7 St. Louis Area Pumpkin Patches Your Kids Will Love
It’s not really fall in St. Louis until you get lost in a corn maze or find that perfect pumpkin in a field of thousands. Thankfully, no matter where you live in the region, there’s a local farm right in your backyard offering a variety of autumn-themed attractions perfect for every member of the family.
Here's where you can hop on a hayride, pop into a petting zoo, watch your kids fly over cornfields on a kid-sized zipline, and even get an Instagram-ready photo with a Clydesdale.
Halloween Farm Fun Days at Stuckmeyer’s Farm
In addition to traditional fall festival must-haves, like u-pick pumpkins and hayrides, Stuckmeyer’s in Fenton gives their event an eerie Halloween twist with Fort Spooky, a playground featuring creepy tunnels and a kid-sized corn maze. On weekends from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., little ones can also enjoy inflatables, a barrel ride and pony rides before filling up on hot dogs, kettle corn and caramel apples. Special events include the 22nd Annual Antique Tractor Show on October 6 and Clydesdale in the Pumpkin Patch on October 12 when your family can snap a photo with one of these majestic horses from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m.
Halloween Farm Fun Days at Stuckmeyer's Farm take place from September 28 through October 31. Admission is free, but additional costs may apply. Learn more at stuckmeyers.com.
Great Godfrey Corn Maze
Make the trip to Godfrey, Ill. and grab your golden ticket for fun! This year’s Willy Wonka-themed giant corn maze opened on September 20 and keeps the adventure going until November 3. Try your luck at this mammoth puzzle with the whole family during the day or dodge ghosts and ghouls alongside your older kids at night when the haunting hours set in. The festivities also include free fun in the corn crib and a mini corn maze for kids ages 10 and younger as well as hay wagon and cow train rides, a jumping pillow and vortex tunnel for an additional charge.
Admission to the Great Godfrey Corn Maze is $7 for guests 12 and older, $5 for children ages six to 11, and free for kids under five. For hours and additional costs, check out godfreyil.org.
The corn crib at the Great Godfrey Maze.
Sullivan Farms
For almost 30 years, Sullivan Farms in Florissant has outfitted St. Louis homes with their Halloween pumpkins. Starting the last weekend of September, you can search for the perfect gourd, take a spin on their free hayride, and venture through their straw maze. Kids can meet their favorite farm friends at the petting zoo and climb up for pony rides every Saturday and Sunday. Of course, no trip to Sullivan Farms is complete without stocking up on their fresh-baked pumpkin bread, apple cider and cupcakes.
Admission to the pumpkin patch is free; additional charges may apply. Hours and directions can be found at sullivanfarmsstl.com.
Pumpkin Jamboree at Eckert’s Farm
Eckert’s Pumpkin Jamboree is packed with so much fun it has to spread the excitement across three farms in the Metro East—and even one in Kentucky! Hop aboard Eckert’s wagons for a trip to their massive pumpkin patches to load up on pumpkins for carving and cooking. Depending on the location, kids can enjoy the petting zoos, pony rides and children’s activities. And don’t forget to grab a fresh batch of kettle corn and a funnel cake to snack on while listening to great live entertainment. Stop by the country store before you leave for homemade apple and pumpkin butter.
The Pumpkin Jamboree is held every weekend in October at Eckert’s in Belleville, Millstadt, Grafton, and Versailles, Ky. Fees, hours and activities vary by location. Visit eckerts.com to learn more.
The petting zoo at Eckert Farms.
Brookdale Farms
Brookdale Farms in Eureka takes everything you love about pumpkin patches and kicks it up another level. From September 14 through November 3, the farm turns into the ultimate fall theme park, complete with a petting zoo, pumpkin slingshot, kids’ zip line, inflatables, and knockerball competitions. But the main attraction is its corn maze, the biggest in St. Louis. During the daylight hours, Brookdale Farms offers nonstop fun for fans of any age, but at nightfall it morphs into the Eureka Fear Farm, offering terrifying maze tours, a haunted hayride and petrifying paintball games for those brave enough to battle their greatest fears.
General admission to Brookdale Farms is $9 for guests 12 and older, $6 for children four through 11, and free for kids under three. Additional charges apply for various activities and haunted attractions. Learn more at brookdalefarmsinc.com.
Pumpkinland at Thies Farm & Greenhouses
Take a trip to the country without the long drive! Pumpkinland at Thies Farm offers plenty of farm fun in Maryland Heights throughout the month of October. Your general admission ticket gives you access to the corn maze, play area, farm animals, and wagon rides. On weekends for an additional cost, pumpkin decorating, pony rides, face painting, and Pumpkinland’s famous corn cannon are open to kiddos. This year, Thies doubles the fun with a second location in St. Charles where your little ones can hit the slides in the straw area and play a round of putt-putt golf.
Pumpkinland runs from September 28 through October 31. Admission is $6.75 for children ages two to 14 and $5 for adults. Hours vary by location. For details, visit thiesfarm.com.
Relleke Pumpkin Patch
At Relleke Farms in Pontoon Beach, Ill., the fall festival grounds are overflowing with family-friendly action. Carnival favorites, including the Spin the Pumpkin ride, Crying Chicken Roller Coaster and giant slide, offer nonstop thrills while more traditional pumpkin patch activities like wagon rides, pumpkin painting, and corn mazes let you and your kids bond in the great outdoors. Relleke also hosts live music every weekend and special events through the season. Be sure to stop by for Child Safety Weekend on October 12 and 13 to get critical safety tips direct from local first responders.
Admission to Relleke Pumpkin Patch is free, but additional costs may apply for certain activities. The festival runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays in October. Learn more at rellekepumpkinpatch.com.
Looking for even more Fall fun? You'll find it in our Things To Do calendar and daily Things To Do email newsletter!
Main photo: Stock. Photo of Eckert Farms petting zoo courtesy of Eckert Farms. Photo of the corn crib at the Great Godfrey Maze via the Great Godfrey Maze Facebook page.
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Metro East mom Nicole Plegge has written for STL Parent for more than 12 years. Besides working as a freelance writer & public relations specialist, and raising two daughters and a husband, Nicole's greatest achievements are finding her misplaced car keys each day and managing to leave the house in a stain-free shirt. Her biggest regret is never being accepted to the Eastland School for Girls. Follow Nicole on Twitter @STLWriterinIL
