10 farms to visit with pumpkin patches and fall activities within an hour of Charlotte
Welcome, Great Pumpkin!
There are few things more synonymous with October than pumpkins. While people’s opinions on pumpkin spice lattes have divided the nation, visiting farms with hayrides, bonfires and a pumpkin patch is a more agreeable way to enjoy the pumpkin season.
Below is a list of 10 pumpkin patches within an hour of Charlotte.
Riverbend Farm in Midland
12150 McManus Rd, Midland, NC 28107
Visit the 25-acre pumpkin patch and stay for the farm-themed playground, including silos that have been turned into slides.
2018 season hours: 3:30-6 p.m. Monday-Friday; 10a.m.-6 p.m. Saturday; 1-6 p.m. Sunday
Activities: Barn animals, wagon ride to pumpkin patch, and old-fashioned ice cream parlor.
Price: $5.50 per person, ages 2 and up; pumpkins are $0.60 per pound
Wise Acres Organic Farm in Indian Trail
4701 Hartis Rd, Indian Trail, NC 28079
Wise Acres got its start after the owners and their three children moved from Chicago and decided to start growing organic strawberries in 2013. They’ve since added a pumpkin patch.
2018 season hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Thursday; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday
Activities: Plan to spend an entire day at Wise Acres. In addition to the USDA certified organic strawberries and pumpkins, there is a corn maze, a wagon ride through the woods and animals, such as goats, rabbits, pigs, and chickens. Also available are Wise Pie Wood Fired Pizza, apple cider slushies, organic popcorn and cotton candy, and local honey.
Price: Admission is free, pumpkins are $0.69 per pound, a wagon ride is $3 per person over age 2 and the barrel train is $2 for children 2-12.
Hunter Farm in Weddington
13624 Providence Rd, Weddington, NC 28104
Built circa 1868, five generations of the Hunter family have lived in the house and on the farm. Now part of the Catawba Lands Conservancy, the farm grows strawberries, pumpkins, and Fraser firs throughout various seasons.
2018 season hours: 1-7 p.m. weekdays; 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturdays; noon-7p.m. Sundays
Activities: Fully enjoy a day at the farm with a wagon ride that visits the milk barn, petting barn, where you can feed the animals, and finally a stop at the pumpkin patch. At night, you can schedule a wagon ride to a bonfire. Food trucks are on site on Saturdays.
Price: Admission is $9 for children, $10 for adults, and free for children under 2 and grandparents, with a 3-5 lb. pumpkin included. Get a 10 percent discount for military, firefighters, and public safety officers.
Hall Family Farm in Ballantyne
10713 Providence Rd W, Charlotte, NC 28277
Rich with history, Hall Farm started as a cotton farm in the 1920s and five generations of the Hall family have lived on the farm. It once grew to 600 acres, but much of the land is now the Ballantyne Country Club.
2018 season hours: Starting in October, 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Friday-Saturday
Activities: This farm offers activities for all ages. Kids can enjoy a mini-maze, bouncy balls, and a duck race. Older children can ride the pedal go-carts. All can explore the 5-acre corn maze, hayrides, pumpkin patch, and bonfires.
Price: Pumpkins are $0.64 per pound, hayrides are $3.25, kids corn maze is $2 for ages 3 and up, 5-acre corn maze is $8 for ages 3 and up, pedal go-karts are $2 for ages 5 and up and a bonfire is $60 for 2 hours.
Carrigan Farms in Mooresville
1261 Oakridge Farm Hwy, Mooresville, NC 28115
Known for its rock quarry, the farm has been around since 1902 and has passed along to five generations. Tens of thousands of pumpkins are grown here every year.
2018 season hours: Hay rides are at 2 p.m., 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Tuesday-Thursday; 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday-Sunday
Activities: Hayrides to the pumpkin patch, shopping at the farm market and Scarrigan Farms, which is a haunted trail at night for ages 12 and up.
Price: $11 per person ages 2 and up; Scarrigan Farms is $25 per person on select nights
Aw Shucks Farm in Monroe
3718 Plyler Mill Rd, Monroe, NC 28112
2018 season hours: 6-11 p.m. Friday; 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Saturday; 1-6p.m. Sunday
Activities: Hayrides, paddle boats, corn maze, mini-maze, animal barn and an 1800s train car.
Price: Admission for ages 4-12 is $8, ages 13 and up is $10 and the 13th Acre Haunted Trail is $13.
Hodges Family Farm
3900 Rocky River Rd E, Charlotte, NC 28215
Hodges Farm is the longest running farm in Charlotte, starting more than 100 years ago. The farm now focuses on agritourism, educating children and the public about farming and farm animals.
2018 season hours: 9 a.m.-6:30 p.m. daily
Activities: Hayrides, hay mountain and farm tours.
Price: Free admission; pumpkins starting at $5
Red Wolf Farm
1900 HW Farm Road, Maiden, NC 28650
2018 season hours: 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays
Activities: One-mile hayride, corn maze, kids corn maze, inflatable obstacle course, pre-school bounce house, see farm animals, watch a blacksmith work and more.
Price: Admission is $9 per person; small pumpkins are $3 and large pumpkins are $6
Bush-N-Vine Farm
1650 Filbert Hwy, York, SC 29745
The Bush-N-Vine Farm has been in the Hall family for over 150 years. What started as a peach orchard now grows a variety of fruits and vegetables.
2018 season hours: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturdays
Activities: Live music, a bounce house, hayrides, a food truck and hot air balloon rides on select days.
Price: $5 admission; pumpkins under 5 lbs. are $0.95 per pound and pumpkins 5 lbs. and greater are $0.59 per pound
Cherry Place Farm
1922 Oakdale Rd., Rock Hill, S.C. 29730
The original 173-acre farm was bought in 1940 until farming ceased in 1986. In 1990, the owner’s grandson and his wife began rebuilding the farm and growing crops again while raising chickens, pigs, sheep and cattle.
2018 season hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays; 1-6p.m. Sundays
Activities: This farm offers a corn maze, hayrides and a chance to feed the animals.
Price: $8 for ages 2 and up
This story was originally published October 9, 2018 at 2:35 AM with the headline "10 farms to visit with pumpkin patches and fall activities within an hour of Charlotte."