Where are the best places to go pumpkin picking this fall?

Now that autumn has arrived, where are the best places to go pumpkin-picking? Our correspondent Abbie Martin Greenbaum has curated a list of the best places to go pumpkin-picking this fall.

where to go for the best pumpkin-picking this fall

Fall season is here! As we reach for our favorite sweaters and cute boots, we are all looking for fun, safe ways to celebrate the season in these new and uncertain times.

If you’re someone who looks forward all year to the moment when the leaves change colors and pumpkin season arrives, then this list is for you.

Pumpkin picking is the fun-for-the-whole-family antidote to a long, hot summer, and we can’t wait. Head to any of these twelve farms for amazing produce, wow-worthy attractions, and everyone’s favorite autumn festivities.

the best places in the u.s. to go pumpkin-picking

1. Butler’s Orchard (Maryland)

You can make a reservation any time of year to pick-your-own from Butler’s outstanding farm, but the fall is when they really shine. As we bid farewell to potatoes and tomatoes, it’s time for their annual pumpkin harvest festival. There will be caramel apples, steaming cups of cider, and certainly a straw maze or two.

Sign up for their newsletter to hear the latest, and in the meantime, take note that they offer socially-distanced birthday parties. If you have a Virgo or Libra in your life, this is the perfect place to celebrate.

2. Cherry Crest Adventure Farm (Pennsylvania)

It doesn’t get more much more elaborate than autumn at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. For twenty-five years, they have provided their pick-your-own pumpkin patch, as well as a full roster of fall activities that you will remember all year long.

Slide down the hay chute, battle your friends at tractor-pulling, and then get lost in the five-acre corn maze – Cherry Crest’s claim to fame.

3. The Great Pumpkin Farm (New York)

Anyone can have a pumpkin patch, but The Great Pumpkin Farm in Clarence, New York takes it one step further: they have a pumpkin palace. Fulfill all your Halloween dreams playing zombie paintball and exploring the haunted house, and then sit down for a bite to eat at the Witches Bar and Café.

Don’t like feeling scared? Don’t worry, there’s a full schedule of non-scary attractions, contests, events, and festivals to keep you feeling the spirit all season.  If you’re getting excited, you don’t have to wait much longer: The Great Pumpkin Farm reopens on September 19th, and will be open every day until November 1st.

4. The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island (Oregon)

The Pumpkin Patch on Sauvie Island has been open for more than fifty years, so you know that it must be a pretty special place. In addition to their unbeatable array of pumpkins, they of course host daily activities such as hayrides, corn mazes, and visits to their big red barn.

And with their enormous on-site menu of food and drink, you can make it a full-day extravaganza.

5. Vala’s Pumpkin Patch and Apple Orchard (Nebraska)

You could spend the whole season at Vala’s and never run out of new experiences.  Between their challenge course and zip line, their Halloween décor, and their twenty other attractions, there’s more than enough going on to make this one unforgettable fall spectacular.

If you just can’t wait for their official opening on September 18th, you can head over this week for the start of their apple festival, which will be sure to tide you over until the big day.

6. Bengston’s Pumpkin Farm (Illinois)

Welcome to tractor town. Illinois’ annual Pumpkin Fest starts on September 18th, and we couldn’t be more excited. Get ready for rides, slides, and races, not to mention cow-milking, haunted houses, and of course, the best pumpkins around.

If you want to feel fully immersed in all things fall – and all things farm – this is the place to be.

7. Fleitz Pumpkin Farm (Ohio)

Fleitz’s has come an incredible distance since they first opened as a small farm in 1991. Now they are an expansive, fully-functional pick-your-own patch, ready to entertain you all season long.

Expect all of your favorite mazes and hayrides, as well as a feast of all the best autumn treats – popcorn, cider, donuts, and more.

8. Wiard’s (Michigan)

With a cider mill, general store, and enormous corn maze, there’s not much missing from a day at Wiard’s. Come for the pick-your-own produce, and stay for the Country Fair: a ticketed event that has every fall-themed attraction you’ve ever dreamed of, including swings, bungee runs, karaoke and even miniature golf.

If you need something to kickstart your autumn energy, this will definitely do the trick.

9. Froberg’s Farm (Texas)

Pumpkin patches aren’t only for special occasions. Even if all you’re looking to do is pick up a coffee or pastry, you can stop by Froberg’s bakery and cafe anytime during the year.

But with their marshmallow-perfect campfires, their musical hayrides, and their incredible selection of pick-your-own pumpkins, they are also the place to go for a genuinely special fall.

10. Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm (California)

Having planted their first pumpkin in 1973, Bishop’s knows a thing or two about how to run an unforgettable farm. Not only do they get to brag about having the largest pick-your-own field in the entire world – yes, that’s right – but they also have goats to pet, wagons to ride, and all of the homemade muffins you can eat.

It’s a great time for every one of the five senses.

11. Orr Family Farm (Oklahoma)

Orr Family Farm is still the place to make memories, even in this strange year. Their reopening date is set for September 26th, and they have more than twenty attractions, including a carousel, pedal boats, football, and a giant, climbable mountain of hay. After you pick your pumpkins, you can head to the sunflower fields to gather some flowers – perfect for brightening up your autumn.

Wish you didn’t have to leave? You don’t have to! Orr boasts a full camping (or ‘glamping’) experience, so the fun never has to end.

12. Tougas Family Farm (Massachusetts)

Nobody does fall quite like New England, and that’s why you have to head to Tougas.  In their second generation of farmers, Tougas offers their seasonal produce to happy customers throughout the harvest, making them a year-long mainstay in the community.

Pick an October’s worth of pumpkins, devour a cider donut, and then head to the barnyard to play with their adorable baby goats.

Where are the best places to go pumpkin-picking this fall?

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Abbie Martin Greenbaum grew up in New York City and currently lives in Brooklyn, where she drinks a lot of coffee and matches roommates together for a living. At Oberlin College, she studied English and Cinema, which are still two of her favorite things, along with dessert and musical theater. She believes in magic.

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