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Fall just wouldn’t be the same without pumpkins. And the DFW area has an ample collection of vibrant and adventurous pumpkin patches worth checking out.
We’re in the heart of autumn, which means pumpkins are out in full force. That’s good news for folks around the Dallas-Fort Worth area, as there’s no shortage of pumpkin patches to visit for a very gourd time.
Rather than squash your dreams, we’re here to plant the seeds for a wonderful experience. Let’s get to it, pumpkin—here are the ten biggest and best pumpkin patches in DFW to check out. (And I promise to stop with the wordplay.)
1. Pumpkin Village
The Dallas Arboretum hosts the annual Autumn at the Arboretum festival with style. I’m not a spatial geography expert, but a village is certainly larger than a patch. You’ll find more than 100,000 pumpkins, gourds, and squash sourced from Floydada, the pumpkin capital of Texas. This year’s theme is Texas Town, a look inside pioneer life, complete with seasonal tastings, vendor markets, and tons of photo ops. Because Pumpkin Village is within the Dallas Arboretum, visitors are treated to an extensive array of fall-blooming plants—and you know we love some fall foliage.
When: September 21-November 3, 9 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Dallas Arboretum, 8525 Garland Rd, Dallas, TX 75218
Cost: Tickets for the park start at $22 for adults, $17 for seniors, $13 for children 2-12, free for children 2 and under
2. Mainstay Farm
Mainstay Farm’s Pumpkin Patch is in Cleburne, about 25 miles south of Fort Worth. The pumpkin barn and house are both full of festive goodies; you can even test your strength with a pumpkin toss. Snapping a family photo in the back of the pumpkin truck is a must. When you tire of pumpkins, plenty of other activities will keep everyone entertained, like a tube slide, roller coaster, a Ferris wheel, jumping pillow, double-decker treehouse, and perhaps most importantly, a wine terrace.
When: September 21-November 3, 5-9 p.m. Fridays, 10 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Sundays
Where: Mainstay Farm Park, 1004 W Bethesda Rd, Cleburne, TX 76031
Cost: Tickets are $25.95 (+ $3.43 fee) online, $31.95 at the gate
3. Pumpkin Nights
Pumpkin Nights features multiple lands that each focus on a vibrant theme. Curious about what a Frankenstein see-saw looks like? Check out Monster Mash Land. Want to see a bunch of glow-in-the-dark underwater elements? Head to the Neon Reef. Interested in watching some fire dancing? Just walk a few feet inside of the Pumpkin Village. Pumpkin Passage welcomes you to the main journey with a barrage of hanging jack-o’-lanterns. You will find at least one favorite among the bunch and want to bring it home as a friend, but try your best to resist. Prefer to get out of DFW for your pumpkin adventures? Pumpkin Nights also has an Austin location.
When: September 19-October 31, 6-10:30 p.m. weekdays, 6-11 p.m. weekends
Where: Howell Farms, 4016 W Division St, Arlington, TX 76012
Cost: Weekday tickets range from $20-$22 for adults and $15-17 for children 4-12; Weekend tickets range from $30-$32 for adults and $20-22 for children 4-12; free for children 3 and under
4. Pumpkins on the Prairie
Pumpkins on the Prairie is free to attend, making it the best deal on this entire list. The only costs are taking home a pumpkin (or several), buying concessions, or using the trebuchet. And let’s be real honest with ourselves: We all want to launch a pumpkin from the trebuchet. Face painting, hay rides, and a bounce house occupy the kiddos. A few events, including a pumpkin cooking class (October 13) and STEAM Day (October 20), are unique among pumpkin patches.
When: October 1-October 31, 1-7 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays
Where: Grace Avenue United Methodist Church, 3521 Main St, Frisco, TX 75034
Cost: Free to enter; concessions, pumpkins, and trebuchet are additional costs
5. Hall’s Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze
Hall’s Pumpkin Farm has been running since the 1920s. Thankfully, none of the pumpkins are that old, but it’s still impressive to walk among such history. Since you’re on a farm, you’ll see animals, scarecrows, hay bales, and a tractor. Yet one attraction will petrify you if you tackle it after dark (or maybe you’ll just bump into a few things). The farm’s corn maze, which spans two acres and features stalks up to nine feet tall, is a rewarding challenge. Be sure to bring cash because cards aren’t allowed for entry or hay rides.
When: October 4-November 3, closed Monday and Tuesday (except for Indigenous Peoples’ Day), 11 a.m.-8 p.m.
Where: Hall’s Pumpkin Farm, 3420 Hall-Johnson Rd, Grapevine, TX 76051
Cost: $5 Wednesdays and Thursdays, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday tickets are $15 for 12 and up, $10 for children 4-11, $5 for veterans and seniors. Children under 3 always get free admission.
6. Shadow Creek Pumpkin Farm
We’ve gotten teased by the occasional cool breeze this autumn, but chances are you’ll feel the heat when you make your way to a pumpkin patch. Shadow Creek has planned for this strong possibility with 25 acres of shaded farm adventures. You’ll see pumpkins everywhere you turn as you walk along the paths, though you’ll likely get distracted by over 20 additional attractions. Admire barnyard animals, climb hay pyramids, pose with farm equipment, slide down hay hills, bounce on jump pads, and try to escape from a corn maze.
When: Weekends from October 5-27, 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays, 1-6 p.m. Sundays, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. on 10/11, 10/14, and 10/21
Where: Shadow Creek Pumpkin Farm, 1530 Indian Creek Dr, Midlothian, TX 76065
Cost: $18.94 for general admission, $16.90 for seniors 55+, military, veterans, first responders, and teachers
7. Yesterland Farm Fall Festival
If you like your pumpkins surrounded by skeletons, this is the pumpkin patch for you. Yesterland Farm’s annual fall festival is jam-packed with rides and farm attractions, including sunflower and zinnia picking and a twisty corn maze. The festival’s pumpkin patch offers pumpkin and gourd options for cooking, carving, painting, and decorating. Want to do more stuff? Super Admission tickets include five tokens to use at attractions like pony rides, gemstone mining, apple ammo, and swamp zombie paintball. The latter is only available at night; swamps and zombies aren’t nearly as scary while the sun is out.
When: September 21-November 3, 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. Sundays (10 a.m.-6 p.m. on November 3)
Where: Yesterland Farm, 15410 Interstate 20, Canton, TX 75103
Cost: $26.95 (+$3.67 fee) online, $34.95 at the gate; “Super Admission” tickets are $46.95 (+$4.92 fee) online, $54.95 at the gate
8. Farmers Market @ The Shed
The Dallas Farmers Market boasts over 25 types of pumpkins and gourds that aren’t available at other stores, which feels like being part of an exclusive club. The Shed sources pumpkins from the Pumpkin Pyle fields in Floydada, so whether you grab one or a full stack, you’re supporting a local business and getting fresh pumpkins that will last longer. Other foods are at the market, too, so you can pick up accouterments for your pumpkin, like pie or spice and lattes.
When: September 22-October 31, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. weekdays and Sundays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays
Where: Dallas Farmers Market, 920 S Harwood, Dallas, TX 75201
Cost: Free to enter
9. Boo at the Zoo
Entry into Boo at the Zoo is included with a ticket purchase or membership to the Fort Worth Zoo. The featured pumpkin patch is extra special because the zoo’s staff and local DFW residents designed it. You get to see inside the creative minds of your neighbors, which is (probably) lovely and (hopefully) not frightening. Aside from the pumpkins, Boo at the Zoo boasts plenty of other entertainment, from the Renfield the Bat puppet to a Magical Monster Mash to the Kooky Carousel. And since you’re already in the zoo, you may as well visit whatever animal you love the most.
When: October 25-27, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: Fort Worth Zoo, 1989 Colonial Pkwy, Fort Worth, TX 76110
Cost: $19 for adults, $15 for children 3-12, $15 for seniors 65+
10. NorthPark Pumpkin Patch
We’ve got a newcomer on the block! NorthPark Center and Community Partners of Dallas designed the inaugural NorthPark Pumpkin Patch in CenterPark Garden. This location is another excellent deal since the pumpkin patch is free to enter. It’s also the closest you’ll get to starring in a fairytale, with impressive decor and architecture around the garden. Additional activities include storytime from Bookmarks, a Dallas Public Library, family portraits from James French Photography, and a special presentation on creepy critters, which may remind a certain age group of the old Creepy Crawlers commercials.
When: October 11-November 3, 10 a.m.-8 p.m. Mondays-Saturdays, 12-6 p.m. Sundays
Where: CenterPark Garden, 8687 N Central Expy, Dallas, TX 75225
Cost: Free
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
