It’s jack o’lantern season, and the spookiest design starts with the perfect pumpkin. You’ll need a gourd of distinction—plus plenty of apple pie to fuel your carving. San Diego offers ample places to pick out pumpkins and pluck apples while partaking in all the activities that make fall special, from mazes made of corn to opportunities to snuggle farm animals. Here are 10 of the top local pumpkin patches and apple orchards for autumn adventures.
Courtesy of Goff Family Pumpkin Patch
San Diego Pumpkin Patches
Goff Family Pumpkin Patch
Liberty Station
Open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday until the last day of October, the Goff Family Pumpkin Patch offers free admission to select from more than 10,000 pumpkins, including varieties with cute names like Cinderella and White Fairytale. But the Liberty Station standby is good for more than just gearing up for pumpkin-carving contests—it’s also a great date night spot, thanks to a custom flower bouquet-making area, lawn games, and drinks like apple cider on tap.
Also offering free admission, the Mountain Valley Ranch Pumpkin Patch is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. A great place to keep kids entertained for an afternoon, the patch has a corn maze, antique farm equipment perfect for an autumnal Instagram photo shoot, a petting zoo and pony rides, and, of course, a large assortment of pumpkins to choose from.
Carlsbad Strawberry Company
Carlsbad
Open until November 3, the Carlsbad Strawberry Company’s pumpkin patch has one of the county’s most robust round-ups of fall activities, with fun games, tasty food, giant pumpkins for photo ops, tractor rides, petting zoos, and corn and marigold mazes. Admission is $15 per person (though kids 4 and under get in free), with some activities requiring an additional cost. The patch is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday through Thursday and 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays in October.
Courtesy of Family Christmas Tree Farm
Family Christmas Tree Farm Pumpkin Patch
El Cajon
A 10-acre El Cajon farm known for its festive pine trees, this spot also operates an autumn pumpkin patch open 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Fridays and 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays. Admission is $5 to access a huge hay maze, tractor rides, and a petting zoo. In addition to pumpkins and sunflowers, the farm offers tasty apple cider and beverages from Julian, CA, as well as scented fall candles to purchase, so you can bring the seasonal mood into the air.
Oma’s Family Farm Pumpkin Patch
Lakeside
Looking for an easy way to tire out rambunctious little ones? Take ’em to Oma’s Family Farm Pumpkin Patch, where they can meet farm friends at the petting zoo, wander the hay maze, fly down giant slides, bounce around the jump pad, or learn about the farm’s operations on a wagon ride, also with more than a dozen other family activities. Oma’s also has a market to browse through and an onsite OmaGoodness Cafe full of sweet treats and snacks. The patch is open 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and Saturday 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through November 2, and tickets are available online starting at $13.
Peltzer Pumpkin Farm
Temecula
A winery that gets gussied up with gourds and family fun for fall, Peltzer Pumpkin Farm is open 4 to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Depending on the day, $2–4 gets you in (and kids under 2 are free). From there, you’ll pay zero to $25 per person to pan for gems, paint a pumpkin, snack on shaved ice, ride a train, root for your favorite hog in the pig races, and more.
Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch
Woods Valley
Strap on your cowboy boots when you head over to Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch—the Woods Valley property’s claim to fame is a mechanical bull you can ride. Open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday and Sunday until October 31, the patch also provides fun like mazes, slides, face painting, and pony rides. You’ll need to pay a $10 parking fee on weekends and buy $2 tickets to partake in your attractions of choice. On weekends, food vendors arrive, bringing tri tip, funnel cakes, fried Oreos, baked potatoes, mini pies, and other treats.
San Diego Apple Orchards
Peacefield Orchards
Julian
Located in the rural fall wonderland of Julian, Peacefield Orchard is open for apple picking by reservation on the weekends. The apple crop this year was scarce, so a private appointment can provide the chance to pluck pie-ready treats without having to fight off fellow pickers vying for the best fruit. October brings Granny Smiths to the orchard (hello, caramel apples!).
Julian Farm and Orchard
Julian
Jam-packed with activities, Julian Farm and Orchard operates on a tiered pricing system—$10 per person gets you access to yard games, a hay bale maze, kids’ play areas, spots to take photos, and more, while more costly levels include animal experiences, tractor rides, rock climbing, and axe throwing. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday through Sunday, the farm also brings in a tap truck and food vendors on Saturdays and Sundays.
Ranchita Del Reo
Julian
Founded in the 1940s, this family-owned farm schedules apple-picking by appointment for groups of up to eight people. Once you’ve collected your fruit, enjoy a picnic that includes a free jar of salsa, jam, or honey for you to snack on with some crackers and cream cheese. Wash it all down with apple cider, hand-pressed by the owners.
Claire Plath is an editorial intern for San Diego Magazine. She is a fourth-year student at Point Loma Nazarene University and is the layout editor for "The Point" newspaper. She is also the graphic design officer for the Marketing Club at PLNU. Claire loves to spend her free time thrifting, going to the beach, painting and checking out different coffee shops with her friends to fuel her coffee addiction.
