As someone born and raised in Illinois, I know a thing or two about fall fun and the state’s best fall events! Pumpkin patches were a big tradition where I grew up and something that I now enjoy introducing to my young son. Pumpkins grow well in the fertile farmlands of the Midwest, where many farms open to the public to offer pumpkin-picking, festive attractions, and delicious food.
Here is a sampling of the best pumpkin patches in Illinois to inspire your autumn adventures.
Goebbert’s Farm, South Barrington
There are many attractions to check out at the fall festival at Goebbert’s Farm, including the friendly animal areas, corn stalk maze, duck derby, giraffe barn, and magic show. There’s also gem mining, pony rides, wagon rides, pig racing, camel rides, and a pumpkin-eating dinosaur. There’s a 10-room haunted house for school-age children and a jumping pillow for extra fun. You can buy tickets online and shop at the on-site general store and bakery. Goebbert’s has been in the farm market business since 1948 and is a great option for families in the northern Chicago suburbs.
Official Website
Dates: September 9 – October 30, 2023
Heaps Giant Pumpkin Farm, Minooka
Heaps is a pumpkin patch eight miles west of I-55 on U.S. Highway 52. It is open to the public during September and October and offers a 25-acre pumpkin patch. Here, you can pick your own pumpkin off the vine, play on the castle playground, and enjoy country fun in the barn. There’s a craft shop to browse fall décor and delicious food too, including caramel apples, pork burgers, and pumpkin cookies. Things to do at this farm beside the pumpkin patch are the corn maze, bean maze, hay rides, and the farm animals. The farm specializes in giant pumpkins weighing up to 731.5 pounds!
Official Website
Dates: Opening day September 23, 2023
Bengtson’s Pumpkin Farm and Fall Fest, Homer Glen
This Homer Glen pumpkin patch has over 13 rides and many more attractions that are included in the price of your admission. At the farm, you can visit farm animals in the petting zoo, eat a tasty snack or meal, and ride two awesome trains. This unique attraction is known for its talking tractors and personal tractor rides for up to four passengers.
Official Website
Dates: Opening day September 15, 2023
The Great Pumpkin Patch, Arthur
Located just south of the east-central Illinois town of Arthur, you’ll find the Great Pumpkin Patch with all the small-town traditions that make fall a special time of the year. There are approximately 300 varieties of pumpkins, gourds, and squash from at least 20 countries around the world. Located in the heart of Amish country, there’s a bakery open year-round where you can find made-from-scratch Amish baked goods, including the famous pumpkin cookies. In addition to the pumpkin patch, you can also listen to live music, go through the corn maze, hop on a wagon ride, and check out the gardens and displays.
Official Website
Dates: September 20 – October 29, 2023
Homewood Fall Fest, Homewood
The village of Homewood welcomes visitors and residents to its annual fall festival and features a pumpkin patch. This festival is in the downtown area of Homewood between Martin Avenue and Kroner Road. It runs from noon to 9 p.m. and has a full-day lineup that includes live music, kids’ crafts, face painting, and a chili cookoff. The pumpkin patch is open from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. On-site, you’ll also find local artisan vendors and food and alcoholic beverages for sale. Admission and parking are free.
Official Website
Dates: September 23, 2023
Gails Pumpkin Patch, Beason
Gails Pumpkin Patch is a central Illinois pumpkin patch that offers free admission and opportunities to pick your own pumpkins. There are over 60 varieties of pumpkins, gourds, and squash to choose from. Other activities to enjoy include the popcorn wagon, farm animals, and BBQ food for purchase. You and your family can also enjoy the barrel train ride, tunnel maze, toddler corner, and potato sack jump. Adult tricycles, the tractor dig, and Chinese checkers are new this year.
Official Website
Dates: September 1 – October 1, 2023
Sonny Acres Farm, West Chicago
With pumpkin picking, hayrides, a petting zoo, and tasty treats, Sonny Acres Farm is fun for the whole family. There’s plenty of farm-fresh goodness to shop for, and you can purchase tickets in advance for the activities and rides. Check out the haunted hayride if you’re looking for some spooky fun, or enter the haunted barn for creepy characters and ghoulish haunts with an old, abandoned barn theme. For a less scary experience, hop on the daytime hayride for all ages.
Official Website
Dates: September 16 – October 29, 2023
Pumpkin Creek Farms, Sherman
Pumpkin Creek Farms is about 15 minutes from Springfield and outside of Riverton, Illinois, just off Route 54. It is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and Sundays from noon to 6 p.m. This family-owned and operated farm has many new things to offer, including the tug of war, rat race in a huge wheel, drink hut, tetherball, and snow cones. You can buy a single day or season pass to enjoy all the classic attractions too, including the U-pick pumpkin patch, corn maze, hay rides, petting zoo, crazy corn bin, duck races, and more.
Official Website
Dates: September 9 – October 29, 2023
Pumpkin Blossom Hill, Red Bud
Just outside of Red Bud, Illinois, this pumpkin patch offers fall fun at affordable prices. The hours are Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and closed on Wednesdays. Admission is free to the farm. The attractions include a corn pit, mechanical bull, tractor playground, trains, slides, shopping, and refreshments.
Official Website
Dates: September 24 – October 31, 2023
Benoit Pumpkin Farm, Kankakee
Offering free admission and a lovely garden center, Benoit Greenhouses has a pumpkin patch. The hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Wednesdays through Sundays. At the farm, you can buy pumpkins, mums, and fall planters. This is a popular place for kid field trips.
Official Website
Dates: September 23 – October 29, 2023
Roth Pumpkin Patch, Morton
The Roth Pumpkin Patch offers fun for the whole family. This is a place to buy pumpkins and fall decorations, have fun at the playground, and get in the mood for the season. The list of activities includes a corn maze, slides, rocking horses, trains, climbing, jump pillow, and rope swing. You can even learn to milk a cow and meet new animal friends here!
Official Website
Dates: September 11 – October 31, 2023
Siegel’s Cottonwood Farms, Lockport
Pumpkin Fest at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farms is a must-see in Lockport, open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. This pumpkin patch has at least 49 activities and attractions, 13 food and beverage venues serving up more than 150 meals and treats, and 200+ farm animals awaiting your visit. There’s a 10-acre corn maze, over 35 unlimited play attractions, and special packages available for large groups. Get your tickets online in advance of your visit. There are pricing options for weekdays and weekends, and kids aged two and under are free.
Official Website
Dates: September 23 – October 29, 2023
Dave’s Pumpkins, Huntley
You can visit Dave’s Pumpkins for a family farm experience in Illinois and enjoy the Halloween season too. This venue offers free admission and parking, and all pumpkins of any size are $9. Among the many activities to do here are a spooky hay ride, pumpkin bowling and checkers, a mini broomcorn maze, and pedal tractors for kids. It is located in rural northern Illinois and 35 minutes west of O’Hare Airport.
Official Website
Dates: Opens Every Weekend, Starting September 16, 2023
Puckerville Farms, Lemont
Puckerville Farms is located on 180 acres of land and is a fun fall tradition for families. This pumpkin patch is open 7 days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Admission is free every day. Puckerville is also a Christmas tree farm and producer of local honey.
Official Website
Dates: September 13 – October 31, 2023
Indian Creek Farmstead, Petersburg
Well-known in the area for being a venue for weddings, field trips, and private events, Indian Creek Farmstead has indoor and outdoor locations that are perfect for fall. Enjoy hot dogs, hamburgers, and pulled pork and rib dinners with sides during your visit. For activities, there is a kids’ play area, train ride, sandboxes, slides, playhouses, farm animals, roping corral, and wagon rides.
Official Website
Dates: September 16 – October 29, 2023
Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm, Millstadt
Plenty of family fun awaits you at Eckert’s, including opportunities to pick your own pumpkins and apples, ride a giant underground slide, and book a bonfire site. Pumpkins are available by late September. You can buy your admission tickets online to visit on Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and on Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. The activities here include a giant wooden play structure, a 12-acre corn trail, camel rides, a parakeet encounter, apple cannons, pig races, carnival rides, and a straw climbing pyramid. There are also haunted hayrides on Friday and Saturday nights.
Official Website
Dates: Pumpkins available in late September
Dollinger Family Farm, Channahon
The Dollinger Family invites you to their farm this year and offers free admission and parking. You can purchase tickets online for the corn maze, face painting, and train rides. The pumpkin farm is open, with prices that range from $0.75 to $25. There’s a corn maze to navigate, multiple play areas for kids, farm animals, a honeybee area, Native American tipi, and a corn bin for playtime. Hayrides are also offered on the weekend and feature experienced narrators that tell riders about the history, legends, and ghosts of the farm.
Official Website
Dates: Corn Maze Opens September 11 – October 30, 2023
Face Painting and Train Rides September 15 – October 30, 2023
