Welcome to the 'ber months and the promise of fall.
Rhapsodizing about the season of autumn conjures up dreamy images of pumpkin spice lattes and fiery fall leaves putting on Mother Nature’s show. But it wouldn’t be harvest season without a trip to a proper pumpkin patch.
These dozen destinations across America “take the pumpkin pie” so to speak, when it comes to offering the finest of fall festival festivities and entertainment, in addition to offering visitors a chance to “gourd big” or go home while picking out the perfect pumpkin.
From California to Kansas and even urban Chicago, explore these fabulous farms for a harvest experience that’s anything but humdrum.
Located on the shores of the Missouri River in Townsend, Montana, is the seasonally appropriate attraction, Edgewater Farms Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch. This year, it’s open from September 19 through October 25, featuring an inspiring lineup of entertainment and attractions, including a 12-acre corn maze, a jumbo jumper, food trucks, a giant slide, a sand tire mountain, a hay ride, corn hole, and much more.
Each fall, Thompson’s Farm in the Yakima Valley of Washington hosts the Thompson’s Farm Pumpkin Festival, where visitors can pick their own pumpkins, enjoy hayrides, navigate corn mazes, and take part in other family-friendly fall activities. This year, the event is running from September 27 to October 26, with the on-site pumpkin patch open every weekend from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Don’t miss indulging in the farm’s famous pumpkin doughnuts, which are made with real pumpkin and coated in cinnamon sugar—a must-try autumn treat.
For an exceptionally unique way to pick out a pumpkin, check out Bloomington, Indiana’s Great Glass Pumpkin Patch, which features 1,000-plus pumpkins made out of glass (last year, there were 1,459 pumpkins). Now in its 16th year, this event is hosted annually by the Bloomington Creative Glass Center. It’s a different way to celebrate the season, with each hand-blown creation displayed for sale on the Bloomington Courthouse Lawn among an enchanting autumnal atmosphere, complete with crisp air, sunshine, and the smell of fresh hay bales. Each work is crafted by talented glassblowing apprentices and, just like a real pumpkin,s is its own unique masterpiece made with care. The event also serves as an important fundraiser and an opportunity to teach glassblowing skills to local apprentices at a low cost.
The Lowe Family Farmstead in Kuna, Idaho, isn’t just known for having a superb pumpkin patch; it also features the largest original corn maze in the state of Idaho. This prized patch offers visitors the chance to walk through thousands of pumpkins of every size, shape, and color, with more than 55 premium varieties of pumpkins and gourds. You can either walk out to the patch or embark on a scenic hayride. Visitors can pick them right off the vine or choose from some that are pre-picked. Beyond the fun of picking pumpkins, this farm also features a u-pick flower field and a myriad of other festive attractions, including apple blasters to potato sack slides (because, well, Idaho!).
On weekends beginning on Saturday, September 28, through October 27, fall fun awaits at Pope Farms with their annual Pumpkin Patch & Harvest Fair. It’s just a short trip from Denver, Greeley, and Sterling, boasting 30 acres of space and over 50 varieties of pumpkins, plus sunflowers, gourds, and more, as the perfect place to become immersed in “all things autumn.” Family-friendly agri-tainment opportunities include zip lines, slides, a bounce pillow, pumpkin cannons, and more. Those who are feeling especially brave can try their luck in the haunted corn maze on Friday and Saturday nights before warming up by a campfire with an adult beverage (or cozy hot cocoa).
Every year, Papa’s Pumpkin Patch in Bismarck, North Dakota, proudly produces up to 30,000 pumpkins, gourds, and more. Thousands of folks from across the region visit the farm’s pet-friendly grounds every fall to hand-select their own pumpkin and embark on autumnal activities, including horse-drawn hayrides, zip lines, and a favorite at Papa’s—hay bale mazes, which use 700-plus straw bales to construct larger-than-life mazes for visitors of all ages. And don’t miss the fall-tastic foodie treats, including a variety of hot and cold beverages, famous pumpkin cookies, pumpkin pie, and other yummy seasonal munchies.
Weston Red Barn Farm in Weston, Missouri serves year-round as a real working farmstead, where visitors can see and experience what a turn-of-the-century farm would have been like—but in the fall, this destination transforms into an autumn wonderland, complete with colorful pumpkins and gourds, u-pick fields and orchards, an annual fall festival, and more. Visitors can embark on scenic hayrides under a crisp blue sky while enjoying festive fall treats like cider donuts, caramel apples, BBQ, and apple cider—among other goodies.
Wisconsin boasts numerous pumpkin farms that can be a perfect place to snap the perfect family photo—but Waldvogel Farm claims to be the biggest in the land, offering more than 60 additional attractions in addition to its lot of pumpkins. See the world’s largest inflatable pumpkin, and wander through the creatively concocted corn maze. Peruse the on-site, scenic nature trails (including the Enchanted Woods sprinkled with magical fairy doors), and settle down after a day of fun with an outdoor picnic—an ideal equation for unforgettable fall fun.
The Louisburg Cider Mill & Country Store is renowned year-round in its region for all things apples—including their famous cider, butters, sauces, and the most amazing Apple Cider Donuts you’ll ever try. But when fall rolls around, it’s also the best place in the area to explore the finest flavors of the season at the Harvest festival, where visitors can visit the farm’s pumpkin patch and select the perfect pumpkin right off the vine, or pick from an assortment of pre-cut choices. And of course, it wouldn’t be a proper “midwestern harvest festival” without a corn maze. This one’s 10 acres in size, and features a new unique theme each year (this year’s theme is still a surprise that will soon be revealed!). Enjoy wagon rides, tasty seasonal treats, locally made Hard Cider for the grown-ups, and more, for a cozy and idyllic autumn evening out on the farm.
An unexpected urban opportunity to embark on a pumpkin patch adventure, Chicagoans can explore Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up in Chicago, which is known as the city’s largest and most immersive autumn festival. The event transforms Goose Island into a downtown pumpkin patch bursting with seasonal energy. But the fun goes beyond just the “pumpkins.” Sure, there are more than 10,000 pumpkins—but there’s also a sprawling corn maze, a lineup of food trucks, axe throwing, gem mining, and fortune tellers making for the “full fall experience.” This extravaganza is open to all ages, from families seeking a day of fall fun to couples searching for somewhere to have a romantic date night, and groups of friends looking for a festive evening out on the town. Admire a collection of design-forward installations, glowing displays, and whimsical scenes, making this spot one of the most photogenic and spirited fall events in the country.
You know it’s an impressive pumpkin patch when its Instagram page has accrued more than 10,000 followers—and The Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch, which reopens for the 2025 season in late September, is one of the most popular fall destinations on the Central Coast. Explore this prodigious patch, which is set to offer 64 different varieties of pumpkins on-site, ranging in size from Wee-B-Littles up to several hundred pounds. Enjoy freshly-grown, freshly-popped popcorn and kettle corn, while exploring an impressively constructed corn maze featuring more than a dozen acres of land. This year, there’s even the bonus challenge of a scavenger hunt featuring hidden symbols throughout the maze. For families, the Solvang Farmer Pumpkin Patch also offers a “kiddie” version of the maze. The patch will be open daily through November 2, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., with the last maze entry being 5:15 p.m.
In Hunterdon County, New Jersey, embark on a unique experience of transportation to pick your pumpkin by catching the famed “Pumpkin Train” departing from Flemington Station. A ticket for this journey includes a round-trip scenic ride to 137-year-old Everitt Farms at “Pumpkin Junction,” as well as admission to the six-acre pumpkin patch with a corn maze and sunflower field. Take a tractor-pulled wagon ride, visit the petting zoo, and play music and games hosted by a live, in-person DJ, among other fall festivities. Don’t miss the farm’s special seasonal treats, as well as its fresh local harvest produce for sale.
