Seasonal & Holidays
Apple Orchards, Corn Mazes Open For Fall Season
Some apple orchards and family-friendly fall attractions will open over the Labor Day weekend. Others will be opening soon.
It's time to say good-bye to summer. And sure, it's sad. But, we all know how much Chicago-area families also love our next season: fall.
The season brings with it cooler weather and a chance to stop out to one of the Chicago area's many apple orchards and corn mazes, which are also jam-packed with kid-friendly activities. It's a must for many to make at least one stop out to during the fall season.
Patch.com has compiled a list of some of the best apple orchards in the Chicago area and family friendly fall attractions. Some offer a little bit of everything for fall fun, including hayrides, corn mazes, pumpkin-eating dinosaurs (WOAH!), apple cider, apple cider donuts, corn mazes, pumpkin picking and much more. Others stick to the basics and provide their customers with you-pick orchards where they can get the freshest apples.
Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Caryfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Be sure to call ahead or check the orchard's website to clarify hours of operation or to check for availability of apples and other produce.
McHenry County
All Seasons Apple Orchard
- Address: 14510 IL Route 176 in Woodstock
- Season dates: Sept. 1 through Nov. 4
- Details: The orchard features an apple orchard, pumpkin patch and corn maze. Cost to the apple orchard is $8 per child and $13 per adult. Adults get a 1/2 peck bag and children get a 1/4 peck bag. Tickets to the barnyard, which are $10 per person on a week day and $15 per person on weekends and on holidays, include 30 activities. The activities are: a 10-acre corn maze, jumping pillow, pedal karts, mini zip line, park, etc. The pumpkin patch opens in mid-September.
- Hours of operation: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on weekends and holidays.
- Phone: (815) 338-5637
Find out what's happening in Crystal Lake-Caryfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Prairie Sky Orchard
- Address: 4914 N. Union Road, Union
- Season dates: Opens Sept. 1
- Hours of Operation: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily
- Phone: 815-923-4834
- Details: More details and information on the you-pick crop can be found on Prairie Sky's website
Richardson's Adventure Farm
- Address: 909 English Prairie Road in Spring Grove
- Season dates: Opens on Sept. 1
- Hours of operation: 3 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday and 12 to 10 p.m. on Sunday.
- Details: Richardson's Adventure Farm is known for its amazing corn maze. In fact, the business touts its maze and the "world's largest." The corn maze is made up of nine to ten miles of winding trail through 28 acres of live corn. There are multiple checkpoints throughout the maze as well as three bridges meant to help you "find your bearings while looking at the map." There is a farm carousel, train ride, wagon ride, zip line, pig race, petting zoo, pedal cart tracks, pedal trikes, jumping pillow and more.
More via Patch:'World's Largest Corn Maze' Reveals 2018 Design
Royal Oak Farm Orchard
- Address: 15908 Hebron Road in Harvard
- Hours of Operation: Hours of operation vary. More information can be found on the orchard's website.
- Phone: 815-648-4141
- Details: The orchard has a large variety of apples available. For crop updates, visit the Royal Oak crop website. The orchard's entertainment has a train, carousel, hay ride, orchard tour rides and apple tree maze. Tokens are available for purchase for the activities at $3 per token. Please check for operating hours of all rides.
More information via the Royal Oak Farm website.
Lang's Orchard
- Address: 17411 Secor Road in Woodstock
- Season dates: Apple picking begins for the season on Sept. 8
- Hours of Operation: Open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays
- Phone: 815-568-7547
- Details: More information can be found on Lang's website
Woodstock Country Orchard
- Address: 17015 Garden Valley Road, Woodstock
- Season start: Apple picking begins on Sept. 1
- Phone: 815-923-4359
- Details: Check out the orchard's website for more information.
Lake County
Heinz Orchard
- Address: 1050 Crest Road, Green Oaks
- Season Start: Opening weekend is Sept. 7 to Sept. 8
- Hours of Operation: Open Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Phone: 847-770-3449
More information via the Heinz Orchard website.
Goebbert's Farm and Garden Center
- Address: 40 W. Higgins Road in South Barrington
- Season start: Goebbert's Fall Festival opens on Sept. 15 and runs through Halloween.
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily
- Details: The festival includes a pig race; pumpkin eating dinosaur; 50 different animals, including a giraffe; corn box; Charlotte's Web; duck derby and more. There is also plenty of fall food to enjoy at the Red Barn Cafe & Bakery, including apple cider doughnuts and pumpkin cookies.
More via the Goebbert's Farm and Garden Center website.
Kane County
Goebbert's Pumpkin Patch
- Address: 42W813 Reinking Road in Hampshire
- Season dates: Aug. 31 through Oct. 31
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Details: Activities include a munchkin maze, shooting gallery in wild west town, pumpkin eating dinosaur, corn stalk maze, wagon ride, pig racing and more. Animals for the full petting farm will arrive in mid-September and include a pig, piglets, llamas, goats, cows, baby chicks and exotic animals, such as giraffes and kangaroos.
DeKalb County
Kuipers Family Farm
- Address: 1N318 Watson Road, Maple Park
- Hours of operation: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday.
- Details: There is a pumpkin farm, apple orchard, and plenty of fall attractions, including a corn maze, pig races, jumping pillow, tractor train, farm animals and much more.
- Admission: $11.99 on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, $13.99 on Thursday and Friday, $15.99 on weekends and Columbus Day, 2 years old and under are free and $7.99 Senior & Military w/ID
- Phone:
More details via Kupiers Family Farm
Will County
Apples on Oak
- Address: 16146 W. Oak Avenue, Lockport
- Hours of operation: Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Phone: 815-726-0386
More information via the Apples on Oak website
Garden Patch Farms and Orchard
- Address: 14158 W. 159th St. in Homer Glen
- Hours of Operation: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. Open through Oct. 31
- Phone: 708-301-7720
Indiana Orchards
County Line Orchard
- Address: 200 S .County Line Road, Hobart, Indiana
- Season dates: Aug. 29 to Oct. 28
- Hours of Operation: UPick and attractions are open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. The orchard's big barn is open 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
- Phone: 219-947-4477
- Details: Attraction include a kids farm, moo choo, a big barn, bee yurts, corn maze, peter the pumpkin eating dino, barnyard jams, food in the kitchen and a daily grill.
More information via County Line Orchard website.
Wisconsin Orchards
Harvest Times Orchard
- Address: 36116 128th St., Twin Lakes, Wis.
- Season dates: Aug. 24 through Oct. 28
- Hours of Operation: Hours vary for different attractions at the farm. Get details on the orchard's website.
- Phone: 262-877-4831
- Details: Pick-your-own apples and pumpkins and a variety of items for sale.
More via Harvest Times Orchard website.
Apple Barn Orchard and Winery
- Address: W6384 Sugar Creek Rd., Elkhorn, WI
- Season dates: Fall hours begin after Labor Day
- Hours of operation: Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
- Phone: 262-728-3266
- Details: You-pick apples, a winery, country store and bakery
More information via the Apple Barn Orchard and Winery.
Apple Holler
- Address: 5006 S Sylvania Ave., Sturtevant, WI 53177
- Season start: Aug. 28
- Hours of Operation: The orchard is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday
- Phone: 262-884-7100
- Details: Apple and pumpkin picking festival, gemstone and fossil mining, hay rides, meals served at the Red Barn Restaurant and a Country Store and Bakery.
Did we forget to mention your favorite apple orchard, corn maze or other area business that provides fall fun for the family? Let the editor know by e-mailing her at amie.schaenzer@patch.com.
Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images
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