Beasley’s Orchards
Upon first impression, Beasley’s orchard located on the west side
of Indianapolis is huge compared to the other Orchards. There are rows upon rows of apple trees. Kids were having a blast falling over one another as they climbed the mountain of hay bales right near the entrance while giggling and grinning from ear to ear. To the left of the entrance there’s a big wooden barn with fresh home-grown produce including fall squashes, corn, potatoes, peppers, and a huge selection of jarred fruits, jams, and local honey. You can choose from a large selection of pre-picked pumpkins, or venture over to the tractors and take a 15-minute hayride to the pumpkin patch to pick your own. The pumpkin patch itself was one of the largest around, and had plenty to choose from. Beasley’s also has carnival type games free of charge as long as you pay the admission to get into the orchard. The corn maze is another major attraction, and has 8 acres to explore. The only downside to Beasley’s Orchards is that it costs $9 on weekdays and $12 on weekends to be admitted. However, it is worth the price and an extremely fun experience, especially for families who are looking to walk and enjoy this brisk fall weather. Beasley’s Orchards was the best overall pumpkin patch experience near Indianapolis.
Location: 2304 E Main St Danville, IN 46122
Minutes from IUPUI: 35
Hours: Sunday 12-6 p.m., Monday-Saturday 9a.m.-6 p.m.
Spencer Farm Winery
If you are looking for a low-key, quiet pumpkin patch with
tons of options for carving and decorative pumpkins, then Spencer Farm Winery is the perfect place for you. Located in Noblesville, this farm offers a hayride or drive yourself down a gravel road until you reach the first pumpkin patch filled with decorative, multicolored pumpkins. You can grab a green wagon and walk down behind the tree line to a huge pumpkin patch with carving pumpkins galore. The general store near the entrance is stocked full of fresh fudge, ice cream, fresh meats, laffy taffy, decorative corn, and other fall treats. You do not have to pay to enter the pumpkin patch unless you choose to take the hayride down to it. Spencer Farm Winery is a very quaint, quiet, low-key pumpkin patch that’s definitely not likely to be extremely busy or filled with families. This farm is the ideal to-the-point pumpkin picking experience with a fun hayride to enjoy and a general store full of fall treats.
Location: 7015 E 161 St Noblesville, IN 46062
Minutes from IUPUI: 35
Hours: Sunday 1-6 p.m., Monday CLOSED, Tuesday-Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3-10 p.m., Saturday 12-10 p.m.
Waterman’s Family Farm
If you are interested in buying pumpkins from a local farm and
not your local Meijer, but don’t want to travel great distances to do so, then Waterman’s Family Farm is the spot for you. Only 22 minutes from downtown Indianapolis, this farm is a truly interactive experience. It is next to a highway, which was a little loud around rush hour. They have all sorts of fun activities and games involved in their “fall harvest festival” which includes pony rides, petting farm animals, a trampoline bungee-jumping activity, and pre-picked or pick your own pumpkins. The farmer’s market at the entrance has fresh produce, jams, and pre-picked pumpkins. There is no admission on Monday’s, and you can stroll through the pumpkin patch, but you won’t be able to enjoy the hayride. Every other day of the week it is $10 to get in, which includes the hayride and all activities, with the exception of pony rides,feeding animals, face painting and food. The hayride back to the patch is fairly short, but the pumpkin patch had a decent amount of big and small pumpkins. Unfortunately, the corn maze didn’t grow properly, so this year at Waterman’s they’re using it as a corn walkthrough.
“Last year our slide and pumpkin eating dinosaur were definitely the most popular attractions, and this year we just added a train which is the biggest hit with the kids right now,” said Becky Conners, manager at Waterman’s Family Farm.
This pumpkin patch has fun activities for everyone.
Location: 7010 E Raymond St Indianapolis, IN 46239
Minutes from IUPUI: 19
Hours: Sunday 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Tuttle Orchards
Kids can enjoy tractor town, a small park with activities for children and
families, for $6 per child. Tuttle Orchards is also great for people looking to pick their own pumpkins, apples, and fall flowers. Tractor rides are available only on weekends, but you can enjoy one of the best corn mazes around for $6 per person. The cafe and sweet store offered delicious hot and cold fresh apple cider and pumpkin cream cheese muffins from a local bakery. The general store had syrups, apples, apple butter, and small decorative pumpkins. You could head over to the pumpkin patch and grab a red wagon as you search for the perfect pumpkin, with no entry fee to walk around the patch. The pumpkin patch itself was large, but only a week into the season it was unfortunately already looking a little picked through towards the front. Further into the field, there is still a decent selection of large carving pumpkins, although with how busy the farm was even midday on weekdays they seemed to be going fast. If you enjoy fall baking, you can find a great selection and pick your own fresh apples and pumpkin pie pumpkins. However, if you’re looking for a large carving pumpkin, I’d recommend going sooner rather than later.
Location: 5717 N 300 W Greenfield, IN 46140
Minutes from IUPUI: 29
Hours: Sunday CLOSED, Monday-Saturday 9 a.m.-7 p.m.
Each of these pumpkin patches has their individual perks and disadvantages. To summarize, if you are looking for a simple, calm, relaxing pumpkin picking experience, Spencer Farms Winery is the place for you. For families, Waterman’s Family Farms is going to be the most fun, interactive experience with Tuttle’s Orchard being an honorable mention. For an overall well-rounded pumpkin patch experience, Beasley’s Farm is the best choice.
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