The Best Pumpkin Patches in and Around San Diego
With the arrival of October, you may have noticed that pumpkins have begun to arrive at your local grocery store. While it may be easy to choose your pumpkin while picking up your weekly supplies, it’s not nearly as much fun as visiting a real pumpkin patch!
Set aside a day to visit one of the San Diego area’s incredible pumpkin patches to get a true taste of fall.
Bates Nut Farm
Over 50-plus years of fall traditions and memories have been created at the Bates Nut Farm Pumpkin Patch. Enjoy the tractor hayrides, straw maze, petting corral, and pony rides.
Grab a wheelbarrow and pick from a variety of pumpkins: Big Macs, Ghost, Cinderella, Jack O’ Lantern, minis, squash, and gourds. Dogs on a leash are welcome at the farm.
Open daily from September 18 to October 31.
Goff Family Pumpkin Patch
The Goff Family Pumpkin Patch returns to Liberty Station from September 19 through October 31, next to the Loma Club putting green just inside the north entrance, right across the street from SparkCycle.
Set on a half-acre plot, the month-long pop-up will feature over 10,000 pumpkins for ‘picking,’ festive family photo ops, lawn games, and beer on tap each Friday and Saturday.
Oma’s Pumpkin Patch
Over the past 20 years, Oma’s has become an annual fall tradition for many families to come have some fun and pick out their perfect pumpkins.
With so many great activities like pedal carts, the animal corral, giant slides, wagon rides around the farm, cottonseed mountains, and playgrounds, there is something for the whole family to enjoy.
A healthy dose of fresh country air is an added bonus!
On chilly evenings, a cup of hot apple cider is the perfect way to enjoy this beautiful season at the farm.
Oma’s Pumpkin Patch is open from September 27 to October 11 and October 14 to November 1. Note that they are close on Sundays and Mondays. All ticketing is done online and is reservation-based. Get your tickets here.
Mountain Valley Ranch
Head to Ramona to visit the Mountain Valley Ranch and pick out an array of fall essentials, like pumpkins, gourds, and Indian corn.
There’s also a corn maze, corn cannon, and petting zoo that are open every day, hay rides on the weekend, and pony rides during select times.
Admission is free and the farm is open daily from 9 AM to 6 PM through Halloween.
Summers Past Farms
Summers Past Farms offers a selection of field-grown pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. The farm also has a corn maze, plus a fun hay fort for the kiddos.
It’s open for the month of October, and admission is free.
Pumpkin Station Farms
Visit one of the two Pumpkin Station farms in Rancho Bernardo or Bonita for an authentic pumpkin patch experience. Choose a pumpkin fresh off the vine, explore a corn maze, or take a hay ride at these real working farms.
Both locations are open daily through Halloween. Admission is free, but bring some cash for the maze, hay ride, or if you’d like to bring a pumpkin home.
Pumpkin Stations
Looking to stay a little closer to home? There are three Pumpkin Stations located throughout San Diego County—Del Mar, Mission Valley, and National City—so chances are there’s one in your neck of the woods.
Each location features a similar carnival-like set-up, including an assortment of kiddie rides, giant slides, inflatable play centers, petting zoos, and game zones. Of course, you’ll have your pick of pumpkins, too!
The stations are open through Halloween except for Del Mar, which closes on October 26.
Mr. Jack O’Lanterns Pumpkin Patch
Here’s another close-to-home option in La Jolla that we had a great time visiting.
Mr. Jack O’ Lanterns Pumpkin Patch offers a unique experience for all ages to enjoy the fall season. With a variety of pumpkins ranging from cute jack-be-little pumpkins to the biggest pumpkins weighing over 50 pounds, there’s a perfect pumpkin for everybody!
In addition to pumpkins of all shapes, colors, and sizes, Mr. Jack also has plenty of games and activities, like pumpkin bowling, pumpkin decorating, farm animal viewing, and more!
See you there!
There you have it—whether you’re looking to get lost in a corn maze, cuddle some farm animals, or just find the perfect jack-o’-lantern canvas, San Diego’s got you covered from Del Mar to Ramona.
Happy pumpkin hunting, San Diego!
