Pumpkin Patch Road Trips: 8 Fall Farm Getaways Worth the Drive
From pumpkin fields and wagon rides to farm animals and autumn festivals, these Canadian pumpkin patches turn a simple fall outing into an affordable seasonal adventure.
Few things announce the arrival of autumn quite like a field filled with pumpkins.
By late September, farms across Canada are transforming into colourful fall destinations, with wagon rides, pumpkin picking, corn mazes, farm animals, seasonal food and plenty of opportunities for that annual family photo.
And you don’t necessarily need an expensive weekend away to enjoy them.
A pumpkin-patch road trip can be one of the easiest budget-friendly fall staycations of the season. Choose a farm within driving distance, pack a picnic, take the country roads and combine your visit with a nearby town, trail or scenic stop. You can create an entire autumn day away without booking a hotel.
For Part 3 of our Great Canadian Harvest series, we’ve found eight more farms that weren’t featured in Part 1 or our apple-picking getaway guide.
Some are full-scale fall attractions. Others keep things refreshingly simple: arrive at the farm, wander through the field and choose your pumpkin.
Either way, they’re worth putting on the fall road-trip list.
1. Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch - Surrey, British Columbia
Pick Your Pumpkin Straight From the Field
If your idea of a pumpkin patch involves actually walking into the field where the pumpkins grew, Hazelmere Pumpkin Patch delivers exactly that. The Surrey farm celebrates its 26th pumpkin-patch season in 2026, opening September 19 and continuing on weekends through October 31. Weekday afternoon visits are also available during October.
Admission includes wagon rides, farm animals, a mini corn maze, play area and access to a 10-acre pumpkin field growing 30 varieties. Pumpkins are purchased separately. At C$12.50 admission on weekends and C$10 on weekday afternoons for visitors aged two and older, the farm also specifically describes keeping its admission affordable for the community.
Make a getaway of it: Pair the farm with a drive through Surrey’s countryside, then continue toward White Rock for a waterfront walk and dinner by the sea.
2026 season: September 19–October 31
Best for: Families, traditional pumpkin picking and an affordable Vancouver-area fall outing.
2. Laity Pumpkin Patch - Maple Ridge, British Columbia
Two Pumpkin Patches for Different Ages
Laity Pumpkin Patch takes an unusual approach to the family farm experience: it operates two separate pumpkin-patch locations across the road from one another.
The North location is designed primarily for families with children up to age six, while the South location welcomes all ages and is recommended for families with older children and adults visiting without children. Both open for the 2026 season on September 26 and continue through October 31.
Admission is C$16 on weekends and holidays and C$13 on weekdays for ages three and older; children two and under enter free with a paying adult. Pumpkins cost extra.
Make a getaway of it: This is perfect for the route we were already discussing around Maple Ridge. Visit the pumpkin patch and then head toward Golden Ears Provincial Park for a walk among the mountains and autumn forest.
2026 season: September 26–October 31
Best for: Families who want activities geared toward their children’s ages.
🍂 GETAWAY IDEA: Maple Ridge Fall Day Trip
Pack lunch, visit the pumpkin patch in the morning and spend the afternoon exploring Golden Ears. It gives readers both a paid farm activity and a nature component in one manageable day trip.
3. Johnson Family Pumpkin U-Pick - Barnwell, Alberta
A Free Prairie Pumpkin-Patch Experience
This one belongs in the article specifically because of our new budget-friendly staycation focus.
The Johnson Family Pumpkin U-Pick near Barnwell returns for its sixth year in 2026. Admission is free, with visitors paying for the pumpkins they select from the field. Families can also enjoy a hay-bale maze, children’s corn maze, barrel train and outdoor games. New for 2026 is Picnic at the Patch, featuring the farm’s Johnson Hotdogs.
The season begins September 18 and runs through October 24, with public hours on Friday evenings and Saturdays.
Make a getaway of it: Barnwell is close to Taber, making this an easy addition to a southern Alberta road trip. Explore the surrounding prairie landscape and make the pumpkin patch one stop rather than the entire journey.
2026 season: September 18–October 24
Admission: Free; pumpkins purchased separately
Best for: Budget-conscious families and southern Alberta road trips.
4. Citrouilles & Cie - Saint-Roch-de-l’Achigan, Québec
Pumpkins, Squash, Sunflowers and More
For travellers looking for more than the classic orange pumpkin, Québec’s Citrouilles & Cie turns the autumn harvest into a colourful agritourism experience.
The 2026 season opened August 28, with U-pick pumpkins and squash joined by sunflowers, cut flowers and seasonal vegetables. Visitors can also explore mazes, a mini-farm, games and the farm’s Pavillon des Courges. No reservation is required, making this one particularly appealing for a spontaneous fall drive.
Make a getaway of it: Use the farm as the anchor for a Lanaudière country drive north of Montréal, stopping for local food and exploring the surrounding small communities along the way.
2026 season: Open from August 28
Best for: Families, photographers and travellers interested in Québec agritourism.
5. Les Citrouillards - Saint-Eustache, Québec
A Pumpkin Outing That Doesn’t Require an Admission Fee
Les Citrouillards in Saint-Eustache opens its 2026 pumpkin U-pick season September 18 through October 31, operating Friday through Sunday. Visitors can explore pumpkins, squash and fresh vegetables, along with cheerful Halloween displays and a mini-farm. Most importantly for families watching their fall-outing budget, access to the vegetable stand and site is free, with visitors paying for what they purchase.
Allow roughly 90 minutes to two hours for the farm itself.
Make a getaway of it: Saint-Eustache is close enough to Montréal for an inexpensive day trip. Take the slower route, explore Old Saint-Eustache and make the pumpkin patch part of a larger autumn afternoon.
2026 season: September 18–October 31
Best for: Budget-friendly family outings and Montréal-area day trips.
6. Chappell Farms - Barrie, Ontario
Fall Festival Meets Pumpkin Patch
For families who want the pumpkin patch to be only one part of the day’s entertainment, Chappell Farms near Barrie is worth considering. Its 2026 Fall Festival runs September 20 through October 31, combining pumpkin picking with farm activities, animals and family entertainment. Admission includes one pick-your-own pumpkin.
The location also makes this an easy excuse to leave the GTA and spend a full day around Barrie and Simcoe County.
Make a getaway of it: Visit the farm before exploring Barrie’s waterfront, or continue into the surrounding countryside as fall colour develops. From Toronto, the combination works well as a full-day staycation without requiring an overnight stay.
2026 Fall Festival: September 20–October 31
Best for: Families and GTA-to-Barrie fall day trips.
7. Rounds Ranch - Elmvale, Ontario
Pumpkin Mania in Simcoe County
At Rounds Ranch, pumpkin season becomes Pumpkin Mania. Running weekends from September 19 through October 25, 2026, the fall celebration combines tractor rides to the pumpkin patch with pumpkin-themed games and a large collection of farm attractions. Admission includes a pumpkin of any size and colour from the patch.
Visitors can also tackle activities including ziplines, pedal carts and the low-ropes course. Those looking for something different can return after dark for the Flashlight Corn Maze.
Make a getaway of it: Elmvale works beautifully as part of a Simcoe County fall drive. Combine the ranch with a small-town stop, local food and Georgian Bay scenery around Wasaga Beach or Midland.
2026 Pumpkin Mania: Weekends, September 19–October 25
Best for: Active families and a full-day farm adventure.
8. Trueman Blueberry Farms - Aulac, New Brunswick
From Blueberries to Pumpkins
Don’t let the name fool you. Once summer berries wind down, Trueman Blueberry Farms shifts into fall mode. Its 2026 Fall Festival, Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch opened September 5, while the Adventure Farm operates on weekends.
The property also operates the Trueman Railroad, and its farm stand and handcrafted ice cream provide another reason to linger after choosing a pumpkin. This is also a great example of what we were discussing about multi-season farms. A destination that attracts visitors for one crop can reinvent itself as the seasons change.
Make a getaway of it: Aulac sits close to the New Brunswick–Nova Scotia border. Combine the farm with nearby Sackville, explore the Tantramar area and make it part of an autumn drive between Moncton and Amherst.
2026 fall season: Open from September 5
Best for: Families, Maritime road trips and travellers who like several activities in one stop.
🎃 Budget Tip: You Don’t Need the Biggest Pumpkin
Here’s an easy way to keep a pumpkin-patch outing affordable: decide what you’re actually going to do with the pumpkin before choosing it.
A giant pumpkin makes a great photograph, but a smaller carving pumpkin may be all you need for the front porch. If you’re cooking, look for smaller pie varieties instead.
Then put the money you save toward a cider, farm treat or another roadside stop.
The point isn’t to come home with the biggest pumpkin in the field. It’s to have a great fall day together.
Make the Pumpkin Patch Part of the Road Trip
Just as we discovered with apple picking, the best farm getaway doesn’t have to end at the farm gate.
Look at what’s within another 15 or 30 minutes.
A waterfront walk. A provincial park. A small-town main street. A local bakery. A scenic country road. A picnic spot overlooking the fall colour.
Combining one paid attraction with one or two free activities is one of the easiest ways to turn a simple farm visit into an affordable Canadian staycation.
And if everyone falls asleep in the car on the drive home, we’ll consider the day a success.
Continue the Great Canadian Harvest
This is Part 3 of our Great Canadian Harvest series.
Start with The Great Canadian Harvest: Orchards, Pumpkin Farms & Corn Mazes Worth the Drive, then continue with Canada’s Best Apple-Picking Getaways: 8 Orchards Worth a Fall Road Trip.
You can also download our FREE Great Canadian Harvest Guide, featuring a cross-Canada harvest map and printable Autumn Harvest Checklist for Families & Road Trippers.
Coming next: Get Lost This Fall: Canada’s Best Corn Mazes & Farm Adventures.