Come September and October, I start thinking about all the fun fall activities I can do with my family and friends. Visits to apple orchards, cider mills, corn maize’s, and of course, pumpkin patches always top my mind. If you’re from west Michigan or plan to visit in the fall, here is the ultimate guide to Western Michigan U-Pick Pumpkin Patches.
In this guide I’ve compiled a list of all the u-pick pumpkin patches in southwest, west, and northwest Michigan. Then I put them together on a handy chart with the most common attractions such as if there’s also an apple orchard, donuts & cider, hay rides, and a corn maze. Lastly, I placed all of the Western Michigan u-pick pumpkin patches into a map! Below each chart, I detail any other attractions offered by these pumpkin patches. Check back throughout September and October as more u-pick pumpkin patches may be added.
Western Michigan U-Pick Pumpkin Patch Map
Southwestern Michigan Pumpkin Patches
First up are the u-pick pumpkin patches in southwestern Michigan. The one pumpkin patch I found requiring visitors to pre-book their ticket online to avoid overcrowded conditions is Gull Meadows in Richland. This farm is also the one orchard with a mini corn maze inside the bigger corn maze, which is great for younger children.
Kid Friendly Attractions
Speaking of children, many of these orchards offer various attractions tailored to kids. Farm animals or petting zoo’s are available at Gull Meadows, Overhiser Orchards, Jollay Orchards, and New Salem Corn Maze. Interestingly, Gull Meadow’s also offers pig races! Playgrounds with items like tube slides, swings, and obstacle courses are found at Jollay Orchards, Sprauges Family Fun Farm, New Salem Corn Maze, and Bosserd Family Farm. Finally, a popular fall kids attraction at many pumpkin patches including at New Salem Corn Maze and Cotant’s Farm Market is the barrel train ride.
Halloween Attractions
What’s a pumpkin patch without focusing on October’s biggest holiday, Halloween? If you’re looking for a spook, New Salem Corn Maze offers a haunted corn maze, haunted woods, and zombie attack feature. Jollay Orchards also offers a haunted house and is holding their first ever orchard Halloween trick or treating event on October 30, 31st, and November 1st. Being scared not your thing? At Gull Meadows, you can launch a pumpkin using their pumpkin canon!
Other Cool Attractions
Here’s a call out about Crane Orchards if you are interested in visiting this farm – Donuts, cider, wine, and food are available across the street at the orchard’s cousin restaurant Crane’s Pie Pantry. This restaurant is busy during October (peak season), but there is a takeout window.
The below are some unique attractions offered at the following pumpkin patch’s:
- Fishing Pond: Jollay Orchards
- Gem Mining: Sprauges Family Fun Farm
- Zipline: Bosserd Family Farm
- Putt Putt: Bosserd Family Farm
- Food trucks on the weekends: Overhiser Orchards
West Michigan Pumpkin Patches
Next up, let’s travel a little further north to see what the pumpkin patches in west Michigan offer.
Exciting Animals
One thing I noticed during my research is that a number of west Michigan farms have unique animals as part of their attractions! If you’d like to get close to elk, buffalo, and Scottish highlanders, Heritage Farm Market is where you need to go! Next is Olin Farms with their Clydesdale Horses originally from Budweiser. Anderson & Girls excites with everything from reindeer (to start getting you in the Christmas spirit) to lemurs and kangaroos to alpacas. And finally, if traditional farm animals like goats, donkeys, cows, pigs, and chickens are just fine for you and your family, check out Post Family Farms, Fruit Ridge Hayrides, and Schwailler’s Country Basket.
Kid Friendly Fun
The kid-favorite barrel train ride is offered at Post Family Farms, Fruit Ridge Hayrides, and Schwailler’s Country Basket. These same farms including Bethke Farms have playgrounds and obstacle courses with extra’s like tube slides and/or mini zip lines.
Get your family photo or photo of your kids in front of Wells Orchard’s 1,100 lb giant pumpkin! There are also a number of fun cutouts and farm art to take pictures with as well.
Unique Attractions
If you’d prefer a scenic hayride tour, Olin Farms welcomes you to enjoy their 35 minute hayride to check out the fall colors! Donuts and cider welcome onboard!
Another unique attraction is the farm art competition at Fruit Ridge Hayrides. This farm works with local nonprofits inviting them to decorate bales of straw, then visitors may judge the art until there’s a winner! During Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings, Fruit Ridge Hayrides hold flashlight nights at their corn maze. If you forget to bring one with you, they carry them as well as glow sticks for purchase.
Northwestern Michigan Pumpkin Patches
Finally we make it to the top of the lower peninsula to check out the pumpkin patches in northwestern Michigan. In addition to the attractions listed above, all four patches offer something unique to them.
Jacob’s Corn Maze: With a restaurant on site selling pizza’s and alcoholic drinks, including their own beer made by Silver Spruce Brewing, Jacob’s is a great place to check out during a fall date or outing with friends!
Pahl’s Pumpkin Patch: Make it a family friendly day trip at Pahl’s! This pumpkin patch has a lot of kid friendly attractions including farm animals, a play area with tube slides, obstacle course, tractor pull, apple canon, and barrel rides. During the weekends, they invite in a food truck to make sure everyone stays fed (on more than just donuts)!
Nugents Orchards offers several different photo props to help make it a day to remember.
Last but not least, Rennie Orchards has a twist on the traditional corn maze. Instead of being made out of corn, they use hay! Also, they have a tee pee for the kids to play in.
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Have you visited any of these Western Michigan u-pick pumpkin patches before? Are you going to return to the same patch this year or try someplace new?
Also don’t forget to take a scenic fall color tour this year! I’ve detailed the perfect route in northwestern Michigan here. Perhaps combine both pumpkin patch and color tour and make it a day trip?
from Michigan with Love,
Jackie
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