The best pumpkin patches near Chicago to visit this fall

Driving time from Chicago: 40 minutes to South Barrington, 50 minutes to Pingree Grove

Fall fun is the name of the game at Goebbert’s (which boasts locations in South Barrington and Pingree Grove), where you can not only pick up all the pumpkins your heart desires, but also send your kids down the giant pumpkin slide or check out the exotic petting zoo (seriously, there’s a giraffe). Before you head home, get lost in the corn maze and check out the pumpkin-eating dinosaur.

Driving time from Chicago: 50 minutes

This massive farm is an autumnal wonderland, complete with a pumpkin patch, apple orchard and sprawling corn maze. Check out the bee yurts, where hundreds of bees work and live, or book your own campfire. The little ones will adore the Kids Farm, complete with pygmy goats and piggies. Best of all, you can bring home bags of fresh-baked breads, pies, doughnuts and other fall treats from the orchard's premises.

Driving time from Chicago: 70 minutes

You'll find more than apples at this orchard just south of nearby Malta, Illinois. Cruise the 12-acre pumpkin patch, which opens up in mid-September, in search of a perfectly plump squash before hitting up the Cider House, where you can sample apple wines and hard cider. If any teens tagged along, pay $17 to check out the haunted corn maze, which is open Friday and Saturday night (and, being somewhat spooky, recommended for ages 13 and older). Younger kids are welcome to check out the corn crib play barn.

Driving time from Chicago: 45 minutes

There’s a reason this lively farm in Lincolnshire, Illinois calls its fall pumpkin-picking season Pumpkinfest. Watch pigs race, take a ride on one of the farm’s many kids’ rides or grab a hot dog and spiced apple cider at the concession stand. Of course, there's a huge selection of unique, unusual gourds to choose from—perfect for porch jack-o’-lanterns.

Driving time from Chicago: One hour

As the name suggests, there’s a lot to see at this 25-acre pumpkin farm. Choose from 90 different varieties of pumpkins, gourds and squashes, and then hang out with farm animals or take a moonlight hayride. Little ones can also play in a castle playground while adults can wander through a haunted corn maze after dark. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, refuel with pork burgers and pumpkin cookies.

Driving time from Chicago: 50 minutes

More than 35 attractions and 200 farm animals await at this fourth-generation farm out in Lockport. Guests can easily spend an entire day exploring the 40 acres, which includes a Luke Bryan corn maze, u-pick pumpkin field, animal barn, kiddie train and much more. When you need a break, stop at one of the 13 food stands for funnel cakes, barbecue and apple cider donuts (of course).

There’s no need to get into the car to make it to Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-up for Chicago residents; instead, just hop on the "L" train or a bus. The annual pop-up doesn’t take place on a farm or an orchard, instead it’s located just outside of Goose Island. That doesn’t mean it lacks on autumnal activities—the two-acre plot that the pop-up is located on features a corn maze, axe-throwing and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes for you to bring home.

Driving time from Chicago: 75 minutes

You’ll find all types of pumpkins to pick at this Spring Grove farm, from Cinderella and blue doll to baby boo. Once you’ve taken a wagon ride back from the patches with your selections, enjoy other activities like a 33-acre corn maze, an animatronic chicken show and ziplining from a 50-foot-high observation tower.

Driving time from Chicago: 45 minutes

This one-stop shop in West Chicago offers piles of pumpkins, squash and gourds—everything you need to bring the season home. When you’re not selecting the perfect pumpkins, kids (and adults) can enjoy snacks from the outdoor grill like hot dogs, chicken tenders and brats. The farm is also the perfect place for visitors of all ages to get ready for Halloween—for those who are thrill seekers, stick around for the night-time haunted hayride and barn filled with thrilling experiences around every corner. During the day, Sonny Acres’ haunted barn does not feature any actors, so it is great for kids or anyone who doesn’t like to be spooked.

Driving time from Chicago: 50 minutes

If you’ve ever felt like mixing it up with your pumpkin choices, the Pumpkin Wagon in Elgin is the place for you. Each year the family-owned farm produces more than 40 varieties of pumpkin, gourd and squash. The farm, which is open for fall fun from mid-September through the end of October, also produces plants that are perfect for autumnal decorating: colorful mums, decorative broom corn and straw bales.

Driving time from Chicago: 40 minutes

Pumpkins, pig races and tractor rides make Bengtson’s in Homer Glen, Illinois a perfect fall getaway. Arrive hungry for apple cider doughnuts, award-winning barbecue and kettle corn, too. Then let the kids expend some of that pent-up energy on the Rooster Rodeo rollercoaster and check out the pumpkin chucker as it catapults gourds close to a quarter of a mile. Get a snapshot for the fridge at the free selfie booth before heading home.

Driving time from Chicago: 40 minutes

Family-owned Puckerville Farms can trace its roots all the way back to 1875, when current owner Rick Homerding’s ancestors bought 180 acres of property in Lemont. The farm’s fall festival, which features a pumpkin patch and no admission cost, doesn’t date back as far (the Homerdings started it in 2011), but it brings in visitors year after year to pick out their own gourds to bring home. The fun doesn’t stop when the season changes—Puckerville is also open through winter selling Christmas trees, wreaths and garlands.

Driving time from Chicago: 70 minutes

A family-owned farm in Kenosha, Wisconsin that continues to keep traditions alive, Jerry Smith Farm hasn’t changed all that drastically since it opened in 1975. Visitors can enjoy more than two dozen hand painted pumpkin displays that have a different theme every year. And Jerry Smith doesn’t just have pumpkins fit for jack-o’-lanterns—you’ll also find big Cinderella pumpkins and swan gourds. The petting zoo is like no other in the area and allows a limited number of people to pet a fennec fox, kangaroo or skunk.

Driving time from Chicago: One hour

There’s so much to do at Huntley-based Dave’s Pumpkins that the farm and pumpkin patch needed two unique locations just to house all of it. At the original farm market, you’ll find antique pedal tractors, a mini corn maze and a haunted hayride. The second location is home to the pumpkin patch, leaving plenty of space for you to find the perfect jack-o’-lantern to decorate your home. Before you leave, make sure to pick up a pack of Dave’s Fresh Cider Donuts, the farm’s homemade doughnuts prepared with fresh apple cider.

Driving time from Chicago: 80 minutes

This sweet Caledonia farm is all about family togetherness, which means the little ones will have plenty to do. Families can enjoy old-fashioned wagon rides, a petting zoo, a playground with inflatable rides and a seven-acre pumpkin patch. The Great Harvest Barn offers a café and bakery plus a gift shop that's stocked with candy, canned goodies and home decor.

Driving time from Chicago: 35 minutes

When you call yourself a fun farm you should ensure that you can provide some fun, and Odyssey Fun Farm in Tinley Park does just that by offering a pumpkin patch, corn cannons, a 15-acre Peter Pan corn maze, a cow-themed kiddie train, hay rides and so much more. In other words, don’t plan on a quick trip—you’ll want to spend the entire day at this massive farm. Check out the official website for weekly events throughout the season.

Driving time from Chicago: 40 minutes

Throughout September and October, Abbey Farms in Aurora transforms into a fall-lover’s paradise as visitors to the farm enjoy the largest corn maze in all of Kane County, an abundance of apple cider donuts and, of course, pumpkins. The farm’s pumpkin patch offers up an array of pre-picked choices to take home ranging in price from $5-$20 depending on the size, or choose your own in the Abbey Farms’ u-pick pumpkin patch.

Driving time from Chicago: One hour

Visitors will get a built-in history lesson at this family-owned farm in Channahon, Illinois. Located about an hour from Chicago, the grounds house an old barn that’s on the National Register of Historic Places, along with more historic buildings, including some that tie into the family’s history. In addition to the pumpkin patch, petting zoos and corn maze, check the farm’s website for events like chainsaw sculpting, a reptile show and story time.

Driving time from Chicago: One hour

A tractor hayride departs every 30 minutes from this northwest Indiana farm to escort visitors to the pumpkin patch, where they can pick their ideal pumpkin from the field. Once you've assembled your choice of pumpkins and gourds, head to the top of a hill to take a pony ride for $5 or visit goats and other farm animals at the on-site petting zoo.

Driving time from Chicago: 50 minutes

At Johnson’s you won’t just be leaving with a pumpkin or two, but also flowers from the garden center and vegetables to bring home to your kitchen table. Hop on a u-pick tram that will bring you to the field to pick your favorite pumpkins, in addition to veggies like kale, peppers and eggplants (just check the produce list to see what else is fresh that day). The pumpkin patch is only open during the weekend from the end of September through October, when visitors can also visit the baby goat village, hop on the jumping pad and find a village playground for kids.

Driving time from Chicago: 75 minutes

Stade’s Farm and Market is the place to go if you’re in search of a picture perfect red barn surrounded by green fields. The McHenry, Illinois farm features pumpkin picking, a two-acre corn maze and a petting zoo filled with goats, ponies, llamas and alpacas. After picking your pumpkin, you can also watch one fly into the air, propelled by the farm’s pumpkin cannon! Stades has plenty of other unique attractions, including a bunny village, where you can observe a family of rabbits run around and play with each other.

Driving time from Chicago: 75 minutes

Thousands of pumpkins await you at this family-friendly farm and apple orchard in Woodstock, which grows bountiful varieties of both pumpkins and gourds. Select a larger pumpkin for carving or pick up a pie pumpkin for baking (there are also pies, doughnuts and other treats available at the farm's market, in case you prefer someone else handling the baking). Don’t forget to stop by the corn maze, which has a shorter section for the little ones, and a larger section for older kids and adults.

Driving time from Chicago: 35 minutes

Johansen Farms in Bolingbrook, Illinois grows around 25,000 pumpkins in its patch so if the first one you come across isn’t the one for you, there are plenty more to choose from. After perusing the massive patch to find the ideal gourd, kids can enjoy some of the coolest activities this farm has to offer. Stop by the petting zoo that boasts more than 100 animals and hold a baby chick or sit one-on-one with a goat. There’s also a mini-golf course and pony rides if you happen to visit during the weekend.

Driving time from Chicago: 65 minutes

Kuipers' 71-acre patch yields a variety of pumpkins to purchase (buying your admission ticket online in advance is recommended). Entry also nets you access to activities like a corn maze, tractor train and haunted forest, so prepare for a whole day of fun.

Driving time from Chicago: 75 minutes

With free admission and parking, an afternoon at Cody’s won’t break the bank. Take a complimentary hayride out to the patch to pick the perfect pumpkin; if you want to engage in some more fall fun, purchase a wristband to gain access to a five-acre corn maze, barrel rides, rubber duck races and more. And don’t forget to grab some apple cider donuts on the way out.

Driving time from Chicago: 50 minutes

Keller’s Farmstand has three locations, but only the Oswego farm boasts a u-pick pumpkin patch. Grab a wheelbarrow and head out to choose from pumpkins of all sizes. Gourds, straw bales and apple butter are all also available during the weekend Fall Festivals.

Driving time from Chicago: 90 minutes

This hybrid orchard/pumpkin patch is worth the drive (and it's not too far from Shabona Lake State Park if you want to make a day of it). There are over a dozen types of produce (even raspberries) avaiable for U-Pick and in the country store. Kids will love the petting zoo and getting dirty climbing on bales of hay. Take a break and grab cider doughnuts in the Feeding Trough Kitchen and take a pie home for later.