Here are the best pumpkin patches around Richmond!

The Most Popular: Lloyd Family Farms

Located in Rockville, Lloyd Family Farms is a working farm run by 3rd & 4th generation Lloyd owners. It opened to the public in 2013 with their first pumpkin patch & now they grow 65 different types of pumpkins! They are opening for the season on Saturday, September 23 from 9am - 5 pm.

It costs $12 per person (2 and under enter free). This includes unlimited hayrides, visiting with the horses and goats, and playing in the corn maze, straw castle, sand pile, giant pinball field, and visiting the pumpkin patch. This is great patch to visit with toddlers, preschoolers and older children because the farm has age appropriate activities for all of them - sand play, trucks, animals, a huge hay bale castle with slides, face painting, a corn pit, etc.

No reservations or appointments are required. You can buy tickets at the admissions booth, and Groupon runs a seasonal discount on a "family four pack" of tickets ($38 instead of $48).

Skinquarter Farm Market has free admission, and that includes hayrides and access to the corn maze and pumpkin patch. This pumpkin patch also has corn hole, painted pumpkins and photo ops.  The parking lot is very close to the patch and the corn maze is just a short walk, and they have wagons available for use if needed.

The pumpkin patch is open from September 23 through October 31, and pumpkins cost .79 cents per pound. Their hours are Monday through Friday from 2 pm-6 pm , and Saturday & Sunday from 9 am - 6pm. If you've visited Skinquarter before, you know that no visit is complete without a visit to Jimer's Frozen Custard, the food truck on property. Jimer's only accepts cash, and you can get a kid's cup for $2.75.

Chesterfield Berry Farm is open from September 16 through October 31. A general farm fun pass costs $15 and the Ultimate Farm Fun Pass costs $25. Children 2 and under are free. This pass includes a hayride to & from pumpkin patch, barrel train ride, 1 round paintball target shoot, wagon train ride, corn cannons, 8 acre corn maze, fun hay mazes, & more!

You can also purchase food and drink: hotdogs, BBQ, milkshakes, slushies, etc.

Chesterfield Berry Farm is open on weekends from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm. They also host special discounted weekends. On opening weekend, all Public Service members and their immediate family receive FREE admission - must provide your military ID or work ID to prove where you work. All county, state, volunteer firefighters, law enforcement, etc get in free on September 16 and September 17.

If you have children 2-6, the barrel train ride and the wagon train ride will be a hit. 

The Best Festival Atmosphere & The Most Expensive (Tied): Hanover Vegetable Farm

Hanover Vegetable Farm will be open for picking on September 30. All of their activities are back this year too: tractor rides, corn maze, petting zoo, corn bins and moon bounces! The "entry only" ticket costs $7 (for the fun & not picking pumpkins) & "pumpkin and entry ticket" is $15 (all the activities plus one pumpkin you pick from the field). All tickets are purchased at the gate.

The farm is open 10 am-6 pm on weekends, and hay rides are from 2-6pm. They also host special discount days. On Sunday, October 29, anyone 17 and under who dresses in a costume will receive FREE entry. All children can trick or treat too - they will have candy at the entrance and at stations.

The One with Farm Tours: Richland Dairy Farm

This working dairy farm has been a family farm since the 1700s. There are four generations of the Jones’ family working here, and they have over 500 cows. In addition to their Creamery & Kitchen, Richland Dairy Farm has a lot of family-friendly activities: Dinner on the Farm, Family Farm Day, Fall Festival, and tours.  This farm is fun for all ages because of the smoother hayride, the playground, sand play, the animals and the indoor creamery.

The Budget Friendly Option & The One Open Daily: Gallmeyer Farm

The One with the Largest Corn Maze in the Country: Liberty Mill Farm

Liberty Mills Farm is located in Orange, and it has the largest corn maze in the county at 34 acres. Besides exploring the four different trails in the corn maze, little ones can play in the outdoor play space that has a large wooden tractor play structure, a slide, natural stepping stones and more! They also have pick your own wildflowers and pumpkins in October. Don't forget to grab some tractor-made ice cream (yep - they make their own ice-cream with a tractor!) as a sweet treat to finish off your adventure.

Tickets cost $10 per person on week days and $14 per person of weekends (5 and up). The corn maze is open from September 9 - November 11, the pick your own pumpkin patch is open from September 23 - October 31, 2023, and the you-pick flowers are open from June 25 thru October 31. During the fall you can rent your own campsite and a food truck will be there on weekends.

This farm is especially fun for elementary children and older because of the intricate corn mazes. There are 4 different mazes: the story maze takes about 30 minutes, the trivia maze takes about 45-60 minutes, the hole punch maze takes 2-3 hours, and the mystery maze takes as long as it takes you to figure it out.

The Budget Friendly Option & The One Open Daily: Swift Creek Berry Farm

Swift Creek Berry Farm is opens for fall around mid-September through October 31 for fall pansies, mums and pumpkins. Their hours are Monday-Friday from 10-3, and Saturday & Sundays from 10-5. There will be no entrance fee for the pumpkin patch (not on the vine)! They have a corn hole set, building blocks, giant checkers, and footballs and frisbees. They will have carts for the pumpkins.

The One with a Fall Festival Every Weekend & A Free Pumpkin Patch: Braehead Farm

Quick Tips & Facts:

1) Almost every pumpkin patch has uneven terrain - vines in the patches or hayrides to the field.

2) These are working farms. Dress accordingly.

3) Most PYO farms do not allow backpacks in the fields. 

4) Some farms only have porta potties.

5) Hayrides are bumpy! Keep this in mind with newborns and young children.

6) Prices have increased from last year. Children 2 and under are usually free at every venue.

7) If you have a baby or a child under 2, try the free pumpkin patches first before visiting one with an admission fee. When my son was 6 weeks old (yep, you read that correctly) we paid to visit a pumpkin patch. It wasn't the best use of money when there are so many fun pumpkin patches around Richmond with free admission. That same farm that we went to with our 6 week old was my children's favorite last year (at 14 months and 3 years old).

8) If it has rained recently, the farms, including the play areas will be very wet and muddy. We visited one patch after the rain, and the entire play area was covered in puddles & water, so we couldn't play.

Easy Places for Pumpkin Pictures:

1. Any local nursery - They usually set up festive fall décor that's perfect for a picture.

2. The Great Big Greenhouse: This locally owned nursery is in Huguenot Village Shopping Center. We love The Great Big Greenhouse because they are so family-family & host many events throughout the year. They have Santa & model trains in December & January, festive seasonal displays throughout the year, petting zoos + bounce houses & a farmer’s market. 

Starting the last week of September, they have a large seasonal display outside which is a great spot to get your harvest pictures without visiting a pumpkin patch.

3. Tom Leonard's: This local grocery store is located in Short Pump & they always have the most festive set-ups. Last year, they hosted Friday Night Movies at the Pumpkin Patch in October! The Pumpkin Patch opens mid September, and they have pumpkins, gourds, squash & mums - it's really easy to visit and you can get great pictures!

4. Wegman's: They have hay bales & pumpkins set up outside of the store at the Short Pump location. We love to visit for a picture & then check out the boats & fish at Cabela's.

CREDIT: https://www.thewestendmom.com/post/the-best-pumpkin-patches-around-richmond