Tucked away in idyllic farm settings, these pumpkin patches go beyond the squash and offer hay-filled play spaces, autumn treats and other fun in the fields
Check out these great pumpkin patches that are ready and waiting for you to help kick off San Diego’s Halloween season. Your only problem? Picking which pumpkin patch suits you best. In addition to the adorable gourds, many of these patches also have plenty of farm-inspired fun, from hayrides and petting zoos to corn mazes, and more. So, get ready to celebrate all things autumn—from nearby fall festivals and leaf peeping to the peak of spooky seasonal glory—here’s where to find a pumpkin patch near you.
From Big Macs to jack-o'-lanterns, acres of pumpkins are the hallmark of Bates Nut Farm. Located in Valley Center, Bates is known for its petting corral, pony rides, hayrides, straw maze and of course, their country store (hello, homemade fudge!). Make sure to check out their events page for upcoming Halloween-time fun like a pumpkin festival craft fair, pet and human costume contests, and a scarecrow contest.
There are five Pumpkin Stations to choose from all over San Diego, and each location has something unique that the others may not have. Some have living pumpkin patches while others have already harvested pumpkins to choose from (no mud involved!) while others have the addition of petting zoos, carnival rides or corn mazes.
Insider Tip: You can download a free ride coupon from their website.
Carve out some fun at Mr. Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkins in La Jolla and Pacific Beach. You’ll find pumpkin decorating, pumpkin bowling, jumpies and more. In addition to visiting in-person, you can also place a delivery order. That’s right, have your pumpkins, decorating and carving kits to-go.
This Pacific Beach pumpkin patch has been serving up local farm-fresh fun since 1992. Not only do they have a large selection of pumpkins ranging from mini gourds to 100-pound monsters, they also have a variety of fall accessories like straw bales, Indian corn, gourds, and other fall décor. The best part is you can keep your kitchen table clean and make all the mess there with their free pumpkin carving and painting tables that offer stencils, paint kits, stickers, and candles. Plus, there's free hot apple cider and free shaved ice for kids.
Insider Tip: Print out their online coupon for 10-percent off your total pumpkin purchases before you go.
Fall at the Farm is a beloved tradition for many families who make the drive out to Julian. During the rest of the year, many know it as a gold panning hot spot, but in the fall they have a pumpkin patch and other farm fun activities like apple picking. Other activities include hayrides, cider pressing, farm animals and even axe throwing.
Oma’s Pumpkin Patch has been a San Diego tradition for many years. The farm features pumpkins, wagon rides, cottonseed mountain, a petting corral, a playground, and a lot more fun for the entire family. Admission gets you access to the farm, all play activities and, if you paid extra, kids will get a Jack Patch Pumpkin. Plan your time around the fun wagon ride that gives you a complete tour of the farm and even through the dairy barn; it departs on the half-hour until 6 p.m.
Insider Tip: All tickets must be purchased online before arrival.
Pick a pumpkin in this idyllic farm setting with pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. Parents will love the free admission and kids will love making hay forts, but don’t get lost in the corn maze. Visit The Barn Shoppe and Herbal Soap Shoppe while you're there for handmade gifts and treats. This is a certified wildlife habitat recognized by the NWF, so you’ll be surrounded by the beauty of nature here, along with their cats, dogs and chickens running around.
Mountain Valley Ranch has everything kids love about a visit to the patch! Kids will find all kinds of fun here like the corn maze, corn cannon, and petting zoo (all of these are open daily), while the pony rides hours vary (call ahead to confirm).
Good to Know: Snacks and drinks are available on weekends.
This family-owned pumpkin farm is the ideal place for kids to roam the fields and find the perfect pumpkin to pick. Keep roaming and you’ll come across ponies and trains to ride, a petting farm, carnival games, mini ride-on tractors for kids and more.
Insider Tip: Check out their fun kids' pumpkin painting classes too.
Get lost (and found again) at one of these epically fun corn mazes all located in the Bay area
Getting lost in a corn maze or a hay maze is practically a childhood rite of passage (along with a road trip to leaf peep some nearby fantastic fall foliage) and with these locations in the Bay Area, there’s so many fun mazes to choose from. Try your navigation skills at a world-record holding maze that (might) take you and the kids hours to find your way out. Or, for something a little less intense, check out the assortment of mini mazes created especially for shorter legs.
And don’t forget, there are night mazes and a minotaur maze that will increase the fall fun factor. A bunch of these spots also double as u-pick fruit and veggie spots, pumpkin patches as well as your go-to source for festive fall activities so if you want to get your fall fix all in one spot, these family-friendly farms featuring corn mazes and hay mazes were made just for you.
Webb Ranch: Haunted house inside the corn maze? Yep, this spot has that plus more! In addition to the maze, there is over 30 acres to explore, and kids can let off steam in the jumpy houses before picking their pumpkins. They also offer train rides, hay rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, a bird zoo and a reptile zoo. Weekend visits are by reservation only.
Arata's Pumpkin Farm: See if you can beat the Minotaur's Labyrinth two-acre hay maze! A visit to Arata’s Farm in the Bay Area's pumpkin capital, Half Moon Bay, is a whole day event with train rides, a petting zoo, pony rides and more. Combine all the attractions in an all-access pass or pay for individual tickets but make sure to take a pumpkin home.
When:Oct. 1 through the end of the season Hours: Sun.-Thur. 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m.; Fri. & Sat. 9 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
G & M Farms: Nestled in gorgeous Livermore Valley, G & M Farms has a 6-acre corn maze plus an enormous pumpkin patch and fresh produce you can take home. Weekend activities include pony rides, a cow train, pedal cart and jumping pillows (think: large, inflatable pillow the kids can jump on till they’re tired).
Spina Farms: This spot is a South Bay tradition and for good reason—it has something for everyone. Pick a sunflower, get lost in the corn maze (according to the site, “This year our maze has doubled in size and features an all-new layout to find your way out of!”), ride their Spina Double Express Train for the whole family, let a pumpkin rip from their Pumpkin blaster cannon or let your littlest pumpkin have their own ride in their barrel train.
When: Sept. 26-Oct. 31 Hours: 9 a.m-5 p.m and then later hours as the it gets closer to Halloween
Gilroy Ostrich Farm is currently closed for renovations. Will update once we have more information. Gilroy Ostrich Farm: This spot is the only only one on this list that involves ostriches—and the largest farm of ostriches in the state of California to boot! Make sure to see the ostriches, get your pumpkin and let the kids run through the hay bale maze.
Swank Farms Fall Experience: If there were ever a one-stop shop for fall festivities, this would be it! In addition to a corn maze and pumpkin patches, you will find pig races, a hay jump, gem mining, bouncy houses, a jumping pillow and…. beer! Still looking for fun? Try the family-friendly Trail of Lights & Field of Frights which is a magically light journey through the farm.
When: Oct. 1-31 Hours: 10 a.m.-10 p.m. (Fri-Sun); Various hours on other days
Santa Rosa Patch: Not to be outdone by anyone, this 8-acre corn maze has two different routes so it's perfect for kids of all ages. The short route takes about 25 minutes while the longer route can take up to an hour with night mazes open until 10 p.m. on Fri. & Sat. This spot also has a pumpkin patch, inflatable jumping pillow, petting zoo, hay ride, u-pick sunflower fields to fill your day.
Good to Know: The corn maze closes 45 minutes before the pumpkin patch closes.
When: Oct. 7 through the end of the season Hours: Mon.-Thurs. 11 a.m.–6:00 p.m.; Fri. 11 a.m.-10:00 p.m; Sat. 9 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun. 9 a.m.-8 p.m.
Petaluma Pumpkin Patch & Amazing Corn Maze: Farm animals, a bouncy house, pony rides and food vendors on the weekends will keep the entire family entertained. The 4-acre maze with 10-foot tall corn stalks and only one way out is open daily. If you're looking for something more challenging, check out the night maze—open on Fri. and Sat. nights (kids 15 and under must stay with an adult inside the night maze).
When: Sept. 30 through the end of the season Hours: Daily 10 a.m.-6 p.m.; night maze is open 6 p.m.-10 p.m.
Cool Patch Pumpkins: Holding a world record for the largest corn maze, every year the corn maze is new and completely unique. This year they are honoring the hard work and dedication that it takes to be a modern day farmer. Did you know that in the 1800s, 90-percent of the US population lived on farms? Today it is around one-percent.
Whether your crew chooses to use a map as a guide or attempts to do it on their own, fun hours are guaranteed. Littles can tackle the mini-maze on site and enjoy the pedal cars.
When: Sept. 24 until the season is over Hours: 9 a.m.- 8 p.m.
Nicasio Valley Pumpkin Patch: We love this spot up north because it has 12-acres to explore plus a massively-fun hay maze for kids age seven to age 97, plus a hay pit for toddlers. Weekends include face painting, live music, and petting zoos—all of which will work up a big appetite for their on-site BBQ and ice cream.
Three Nunns Farm: A tractor ride (for a fee) takes your family to this beautiful property with corn mazes and a pumpkin patch. The kids can then be let loose in the five acre corn maze while a mini-maze promises to be more relaxing for the younger ones. In addition to pumpkins, U-pick and pre-picked produce is also on hand for purchase.
Dell'Osso Family Farm: This spot is about 90 minutes east of Fremont and totally worth the drive for a day of fall fun. Your daily wristband gets you into the massive corn maze as well as on other attractions like the hay ride, Dell'Osso Express train, tire pile and more. Upgrade your day to try out the ziplines and pony ride. Don't forget to come back here in the winter to ride the snow tubes!
Get your family fall festival fix at one of these must-go fairs taking place around San Diego this month and next
Living in San Diego doesn’t mean we bypass the change in seasons, it’s just that our moderate temps offer an opportunity to engage in autumn activities with clear blue skies and fewer clothing layers. Whether you’re looking for apple picking, want to witness some epic fall foliage, pumpkin picking or want to experience something more lively like yodeling and dancing in the streets—San Diego’s fall festivals are all about family fun. So, grab your calendar, your little pumpkins and celebrate the (slightly?) cooler temperatures with some fun at one (or all) of these kid-friendly local fall festivals and fairs.
Fiestas Partrias: Immerse yourself in Old Town San Diego this fall to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. The festivities begin with a traditional bell ringing, and then let the dancing begin with historic and lively music. Kids and parents alike will enjoy the 19th century crafts in the gardens of La Casa Estudillo including paper flowers and creating cacarones—colorful confetti-filled eggs. More games and early settler information demonstrations will be throughout the park. Then eat a taco or enchilada at the famous Fiesta De Reyes and explore all the cool shops. One kid favorite is the Miner's Gems and Mineral shop, where they can pan for precious stones for a fee.
When: Sept. 17; noon-3 pm Cost: Free admission. Bring money for food, drink, rides and vendors
Old Town San Diego 4002 Wallace St. San Diego Online:parks.ca.gov
Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch: Fall fun! Head to Bates Nut Farm for handmade arts and crafts where up-cycled, recycled, restored, vintage, antique, and handmade wares will be offered along with a large variety of jewelry, woodworking, candles, soaps, fine art, and more. Additionally, the famous Pumpkin Patch will be open so little ones can take a tractor hayride, run through the straw maze, hop on the pony rides, pet the animals, and eat up the many food choices. You can also score fall decorations and food to take home with you.
When: Sept. 17 - Oct. 31; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: Free admission. Parking is $8. Bring money for food and vendors.
Pacific Islander Festival: Aloha! Experience the culture and customs of Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia with entertainment, food, music, and specialty crafts at the Pacific Islander Festival. From BBQ short ribs and chicken to giant slushies and banana donuts, you'll love the specialty food at this fun festival.
When: Sept. 24 & 25; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: Free admission. Bring money for food, drink, and vendors.
Mission Bay's Ski Beach Vacation Rd. San Diego Online:pifasandiego.com
Encinitas Oktoberfest: Break out your lederhosen and prepare to dance in the streets! Young movers and shakers can don their chicken hats and flap their wings to the sound of music. Even little wallflowers will join the merriment because everyone looks silly doing the Oktoberfest chicken dance. You'll find fall food favorites like giant pretzels and German beer (for grownups, of course!) with plenty of other eats. Also, there's face painting, crafts, a fun zone for half-pints, and over 200 vendors selling their wares.
When: Sept. 25; 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Cost: Free admission. Bring money for food, drink, and rides
El Cajon Oktoberfest: Kick up your heels to the oom-pah music at this traditional fest, where you’ll polka and waltz and do the chicken dance. Put on by the German American Societies of San Diego, this is the most traditional Oktoberfest in town. Enjoy classic fares like bratwurst, potato pancakes, and sauerkraut alongside a large variety of German beers. Littles can nosh on pretzels, play festival games and create crafts in the Kid Zone. Sunday is chicken hat day. So wear your most outrageous chicken hat (obvi) and join in the fun.
When: Sept. 30, Oct 1-2 & Oct. 7-9; Fri., 4-10 p.m.; Sat., noon-10 p.m.; Sun., noon-9 p.m. Cost: Fri. & Sat., $15/adult; Sun., $5/adult; children are free. The ticket price includes a meal plate and two beers on tap.
La Mesa Oktoberfest: Let the good times roll! The largest San Diego Oktoberfest has a Kinder Karneval for little festival-goers with a giant Ferris wheel, a toddler obstacle course, a rock climbing wall, and an inflatable slide. You'll find a brat-eating contest and interactive art, a stein-holding contest, and scavenger hunts to watch and play. Over 50 food vendors for will be available for eats, including pizza, bratwurst, and Philly cheesesteak sandwiches. Finally, visit Dachshund Village and watch the wiener dog races, a dog fashion show, a howling contest, and more.
When: Sept. 30-Oct. 2; Fri., 4-10 p.m.; Sat., 10 a.m.-10 p.m.; Sun., 12 p.m. -8 p.m. Cost: Free admission. Bring money for food, drink, rides, and other vendors.
Carlsbad Oktoberfest & Family Fall Festival: The Carlsbad Rotary Oktoberfest is a family tradition among locals. Join the revelry and eat apple strudel, visit the pumpkin patch, enter the yodeling contest and Halloween costume contest. You'll also enjoy face painting, a bounce house, a fire engine, and a stage dedicated to children's music.
Good to Know: No pets are allowed in the park.
When: Oct. 1; noon-8 p.m. Cost: Free to enter. Presale tickets for food/drinks are available online. Pumpkin patch tickets are available for $5 and must be purchased at the entrance to the event.
Rendezvous in Poway: Stroll back to the 1800s as history comes alive at the annual Rendezvous at Old Poway Park. Cowboys and pioneers put on family-friendly reenactments of gun fights and train robberies. Pan for gold and ride the speeder train. An old-time craft fair, the Nelson House, and the Heritage Museum are open to exploring as well.
When: Oct. 1-2; Sat., 10 a.m.-4 p.m.; Sun. 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Cost: Free, nominal fee to ride the train
Old Poway Park 14134 Midland Rd. Poway Online:poway.org
Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft Fair: Are you a gift-giving diva? Find unique gifts and get your holiday shopping off to an early start at the Harvest Festival in Del Mar. Browse through hundreds of artisans selling jewelry, ceramics, toys, and art. Strolling musicians, a cowboy on stilts, and free crafts will entertain the kiddos. You’ll find many food options with shaded seating outside the exhibit halls.
When: Oct. 7-9; Fri. & Sat., 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sun., 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Cost: $9/adults; $4/kids (12-17 years); kids 12 and under free; There is a fee for parking
Del Mar Fairgrounds 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd. Del Mar Online:harvestfestival.com
Alta Vista Botanical Fall Fun Festival: Get the whole family into nature and share a day filled with art and music. Little ones will love relay races, bobbing for apples, a drum circle, and face painting. A scarecrow decorating contest is a time-honored tradition at this event. For $2, families can create their own unique scarecrow to add to the Garden's fall ambiance and win fun prizes. In addition, there's live music, a huge plant sale, and the Garden's extensive art exhibits for the adults. Ample parking is available in the adjacent Moonlight Amphitheater parking lot.
Horse Heritage Festival: Got a unicorn-obsessed little one at home? For a few dollars, you can enjoy a day outdoors horsing around with the next best thing—horses. San Marcos’ Horse Heritage Festival offers pony rides, a petting corral, and frontier games. There are also horsemanship demonstrations and a pumpkin patch. You’ll feel good knowing that funds raised during the event support the Horse Heritage Conservancy, connecting people and horses year-round, and helping animals in times of emergency.
When: Oct. 16; 10 a.m.-3 p.m. Cost: There is a fee for rides
Fall fairs in LA! From the largest corn mazes to the best photo-ops imaginable, discover the best fall festivals in Los Angeles
Los Angeles, with its plentiful palm trees and summery temperatures, may not feel like fall, but there are still plenty of chances for you and your kiddos to experience some of those classic autumn experiences aka: the fall festival (if you’re looking specifically for apples and pumpkins and leaf peeping—check out all the best places to go apple picking around LA, where to find your perfect pumpkin and all the nearby fall foliage spots we love around LA).
What makes the SoCal fall festival different from a regular pumpkin patch? There are loads more to discover than just the gourd—learn about and explore farm goods, wander fields and pick your own flowers, veggies (and yes, pumpkins), get lost in corn field mazes, ride an amusement park ride or two, and eat your way through loads of fall-friendly fare—all this and more at our favorite fall festivals in LA, SoCal, Orange County, Ventura and everywhere in between.
Pumpkin Festival at Cal Poly: Cal Poly's College of Agriculture grows 40,000 pumpkins for this annual event, a smorgasbord of fall harvest traditions, including (obviously) a massive pumpkin patch, horse and pony rides, a petting zoo, duck races, a sunflower field, live music, games, a food court, and two corn mazes. What makes this festival different than some of the others is the focus on education (it's a college, after all). Families can wander down "Ag Discovery Lane" to check out various live demonstrations of things like blacksmithing, soap-making, beekeeping, sheep shearing and live cow-milking (which'll make your kid either appreciate—or abandon—their daily cup of milk). New this year: Pumpkin Land, a garden “gallery” of uniquely decorated pumpkins. And for an additional entrance fee, little bug-lovers will want to get a ticket for the festival's Insect Fair, which has 500,000 live and preserved insects from around the world.
Dates: Oct. 1-30 Cost: Thurs. & Fri.: Adults, $6; children 3–12, $5; kids under 3 are free. Sat. & Sun.: Adults: $10; children 3–12, $7. Certain events require additional tickets on the weekends
AGRIscapes Center 4102 S. University Dr. Pomona Online:cpp.edu
LA Fall Fair: The largest Fall Festival in Los Angeles County, you'll find 12 acres of amusement rides, live music, games, arts & crafts, and an international food court. Fair-goers can purchase a presale unlimited ride wristband for $25 that allows the fairgoer to ride all the rides as many times as they want for any one day of the event from open until close.
Dates: Oct. 21-Nov. 6 Cost: $5 per person; Under 12 and over 65 are free
Día de los Muertos at Hollywood Forever Cemetery: For a different direction than farms and pumpkin patches, head to Hollywood Forever Cemetery for their spectacular Día de los Muertos event. Tour over 100 vibrant altars, uniquely decorated in honor of community members’ ancestors and loved ones; awards are given at the end of the day to the most memorable altars and best-dressed Calacas (skeletons). Many event goers arrive in magical costumes (best costume is awarded $500!). At the Children’s Plaza, kids can participate in art and crafting activities, face painting, and performances by the Bob Baker Marionettes. Families can also watch the procession featuring hundreds of Aztec ritual dancers, listen to music on five different stages and sample food from LA vendors.
Date: Oct. 30, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Cost: $35 (under 5 don’t require a ticket)
Underwood Family Farms: Celebrating its 21st year, Underwood Family Farms is the best-known fall festival in Los Angeles—and it's no wonder why. The (slightly steep) ticket price gives families a whole day's worth of activities, including a massive corn maze, a tractor-drawn wagon ride, an animal center with a menagerie of adorable farm animals, a chicken show (!), a farm-themed playground, pig races, and acres of open space for kids to sprint their sillies out. Shell out additional bucks and you can add more to your day, including pony rides, kid-drivable mini-tractors, and a train ride. There's also Moorpark's amazing farm stand, and enough pumpkins in the patch that you'll be sure to find one that's Jack-O-Lantern-worthy.
Dates: Oct. 1 through 31. The festival is open seven days a week, but the major programming, live music and shows happen on the weekend. Cost: $22-$28 on the weekends; $14 on weekdays; kids under 2 are free. (Hint: Online tickets are required for weekends; for certain weekends, you can buy advanced tickets online for a discounted price.)
Weekend programming highlights include: Oct. 1-2: "Friends of the Farm Weekend," a public safety-themed weekend, when the fair will be filled with all sorts of real-life superheroes including Bomb Squad and SWAT members, police K-9s, a Disaster Action Response Team display (DART)—plus police cars and police motorcycles that your kids will love getting to see up close. Oct. 15-16: "Antique Tractor Weekend" where dozens of old tractors will be on display and their owners available to answer all your littles’ burning tractor questions. Plus, tractors go on parade at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. Oct. 22-23: "Wild West Weekend," filled with cowboy entertainment including stunt ropers, a gold miner, a covered wagon, music, and more.
Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch: Tanaka's 30-acres of Irvine farmland are open to the public year-round via U-pick and guided walking and wagon tours, but the farm ups its game during the Halloween season. This Fall Harvest Festival features carnival-style games, ATV and wagon rides, a pumpkin cannon, a corn maze and pumpkins as far as the eye can see. While you're there, pick up some farm-fresh veggies (straight out of the ground via U-Pick or from the farm stand), grab lunch from the Tanaka Farms Grille, or let the kids have some QT with the critters in the petting zoo. Note: There is no public drinking water, so bring your own water (or be prepared to buy drinks there) because it can get hot.
Dates: Weekends, Sept. 17 through Oct. 31 Cost: $10, with various activities costing additional fees
Irvine Park Railroad Pumpkin Patch: You’ll find this pumpkin patch just behind the Irvine Park Railroad station in Orange County. There’s a wide mix of classic fall activities. Free-of-charge ones include a haunted house, a hay maze, hay pyramids for kids to climb and photo stations. Buy tickets for pumpkin decorating, John Deere racers (the mini-sized versions, whew), panning for gold, hay and train rides, carnival games and more. And on Sept. 24, starting at 9 a.m., bring your best estimating skills to The Great Pumpkin Weigh-Off where prizes will be awarded to the biggest pumpkins.
Dates: Sept. 17-Oct. 31 Cost: Entrance to the pumpkin patch is free. Activity tickets are $7; pack of 15 tickets is $90. There is also a park entrance fee per vehicle of $3 on weekdays, $7 on weekends
The Best Fall Festivals in the San Fernando Valley
Forneris Farms Fall Festival: Forneris Farms' annual fall festival boasts a four-acre cornfield maze that is so big that it takes about an hour to complete—and kids under 12 aren't allowed without a parent. Which is to say, it's super big, super fun and super worth it! Festival-goers can also enjoy pony rides, a tractor-pulled train ride and a tractor ride around the farm. Your littlest celebrants will be in Halloween heaven at the "Farm Frolic" area, which includes a giant pumpkin jumper, a hay bale pyramid, a hay bale mini-maze and more.
Good to Know: All attractions are cash only; there is an ATM on site.
Dates: Sept. 30 through Oct. 31 Cost: Entry is free to the farm and pumpkin patch, but attraction passes—which include the corn maze, train ride and Farm Frolic area—are a separate fee (ages 2 and under are free)
Calabasas Pumpkin Festival: Did you know that Calabasas comes from the Spanish word ‘calabaza’ meaning ‘pumpkin’ or ‘gourd?’ So, it makes sense that Calabasas would go all out for its annual weekend-long Pumpkin Festival, a Halloween-time tradition that been holding strong from more than 40 years. This year, festival-goers can expect a slew of fun seasonal entertainment, including live music, food booths (orange flags signify vendors with pumpkin-based treats), tons of vendor stands, spooky squash sculptures, a beer garden (with pumpkin beer!), pumpkin carving with Peculiar Pumpkin Portrait's Doug Goodreau, and kids' games. Admission price includes all inflatables, a giant slide, Halloween carnival games, reptiles and bug shows, and a Saturday morning costume parade.
Dates: Oct. 16, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $10-15, kids under 2 are free
Big Horse Corn Maze: Speaking of corn mazes, if you really want to get lost in the crops, it's worth the hour-ish drive out of town to test your navigation skills at the Big Horse Corn Maze & Harvest Festival, where its whopper of a maze is ranked as the biggest in all Southern California. We're talking over 11 acres of corn stalks to navigate, which is no easy task, especially with little ones in tow. (FYI: If you give up, there are emergency exits along the way. And your bigger Harry Potter fans will love how much like the Tri-Wizard Tournament's final task this feels!)
Dates: Oct. 1-3; Tues.-Fri. 1-5 p.m.; weekends 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Cost: $15 (ages 5 and under are free). Each group must have a parking pass as well, parking $5
Autumn in Georgia is all about the big three: exciting corn mazes, picture-perfect pumpkin patches and hitting (at least) one of the many fall fairs and festivals going on around the state. We’re talking funnel cakes, Ferris wheels, family entertainment and cuddly farm animals. When it comes to our top picks for fall fairs and festivals, we know what Atlanta families are looking for—drool-worthy carnival food, funky attractions (bring on the Banana Derby) and info on where to ride the most epic tilt-a-whirl in the state of Georgia.
The 71st annual Georgia Mountain Fair, held at the historic Georgia Mountain Fairgrounds, should be at the top of everyone's list. You know this staple of the state's fall fairs and festivals will attract thousands of visitors from across the region, a testament to the excitement and nostalgia only the Fair can deliver to families. Beyond carnival rides (psst...those are an additional cost), families can stroll through the Pioneer Village and catch the "Old Ways" demonstrations, watch monkeys race at the Banana Derby and even meet Rollo—the "biggest little kid in the world." With first-class musical performances headlining each night and a glimpse into North Georgia's rich history and culture, the Fair provides something for every family member.
Cost: $12 for a 1-day pass; $33 for a 3-day pass; Free, kids 12 & under
The City of Kennesaw's Pigs & Peaches BBQ Festival is back for its 21st year of good music, great food and tons of fun. The festival's roots can be traced back to the historic train depot in downtown Kennesaw where in 2000, it all started with a blues concert and local BBQ cook-off. Twenty-one years later, the festival features two days of non-stop music, excellent barbeque and tons of fun for everyone. Better wear your elastic pants to this one.
The Pioneer Days Festival is a small but fun carnival for kids and adults. Locals claim this festival offers the best funnel cakes around. It's an annual event people visit over and over again. For a celebration, the grounds are spotless and well kept. The ride prices are high, but it is a charitable event, so all the proceeds go to a good cause.
Do you have a budding artist? A crafter? A future engineer? Maybe your kids love to bake or take photos. Whatever the passion, get ready to show it off at the Chattahoochee Mountain Fair and win fantastic prizes. This Fair has been a tradition in Northeast Georgia since 1975. Your family can spend a memorable week back in the good old days of homemade treats, handmade crafts, a farm animal petting zoo and carnival rides galore.
Get there when the Gwinnett County Fair gates open, and you'll get to ride without a wait. Stroll around the fairgrounds to find your favorite carnival food, and stop by all the best rides throughout the day and night. The staff is friendly, and the unique entertainment will keep everyone in your crew smiling.
Good to know: It's free to park at this fair and only clear bags will be allowed onto the grounds.
Cost: $10/person; $5 for seniors (65 & up) and kids (6-11); Free, kids 5 & under (with paid adult) and for active and retired military, law enforcement officers and fire department personnel (with ID).
Go for the rides at the Kiwanis Coweta County Fair, and stay for the magic show, mini circus, touch a fire truck, face painting and small farm exhibit. If you love taking home a giant stuffed animal, this is the fall fairs and festivals top pick for you. There may be more games than rides. In addition, this fair supports local organizations.
Head to Stone Mountain Park and take a journey through classic storybook tales that come to life with glowing lights, massive carved pumpkins, bubbles, fog, and plenty of not-so-spooky adventures happening day and night. Families can Play by Day with mini golf, pumpkin carving stations and displays and a ride on a cool locomotive. Then the lights go down for Glow by Night shenanigans that will have everyone talking. Walk through a tale of buccaneers and buried gold at Treasure Island, follow Dorothy as she is swept from Kansas to Oz and help Alice make it through the Queen of Heart's maze to catch the White Rabbit. From the new laser light show to the nighttime party parade, there's so much to do after the sun goes down that's guaranteed to tire out your little pumpkins.
Get ready for the 90th annual North Georgia State Fair, where the lights are bright and "The Human Cannonball" is ready to fly. This year, the entertainment lineup includes big names such as Josh Turner, The Afters, Michael Ray and many more. Also, don't forget to check out the American Bull Riders on the last night of the Fair. It's one of the most exciting shows in town this fall. Hint: We know your tots will love the new-this-year Puppy Pals comedy stunt show.
Good to know: A new fair policy only allows for clear bags this year, so keep that in mind when you're packing up your kid extras.
The grounds of Atlanta Motor Speedway fill with the sights and sounds of one of the state's largest fairs each year. If you have a dinosaur lover in your house, don't miss the Jurassic Kingdom at the Georgia State Fair, where little ones can touch a "real" dinosaur. Many rides at this fair are great for little kids, and the family magic show will surely delight young and old alike.
Cost: $10/adults; $5/kids (5-12) and seniors (65 & up); Free, kids 4 & under
Celebrate fall with free concerts on all 11 days of The Georgia National Fair. And this year, you get to be the judge at the First Annual Georgia National Fair Food Fight. Vendors submit a new food creation they have never offered at the Georgia National Fair, and you'll get to help pick the winner. Oh, and the best part? Fireworks each night. Boom!
Just 40 minutes north of Atlanta, the Cumming Country Fair & Festival combines rides with the American Bullriders Tour, the Miss Cumming Pageant, concerts, and festival fare for ten fun days.
The Georgia Apple Festival brings two exciting weekends to Ellijay, Georgia every year, with hundreds of vendors offering food, art, crafts, and more and visitors from all over. 2022 marks the 51st year of the event, and there will be loads of handmade, hand-crafted items, many on-site demonstrations of how selected types of crafts are made, and a parade and antique car show.
Voted "One of the 10 Great Places for Blue Ribbon County Fairs" by USA Today, the Elberton 12-County Fair features a carnival midway, nightly prize drawings, handmade goods competitions, and enough rides to fill your day and night with fun. Don't forget to cheer on your favorite primate jockey in the highly anticipated Banana Derby.
For the 2022 Georgia-Carolina State Fair, expect more rides than before in addition to livestock competitions, arts and crafts, the Miss Georgia-Carolina State Fair competition, and fun fair food. And you can join the cheering and jeering for the Bad Boyz of Wrestling as they entertain the crowds with a professional wrestling exhibition.
Cost: $5/person (advance); $8/person (at the gate)
The North Georgia Fair has been a Northwest Georgia cultural tradition since 1949. Today, the Fair offers a valuable community service for Northwest Georgia through its recognition of those seeking to improve agricultural standards, its promotion of education, and its stimulation of youthful participation. But it's not just about the farm. The Fair has partnered with Drew Expositions to bring you the rides, thrills, and fanfare of what you expect.
Feeling the heat and looking for a playground with shade? We’ve rounded up some of the shadiest playgrounds in NYC—as in places with lots of shade, the kind that involves sunlight. There are a few in Manhattan, an awesome all-abilities playground, and even some where you can get wet when you really want to cool off. And when you just need some major time in the A/C, there are loads of indoor playgrounds that the kids will love.
For a Pioneer in Queens: The Playground for All Children
The Playground for All Children is the first playground constructed in the United States for disabled and able-bodied children. It served as a prototype for similar sites across New York City, the United States, and the world. Designed for kids ages three to 12, the playground offers opportunities for social, cognitive, sensory and motor stimulation, with accessible slides, swings, a bridge, a water wheel area, Nature Interpretive Trail and more. Plaques are in English and braille, and the playground is home to several Parks Department learning programs dedicated to nature, arts, and cultural understanding.
Flushing Meadows Corona Park Near 111th Street and Corona Ave. Online: nycgovparks.org
Shade for Tots in DUMBO: Pier One, Brooklyn Bridge Park
Mimi O'Connor
An unsung hero in Brooklyn Bridge Park (often overshadowed, so to speak, by Slide Mountain and Swing Valley over on Pier 6) the Pier 1 play space is notable for a couple of reasons. While we love the playgrounds at BBP, shade can be sparse in the park, where the vegetation is still growing in. However, this playground is an exception and is mercifully surrounded by greenery. (It's tucked away and feels like a hidden sanctuary.) The playground is also a fantastic space for the beginner (at life) set; babies and toddlers can explore low-lying turtles, a colorful mini house and climbing structure, and enjoy some swing time.
Pier 1 Brooklyn Bridge Park (near ferry and water taxi docks) Online: brooklynbridgepark.org
Located on the south end of Yorkville's lovely Carl Schurz Park (also home to the mayoral residence, Gracie Mansion) Catbird Playground takes its name from a James Thurber short story. You'll find climbing structures, swings, monkey bars, rings, a sandbox and spray showers—all under the cover of shade mature trees. The park, home to two dog runs, is also known for being very dog-friendly.
It's so limiting to think of shade coming just from trees. In the city—and in the proud industrial Brooklyn neighborhood of Gowanus—the shade comes from train tracks overhead. It sounds counter-intuitive, but this playground, located beneath the F/G train overpass, is a pleasant place to spend some time. It features ADA-accessible playground equipment for kids of all ages, lots of room to roam, a safety surface underfoot, and gentle spray showers that are activated at the touch of a button.
422 Smith St. (between Nelson and Huntington) Carroll Gardens/Gowanus Online: nycgovparks.org
For an Upper West Side Institution: Hippo Playground
If hippos don't know how to keep cool, who does? Much beloved by the community (and taken extra special care of, thanks to The Playground Project), Hippo Playground takes its name from the impossible-to-miss Bob Cassily hippopotamus statues found "frolicking" in the park. A particularly good spot for young ones, the playground includes swings, a wood play structure, a jungle gym, a slide, a soft play surface, a sand pit, and a spray fountain. Bonus: picnic tables and restrooms, plus a cool Joan of Arc statue at 93rd Street! Lots of seasonal events take place here so follow their FB page for all the details.
For a New Playground Under Old Shade: Black Rock Playground
NYC Parks Department
The Bronx's Black Rock Playground in Soundview reopened after a $1.9 million renovation. Designed with input from local students at the nearby P.S. 119, the new playground, surrounded by tall, leafy trees, includes fresh colorful play equipment, swings, a water play area, and drinking fountains. Plus, new plantings, seating, and an improved drainage system.
Watson Ave., Blackrock Ave. between Virginia Ave. and Pugsley Ave. Online: nycgovparks.org
For Shade Near a Big Pool in Astoria: Charybdis Playground
Taking its name from Greek mythology (Charybdis was the daughter of Poseidon, and responsible for some rough waters near Sicily) this playground is found on the western edge of Astoria Park. (Which is also home to one of our favorite free public pools in the city.) In addition to shade, this park offers lovely views of the East River, and the Triborough and Hells Gate Bridges, as well as photo-worthy sunsets. Bonus: It underwent major renovations a few years ago and the splash pad area is epic!
Shore Boulevard and 19th Street at 23rd Road Online: nycgovparks.org
This east side park provides relief on hot days thanks to mature trees, sprinklers, and restrooms. You'll find fun climbing structures, swings, various ball courts, gardens, and lots of open space to play.
While there's not a whole lot of playground equipment here, this spot is where you'll find the largest collection of pine trees in Central Park, known as the Arthur Ross Pinetum. The main attraction is the swings—strap swings and bucket swings, so both the kids and you can have some fun—but there's also a chin-up bar if someone's looking to work out. Find this playground just north of the Great Lawn and south of the reservoir.
For an LIC Spot Dubbed "Shady Playground": Andrews Playground
You know there's some relief from the sun when locals call it "Shady Playground." This two-and-a-half-acre Long Island City spot has climbing structures, swings, sprinklers, game tables, benches and more.
Fifth Street, 49th Avenue and Vernon Boulevard Online: nycgovparks.org
For Shade with a Side of Creative Inspiration: Imagination Playground
Mimi O'Connor
This playground has minimal equipment, but that’s exactly what makes it so cool. As the name implies, the playground is designed to encourage kids to use their imaginations from the moment they are greeted by the giant, bronze dragon-shaped sprinkler. Peek inside one of the animal-shaped cutouts, or use the circular stage to put on a show. If all of that imagining leaves them tuckered out, the “Peter and Willie” sculpture, which was inspired by characters in Ezra Jack Keats’ beloved children’s books, is a great place to relax. PS: This is also close to one of our favorite splash pads, LeFrak Center at Lakeside.
Prospect Park Ocean Avenue and Parkside Avenue Prospect Lefferts Gardens Online: prospectpark.org
Who is ready for a family road trip? With national parks, monuments, seashores, and more within driving distance of Washington, DC, you won’t have trouble finding the perfect family getaway destination. Our list includes spots that you likely know (like the Smoky Mountains National Park) and under-the-radar national parks where the crowds will be smaller. Are you ready for a river rafting experience or a day at the beach? We have both in this list!
Offering tent camping, safari tents, rustic cabins, leisure cabins, and luxury cabins, River Expeditions' 100+ acre campus has something for every family (or family reunion!). Kids love the beautiful wooded terrain with small hiking trails.
Ages six and up will giggle through class I through III rapids and eat a picnic along the river. Kids and adults can hop out on quiet segments of the river and float alongside the boat.
We’ve all been there: planned a day out when the rain rolls in. Fear not, Pinheads has you covered! With plenty of space for the whole family and a menu that will please the kids (and their adults), you can while away a few hours boning up on your strikes.
Wendy Altschuler
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
From unforgettable vistas on the hike up and at the summit of Mount LeConte to seeing real-life "fairies" at night during the annual firefly viewing, there are countless outdoor adventures to be had in the Smokys.
Where to Stay:Wilderness at The Smokies is a great choice for families. With most rooms designed to feel like a suite, there is plenty of space for everyone to sleep, and the kids will love the rustic bunk beds.
What to do: Sometimes the kids have had enough hiking and Soaky Mountain Water Park is the spot where everyone can giggle their way down winding water slides or relax on a tube down the lazy river.
Where to Eat:Graze Burgers has a great adult and children's menu, serving up fresh and tasty burgers of all varieties, including vegetarian. If you need a coffee before your hike, pop over to local-favorite Honeybee Coffee.
What to Do if it Rains: Wilderness at the Smokies is a great place to stay because of its indoor/outdoor water parks. If bad weather moves in, families can stay put and enjoy the Wild Water Dome, an indoor water park with the feel of being outside. This is perfect for young families.
Just 75 miles from DC, your crew will fall in love with our local National Park. It is bursting with epic waterfalls, spectacular views, fields of wildflowers, and quiet wooded areas for a family picnic. With over 200,000 acres to explore, you'll likely see deer, songbirds, and black bears; oh my.
The Potomac Appalachian Trail Club manages cabins throughout the DMV, including a few inside Shenandoah National Park. Ranging from primitive (no electricity or running water) to modern, the cabins are a delightful and budget friendly way to experience the park.
A 3.9-mile loop hike to Rose River Falls boasts a 67-foot cascading waterfall and an awesome swimming hole. This hike along the Hogcamp Branch stream is stunning, a treat for adults and kids alike!
Visit the largest caverns in the Eastern United States, offering lighted tours on paved walkways through cathedral-sized rooms with ceilings 10-stories high, towering stone formations, and natural wonders at every turn.
Explore sandy beaches, salt marshes, maritime forests and coastal bays. Oh, and you might even see some wild horses too. Your little ones can earn their Junior Ranger badge while you soak up some sun on the pristine beaches of this national seashore. Don't forget to try your hand at crabbing. It's one Assateague experience your kids won't soon forget.
Where to Stay:Refuge Inn, a family-friendly place with a pool and a pony farm! You may not be able to ride the wild horses, but if your kiddos catch the horse bug while you're visiting, they're sure to enjoy a pony ride!
Where to Eat:Sea Star Cafe offers delicious hand-crafted fresh sandwiches, salads, soups and goodies with the best ingredients available.
What to Do: Go crabbing! Crabbing is a great activity for the entire family regardless of age. Grab a hand line or string with a weight attached, some bait, and a net with a long handle. If you plan to keep the crabs you will also need to bring a ruler to measure crab size as well as a cooler with ice. Just remember: crabs can pinch!
What to Do if it Rains:Delmarva Discovery Center is a perfect place to explore the rich history and natural world of the Delmarva peninsula. Kids will adore the touch pool, STEAM lab, and a chance to see a beaver's lodge from the inside!
This park offers many opportunities to explore history and nature, all in a beautiful 800-acre park only 15 miles from the Nation's Capital. Another Junior Ranger spot, your little ones can learn about the Potawmack Canal and Matildaville's Ghost Town. You'll all love the spectacular waterfall views and local family-friendly hikes.
Where to Stay: This Airbnb is located in Great Falls and has plenty of space for the whole family.
Where to Eat:Roots Provisions and Grocery is a delicious place for a post-hike lunch. Their mouthwatering menu includes favorites such as a braised brisket sandwich.
What to Do:Colvin Run Mill is a real, working mill. Enjoy a tour and their charming general store, where visitors can purchase their grains, ground on-site!
What to Do if It Rains: Sure, museums and cultural attractions are great for rainy days... but sometimes, so is the mall! Tyson's Corner Center has a Lego Store and a Build-A-Bear Workshop, not to mention so many dining options for mom, dad, and the kids. There's even a giant movie theater, so you can make a full day of it.
Here you will find boating, fishing, camping, hiking, swimming, and scenic beauty. This twisting lake, the largest entirely within Pennsylvania, extends 27 miles and covers 8,300 acres. If you want a unique lake experience, book a scuba tour with one of the local companies.
Insider Tip: Take your family back in time with a trip to a state-of-the-art drive-in theater! Kids and adults will love The Mill Creek Drive-In Theater.
Where to Stay: Airydale Retreat's glampsites, particularly the Cardinal 1 and 2, are terrific for families with children. Their spacious interiors provide plenty of space for people to relax indoors, while the twisty slide is sure to entertain for hours! Each site has a covered picnic table, fire ring, nearby private bathroom with flushing toilet, and propane camp stove with basic cooking supplies.
Where to Eat: Try Kars and Koffee, held every Saturday at The Swigart Antique Automobile Museum, where antique cars are on display and the coffee flows freely. Bring a pastry from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. May through October.
What to Do:Get out on the lake in a kayak or canoe! Enjoy this unique way to explore nature, get some exercise, and gain a new experience for the whole family.
What to Do if itRains: Experience a one-hour interpretive tour of two spectacular crystal caverns, Lincoln Caverns and Whisper Rocks. A wide variety of speleothems (cave formations), including delicate crystals, sparkling stalactites, and massive flowstones, await around every turn!
Blue Heron Farm
Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge
Delaware Bay is just two hours away. Every fall, thousands of migrating shorebirds make their critical trip south. You can see them feeding by the thousands on the salt marsh mudflats along the wildlife drive at low tide.
Where to stay: Add a farm stay to your adventure, and unwind at the Chalet on Blue Heron Farm. This rustic waterfront retreat on the Chester River's upper reaches is a peaceful and private getaway situated just 15 minutes from historic Chestertown. Enjoy epic views from the giant wrap-around deck overlooking the river and floor-to-ceiling windows.
What to do: Go birding. Bombay Hook is among the most famous birding locations in the eastern United States. The waterfowl migration begins in early fall and brings many species of ducks and geese to the refuge to spend the winter, including the Greater Snow Geese. The geese arrive in October and depart for the Arctic in February and March.
What to do if it rains: Visit the Air Mobility Command Museum. Admission is free and visitors can climb a real air traffic control tower and see over thirty aircraft!
Hikers, bikers and nature lovers rejoice! We've found the perfect place for your crew to explore.
Where to Stay: Prince William Forest Park offers cabin rentals, which happen to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Built in the 1930s and 1940s, the cabins are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Where to Eat:The Secret Garden Cafe in Occoquan is a relaxed restaurant in an 1840 home with a garden patio, serving American fare with global twists.
What to Do: With over 900 plant species, your future botanist will have tons to identify and see throughout the lush forest. Plan to hike shorter trails with little legs in tow, including Piedmont Forest Trail and Laurel Loop Trail.
What to Do if it Rains: Visit the Weems-Botts Museum in Historic Dumfries. Travel through time on a guided tour of the historic house museum decorated in 18th, 19th, and 20th-century styles. Learn about the crucial role the port town of Dumfries served in Virginia’s history.
River Riders
Harpers Ferry National Park
Harpers Ferry is filled with distinctive architecture, walkable streets, and so much to do. With a series of historic attractions and museums, this national park beautifully details the Civil War history of the region
Where to Stay: Located just one mile from Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, the Clarion Hotel Harpers Ferry has 100 spacious hotel rooms and an on-site restaurant, and it is next door to a tubing and rafting outfitter.
Where to Eat: Head to neighboring Bolivar to stock up on provisions at H.B. Snallygaster's General Store and Cafe. A deli in the back serves West Virginia pepperoni rolls on Bolivar Bread Bakery sourdough, and customers can also find craft beer, baked goods, and to-go cocktail kits.
What to Do:Flat-Water Tubing at Harpers Ferry is fun for the whole family, this trip is suitable for those looking for a relaxing experience.
What to Do If It Rains: Visit the John Brown Wax Museum, with its unique dioramas and haunted-house feel, you’ll certainly have a blast indoors at this wax museum.
Piscataway Park is home to bald eagles, beavers, deer, foxes, ospreys, and many other species. To complement the surroundings, the park has, in addition to a public fishing pier and two boardwalks over fresh water tidal wetlands, a variety of nature trails, meadows, and woodland areas. The Park is also home to the National Colonial Farm.
Where to Stay:The AC Hotel National Harbor has all the classic hotel amenities, including a gym and restaurant. But the bonus of staying at this hotel is how close you'll be to the Capital Wheel and carousel.
Where to Eat:Nando's Peri-Peri serves up delicious, rotisserie-style chicken and a variety of sides. Mom and Dad will love the spicy sauce options and gourmet sides, while kids will enjoy tasty french fries and corn-on-the-cob, available seasonally.
What to Do: Visit the National Colonial Farm. Take a tour through 1770 led by one of the National Colonial Farm educators. Explore the grounds of a working tobacco farm and meet its two- and four-legged residents. These tours are offered March through December and are are open to the public.
What to Do If It Rains: Hop across the river and visit Mount Vernon, the home that George Washington shared with his wife, Martha.
Yearning for a few green acres to roam? Dreaming of farming organic lavender, or perhaps of yodeling with the yaks? At these farm stays across the nation, you’ll finally get your chance. Keep reading for all you need to know about planning your next family vacation at a working farm.
Working Horse Farm | Seymour, TN
Airbnb
This little farm home is in the perfect area to get away, yet close enough to enjoy the city attractions as well. Front porch sitting is beautiful with a perfect view of a pasture full of horses. The covered outdoor riding arena makes it a great place to stay if you are traveling with horses, or if you’d just like to schedule a horseback riding lesson.
This property doubles down as it's both a treehouse and a farmstay. Sleep in the trees and walk through a fairy forest in the midst of the lavender fields. During your stay, have a picnic or wander the gardens and visit Simon the donkey and Henry the goat. Bring your gear and fish in the well-stocked pond.
Farm Stay at African Hoofstock Preserve | Point Arena, CA
Kate Loweth
The kids will be delighted when you bring them to stay at one of the cottages at B. Bryan Preserve. African antelope, zebra and giraffe, along with eclectic lodging await you in Point Arena on the beautiful Mendocino coast. Take a tour to meet the animals and then enjoy your time in the cottage or hot tub.
Blue Pepper Farm is a working sheep dairy in the Au Sable Valley of the Adirondack Mountains. This 46-acre farm sits across the valley from the hamlet of Jay and its historic covered bridge. Guests will enjoy a staggering mountain panorama from the porch, deck, or pool overlooking the lush pastures where sheep and laying hens graze. Harvest dinner straight from the garden in the summer and fall to accompany fresh organically raised lamb, pork and eggs right from the farm.
Located near Waco, Texas and about 20 miles from the downtown area, this expansive farm stay includes an incredibly unique converted grain silo with all the amenities, including a sleeping loft, full bathroom, kitchen and a fishing pond on site. Visit with the sheep and llamas and relax in the peace and quiet.
Seventy acres of serenity is what you’ll find at White Lotus Farm & Inn, just over the Hood Canal Bridge. Established in 2017 by owners Niall and Natalie, farm animals are the big draw for kids here. They’ll make fast friends with the sheep, goats, pigs, chickens, ducks and Cue, the farm llama. When it comes to navigating the space, look to Niall, who gives tours and explains the farm’s “beyond organic” practices. There’s a good chance he’ll also invite the kids to help feed the animals and look for eggs.
Head to Big Sky Country to experience life on a working sheep farm. You'll sleep in an antique sheepherder's wagon, and rise to experience a day of spinning at the wheel, hanging with the sheep, or just relaxing (they don't judge).
Come experience a silo-style tiny home living on a family-owned Missouri Farm ... complete with Nigerian Dwarf goats, miniature donkeys, cows, chickens and more. Cook dinner on the outdoor fire pit and borrow some bikes to tool around the property.
For a farm stay of a different sort, book a weekend at Mission Peak Winery. There are tons of things for kids to do on the property including a trampoline, swimming pool (season), fishing lake and canoes. Meet the local horses and stroll through the vineyards.
Guests are welcome to roll up their sleeves and help with the chores on this 75-acre working farm, but they don't mind if you prefer to soak up the pristine views that include yaks, horses, sheep, chickens, geese, and the Northern Lights, instead.
Cool Tip: Go in the winter and enjoy mushing, skiing, and the World Ice Art Championships.
Don't let the title "bed and breakfast" fool you. This working farm near Chapel Hill is only five minutes from the interstate, but offers 61-acres full of gardens, laying hens, sheep, goats, steers and pigs. And for overnight guests, the fresh farm breakfasts are really something to write home about.
We’ve got three words for you—Skagit. Valley. Farm. This quintessential farm has got it all. Twenty-two chickens and roosters roaming the property, and a duck named Sage who answers (with a sweet quack) when kids call her name. Families will find seasonal flowers and veggies available to pick and fields for sports, challenge coursing and general play that’ll wear your little farmers out. Plan picnics right on site, or explore local restaurants when hunger strikes (word on the street is that local favorite Whidbey Island Bagel Company will soon call Mt. Vernon home). They even have a pack ‘n’ play if you need one.
Animal lovers, rejoice! This farm is Animal Welfare Approved for humane practices of its cows, chickens, emus, pigs, ducks, alpacas, donkeys, guinea fowl, dogs, cats and an Icelandic Horse. So go on! Enjoy a morning milking, feeding and brushing the calves, and pitching in around the farm. And for the small set, there’s even a playground with an antique firetruck.
When you're staying at a working coffee plantation, the odds of actually getting to drink your cup of coffee in the morning—despite being in the throes of parenthood—increase significantly. In addition to staying caffeinated, guests at the Holualoa Inn enjoy perks like tours of the orchards and roasting mills.
Don't Forget: Since you won't want to miss all that the Big Island has to offer (and since you'll be plenty wired to tackle it), check with your hosts before planning your excursions. They're happy to help you arrange outings to the local beaches and trails.
In this all-inclusive dude ranch of your dreams, you'll find horseback riding, mountain biking, fishing, hiking, yoga, swimming, gourmet meals, and cowboy cookouts. But it's not all fun and games. Tanque Verde Ranch is a working cowboy ranch that dates back to 1868 and is home to around 200 horses.
Don't Miss: While there is plenty to do together as a family, your little buckaroos will love the authentic Western experience of the Daily Kids Club, where they can interact one-on-one with the ranch’s horses while mom and dad get downtime.
Los Poblanos Historic Inn & Organic Farm | Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM
Experience luxury on a working organic lavender farm, where you'll enjoy suites creatively carved into the farm's mainstays, including one in a 1930s dairy building with a pitched tin roof and white stuccoed walls. In addition to the lavender fields (dreamy, right?), you'll find a significant portion of the agricultural offerings at Los Poblanos dedicated to the farm's own kitchen. Translation: stay here for some seriously good eats.
Don't Miss: The farm's resident honey bees produce honey tinged with lavender during certain times of the year.
Even the wall tents at this farm are furnished with fine linens and comfy beds, sort of like Old MacDonald's version of glamping. Bring your binoculars and play the silent game while bird-watching on a morning stroll. Sustainable agriculture and environmental stewardship are core values here, and both kids and adults will learn about animal husbandry practices and wetland restoration on farm tours.
Don’t Miss: Goats are fun and helpful backpacking companions. Take a pack goat on the trail to lighten the load for little ones.
This working farm is built around family activities for farmers of every age. Your bitty agrarians will get their farm fix by feeding chickens, gathering eggs, feeding the cows and horses and learning about the daily operation of a farm. And at the end of a long day in the fields or at the barn, what could be better than jumping into the lake (or if it’s cooler temperatures, taking a kayak, paddleboat, or canoe out for a spin)? Top off the day with a round of s’mores at the fire pit, and there’s no doubt your crew will be sleeping soundly.
Chores become a novel game when they include gathering warm eggs, feeding baby animals and milking cows at a seventh-generation working farm in the Catskills. When the hard work is done, little ones can play with kittens or go for a hayride while older siblings play badminton and fly kites. After a hearty farm fresh dinner, wind down by roasting marshmallows for s’mores outside your private guesthouse.
Don’t Miss: In September and October, explore the corn maze with the whole family and pick your own pumpkins.
This planned community an hour outside of Atlanta has the farm (and sustainability, and organic practices, and animal husbandry) at its core. Guests at The Inn at Serenbe can take a tour of the working 25-acre CSA-certified farm, go on hayrides, help feed the animals and go on trail rides. And after all that hard work, you and the kids can relax at the pool, hit the spa, and dine on fresh food prepared by some of the nation’s most acclaimed chefs.
Don't Miss: The farm has a weekly Farmers Market (from March-October) that you won't want to miss, as well as Goat Yoga for teens and adults.
With drumsticks and chicken nuggets, you may have only ever eaten one breed of chicken in your life—Cornish Cross. Rediscover the clucking variety chickens on this tiny Washington chicken farm, where you can meet and compare 20 specialized breeds. Stay in the two-room bed and breakfast (each room sleeps four) and learn about breeding and butchering chickens or simply relax on the peaceful beach.
Don’t Miss: In addition to checking out the chickens, guests can harvest berries, fruits, some vegetables, and even meet an Italian truffle-hunting pup!
Situated on a 9,200-acre estate in the Great Smoky Mountains, there is no place like Blackberry Farm. Undoubtedly swanky, Blackberry is agrarian at its core and offers families a unique opportunity to reconnect with nature. And in between a visit to the Wellhouse for pampering, fly fishing, biking, hiking, boating or general meandering, your family can learn about what life on a working farm is all about through gardening, livestock, and farm production lessons.
Insider Info: Don’t visit Blackberry without a visit to the kennels and their famous Lagotto Romagnolo dogs, as well as the truffle orchard.
It might be easier to get the kids to eat their fruits and veggies when they pick it them themselves in the seven-acre organic gardens. In the spring and summer, there are strawberries, melons, radishes, peaches and more. In fall and winter, cauliflower, carrots, turnips, kale, squash and more abound. In sunny Arizona, the farms’ campgrounds are open year-round, with restrooms, showers and on-site laundry.
Don’t Miss: Stay in one of their seven completely refurbished vintage airstreams—circa 1940 to 1970—as part of their new "glamping experience."
Family weekends throughout the year include activities for younger kids: barnyard scavenger hunts, bread making and arts and crafts. Come through any time and enjoy pony rides, sheep shearing, cheese making and other classic farm activities. Basic rooms and private cottages are available, with enough room to sleep 140 each night.
Don’t Miss: Learn to do-si-do from professionals specializing in square dancing, line dancing and country Western.
Impressively thick canvas tents can sleep up to six at this small organic farm northwest of Chicago. There’s no gas, electricity or running water, but you can cook on a wood-burning stove or order a scrumptious homemade meal. Kids can pet and feed smaller critters at the animal paddock, swing on the rope swing and climb apple trees for rustic fun.
Don’t Miss: Buy products straight from the farm at The Farm Larder, along with locally sourced goodies from small food producers. A lifesaver if you don’t feel like cooking.
This working dairy farm is one of the leading milk producers in Vermont and is famous for its herd of 270 Robeth Holsteins cows. Guests can help with the twice-daily milking of cows or feed newborn calves. Float down the White River in summer or explore the snowy Green Mountain National Forest come winter. The inn has seven guestrooms with four shared bathrooms and common areas.
Don’t Miss: Try the Cabot Creamery cheddar. Liberty Hill is part of the cooperative that makes this award-winning cheese.
The Naylors will welcome you into their ranch home and give you a personal tour of their 80-acre stone fruit farm. Organic fruit is ripe for the picking from mid-May to mid-August. Wake up to a full breakfast each morning—fresh fruit, hooray!—and savor that complimentary evening snack. Older kids will have fun picking peaches while the toddlers can enjoy the juicy fresh fruit.
Don’t Miss: The Squaw Valley Herb Gardens are a half-hour drive away, where you can make wreaths, lavender sachets, and a vegetarian, herb-inspired lunch.
Fireflies, flashlights, popsicles and pools. Summer is here which means life is a little different, and we’re all suddenly playing by summer rules. With more time to explore, we’ve put together our Atlanta summertime bucket list. It will take you on new adventures around town, and hopefully inspire you to check out parts of Atlanta—and Georgia—that might have not been on your radar before. Keep reading for our ultimate list of things to do with kids in Atlanta and Georgia before sweet summertime slips away and the school year begins.
World of Coca-Cola The whole family will love exploring the World of Coca-Cola, where a vault holds the secret formula to the famous drink, and taste more than 100 Coke beverages from around the world.
Chattahoochee Nature Center At the Chattahoochee Nature Center, try out the new zipline, see a bald eagle, explore the Chattahoochee River on a guided canoe trip, or hike the trails at Atlanta's nature destination. Nearby, get out on the water with Nantahala Outdoor Center, where you can rent tubes, kayaks, paddleboards and more.
Visit Zoo Atlanta Whether you’re looking for a leisurely stroll through the all-new African Savanna or a chance to explore The Ford African Rain Forest, Zoo Atlanta offers something for everyone. Want to keep even more learning happening with the kids – virtually? Check out the Zoo's At-Home educational programs before or after your visit.
Discover a New Way to Play at Fernbank Discover a new way to play in the great outdoors with oversized games and fun skill challenges. Try your hand at checkers—or try your feet at hopscotch. Challenge your friends to tic-tac-toe, chess and more. This special exhibit encourages active and imaginative play and is located in WildWoods.
Celebrate Atlanta's Olympic Spirit (& Cool Off!) Pack a picnic for Centennial Olympic Park, and plan on a run through the Fountain of Rings—formed in the shape of the Olympic rings symbol—if it's hot outside.
Get to Know Piedmont Park (Beyond the Playground) Explore Piedmont Park's 189-acres, filled with playgrounds, paved paths, picnic areas, ponds, green spaces, and host to some of Atlanta's best festivals and fairs (many of which, like the Atlanta Ice Cream Festival and the Atlanta Dogwood Arts Festival are free).
Enjoy Dining Out Again, and Make It Special Get the kids—and yourself—dressed up and take grandma or grandpa to a fancy lunch at the Swan House, or maybe even The Varsity if you don't feel like getting gussied up.
During the school year, it's easy to hit up the same spots out of convenience and for planned playdates. This summer, cast a wider net and see how many of these incredible Atlanta parks and playgrounds you can visit.
Play These Classic Yard Games Go screen free and head out the backdoor to play old-school yard games. You'll all break a sweat and earn that popsicle. Click here to get started!
Putt Around at Mini Golf If you’re looking for a hole-in-one for your next family outing, make the most of the later bedtimes and cooler evening weather. Head to one of Atlanta’s best spots for mini golf. Whether pirates, aliens, glow-in-the-dark, or skyline views are your jam, Atlanta’s mini golf scene has you covered.
Explore Atlanta's Best Bike Paths Looking for a shaded, active family adventure that’s as bearable in Atlanta’s sweltering summer months as it is beautiful on a colorful fall day? Give these paved paths a spin!
Pick a Nearby National Park to Explore There are more than you think! You know you’ve got them on your bucket list, and there couldn’t be a better time than now to plan your visit to a nearby national park. Atlanta families are just a stone’s throw away from mountains, wild rivers, beaches and historic monuments to explore.
Go Horseback Riding Put a little hitch in your giddyup and try something new with your buckaroos—horseback riding. Whether you’re into trails and terrain or guides and guarantees, the Atlanta horseback riding scene has a bit of everything.
Go Ziplining It makes sense that Atlanta—known as the city in the trees—is home to so many zipline adventures. Flying from treetop to treetop is the perfect way to shake the heat during our summer months, avoid the crowds, and pump the adrenaline. And, many places offer scaled-down versions for the littlest adventurers.
Explore Mountains, Canyons, Forests, and Gorges Check out our favorite state parks for families in Georgia.
Try Mountain Biking You don't have to be a pro or have expensive and specialized bikes to give mountain biking a try at one of these mountain biking courses for beginners near Atlanta.
Check Out Atlanta's Splashpads Summers sizzle in Atlanta, y’all. Thank goodness for a super selection of spray grounds where your little firecrackers can cool their jets.
Head to the Lake There’s really no bad time to visit the lake. And with a half-dozen or more within an easy morning’s drive from Atlanta, you can escape to one without even having to book overnight accommodations, in many cases. Whether you're heading there to splash, hike, or rent a watercraft, we've got you covered.
Go Fishing With these local fishing spots, your kids will fall hook, line, and sinker for this easygoing pastime that doesn’t break the bank or require tons of planning—but can still allow for responsible social distancing while getting out of the house!
Find Your Favorite Path or Paddle on the Chattahoochee River Explore the 'Hooch (or even shoot it...which is Atlanta speak for float down it) on one of the accessible trails and parks. Or rent kayaks, canoes, paddle boards and tubes to make a splash in its icy water.
Explore the Georgia Coast Only 20 minutes from each other, Savannah and Tybee Island go together like summer and sunshine. Whether you stay in the historic city and make day trips to the beach or vice versa, you'll love exploring all the sights in these coastal Georgia highlights. Or visit Jekyll Island and play on Driftwood Beach.
Go River Rafting Atlanta is surrounded by some of the country’s finest whitewater, and we’ve rounded up the most kid-friendly river raft runs around. And while all of the rivers listed here are serviced by river outfitters who can take care of every detail of your trip, it’s always a good idea to review some river safety guidelines before you go.
Check Out a Cobb County Parks & Rec Escape Room For a socially-distant adventure at a Cobb County park, head to one of their Escape Room experiences.
Check Out Live Music with a Small Town Vibe Duluth is the place to be on Friday night from May through September as food trucks take over Downtown Duluth, unwind after a long week with live music in The Plaza at Avalon every Friday from 6-8 p.m., and rediscover your weekends at City Springs with City Green Live.
Go to a Festival Atlanta’s tree canopy, local music scene, and incredible food options—particularly the mobile food options—all add up to a pretty rock solid festival line-up.
Make Homemade Ice Cream Especially good with fruit you picked at a nearby u-pick farm, homemade ice cream will help everyone ease into a summer state of mind.
Camp Out in the Backyard But because we're in Atlanta, be sure to run a portable fan to the tent and load everyone up with mosquito repellent.
Pick a Bucket Full of Berries The time is ripe to hit the farm in Georgia for juicy strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and peaches (not to mention other perks, like pony rides, tractor rides, corn pits, maybe a CSA box program, and inflatables at some spots). While different crops ripen at different times, we’ve picked our favorite farms to take the small set for a day of fresh air, berry-stained fingers, and happy hearts.
Have a Lemonade Stand Is it really even summer if you don't hawk some homemade lemonade at the end of your driveway? Make it extra Atlanta and garnish your glasses with peaches.
Stroll Through a Farmers Market Since sleeping past seven on a Saturday has become a luxury now that we have small kids, why not get a jump on the day by exploring some of Atlanta’s best farmers markets? You’ll find fresh air, bearable temperatures, and who knows? It might be just the trick for getting your littles to love their veggies!
Watch Dollar Movies Watch a $1 movie at Regal Movie Cinemas all summer long as part of their annual Summer Movie Express.
Catch Lightning Bugs While these tiny twinklers might have disappeared from many backyards due to pesticides, you can still see them en masse at the edge of any of Atlanta's open spaces. Look to fields near Red Top Mountain State Park, along the Silver Comet Trail, or any neighborhood park.
Catch Free Outdoor Movies You'll find plenty of free movies in the park at Atlantic Station, Town Brookhaven, Bobby Dodd Stadium, The Battery, and other spots. Just don't forget your bug spray and blanket!
We know many Seattle families will be hitting the highways and mountain passes this Memorial Day Weekend with cars packed full of camping gear. But for those families sticking close to home (you know who you are…been there, done that, never again with little ones in tow), we’ve rounded up ten activities to keep everyone in your crew happy and entertained over the three-day weekend. Scroll down to make your plans over the long weekend.
1. Northwest Folklife Festival
Piper Hanson
There’s no shortage of fun things to see, do and eat at the 51st Annual Northwest Folklife Festival. One of the largest free folk festivals in the country, this year's festival will bring the old and new together, both virtually and in-person. Music, dance, spoken word, visual art and workshops will span 16 stages over three days, and about 2,000 attendees are expected to join in. A new Makers' Space, featuring tactile elements of folk traditions, and the return of some local favorites, like the Circle of Indigenous Peoples celebration and dancing at Warren's Roadhouse, are just a few of the festivities to look forward to. While the Northwest Folkife Festival in general is a family-friendly event, there are other kid-friendly offerings throughout the grounds including tons of your favorite Kindiependent rockers like The Not-Its!, Eli Rosenblatt and Brian Vogan and His Good Buddies, who'll be rocking the stage on Monday.
The Infinite is an out-of-this-world immersive experience that transports you into space aboard the International Space Station, and it just opened in Tacoma on May 25. Memorial Day weekend is a great time to check it out. During the experience, you’ll explore a life-sized, 3D-modelized recreation of the International Space Station and encounter mind-blowing views of the Earth in the first-ever cinematic spacewalk captured in 3D, 360 virtual reality. This experience is an exclusive installation from world-renowned Japanese artist Ryoji Ikeda that's best for kids ages 8 and up and their grown-ups. You'll need tickets for this one.
If you and the kiddos are itching to get out of the city for the day, head east to Snoqualmie and celebrate Memorial Day Weekend with a scenic train ride. This special 90-minute steam train run is in addition to the railroad’s usual weekend train schedule and will take you through the Cascade foothills of the Upper Snoqualmie Valley, including a ride to the top of Snoqualmie Falls.
Remlinger Farms is now open on Saturdays and Sundays and would be a great addition to your Snoqualmie excursion. Ride the half-sized steam train along the Tolt River, pet the farm animals (think: goats, horses, piggies, cows, alpaca, sheep, bunnies, donkeys) or take a pony ride and jump in the hay maze, spin on the mini roller coaster or "fly" on the pumpkins. Plus, go 'round and 'round in the pedal cars and enjoy a day full day of farm fun. Plus, parents will enjoy the farm's newest addition—Remlinger Brewery. It opened on May 7 when the fun park opened for the season. Eastside, here we come!
Whether you dig art or just dig being outside, MOHAI has a fantastic new exhibit that opens over the long weekend. Ansel Adams: Masterworks, a traveling exhibit presenting the iconic works of the famed photographer, will be on view for a limited engagement. It features 48 photographs by Adams—a selection of images he considered the best work of his career. Each reveals the importance Adams placed on the awe-inspiring power and beauty of the natural world, and his deeply held conviction that place matters. Who knows? You might even recognize our own Washington National Parks in Adams' photos when you visit.
Molbak’s Butterfly Garden is a magical experience, and it’s reopening Memorial Day weekend, so why not stop by? You and the kids can stroll among hundreds of free-flying butterflies inside the enclosed space, while surrounded by a display of beautiful flowers. Learn about the life cycle of these colorful insects, while watching larvae undergo a miraculous metamorphosis as they emerge as butterflies before flying. Our other favorite reopening at the Zoo? It's gotta be the Zoomazium, that reopened May 17 after more than two years of being closed. Who else can't wait to go? Two more great reasons to visit Woodland Park Zoo over this long weekend!
Dust off your bikes, blades, trailers, and training wheels and enjoy four car-free miles of Lake Washington Boulevard, between Seward Park and Mount Baker Beach. If the kiddos need to make a pit stop or take a break along the way, there’s plenty of places to stop and even an awesome playground near the entrance of Seward Park.
Teach your kids the importance of Memorial Day by taking them to this annual ceremony held at The Museum of Flight. The Museum will honor military service with patriotic music from The Boeing Employees Concert Band, followed by a ceremony with local officials and US Military personnel. Psst! All veterans and active US military personnel will receive free admission with ID.
9. Wild Waves Theme & Water Park Opens
Wild Waves Theme & Water Park
Those looking for a nearby thrill should head to Wild Waves Theme & Water Park in Federal Way, opening for the season on Memorial Day weekend. Thrill rides, family rides and kids rides will keep everyone entertained throughout the day. Be sure to grab your tickets online to save some dough before heading down.
A day-long excursion that includes a ferry ride to Bremerton will make this Memorial Day weekend one to remember. Add in a trip to see Beauty & the Beast at the Kitsap Forest Theater's opening weekend and the distance is totally worth it. A treasured family tradition in the greater Puget Sound area, The Mountaineers Players bring quality outdoor theater under the forest's conifer canopy. This spring step into the enchanted world of Broadway’s modern classic, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast. This beloved story tells of Belle, a young woman in a provincial town, and the Beast, who is really a young prince trapped under the spell of an enchantress. If the Beast can learn to love and be loved, the curse will end and he will be transformed into his former self.
