Sledd's Farm: A Sunflower Paradise in Mims, FL

Each year as the warm Florida Sun bathes the fields in a golden glow, the sunflowers come to life in a burst of yellow and green.

Strolling into a sunflower maze is kind of like wandering into the sun itself,  a secret club as its throwing a party.

As you saunter through the rows and surrender to the rhythms and smells of Mother Nature,  kids scamper along laughing, as parents rediscover the childlike joy of hunting the perfect flower.

It’s as if they spent their whole lives preparing for the moment you come along and take them home.

Picking your own sunflower is like being a judge in a talent show or on a scavenger hunt through the crop.

Every wrong turn in the maze is rewarded with the view that’s radiant and visually stunning.

The light turns soft and golden casting an otherworldly glow over the fields, while the air is a symphony of earthy fragrances as the bees and the butterflies have their field day.

It’s a photographer’s dream as sunflowers create a surreal backdrop that begs to be captured.

Visiting Sledd’s is like stumbling into a secret garden –  a refreshingly unhurried pace of life.

The farmers here are like favorite relatives, they don’t just grow crops but cultivate a rare breed of warmth and happiness.

They have closed their almost 500 acres for the summer while they grow pumpkins and sunflowers in the fields.

Bring clippers or scissors and the sunflowers will last 7 to 10 days at home.

It’s $5 per person and ages three and under are free.   Pick and cut sunflowers are $2 for one, $3 for two or $5 for three.   Cash only.

Here’s the perfect getaway with or without the kids,  right along Route 1.