Before selecting a pumpkin patch, families should decide how far they want to travel, whether they want to pick their own or choose from preselected pumpkins, and what other attractions they might want while on their pumpkin patch excursion. Many farms near Chicago offer hayrides to the pumpkin patch, but the patch itself might be muddy or vine-covered, so parents with young children should check to see if the pumpkin patch is stroller-friendly. Some pumpkin patches near Chicago also offer late-night activities for bigger kids.

Pumpkin Patches North of Chicago

1. Kroll’s Fall Harvest Farm - Waukegan, IL

Kroll’s has a variety of pumpkins pre-picked and priced in rows for convenience. Find any size, shape, or color for decorating, carving, or baking. Get into the fall spirit with gourds, Indian corn, mini-pumpkins, straw bales, and corn stalk bundles available for purchase. Families can also have fun with hayrides, a corn maze, and visiting farm animals such as goats, donkeys, sheep, chickens, and turkeys. 

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Pick a pumpkin and then enjoy a day of activities at Patch 22, a pumpkin patch near Chicago.

2. Patch 22 - Wadsworth, IL

Thousands of farm-grown pumpkins in many varieties are available at this pun-named working family farm, open weekends through October with a charge per car for admission. When families finish picking pumpkins, they can enjoy a pony ride in which the parents walk the pony around a large open pasture. Hayrides and a spooky hayloft are also available for a fee. 

Pumpkin Patches Northwest of Chicago

 
Photo courtesy of All Seasons Orchard

3. All Seasons Orchard - Woodstock, IL

Pick your own pumpkin straight off the vine at this northwest suburban patch that also includes several barnyard attractions. A ticket to the barnyard buys admission to the pumpkin patch as well as a corn maze, petting zoo, bunny village, giant swing, goat bridge, duck races, and a bee observation station. Families can complete the festive fall fun with apple picking. 

4. Cody’s Farm and Orchard - Marengo, IL

Families can choose their own adventure at Cody’s Farm: Take a free hayride to the pumpkin patch for a pumpkin of any size, then return to the farm for FREE kid's activities that include a corn playbox, sandbox, and play tractor. Upgrade to additional activities with a wristband that gets kids into the rubber duck races, barrel rides, corn maze, pedal tractor play track, and barrel roll. Families can buy fall foods like apple cider donuts, pulled pork sandwiches, and pie, or fall decorations like pumpkins, gourds, corn stalks, and mums. 

5. Dave’s Pumpkins - Huntley, IL

With no parking or admission fees, families can get their money’s worth at this northwest suburban farm. In addition to picking pumpkins, families can take part in pumpkin bowling using a pumpkin as a ball, as well as antique pedal tractor riding and hayrides to celebrate the season. A mini sunflower maze can entertain small children who might not be big enough for a corn maze yet. 

6. Didier Farms - Lincolnshire, IL

Didier Farms’ Pumpkinfest runs from the end of September to October 31, when kids can explore a variety of unusual pumpkins in the farm’s pumpkin patch, or buy tickets to participate in activities and take rides around the farm. Pumpkins are sold by the pound and include unique varieties such as munchkins, magic lanterns, mystics, Cinderella, Lumina, Casper, wee be little, and knuckleheads. Fun activities include pig races, a silly string asylum, hayrides, a dragon wagon, and a corn maze. 

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Kids can wander the fields at Richardson Adventure Farm in Spring Grove. 

7. Richardson Adventure Farm - Spring Grove, IL

Families can come for the pumpkins and stay for the adventure at Richardson’s, which has a free wagon ride to take visitors to the pumpkin patch on weekends. Farm-goers can pick from thousands of pumpkins and gourds in breeds such as superior, Cinderella, Atlantic giant, baby boo, crunckin, and birdhouse gourds. Some are pre-picked for families with smaller kids, or more adventurous families can pick straight off the vine. The farm also boasts the “World’s Largest Corn Maze,” with games and a 50-foot observation tower, as well as a carousel and wagon rides. 

8. Royal Oak Farm Orchard - Harvard, IL

Families can grab a wheelbarrow and head out to the U-pick pumpkin patch to pick their own pumpkins, gourds, and winter squash. The orchard offers more than a dozen different varieties for decorating, carving, or making pies. Visitors can also select pre-picked pumpkins from the Harvest Barn, or purchase their own trees for growing fruits such as apples or pears. Royal Oak also has its own apple tree maze with more than 3,000 apple trees and nine varieties of apples. 

9. Stade’s Farm and Market - McHenry, IL

Families can ride out to the pumpkin patch on the farm’s tractor to pick pumpkins. Pumpkins in the patch range from 1 to 200 pounds and come in colors such as orange, white, blue, green, pink, and yellow. Besides the many pumpkins for carving, the farm also offers pumpkin varieties specifically grown for seed roasting or pie-making. After picking pumpkins, families can find a variety of other fruits and veggies to pick.

Pumpkin Patches West of Chicago

 
Photo courtesy of Abbey Farms

10. Abbey Farm - Aurora, IL

This 40-acre pumpkin farm owned by the monks of Marmion Abbey celebrates Pumpkin Daze from September through November 1. Families can pick pumpkins and enjoy Kane County’s largest corn maze, a petting zoo, a log balance beam course, a bouncing cow train, a zip line, potato sack races, a jumping pillow, a tractor, and hayride wagon, lasso challenge, and antique tractors. Adults can get a craft beer to go with the family meal from Tumbleweed Grill on site. 

11. Jonamac Orchard - Malta, IL

Along with its reputation for offering a wide variety of apples, this orchard boasts a 12-acre pumpkin patch. Jonamac’s pumpkin patch offers special activities during Harvest Days in September and October. The orchard also has a bounty of activities in its barnyard area and offers an after-dark special for its corn maze and other activities for bigger kids. 

 
Photo courtesy of Keller's Farmstand

12. Keller’s Farmstand - Oswego, IL

​The Keller family has been growing pumpkins since the 1800s and does not charge admission to enter its pumpkin patch. Keller’s experts can help select the best large pumpkins for jack-o'-lanterns or small pumpkins for making pies at their Oswego farm stand. Pre-picked pumpkins are also available, along with a number of fall-themed attractions such as hayrides, apple picking, farm animal visits, pedal tractors, and corn play bins.

13. Kuipers Family Farm - Maple Park, IL

A pumpkin is included in the price of each admission at Kuiper’s Family Farm. Kids and grown-ups can select one from the massive 71-acre pumpkin patch. Admission also includes a corn maze, gourd arbor, hay wagon ride, jumping pillow, petting zoo, pig races, and a tractor train ride. 

14. Sonny Acres Farm - West Chicago, IL

For a small, family-owned farm atmosphere, kids can take a trip to Sonny Acres Farm. Pumpkins from the patch are sold by weight, and kids can enjoy a number of other attractions, including a petting zoo, hayride, pumpkin patch spin ride, photo booth, camel ride, and funhouse. Its fall festival begins in the second half of September.

Bengtson’s Pumpkin Fest is stroller and wagon-friendly.

Pumpkin Patches Southwest of Chicago

15. Bengtson’s Pumpkin Fest - Homer Glen, IL

Bengtson’s 40-year-old southwest suburban pumpkin patch offers a stroller- and wagon-friendly environment for little kids and their families. Jack-o'-lantern pumpkins straight from the vine are priced by the pound, or pie pumpkins can be picked for a set price. Wheelbarrows are available to rent for families who are looking for big loads of pumpkins. After picking their pumpkins, kids can enjoy hayrides, a tractor town, mega slides, a gemstone and arrowhead mining sluice, pony rides, and a petting zoo. 

16. Dollinger Family Farm - Channahon, IL

Whether your family is looking for a pumpkin to carve, decorate, or bake in a pie, you can find it at Dollinger. The pumpkin prices vary by size. The farm features pumpkins in a variety of colors, sizes, and textures. Families can also enjoy refreshments from Grandpa John’s Donuts or Grandma Dollinger’s Fudge. Work your way through the corn maze, play on the farm-themed playground and visit with farm animals.

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As the name implies, Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm is home to some giants. 

17. Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm - Minooka, IL

​The “giant” in this farm’s name describes the pumpkins, one of which grew to more than 730 pounds. The farm boasts 90 varieties in different textures and colors. Admission to the farm is FREE, and for a fee, families can enjoy a fun barn, home cooking, a corn maze, and fall decorations for purchase.

18. Johansen Farms - Bolingbrook, IL

More than 25,000 pumpkins are available for picking at Johansen Farms and Children’s Zoo. For a single admission fee, families can see animals, ride ponies, enjoy a hayride, slide down huge slides, play mini-golf, and more. Pie and donuts are also available for purchase. 

 
Photo courtesy of Odyssey Fun Farm

19. Odyssey Fun Farm - Tinley Park, IL

Families can select the perfect pumpkin from thousands in Odyssey Fun Farm’s pumpkin patch. Wagons are available to rent to haul especially large pumpkins to the car. A pumpkin house makes a perfect backdrop for fall family pictures. Kids can enjoy hayrides, a corn maze, corn cannons, and a kids zone with inflatables and a carousel. 

20. Puckerville Farms - Lemont, IL

The Homerding family or its ancestors have owned the 180-acre Puckerville Farm since 1875. In 2011, the family began running a small festival at the farm to help families enjoy fall activities such as the largest pumpkin contest, hayrides, and face painting. After pumpkin picking season is over, families can return to the farm for the Christmas tree harvest.

21. Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm - Lockport, IL

Dozens of attractions accompany the U-Pick pumpkin patch at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm. After selecting a pumpkin off the vine, kids can enjoy visits with pumpkin princesses, play in a corn crib, and take pony and camel rides. You can also play pumpkin checkers or tic-tac-toe, climb aboard a grain train, visit an authentic Native American tipi, and play in kid-sized birdhouses. 

Pumpkin Patches in Wisconsin

 
Photo courtesy of Pearce's Farm Stand

22. Pearce's Farm Stand - Walworth, WI

Just over the state line of Wisconsin, you'll find Pearce's Farm Stand near Lake Geneva. Pearce's offers U-pick pumpkins along with wagons full of pre-picked large and small pumpkins in different varieties. Grab a wagon and choose your pumpkin or take a free hayride out to the pumpkin patch to pick your own. In addition to pumpkin picking, Pearce's offers a hay barrel maze for kids to jump and climb on. There's also live music, a corn maze, a tractor slide, and a play area. There are tons of cute pumpkin photo opportunities on the farm stand and in the pumpkin patch and corn maze. You'll find plenty to eat with pumpkin treats, apple cider, concessions, fresh vegetables, and more. Pumpkin Fest takes place on Columbus Day weekend with everything pumpkin. 

Pumpkin Patches in Indiana

23. County Line Orchard - Hobart, IN

Families can cross the state line into Indiana for U-Pick pumpkins at County Line Orchard. A pumpkin house in the middle of the patch offers a great opportunity for pictures. The orchard also has apples, bee yurts, sunflowers, a corn maze, and barnyard jams on the weekend. Families can book a campfire for s’mores near the apples and pumpkins on the weekends. 

Unless noted, photos courtesy of the farms