The temperatures are starting to drop, especially in the evenings, and all across the state Iowans are falling for autumn. It’s a wonderful time to explore and enjoy the excitement of harvest season across the state, whether you’re looking to pick apples from the orchard or pumpkins from the field. Or maybe you just want to wander through a corn maze and sip cider. (We get it.)
Here’s a roundup of some of Iowa’s many hayrides, apple orchards, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and cider mills to ensure you have the most fabulous fall ever.
Bloomsbury Farm
Atkins
If you love fall you simply can’t miss a visit to Bloomsbury Farm, where fall is the focus.
The official Fall Festival runs from Sept. 22 through Oct. 29 this year. For the price of admission ($21.95 for adults), you can experience a whole bushel of fun in a day at Bloomsbury. Grab some U-Pick pumpkins, make your way through a 10-acre corn maze, or enjoy more than 30 different farm-related activities including barrel rides, feeding farm animals, launching a pumpkin, taking a hayrack ride, and more.
Plus, there’s a whole selection of fall-inspired treats to enjoy, from homemade doughnuts and ice cream to gourmet drinks for kids and grown-ups alike.
Colony Acres Family Farm
North Liberty
In the heart of North Liberty you’ll find Colony Acres, a family-favorite spot for fall.
Starting on Sept. 16, you can head out to this little slice of a farm in the city to enjoy their Fall Harvest event. Tickets are $10 during the week, $12 on the weekend, or $36 for a season pass. There are U-Pick pumpkins for sale along with harvested pumpkins, mums, cornstalks, and hay bales. Grab some sweet treats, a pizza, or a beer while you enjoy all the other activities including hayrack rides, playgrounds, and the corn cannon.
Plain Ol’ Pumpkins
Clear Lake
Open on Saturdays and Sundays starting Sept. 23, this new-ish pumpkin patch on the scene is a great stop in north central Iowa.
There is plenty of old-fashioned fun with a modern twist. Play pumpkin tic-tac-toe or wagon basketball, climb to the top of the haystack pyramid or one of the vintage tractors, try your luck at their corn maze, or simply grab a spot and make a few s’mores around the fire pit. General admission is $10 per person and includes all the activities—except for the pumpkin slingshot, which is well worth the extra $5.
Spirits in the Gardens
Ames
Reiman Gardens takes pumpkin carving to the next level for two weekends each October.
Visitors can wander the grounds among more than 1,000 hand-carved jack-o’-lanterns on display throughout the popular Ames destination. This is a limited-time event and tickets tend to sell out, so plan ahead to see this spookily good fall display. Friday nights (Oct. 13 & 20) feature a cash bar. Saturdays (Oct. 14 & 21) and Sundays (Oct. 15 & 22) are geared toward the kiddos, as candy is handed out throughout the gardens and there are frightfully interesting science demonstrations and other performances.
Tickets are $15 per person with discounts for children and Iowa State University students, and costumes are highly encouraged.
Heartland Farms
Waterloo
Heartland Farms is a go-to spot for fall fun in the Cedar Valley area.
The farm is full of thousands of pumpkins, gourds, and squash ready to be picked. And of course the kids will want to have plenty of time in Pumpkin Playland. There’s a giant jumping pillow, hayrack rides, the famed PUNKINATOR (a cannon that launches pumpkins every hour on the hour), a 30-foot treehouse slide, and farm animals to greet.
If you are feeling frightful, check out the haunted barn and cornfield.
The farm opens for fall fun Sept. 24 and is open through Oct. 31. Admission is $12 during the week and $15 on the weekend.
Center Grove Orchard
Cambridge
This is one spot in the state where you can truly enjoy every bit of fall.
There’s an apple orchard where you can pick your favorite varieties, a 7-acre sunflower field to marvel at, and a 25-acre U-Pick pumpkin patch. Plan to spend the whole day, as you’ll also want to enjoy the train rides around the farm—or hayrack rides if you prefer to see the farm from a different vantage point.
You can bottle feed baby goats, participate in the tractor pull, check out the corn maze, hop on the pedal tractors, try the apple slingshot, and much more. Don’t miss the pig races and be sure to try at least one of the tasty treats on offer—we recommend the donut tower or apple nachos. Daily admission is $12 or you can purchase a $60 pass for the full season.
Pumpkinville & Corn Maze
Mitchellville
Hop on board the straw train at Pumpkinville.
This perennial fall-favorite destination in central Iowa has all the mini pumpkins, big pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, corn shocks, broom corn, and straw bales you could dream of. An added bonus is that there is no admission charge for a visit to the farm and even some of the fun activities are free, including playing in the grainery, taking a hayrack ride, or playing tug-of-war.
The site is also home to two corn mazes, which do require an admission fee ($8 for the large maze and $1 for the small maze) to check out. Pumpkinville remains open after dark, but you’ll want to bring a flashlight. You can also consider doing a private bonfire rental to bring your friends out for a fun fall night on the farm.
Howell’s
Cumming
Howell’s is another great spot in central Iowa to pick your own pumpkins right out of the patch. An antique tractor will pull you out into the field so you can find just the right one.
The farm opens for all fall activities on Sept. 9 and admission is $18—or $15 if you purchase your tickets in advance. Beyond picking pumpkins, there are a ton of other activities to enjoy including a corn maze, an obstacle course, a giant slide, a pumpkin cannon (pictured above), and more, making it a great spot for a day full of fall fun.
Harvestville Farm
Donnellson
Open now through the end of October, this is one fall attraction that goes all in for autumn.
Check out one of the largest corn mazes in the state at Harvestville Farm. The 12-acre field is given a new design every year that is sure to delight fall explorers of all ages. The farm also features 30 acres of pumpkins, gourds, and squash—more than 125 varieties in all—where you can stock up for carving and creating your fall decor displays. Tickets are $13 per person and include a bunch of family-friendly activities including duck races, wagon rides, a giant corn maze, tire swings, ladder golf, and more. You can also take advantage of the opportunity to build your own scarecrow that you can then take home as a fall decoration.
Gravert’s Apple Basket Orchard
Sabula
Get your apple picking hands ready.
Stop at Gravert’s Apple Basket Orchard in Sabula—Iowa’s only island town—to get your fill of fall favorites like Zestar, Pink Lady, Gala, Honey Crisp, Jonathan, and many more. Plus, this is a homemade treat haven. You’ll find fresh cider, homemade apple pies (get there early on the weekend as they sell out quickly), jams, honey, pickles, and more. Take in the simple beauty of the rolling hills and make sure to say hello to the grazing cattle, goats, horses, donkeys, geese, and chickens. There are barn cats, too, but word on the field is that they are hard to spot.