We may still be waiting for October’s cool, crisp breezes to blow in, but the time for fall fun in the fields has officially arrived. Carve out a day to harvest your family’s annual autumnal memories by gathering gourds, posing the kids in a pumpkin patch, running through a corn maze and hopping on a Halloween-themed hayride. These 15 Texas pumpkin patches are worthy of a road trip.
Crowe’s Nest Farm, Manor
Squash a nearby pumpkin patch off your list at this 100-acre nonprofit working farm brimming with animals, educational exhibits and organic gardens. During the 36th annual Fall Festival, there will be tons of family fun on offer, including farm animals, native Texas wildlife, hayrides, a pumpkin patch, awe-inspiring animal shows and local vendors selling homemade goods.
Info: 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Saturdays in October. Tickets are $10 for adults, $7 for kids 3-12, $3 for kids age 2, free for children under 2. crowesnestfarm.org
Barton Hill Farms, Bastrop
We love this Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch for two reasons: It’s close enough that a pit stop isn’t required, and plenty of fall fun unfolds beyond the pretty pumpkins. From jumping pillows, barrel train rides and farm animals to duck races, face-painting and live music, there’s fall fun for the whole family at this weekends-only festival fringing the banks of the Colorado River. Need to refuel? There’s hot dogs, burgers and pulled pork sandwiches as well as lemonade, cold beer and frozen sangria.
Info: Weekends through Nov. 3. 10 a.m.- 7 p.m. Saturdays, 10 a.m.- 6 p.m Sundays and Oct. 14. Tickets are $15.95 at gate, $13.95+fees online and free for children 2 and under. bartonhillfarms.com
Elgin Christmas Tree Farm, Elgin
In October, fall fun flourishes at Elgin Christmas Tree Farm in the form of mazes, pumpkin decorating, train rides, hayrides, farm animals and more. Pluck your favorite pumpkins from the patch any day this month, or venture out during the farm’s Pumpkin Festivals on the second and third weekends of the month ($8 kids 2-12/$10 ages 13 and up).
Info: Now- Oct. 31. 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays-Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, noon to 5:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $8 daily ($7 on Tuesdays). elginchristmastreefarm.com
Evergreen Farms, Elgin
Evergreen Farm’s Pumpkin Hunt brims with family-friendly fun — and the best part is that admission and parking are free so you only pay for the activities you choose to do. Ride into fall on a tractor-pulled wagon winding through the Christmas tree fields to “hunt” for mini pumpkins hidden in the trees, and then enjoy pumpkin decorating, pumpkin races, train rides, face painting, a fishing pond, bounce house, fire truck rides, mazes and more.
Info: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays in October. Admission and parking are free, but activities are $2.50 or $5.More at evergreen-farms.com
Texas Big Worm Pumpkin Patch, Bertram
At the biggest little pumpkin patch in Texas, you can have your pick of everything from petite pumpkins to gigantic gourds while enjoying hayrides, pumpkin painting, feeding the farm animals, free Friday morning story times followed by arts and crafts, a corn bin and more.
Info: Now through Oct. 27. 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Free admission, individually-priced activities. facebook.com/TexasBigWormPumpkinPatch
Sweet Berry Farm, Marble Falls
At Sweet Berry Farm’s Harvest of Fall Fun, the whole family can have their pick of fall festivities spanning pumpkin painting and hayrides to scarecrow stuffing and flower picking. We love this pumpkin patch, a scenic hour-long drive away, because admission is free and you only pay for what you (i.e. your kids) want to do. Pick out the perfect pumpkin on this sprawling farm during a less-crowded fall weekday or head here on a weekend for additional fun like horse rides, face painting and a Pumpkin Grill serving up grilled corn and hot dogs.
Info: Now through Nov. 10. 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays. Closed Wednesdays. Free admission, individually-priced activities. sweetberryfarm.com
Pipe Creek Pumpkin Patch, Pipe Creek
Pipe Creek Pumpkin Patch, sandwiched between Bandera and Boerne, is worth the drive for families with little ones in search of an affordable autumnal adventure — a hayride, haystack, scarecrow dressing, visits with farm animals, rubber duck races, pumpkin painting and plenty of pumpkin photo ops are included with admission. Purchase $1 tickets for more fun like the kiddie barrel train and face painting. A snack bar serves hot dogs, Frito pie and marshmallows for toasting while a Farmers Market sells pumpkins, gourds and corn stalks for decorating.
Info: Open Oct. 5-6, 12-13, 19-20, 26-27 from 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Admission is $6 per person and free for age 2 and under. pipecreekpumpkinpatch.com
Devine Acres Farm, Devine
Drive the distance to Devine Acres Farm for the Fall CountryFest — whether you’re petting friendly farm animals or fishing for perch, you’re sure to have a truly divine time. Admission includes live entertainment and more than 40 activities ranging from cowboy golf and scarecrow-dressing to frog frisbee and mazes, but for a few bucks more, you can ride the BobALong Barrel Train, mine for gems, go fishing or pick your favorite pumpkins from the patch.
Info: Open weekends through Oct. 27. 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 14. Admission is $12 for ages 3 to 64, $10 for seniors over 65 and military, and free for 2 and under. devineacresfarm.com/fall-season
South Texas Maize, Hondo
Head to Hondo, where Texas-sized fun unfolds at the South Texas Maize at Graff 7A Ranch. Fall admission includes a 7-acre maze, hayride, MatterCorn Slide Mountain, Twin Cow Train, Cowboy Ken’s Kiddie Korral, hay bale jump and more. Reserve a spot around a crackling campfire to roast s’mores and make memories under the big Texas sky.
Info: Now through Nov. 30. 6 to 9 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturdays, noon to 5 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $17.50 for ages 3-64, $12 for seniors and free for ages 2 and under. southtexasmaize.com
Dewberry Farm, Brookshire
There’s more than you can dew in a day at Dewberry Farm. Get lost in the corn maze, ride on the mile-long DewVille Express, watch pig races, zoom down a 26-foot tall slide mountain, shoot cannons at Ft. DewHickey, take a whirl on the carousel, sip wine and beer in the BierGarten, and poke through the sprawling patch until you find the perfect pumpkin.
Info: Weekends through Nov. 10. 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $29.95 for ages 3 and up; $26.95 for military and $15 for seniors. dewberryfarm.com
Blessington Farms, Wallis
Bring the family to Blessington Farms’ Pumpkin Patch and Fall Festival, where you’ll find more than just a plethora of pumpkins. Take a whiff of fresh country air and enjoy a slew of activities including hands-on animal encounters with chickens, goats, camels and Baby Doll sheep, a walk-through aviary, fishing, hayrides, giant slides, barrel train rides, pedal cars, gem mining, fossil digging and flower picking.
Info: Now through Nov. 9. 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $20 and free for 2 and under. blessingtonfarms.com
Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch, Medina
Get a taste of fall at Love Creek Orchards’ Great Hill Country Pumpkin Patch, where you can bite into tree-ripened apples, sip sweet cider made from an old fashioned cider press or fill up on ample apple goodies. Come early to enjoy a full lineup of festivities included with admission like pumpkin painting, apple orchard tours, farm animals, games, hayrides, scarecrow building, playing in the hay bale maze, story-telling, sing-a-longs and more.
Info: Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays in October. Admission is $6 for ages 2 and older, half-price for active military and free for ages 2 and under. lovecreekorchards.com
Autumn at the Arboretum, Dallas
Lauded as “one of the best pumpkin festivals to visit this fall” by Martha Stewart Living Magazine, the Dallas Arboretum’s annual Autumn at the Arboretum is well worth the trek. This internationally acclaimed Pumpkin Village features more than 90,000 pumpkins, gourds and squash, and this year’s theme — “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” — invites guests to visit a Great Pumpkin topiary, snap selfies with Snoopy, get lost with Pig-Pen in the hay bale maze and visit the “Peanuts” gang at their gourd-decorated schoolhouse.
Info: Now–Oct. 31. Open daily from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission is $17 for adults, $14 for seniors, $12 for children 2-12. dallasarboretum.org
TSRR Pumpkin Patch Express, Rusk
Dress in your Halloween costumes and climb aboard October’s Pumpkin Patch Express, where you’ll chug along to a pumpkin patch to enjoy interactive games and prizes, hayrides, a bounce house, picking out future jack-o-lanterns and trick-or-treating.
Info: Open Saturdays in October, departing at 10 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tickets range from $10 to $40 per ticket. texasstaterailroad.net/events/pumpkin-patch
YesterLand Farm, Canton
At YesterLand Farm, Texas-sized fall fun flows in the form of 30-plus activities and attractions, ranging from apple canons and zombies to fireworks and pony rides. Visit the pumpkin patch, zoom on a roller coaster and run through the corn maze by day. When the sun goes down, the old-fashioned family farm transforms into “Spooktacular Nights” with a creepy corn maze, Goblin Glow, Chuckles Funhouse, zombie paintball and more.
Info: Open weekends through Nov. 3. 6-10 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays. Fall general admission is $18.95 online, $21.95 at the gate and free for under 2. yesterlandfarm.com