Although it’s still quite warm here in Marin, Fall is upon us and that means time for a trip with the kids to a pumpkin patch. Here is Arrive Marin’s guide to the best local spots to find the perfect pumpkin until the end of October!
Nicasio Valley Farms Pumpkin Patch
5300 Nicasio Valley Road, Nicasio
Open Daily 10 am – 6 pm
Definitely one of our favorites! Offering certified organic pumpkins, hay rides, farm animals, pony rides and bounce houses you can make a full day of this excurion. There is also a farm stand, Big Jim’s award-winning BBQ and ice cream to be had. Tim Cain will be at the farm every Sunday from 11 am – noon performing every kid’s favorite songs.
McClelland’s Dairy Farm Pumpkin Patch
6475 Bodega Avenue, Petaluma
Open Fridays and Saturdays, 10 am-9:30 pm and Sundays, 10 am-6 pm
This is a really special family-run farm where nature is priority and cows and chickens thrive. In addition to finding a great pumpkin on their three-acre farm, we highly recommend picking up some of their incredible European-style organic artisan butter. The farm invites guests to pet their farm animals and to watch cows being milked in the parlor. As if this all weren’t enough, there is also a hay maze, a haunted house, hay rides, bounce houses and a pumpkin blaster (we’re not making this up!).
Santa Rosa Pumpkin Patch
5157 Stony Point Road, Santa Rosa
Open Monday-Thursday, 9 am-7 pm, Friday & Saturday, 9 am-10 pm and Sunday, 9 am-8:30 pm
All you really need to know about this Bay Area treasure is that there is an incredible 8-acre corn maze (with both a long and a short route). The pumpkin patch offers 10 acres of pumpkins with 45 different varieties to choose from. There is also a petting zoo, face painting, hay rides and pony rides (on weekends only).
Great Peter Pumpkin Patch at Spring Hill Jersey Farm
4235 Spring Hill Rd, Petaluma
Open every day, 9 am–dusk
We’re just going to get straight to the point on this one: don’t miss their pumpkin ice cream! This really special family-run farm takes their pumpkin patch seriously and they pull out all the stops. Kids can dig their own potatoes, milk a cow, enjoy for a hay ride, pet baby animals and pick out the perfect pumpkin while parents listen to live music and enjoy free cheese tasting!
Tolay Fall Festival
Tolay Lake Regional Park, Petaluma
Two weekends: October 14-15 and 21-22, 11 am-5 pm
This annual festival is super fun and a great family excursion. In addition to pumpkin selecting and hay rides, you can explore the “Nighttime Creatures Barn” and the “Creepy Crawly Room”. Activities include wool-carding, candle-dipping, gunnysack races and a straw maze. But to be honest, we just can’t wait to enter the World Record Pumpkin Seed Spitting Contest! Festival admission is $5 ($3 for ages 12 and under) and parking is $7 per car.