Autumn Adventures: Minnesota's Best Pumpkin Patches
In Minnesota, folks walk out of the State Fair, past the plump, prize-winning pumpkins, and smack dab into autumn. Disappointed not to have grown their own gourds, they look to pumpkin patches to supply the décor needed to jack the lanterns, drape the decks, and bedeck doorsteps in all the splendor of fall in Minnesota. But, like the pumpkins themselves, not all patches are the same. The best patches have much more to offer than just pumpkins.
Country Sun Farm, Lake Elmo, MN
Perhaps the premier pumpkin patch on the east side of the Twin Cities, Country Sun Farm is much more than a place to wait for the Great Pumpkin's arrival. Along with hayrides on weekends, visitors enjoy concessions, a petting zoo, a corn maze and other fun, fall, family activities.
Sekapp Orchard, Rochester, MN
Folks searching for a fall fix in the Rochester area need look no further than Sekapp Orchard. Featuring corn and straw-bale mazes, as well as hayrides, families can do much more than gather future jack-o-lanterns at the orchard's Pumpkinland.
Afton Apple Orchard, Hastings, MN
With a bluff-top location and views of the St. Croix River valley, Afton Apple Orchard is definitely one of the prettiest pumpkin patches you'll find in Minnesota. Take a scenic hayride and pick your own pumpkin while enjoying a steaming cup of the orchard's own apple cider.
Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch, Glyndon, MN
For families in the Fargo-Moorhead area, Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch is the place to go for a dose of Halloween spirit. With everything from a game area to duck races and horse-drawn hayrides, the whole family will find something to make them happy. Oh… They also have pumpkins.
Gilby's Nursery & Orchard, Aitkin, MN
For pumpkin-searching folks in the Mille Lacs area, Gilby's Nursery and Orchard is a good bet. The orchard offers family fun like hayrides, walking trails and a haunted corn maze, along with more than two miles of pumpkins in their patch. Enthusiasts are invited to come choose their pumpkins in August and inscribe their names or designs on their pumpkins while they're still on the vines. After a few more weeks of growth, the décor becomes a permanent part of the pumpkin.
Key Insights at a Glance
- Country Sun Farm in Lake Elmo offers more than just pumpkins, with hayrides, concessions, a petting zoo, and a corn maze.
- Sekapp Orchard in Rochester features corn and straw-bale mazes, hayrides, and Pumpkinland for families to enjoy.
- Afton Apple Orchard in Hastings has a beautiful bluff-top location with views of the St. Croix River valley, offering hayrides and apple cider along with pumpkin picking.
- Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch in Glyndon near Fargo-Moorhead has a variety of family-friendly activities like games, duck races, and horse-drawn hayrides in addition to pumpkins.
- Gilby's Nursery & Orchard in Aitkin offers hayrides, walking trails, a haunted corn maze, and the unique opportunity to inscribe names or designs on pumpkins while they're still growing on the vines.
