Halloween is looming in all its autumnal, jack-o-lanterned glory. It’s high time to visit a local pumpkin patch — and fortunately, there are at least a dozen sprinkled across the Bay Area. (In this pandemic-challenged era, everything is subject to change. Double check websites before you go to make sure circumstances have not changed.)
DIXON
Silveyville: Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday, Oct. 1-31 at 6248 Silveyville Road. Enjoy socially distanced activities, including a pumpkin village and pumpkin kingdom play areas, a duck pond and a walking path for up-close encounters with goats, hens, roosters, lambs and other farm critters. In addition, there is a duck ride to the duck pond, as well as an ATV train for a sightseeing farm tour. Free admission. silveyvilletreefarm.com/pumpkin-farm/
HALF MOON BAY
Arata Pumpkin Farm: Open daily through October at 185 Verde Road. Browse the pumpkins, explore the Minotaur’s Labyrinth Hay Maze, the Haunted Barn, pony ride, train ride, petting zoo and more. Prices vary. www.aratapumpkinfarm.com/
Farmer John’s: Open daily from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 850 N. Cabrillo Highway; www.farmerjohnspumpkins.com.
Lemos Farm: Open Wednesday through Sunday through October and on weekends through Nov. 21 at 12320 San Mateo Road. Choose from small, medium and large pumpkins in multiple colors and check out the haunted house, hayride, train ride, fun town, pony rides and petting zoo. Order a time-slot admission ticket at lemosfarm.com/pumpkin-patch.
HOLLISTER
Swank Farms: The farm’s Trail of Lights festivities run from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays through the month of October, and their Fall Days hours are 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Thursdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Fridays-Sundays throughout October, with a 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. opening on Oct. 27. Admission to the farm at 4751 Pacheco Pass Highway includes jumping pillow, cow train, pig races, bounce houses, corn box, hayride and more. $12-$25. www.swankfarms.com
OAKLAND
Piedmont Avenue Pumpkin Patch: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. September through October, 4414 Piedmont Ave. Free admission; www.pumpkinpatch.info/index.html
PALO ALTO
Great Glass Pumpkin Patch: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Oct. 2-3, Palo Alto Art Center, 1313 Newell Road, Palo Alto. Browse more than 10,000 hand-blown and hand-crafted glass pumpkins, which are available for purchase, and enjoy glass-blowing demonstrations throughout the weekend. Free admission. paacf.org/event/great-glass-pumpkin-patch/
PETALUMA
Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze: Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily (until 10 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays) Sept. 24 through Oct. 31 at 450 Stony Point Road. Choose from more than 25 varieties of pumpkins and gourds, explore a four-acre corn maze and more. Free admission. Corn Maze $7-$10. http://petalumapumpkinpatch.com
PORTOLA VALLEY
Webb Ranch Pumpkin Patch: Open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily Sept. 24 through Oct. 31 at 2718 Alpine Road. Hay ride, pony ride, haunted house, farm-themed obstacle course, petting zoo and more. Free admission. webbranchinc.com/pumpkin-patch.html
SAN FRANCISCO
The Guardsmen Pumpkin Patch: Open from 5 to 9 p.m. Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m.-9 p.m. Friday through Sunday, Oct. 14-24 at Fort Mason, 2 Marina Blvd. Find details at https://pumpkinpatch.guardsmen.org.
SAN RAMON
Windmill Farms Pumpkin Patch and Petting Zoo: Open from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily, Oct. 1-31 at 2255 San Ramon Valley Blvd. Browse 20 varieties of pumpkins plus gourds, corn stalks, hay bales and Indian corn, and visit the chickens, geese and ducks, baby pigs, goats, llamas and miniature ponies. www.windmillfarmsproduce.com
SANTA ROSA
The Patch: Open Oct. 8-31 at 5157 Stony Point Road. Enjoy 10 acres of pumpkins and activities including cornhole, barnyard ballzone, pumpkin tether ball and a giant hay bale maze. Details: http://santarosapumpkinpatch.com.