7 pumpkin patches that pack a punch
Pumpkins can grow in every state, although some have heftier hauls than others; Illinois is the leader of the pack, harvesting 15,900 acres of pumpkins in 2021. You could easily pick up a pumpkin in any grocery store, but it's much more fun to choose your future jack-o'-lantern at a patch — and there are plenty of great ones across the U.S.
Siegel's Cottonwood Farms in Lockport, Illinois
Cottonwood Farms is more than a pumpkin patch. It's an experience, with 49 activities and attractions, 13 food and beverage venues and 200 farm animals to meet. For 2023, there is a massive Super Mario Bros. Cornfield Maze, along with perennial favorites like the Spooky Spiral optical illusion tunnel, Wizzer spinning ride, and Golden Gulch Gem Mine. Mia & Miley's Mountain Slide, stretching more than 150 feet, is the longest and tallest in the Upper Midwest. Through Oct. 29
Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, New Jersey
You can easily make a whole day out of a visit to Demarest Farms, established in 1886. First, make a reservation to pick your own pumpkin, then book a time to experience the Halloween Light Show. Visitors drive their vehicle through 32 acres of light displays, with their radios tuned in to a special broadcast that's part of the show. For a special pumpkin picking experience, book the private hayride for up to 20 people. You'll be taken on a lovely jaunt through the orchards before alighting to pick out your favorite pumpkin to take home. Pick your own pumpkin through Oct 29. Halloween Light Show through Oct. 31
Skinny Bones Pumpkin Patch in Blair, Nebraska
This one's for the thrill seekers. Yes, you can go the traditional route at Skinny Bones and pick a pumpkin and stop by the vintage market for locally made gifts and treats. Or you can go all-out and also take the Pumpkin Plunge down a 150-foot slide, race down the Frankenslide in total darkness, fire a pumpkin out of the Jack O' Shooter cannon, and walk through the House of Mystery and Eerie Trail. One thing everyone should do is check out Tornado Alley, the tallest indoor tornado simulator in the United States. Through Oct. 31
Craven Farm in Snohomish, Washington
It's amazing to see what they can do with maize. Craven Farm has several corn mazes for all skill levels, including the fanciful Alice in Pumpkin-Land labyrinth (which is also open at night). For younger kids, there's an adventure maze where they'll learn some science trivia, go through an obstacle course and make music in a sound garden. Other activities — besides picking pumpkins, of course — include axe throwing, meeting the Critters of Craven, playing mini-golf and trying out the apple cannon and apple slingers. Through Oct. 29
Papa's Pumpkin Patch in Bismarck, North Dakota
It's all about having a gourd time at Papa's Pumpkin Patch. This pet-friendly spot is known for its bale mazes, which are created with more than 700 straw bales weighing over 600 pounds apiece, and horse-drawn hayrides. Kids will love going down the Wee Zips zip lines made just for them, and adults can show off their athletic prowess during a round of human foosball (yes, that's a thing!). Through Oct. 21
Pumpkin Hollow in Piggott, Arkansas
During the day, this is a pleasant pumpkin patch with a corn maze, hayrides, a zip line, playgrounds, a barn for kids and a "pond slide" that takes visitors down a 30-foot irrigation pipe. Things get scarier after dark, when Horror in the Hollow starts. This isn't for the faint of heart; attractions include the haunted Amity Asylum and Grimm's Ghoul Bus, where riders have to defend themselves from a zombie invasion. Pumpkin patch through Oct. 31. Horror in the Hollow through Oct. 29
Cool Patch Pumpkins in Dixon, California
Come for the pumpkins, stay for the corn bath. At Cool Patch Pumpkins, visitors can pick their own pumpkins and gourds, go on a hayride and then take a stroll through the enormous corn maze (in 2014, it was certified by Guinness World Records as the world's largest). The theme changes every year, and 2023's version honors farmers. Kids and adults alike also enjoy playing in the corn bath, a.k.a. a gigantic pool of kernels. Through Oct. 31
