15 great pumpkin patches in Pittsburgh | with MAP!

If you live in Pennsylvania and you have kids, you’ve doubtlessly been to a pumpkin patch. In this prime fall foliage area, we LOVE FALL. 

It seems there are an endless supply of pumpkin farms in the Pittsburgh area providing family friendly fall activities like hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin picking, and more. They all have a unique experience to offer… How to choose which one is perfect for your family?

Below is a comprehensive list of what the Pittsburgh area has to offer families who are looking for pumpkin patches and other fall entertainment in 2019…

Start with the map! Find a pumpkin patch close to you, then read lots of information about that farm below.

15 Great Pumpkin Patches and Fall Family Activities in the greater Pittsburgh area

Cheeseman Farm

Cheeseman Farm in Portersville offers something for both young and old. During the day take your family to their annual Pumpkin Festival, where your kids can ride a hayride up to the pumpkin patch to pick their pumpkins, then participate in any of the other activities Cheeseman offers: petting zoo, hay jump, holiday shop with apple butter. This year the Pumpkin Festival will be open Saturdays and Sundays between Sept 29 and Oct 28.

Older kids (over 12) may get a kick out of scaring themselves at Fright Farm, which begins at dark and is open weekends starting Sept 20.

Coolspring Farm

In addition to the hayride / pumpkin patch, Coolspring Farm in Mercer also offers an INDOOR corn maze, 40′ mountain slide, 40′ jumping pad, pedal tractor race track, and pumpkin blaster. For the older kids, they also have a “Trail of Fear” after sunset. The Trail of Fear will be open weekends starting Oct 11.

Fair Haven Farms

Out by Grove City PA, family-run Fair Haven Farms offers their annual Fall Festival. Beyond the hayride to the pumpkin patch, they also have a great corn maze. And farm animals and Punkin Chunkin and inflatable bubble balls for the older kids! Fair Haven is open weekends starting Sept 13 through the end of October this year.

Freedom Farms

Want to build your own scarecrow? Freedom Farms in Middlesex Township is a great place to do it. For their Fall Festival they also have farm animals, sunflower maze, a corn and hay play area… and they sell beer! One price admission. Open weekends in October.

Harvest Valley Farm

Harvest Valley is a fourth generation family farm in Valencia, PA. Every fall the entire valley is transformed from a full-time working produce farm into a fun-filled, pick-your-own pumpkin festival! This year they are open every weekend in October. Not only do they provide a variety of activities for kids (hayride, cornstalk maze, kids straw tunnel, corn pit, farm animals, caramel apples, and face painting), but also they have live music scheduled during the afternoons.

Iron Mills

If you’re able to travel a bit north of Pittsburgh, Iron Mills is an impressive destination for your kids. Their Fall Fun Festival is open Sept 14-Nov 3 and they even have weekday options for pumpkin picking. Aside from a spectacular corn maze and the standard fall farm fare, Iron Mills kicks it up a notch with activities such as: pig races, fireworks, candy cannon, apple blasters, a giant slide, jumping pillows, and lots of other adventure activities. They even have a corn cob beach for the younger ones. Make sure to check their website for scheduling, as some activities are only available on certain days.

Hozak Farms

Hozak Farm is in Clinton PA about 30 miles west of the city of Pittsburgh. Their Fall Festival is running Saturdays and Sundays Sept 28-Oct 28 (plus Columbus Day)… but they also offer free hayrides weekday afternoons in October up to the pumpkin patch.

Janoski’s Farm & Greenhouse

Janoski’s (Clinton, PA) offers their annual Pumpkinland event this year on weekends from Sept 28 thru the end of October. Your admission includes a hayride, petting zoo, corn maze, haunted barn, face painting, and pony rides; and there are concession stands on site as well (and picnic tables if you’d like to bring some food of your own).

Schramm Farms

Every fall, Schramm Farms (in Jeanette) fills their fields with a selection of pumpkins to mark their Fall Festival. They have play hay, cornstalk mazes, pony rides, hay rides, a corn box, fresh cut French Fries, apple cider slush, and homemade caramel apples. This year their event starts the last weekend in September and runs thru the end of October.

Shenot Farms

Wexford’s Shenot Farms offers fall hayrides up to their pumpkin patch starting the last weekend in September, through the end of October. Kids can pick their pumpkin and run through the corn maze, then eat from one of the food trucks on site. Note that Shenot Farms also hosts a pumpkin smash the weekend following Halloween- lots of fun!

Simmons Farm

Fall activities at Simmons Farm in McMurray begin early on September 14 and run through November 3. In addition to the standard fall fare, Simmons also offers unique activities such as pumpkin corn hole, rubber duck races, butterfly house, pumpkin carving display, pony rides, live music, and a tire pull. (See the whole list on their website.) Note that some activities are included in the price of your hayride and others cost extra. Check the calendar that the activity is available on the date you are heading out!

Soergels Farm

Soergels’ Fall Festival has been a tradition in Wexford for over 30 years. They offer hay rides, pony rides, candy apples, pumpkin picking, and more. This year’s festival runs weekends from Sept 21-Oct 27.

Trax Farms

This year marks Trax Farms’ 50th annual Fall Festival in Finleyville, PA! Little kids love the train and big kids the giant slide. Other activities include a bouncy house, balloon chase, rock wall, axe throwing, hayride, corn maze, among others. Keep in mind you will have to purchase tickets for each of these activities. Trax Farms also offers food trucks and live music, which is nice. This year’s festival will run weekends Sept 28-Oct 27.

Triple B Farms

The Fall Festival at Triple B Farms in Monongahela has one all-inclusive price that covers all activities- and there are a LOT of activities! Giant inflatables, boo barn, jumping pillows, corn maze, farm flinger, and more. Be sure to check out their website for the updated 2019 festival calendar once it is released.

Yeck’s Farms

If you’re looking for a smaller farm with family friendly activities, Yeck’s Pumpkins & Hayrides (in Freedom PA) might be your choice. They offer hayrides to a pumpkin patch along with a corn maze. Check out their FB reviews for more insight.

And of course, here are my QUICK PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS for your pumpkin patch visit…

1. Get a little creative with angles. As your kids walk through the fields looking for the perfect pumpkin, get down low to photograph them from their level. You’ll notice suddenly your photos will feel like you were *in* the moment and less like you were shooting *at* it.
2. Play with layering. Use some cornstalks as foreground, or shoot through a pile of pumpkins at your kids playing behind them. Just make sure your layers add context to the story!
3. Don’t forget to get in the photos yourself!! Hand off the camera or hire a photographer to join you. (Notice any pictures of ME in any of the photos on this page? NOPE! That is changing for next year!)

Here’s the great thing about visiting the pumpkin patch with kids… It’s SO EASY TO PHOTOGRAPH. Because your kids are incredibly excited taking in all the sights, they’re much less likely to notice the camera… so you don’t have to worry as much about discouraging those fake smiles! (YAYYY!!) 

I hope my list of pumpkin patches in the Pittsburgh area was helpful for your weekend planning this fall! ALSO If you think you might want to put down the camera for your trip, consider hiring a photographer to capture your day. For more information about bringing me along to the pumpkin patch, contact me. I will get back to you within 24 hours. And happy fall!!! 🙂

(Know of a local farm that didn’t make the list? Got something to update on a farm that did make it? Tell me and I’m happy to incorporate your feedback!)