Trade in Grocery Store Pumpkins for the Ultimate Fall Day at Our Favorite Pumpkin Patches in OC
Visiting the pumpkin patch is a quintessential fall tradition. Throw on your flannel and embark on a mission to find the best fall photo ops, corn mazes and hayrides! Whether you’re on a quest for perfectly round jack-o-lanterns or just looking for a really gourd time, here are our top picks for Orange County pumpkin patches—you may even want to visit more than once!
Tanaka Farms
When: Sept. 18-Oct. 31, Daily 9 a.m.-6 p.m.
Resist the urge to add a pumpkin to your cart on your next Trader Joe’s run (sorry TJ’s, we still love you) and pick one yourself at Tanaka Farms. Yes—literally off the vine! A unicorn of Orange County pumpkin patches, Tanaka Farms grows plump pumpkins on-site. Kids can learn how pumpkins are grown and participate in all the pumpkin patch favorites—wagon rides, corn mazes and a petting zoo! Admission is $10, and $10 parking passes are required on the weekends.
Location: Irvine
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Irvine Park Railroad
When: Sept. 18-Oct. 31, Weekdays 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Weekends 8 a.m.-6 p.m.
Full of festive photo ops, Irvine Park Railroad has seasonal fun for the whole family! Admission to the patch is free and includes access to the haunted house and hay maze for the bold and brave! For tractor rides, bounce houses, cookie decorating, face painting and more, pick up a ticket book, which costs $90 for 15 tickets. There is also a $3 vehicle fee for park entrance on the weekdays, and it’s $5 on the weekends.
Location: Irvine
Pumpkin City
When: Sept. 30-Oct. 31, Monday-Thursday 11 a.m.-8:30 p.m., Friday-Sunday 10 a.m.-10 p.m.
You’re not in Laguna Hills anymore… step foot into Pumpkin City and be immersed in harvest galore! Try your luck at winning giant plush toys from carnival booths and watch little ones become conductors on train rides! Then plop down on a hay barrel (or pumpkin) to catch the puppet show and listen to live music. Hungry? Check out Pumpkin City’s diner for classic American treats like hot dogs, popcorn and churros. Parking is free and activity tickets are $1.65 each.
Location: Laguna Hills
Zoomars
When: Sept. 18-Oct. 31, Daily 10 a.m.-4 p.m.
San Juan Capistrano’s farm flare only enhances all the hay-filled festivities this fall. Coined Pumpkinpalooza for a reason, Zoomars Petting Zoo transforms into a pumpkin patch party for little ones. Along with Zoomars’ classic pony rides and animal pens exhibiting llamas, emus, sheeps and cows, October outings at the farm include pumpkin picking, panning for gems and endless opportunities for family photos! Head down for family fun with $12 children’s admission and $15 for adults.
Location: San Juan Capistrano
11/25
Hana Field Pumpkin Patch
When: Oct. 1-31, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
If you want that rustic farm feel, Costa Mesa’s Hana Field is the patch for you! Meander through acres of U-pick pumpkins and flower fields for the perfect fall photo op. Pick something while you’re at it, but just remember to bring your own cutting tools. Then, partake in turnip shooting and launch the Pumpkin Cannon! General admission is $10, so make a day out of it by packing a picnic lunch to enjoy on the farm, solving their towering corn-maze and visiting the barnyard animals.
Location: Costa Mesa
ABC Pumpkin Patch at Outlets at San Clemente
When: Sept. 17-Oct. 9, Monday-Friday 3-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-8 p.m.
Oct. 10-21, Monday-Friday 2-8 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.,
Oct. 22-31, Monday-Friday 1-9 p.m., Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m.
Picking a pumpkin is as easy as ABC or 123 at ABC Pumpkin Patch at the Outlets at San Clemente! Filled with giant slides, obstacle courses, bumper boats and too many pumpkins to count, ABC Pumpkin Patch has all you could hope for. Admission is free, and the day can easily be spent admiring pumpkin displays or taking all the fall photos your Instagram can handle. Wristbands for inflatables are sold at $17 for 30 minutes, $21 for 60 minutes and $30 for the whole day.
Location: San Clemente
