes.
Explore more destinations: Mount Vernon, La Conner, Sedro-Woolley, Burlington, Anacortes.
Back to the main travel overview: Skagit County.
