Seattle is the Emerald City in the Evergreen State—there’s a lot of lush greenery wherever you look. And yet, every year, fall bursts forth in kaleidoscopic splendor. A drive along roads lined with vibrant reds, oranges, golds and yellows will lead you to a festive day at a pumpkin patch.
Thirty miles up I-5 in Snohomish, Bob’s four pumpkin patches comprise 40 acres. There are more than 60 varieties of pumpkin of all sizes, shapes and colors: giant (up to 200 pounds), medium, tiny, brilliant orange, ghostly white, perfectly round and warty/gnarly for the perfectly ghastly witch’s head.
Take a free hayride out to the pumpkin fields to pick your favorites. Later, wander through the 10 acres of family-friendly, ghost-free corn maze. On Saturday and Sundays, Bob has a giant roaster going for all the sweet corn, squash, and honey-crisp apples you can eat. Be sure to top your apple with ice cream and cinnamon apple syrup!
Also located in Snohomish, Craven Farm has 30 varieties of pumpkins across a 20-acre patch, plus a 15-acre corn field that hosts the Alice-in-Pumpkinland Corn Maze. You won’t see any scary goblins in this family-friendly maze, only different signs to help you find the three secret rooms. See how many Minions you can spot on the hayride through Minionville or let the children embark on the obstacle adventure maze.
Check the farm’s activity calendar for which nights the Night Owl Corn Maze is open– don’t forget your flashlight!
About an hour south of Seattle in Buckley, Maris Farms has five acres of pumpkins– traditional orange and specialty red or white ones. Grab a wheelbarrow to pick out your favorites. In addition to another 5-acres of corn turned into a maze, is the Haunted Woods. The longest and spookiest haunted attraction in the county, the Haunted Woods has a team of fifty actors with new surprises awaiting you among the corn stalks and along the forest trails. At night, you can explore the maze and woods by flashlight.
Fox Hollow is located in Issaquah, only 20 minutes east of Seattle along I-90. Pick the perfect pumpkins from the patch and then make your way through the hay maze and Haunted Forest. Ride the farm vehicles or take a train along the creek. Stop to say “Hi” to the friendly animals. Play on the huge inflatables, or take a flying dive into the corn bin! You can also enjoy eating the most delicious pumpkin pie and drinking tangy hot apple cider while roasting s’mores by the bonfire.
Oxbow is located in Carnation, about a 30 minutes east of Seattle, and celebrates an entire month-long Oxtober Pumpkin Festival complete with live music, food trucks, and hay rides. There are pumpkins of all shapes and sizes and wheelbarrows to haul your selections to your car. The specialty and sugar pie pumpkins, as well as the other produce grown at Oxbow, are all certified organic. With fun for the entire family, check out the kid friendly farm tour, try the Pumpkin Slingshot, or take part in a scavenger hunt!
Also in Carnation, Jubilee is a community farm where visitors are welcomed like family friends. It hosts the ever-popular Harvest Festival that takes place on Saturdays and Sundays in October. A free hayride will take you out to the pumpkin and gourd fields. A corn maze will test your sense of direction. Try out the hand-cranked cider press and sit for a spell on the porch with your new-found friends, a hot apple cider, and live music. It may be the only chance you’ll ever have to launch a pumpkin from a catapult.
Jake Hill is the regional marketing representative for LawnStarter Seattle, an online and mobile platform that connects homeowners with lawn care professionals for care-free and efficient services.
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