Where to pick your own pumpkins in SLO County
Orange you glad it’s almost Halloween?
Whether you’re looking for hay rides, corn mazes, festive fall decorations or the perfect pumpkin for a jolly jack-o’-lantern, these local pumpkin patches offer the ultimate in harvest-time fun. Grab your pumpkin spice latte and go!
Avila Valley Barn
What: Take a tractor ride around the picture-perfect property before selecting a squash at the pumpkin patch. (Several varieties of gourds and squash are also available at the fruit and vegetable stand.) Other attractions include hay mazes, pony rides and plenty of friendly farm animals eager to be fed.
Where: 560 Avila Beach Drive, San Luis Obispo
When: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Info: 805-595-2816 or www.avilavalleybarn.com
Brookshire Farms
What: Family fun is the focus at this farm just outside of Los Osos. Although anyone can buy the pre-harvested pumpkins, admission to the farm adventure area — $8 to $13, or free for kids two and under — gives you all-day access to attractions including hay rides, inflatable slides and rubber duck races, plus an obstacle course, a playground and a corn maze. (Bring your flashlights to explore the maze at night starting at 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 19, 20, 26 and 27; night maze admission is $13.)
Where: 4747 Los Osos Valley Road, San Luis Obispo
When: Noon to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.. Saturday and Sunday
Info: 805-549-8733 or www.brookshirefarms.com
Chesebrough Farm
What: Cute scarecrows guard more than 60 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and winter squash at an old-fashioned roadside stand that offers weekend carriage rides and plenty of opportunities for fun selfies. Watch powerful tractors and trucks drag loads through the dirt at the Templeton FFA Tractor Pull on Saturday, Oct. 6; tickets cost $10, with proceeds benefiting the Templeton FFA program. (Children 6 and under get in free.)
Where: 790 Moss Lane, Templeton
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
Info: 805-434-0843 or www.chesebroughfarm.com
Jack Creek Farms
What: Pick up a pumpkin while sipping cider and sampling honey at the country store, or head to the pumpkin patch to hunt for your own orange treasures. Don’t miss Pumpkin Palooza on Saturday, Oct. 6, featuring free activities including farm animals, a haystack and a wooden train. For $10, kids can decorate pumpkins with glitter, paint and pom-poms at the Pumpkin Painting Corral.
Where: 5000 Highway 46 West, Templeton
When: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily except Tuesdays and Wednesdays
Info: 805-239-1915 or www.jackcreekfarms.com
Nipomo Pumpkin Patch
What: Offering affordable pumpkins ranging in size from four ounces to 200 pounds, this traditional farm in the scenic South County countryside is delightfully old-school.
Where: 662 Eucalyptus Road, Nipomo
When: 11 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily
Info: 805-929-4153 or www.facebook.com/Nipomo-Pumpkin-Patch-198217957025197
The Pumpkin Patch
What: Venture to the outskirts of San Luis Obispo for an old-fashioned pumpkin patch offering a vast variety of pumpkins at appealing prices. Can’t drop by during business hours? There’s an honor system in place for folks who need an emergency squash after hours.
Where: 2315 Biddle Ranch Road, San Luis Obispo
When: 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday
Info: 805-439-3214 or www.facebook.com/thepumpkinpatchslo
River ‘K’ Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze
What: Pumpkins, hayrides and a massive corn maze stretching more than three acres make this Paso Robles farm a North County mainstay. It’s been open nearly 50 years.
Where: 5670 North River Road, Paso Robles
When: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily
Info: 805-441-3705 or www.facebook.com/riverkpumpkins
This story was originally published September 29, 2017 at 9:33 AM with the headline "Where to pick your own pumpkins in SLO County."