Top Illinois Pumpkin Patches to Visit This Fall

If you’re going to pick your own pumpkins this fall, there’s no better place to do it than Illinois. The state ranks No. 1 for production of the favorite fall crop by far, with Illinois farmers growing about 95% of the nation’s pumpkins for processing annually. Illinois also takes the top spot for ornamental pumpkin production. That means you can likely thank a Prairie State farmer for both the carved creation on your porch on Halloween and your Thanksgiving pumpkin pie.

Looking for the best Illinois pumpkin patches to visit this season? Here are some of our top picks to add to your autumn bucket list:

1. Ackerman Family Farms

Located in Morton, Illinois, (also known as the Pumpkin Capital of the World thanks to the town’s Libby’s plant where a whopping 85% of the world’s canned pumpkin is processed),  Ackerman Family Farms is a top spot for autumn agritourism. In addition to an impressive pick-your-own pumpkin patch, the family farm offers a corn maze, weekend hayrack rides, ornamental corn, mums and more.

See more: 27 Pumpkin Recipes to Make This Fall

2. Bomke’s Patch

In Springfield, Bomke’s Patch offers more than 50 varieties of pumpkins and gourds to choose from in all shapes and sizes, so you’re bound to find the perfect one for your porch, table centerpiece or pie recipe. Visitors can cut them straight from the vine with the farm’s supplied clippers or choose from a selection of pre-picked pumpkins.

Bomke’s also hosts a variety of family-friendly fall activities in the fall. Check out their 7-acre corn maze, 1-acre bean maze for little ones, petting zoo, pumpkin cannon and more.

See more: 7 Midwest Pumpkin Patches to Add to Your Fall Bucket List

 

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3. Rader Family Farms

Rader Family Farms in Normal, Illinois, kicks off a season of fall fun in September, and picking pumpkins here has become an annual tradition for many families. Pumpkins are available for picking every day of the farm’s opening season in all shapes, sizes and colors. Admission to the patch is free and most of the pumpkins are sold by the pound. While you’re there, check out the farm’s other seasonal offerings, including a corn maze, an animal barn, corn bins, and plenty of delicious foods and drinks. And don’t forget to pick up a few corn stalks, gourds, squash, hay bales and mums to decorate for the fall season.

See more: How to Keep Carved Pumpkins Fresh in 4 Simple Steps

4. Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm

During September and October each year, Heap’s Giant Pumpkin Farm in Minooka opens to the public for fall fun. Check out the 25-acre pumpkin patch to choose the perfect pumpkin for carving, decorating or baking. Or jump on a hayride, visit the farm animals or get lost in the corn maze. With more than 90 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash to choose from, as well as mums, Indian corn and straw bales, Heap’s is the perfect place to complete your fall decor.

See more: Farm Facts: Pumpkins

5. Kroll’s Fall Harvest Farm

Kroll’s Fall Harvest Farm in Waukegan was declared the Best Pumpkin Patch in Illinois by Taste of Home in 2019 and was listed as one of America’s Best Pumpkin Farms by Travel + Leisure, and it’s easy to see why. For 27 years, the farm has been offering fall fun and education to visitors of all ages. Their pumpkin offerings include many types of specialty-breed pumpkins in a variety of shapes, sizes and colors for all your decorating and baking needs. After picking out the perfect pumpkin, check out the corn maze, hayrides, concessions or petting zoo.

 

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6. Bengtson Pumpkin Farm

With tens of thousands of pumpkins to choose from each fall in a wide range of varieties, Bengtson Pumpkin Farm in Homer Glen is one Illinois pumpkin patch you definitely don’t want to miss. They also sell pumpkin carving kits, supplies, tools and accessories in their Halloween shop above the Haunted Barn. Other on-farm attractions in the fall include tractor-pulled hayrack rides, pony rides, pig races, a petting zoo and a pumpkin chucker. And don’t forget to pick up one (or a dozen) of their homemade apple cider donuts.

See more: Where to Pick Pumpkins in Every State

7. Gail’s Pumpkin Patch

At Gail’s Pumpkin Patch in Beason, you can choose from more than 60 varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squash for all your autumn needs. Grab a wagon and explore the 5-acre patch or pick up a few pre-picked pumpkins to take home. After making your selection, stay on the farm to feed the goats, check out the antique tractors or take a barrel train ride.