Pumpkin Pickin'
Out of all of the options for pumpkin patches, I think I've found a great one. Yes this place is a little out of the way, but who doesn’t like getting out of the city from time to time? And, this is the only pumpkin patch that I came across that allowed pets. (As long as they are on a leash and well behaved) Underwood Family Farms is located in Moorpark, just over an hour outside of Los Angeles. I don’t think I realized how big of a deal this place was until we got there. It looked like a small theme park with the amount of cars parked there. Don’t get discouraged though! There is tons of parking and they are super organized. We didn’t even park far since people are constantly coming and going.
Check out the Underwood Family Farms website for more information.
You have two options here. One is to go to the Underwood Family Farms’ 18th Annual Fall Harvest Festival and the other is an open pumpkin patch and vegetable/fruit stand. The Harvest Festival is like a carnival. There are tons of attractions for the whole family, a corn maze and even pick your own pumpkins. The admission for the Harvest Festival is $15/person on the weekends. If you purchase the tickets online beforehand they are $12.
The easier/faster/free option is to go to the pre-picked area. Although, if you drive that long of a way, the Fall Harvest Festival might be a better choice since you drove farther. There are so many pumpkins to choose from in this section. Seriously. I have never seen so many varieties and sizes of pumpkins. I mean there were pumpkins that looked like a green sea creatures. No joke. Also convenient, you can pick up fresh fruits and veggies, as well. If you’re interested in this faster/free option, there are 20 min parking spots just to the left after you enter the lot. Otherwise you’ll be directed to another area that is really far away from this patch.
Disclaimer, we actually didn't end up going to the Fall Harvest Festival since our little pup starting getting a little bit feisty. However, I heard it's a really great event with family friendly activities or is just a great adventure to get in fall mode.
Here are a few other great pumpkin patches around Los Angeles. It doesn't look like they are pet friendly, but may be better for quick visits.
It really started to feel more like fall going to a pumpkin patch, despite the crazy heat wave LA is currently experiencing. Happy fall and pumpkin pickin' to you!
Yours Truly // Shannon