It may be sunny and sweaty in Southern California, but grab your favorite flannel and boots and head over to one of the many pumpkin patches around town this spooky season.
There are gourd-filled parking lots, storefronts or farms in just about every city, but here are a few locations where you can pick out the perfect pumpkin while embracing the Halloween spirit.
Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch
The popular Mr. Bones Pumpkin Patch in Culver City is perfect not only for picking out the best gourd to take home, but it’s also a great spot for Halloween-theme photoshoots for Instagram. There are also a number of activities, including a pumpkin village, a skeleton slide, a straw maze, a petting zoo and more.
You may want to reserve a timeslot online before heading in. Admission on Monday to Friday is $5, except Friday after 5 p.m. it becomes $10. Weekend prices vary by date and time, ranging from $20 to $30. Prices increase for all times during the last week of the month. Guests must sign COVID and liability waivers before entering.
Tanaka Farms
Wagon ride, produce stands, arts and crafts, oh my! Tanaka Farms in Irvine is the ultimate pumpkin patch experience, with plenty to do for the whole family. On weekends, they even have the Tanaka Grill open, where you can feast on roasted corn, pulled pork sandwiches, churros, kettle corn and more. If that doesn’t entice you enough, they even have a Hello Kitty-themed pumpkin patch experience.
The farm is open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., closing at 3 p.m. on Halloween. Entrance is $6 and parking is $10. Parking reservations are required Fridays starting at noon and all day Saturdays and Sundays.
Underwood Family Farms
Fall Harvest at Underwood Family Farms in Moorpark includes a giant pumpkin patch, a corn maze, games, rides, live entertainment, a country store and more! You can not only pick your own pumpkins, but fruits and vegetables too. On weekends, there are food booths offering tri-tip sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, roasted corn, shaved ice and pumpkin pie, among other treats.
Admission is $10 during the week and ranges from $16 to $22 on weekends. Parking is free.
Haunt’oween LA
Haunt O’ Ween in Woodland Hills is the ultimate Halloween playground with immersive tunnels, pumpkin picking and carving, a scarecrow garden, a 40-foot carousel and a whopping 35,000 pumpkins on display. Plus, food trucks! Although last year it was a drive-through experience due to the pandemic, this year it’s boots-on-the-ground.
The cost for this is on the higher end, with tickets at $30 on weekdays and $35 on weekends. Parking is free.
Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Fest
The annual Cal Poly Pomona Pumpkin Festival is back! Pick the perfect pumpkin, pet a goat, milk a cow, ride a hay wagon and get lost in a giant corn maze. There is also an animal farm and a marketplace with fresh produce, honey and fall decorations.
Tickets will only be available online. On Wednesdays and Thursday, admission is free from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. (online reservation is still required). Fridays, it’s $5 for adults and $4 for children ages 3 to 12. On weekends, admission for adults is $8 and for kids its $6. The pumpkin patch is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.