Pumpkin picking is only the beginning at the best pumpkin patches in the country. These fall destinations pile on corn mazes, wagon rides, farm animals, seasonal treats and enough outdoor activities to turn a pumpkin run into a full afternoon or even an entire day. Some add mountain views, Pacific Coast scenery or desert sunsets to the mix.
Whether you want to wander acres of pumpkins, tackle a massive maze or simply eat your weight in apple cider donuts, these pumpkin patches make a strong case for planning a fall road trip around the farm.
1. Vala’s Pumpkin Patch & Apple Orchard | Gretna, Nebraska
Calling Vala’s a pumpkin patch almost undersells the experience. With more than 50 attractions, this sprawling Nebraska farm feels closer to a fall theme park. Start with a hayrack ride into the pumpkin fields, where you can hop off and search rows of orange and green for one to take home. Another hayrack heads to the apple orchard for seasonal picking.
There is plenty more to fill the day at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch & Apple Orchard, including rides, play areas, a corn maze, live shows and nighttime attractions. Come hungry, too. Apple cider donuts, scratch-made pies, barbecue, warm cookies and sweet cider make the food nearly as much of an attraction as the pumpkins.
2. Underwood Family Farms | Moorpark, California
Southern California may skip the crisp temperatures, but Underwood Family Farms still delivers a full-on fall experience. Its seasonal festival spreads across dozens of acres, with a gigantic pumpkin patch at the center and plenty of room to wander before choosing your favorite.
A visit to Underwood Family Farms can also include tractor-pulled wagon rides, a corn-stalk labyrinth, the Animal Center, hay climbing pyramids, tunnels, slides and plenty of pick-your-own produce beyond pumpkins. Weekends bring the biggest festival atmosphere, with pig races, animal shows, live performers, music and themed entertainment. Seasonal food stands add roasted corn, pumpkin pie, kettle corn and donuts to the itinerary.
3. Burt’s Pumpkin Farm | Dawsonville, Georgia
Pumpkin season comes with a mountain backdrop at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm, located near Amicalola Falls in North Georgia. More than 20 pumpkin varieties grow here, so choosing one can mean wheeling past everything from classic jack-o’-lantern candidates to colorful decorative varieties.
The hayride is one of the signature experiences at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm. The route rolls past pumpkin fields and wildflowers before climbing to a mountain viewpoint with a glimpse of Amicalola Falls. Back at the farmyard, follow the smell of pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread and pumpkin rolls baked on-site from family recipes. Pair it with a scenic drive through the North Georgia mountains and you have an easy fall day trip.
4. The Great Pumpkin Farm | Clarence, New York
Western New York goes big on pumpkin season at The Great Pumpkin Farm. Thousands of pumpkins fill the grounds, but choosing one to bring home is just one part of the visit.
Festival weekends at The Great Pumpkin Farm bring hayrides, pedal karts, a train ride, live music, shows, a petting zoo, playgrounds and a kid-friendly hay maze. Visitors looking for a bigger challenge can add the farm’s corn maze, while annual contests and special events keep the weekend calendar changing throughout the season. Before leaving, stop by the bakery or one of the food stands for fresh donuts and other harvest treats. Weekdays offer a quieter, more limited version of the experience for visitors primarily interested in pumpkins and the farm atmosphere.
5. Treinen Farm | Lodi, Wisconsin
Treinen Farm is the place for pumpkin shoppers who refuse to settle for basic orange. More than 50 varieties grow across an 18-acre patch, giving you plenty of colors, shapes and sizes to choose from. Grab a wagon or wheelbarrow and head into the field, or browse the farm’s Wonderland of pre-picked pumpkins.
The other big reason to visit Treinen Farm is its elaborate 15-acre corn maze. Designs change each season and combine maze-solving with themed games, checkpoints and hidden features. Once you make it out, explore the Enchanted Woods, visit the farm animals, climb through the barn and playgrounds, race ducks or hit the giant corn pit. It is the kind of place where pumpkin picking can easily turn into an entire afternoon outside.
6. Schnepf Farms | Queen Creek, Arizona
Pumpkin picking under a desert sunset gives Schnepf Farms a fall personality all its own. Each October, the Queen Creek farm hosts its Pumpkin & Chili Party, combining familiar harvest traditions with Arizona evenings that are warm enough to keep the fun going after dark.
At Schnepf Farms, head for the U-pick pumpkin patch, wander through the corn maze or climb aboard a hayride around the property. The festival also includes amusement rides, a petting zoo, pig races, shows and live entertainment. As the sun goes down, evening bonfires give the farm a completely different feel. Add a bowl of chili, roasted corn or something sweet and you have a distinctly Southwestern version of a classic pumpkin-patch outing.
7. Richardson Adventure Farm | Spring Grove, Illinois
You could come to Richardson Adventure Farm just for a pumpkin. But with a 28-acre corn maze waiting nearby, that plan probably will not last long.
The maze at Richardson Adventure Farm contains roughly 9 to 10 miles of trails divided into four sections, so you can tackle one portion or make an afternoon of the whole thing. Afterward, catch a wagon ride toward the pumpkin patch or browse rows of pre-harvested pumpkins, squash and gourds near the gift shop. The farm keeps going with pig races, giant slides, pedal carts, a carousel, jumping pillows and other attractions. You can even reserve a campfire site and turn the visit into a full fall gathering.
8. Andreotti Family Farms | Half Moon Bay, California
Andreotti Family Farms delivers something most pumpkin patches cannot: a Pacific Coast setting. The longtime Half Moon Bay farm grows the pumpkins it sells and pairs the patch with seasonal experiences that make the most of California’s colorful fall harvest.
Explore the pumpkin patch at Andreotti Family Farms, then take on the corn maze or add a hayride through the property. The farm is also known for its U-pick sunflower field, which begins earlier in the season and can provide another burst of color when blooming overlaps with fall activities. With Half Moon Bay’s beaches nearby, it is easy to turn pumpkin picking into a day that mixes farmland, coastal scenery and a drive along one of California’s prettiest stretches of shoreline.
9. Swan’s Pumpkin Farm | Franksville, Wisconsin
Swan’s Pumpkin Farm delivers the kind of classic Wisconsin fall outing that starts with pumpkins and quickly grows into much more. Thousands of pumpkins in different shapes and sizes fill the farmyard each season, making it easy to spend plenty of time browsing before moving on to the attractions.
At Swan’s Pumpkin Farm, families can take a hayride, tackle the 9-acre Corn City maze, wander through the smaller Witch Hollow Maze or hit the pedal carts, barrel train, big slide and pumpkin jump pillow. Farm food is another reason to stick around. Grab an apple cider donut or another seasonal treat before loading the pumpkins into the car and calling it a day.
10. Creek Bed Farmacy | Poynette, Wisconsin
If your ideal pumpkin-patch day involves getting completely turned around in a cornfield, Creek Bed Farmacy has you covered. Its 18-acre corn maze includes more than six miles of paths, checkpoints and a punch-card challenge, plus a smaller maze for younger visitors.
Once you escape, Creek Bed Farmacy has plenty waiting beyond the corn. Take a hayride out to pick a pumpkin, visit the animals or spend time in the Back 40 play area, where outdoor games and farm attractions give families plenty of reasons to stay awhile. The Eat Shack provides a refueling stop, but save room for the farm’s homemade apple cider donuts. Between the maze, play areas and pumpkin fields, this is much more of a full-day fall outing than a quick roadside stop.
