Does anyone know of a Pumpkin Patch close to chicago, we don't mind a good drive, Nothing to commercialized.
J.
My new favorite place is Dollinger Family Farm in Channahon.
In the past I was always spending an arm and a leg at Bengstains but Dollinger is much nicer and has free admission. http://www.dollingerfarms.com/
There is a small family pumpkin patch in New Lenox. It is Kestel Farms on the corner of Nelson Road and Delany Road. They are not commercial at all. They have a fall harvest festival that is only one day, but they have hay rack rides out to the pumpkin patch where the kids can run around and pick out their pumpkin. There are fall decorated scenes around the field to look at while on the ride. Then back at the main building, there are tractors to climb on, face painting, small steam engines and other family activities. They usually bring in some type of entertainment also - like a balloon artist, magician or something. It is free to get in and all you pay for is the pumpkins and any other produce, straw or whatever. Last year they had free food too - hot dogs, chips, cookies and pop. They are a very small family owned produce stand so it is all family members working the festival. I took my kids last year at the very end and we were there for about 1 1/2 hours. The kids had a blast because it was so simple and not so commercialized. I'm not sure of the day of the festival. If you go other times it is just a farmstand. New Lenox is about 30 - 45 minutes out of the city on I-80 West.
another place to check out would be Dollingers Farm in Minooka. It is more commercial but does offer alot more and is open every day starting Sept. 30th. They have a kids haunted house, train ride, pumpkin patch and other activites. It does cost for everything that you do but I have students that work there and they say that it is very crowded on the weekends but the little ones love it! Minooka is easy to get to from Chicago also - about 45 minutes away depending on where in the city you are coming from. It is on I-80 the first exit west of I-55.
Hope that this helps!
Goebberts Pumpkin Patch in Barrington, IL..We love it there! Very family oriented, camel rides, pony rides, hay mazes, pig races, petting zoo (giraffes, zebras, and all the other obvious ones). It's a blast!
Hi J.
The chicago places mag. has alot of these types of outings. Its a free mag you can normally get one at your local library.
We've used to take our nieces to Bengton's, and now we take our kids. Because of our work schedules, we have to go on the weekends & it's a little crowded, but it may not be as crowded on a week day if you can swing one. Their web address is pumpkinfarm.com .
There is a great pumpkin patch called Bensgton's. I beleive it is in Homer Glen. I am sure if you go on line you can get the directions... They have a petting zoo, train rides, corn mazes, hay rides etc... check it out.
County Line Orchard is where we plan to go this year. It's about an hour from the loop, located in Hobart IN.
We went to a Johannsen's Farm in Bolingbrook last year. It had a train ride, hay ride, petting zoo, and pumpkins. Very child friendly. I have also heard good things about Bengston's Farm in Homer Glen, but I think that gets really crowded and a little more pricey.
