Fall has arrived, and for those seeking that true Halloween pumpkin patch experience, here's a guide to pumpkin patches in Marin County.

In Marin County, Nicasio Valley Farms Pumpkin Patch offers a real on-the-farm experience and the Godmother's Pumpkin Patch at St. Vincent's is a local tradition and an exciting Halloween experience for families. For more real live farms offering pumpkin patches this season, head up north a short distance to rural Sonoma County, where you'll find them in relative abundance. We visited as many of these pumpkin patches as we could last year, and have posted links to our reviews of them below. As always, we'll visit again this year and update our reviews.

We've included dates and hours for pumpkin patches when available. Hours are correct as of the time of publishing, but it's still a good idea to check a pumpkin patch's website or give them a call before you go in case anything changes. As a rule, most pumpkin patches are open during the whole month of October, although a few open in late September. Pumpkin patches listed here are open through October 31 unless otherwise indicated.

Admission to pumpkin patches is usually free, although activities like bounce houses, petting zoos, and tractor rides may cost extra. Many activities and special events take place on weekends only, too, and some pumpkin patches may close during inclement weather.

Marin County

Nicasio Valley Farms Pumpkin Patch

5300 Nicasio Valley Road (1/4 mile north of Nicasio square)
Nicasio 94946
(415) 662-9100
www.nicasiovalleyfarms.com
Open daily in October, 10 am–6 pm
The Nicasio Valley Farms Pumpkin Patch offers certified organic pumpkins as well as countless attractions including hay rides, farm animals, pony rides, mechanical bulls, a bounce house and giant inflatable slide, a farm stand, Big Jim's award-winning BBQ and ice cream for sale on the weekends, and more. Popular children's recording artist Tim Cain performs every Sunday (October 4, 11, 18, and 25) from 11 am to noon. Six-piece Western band Manzanita Moon performs Saturday and Sunday afternoons from 12:30 to 4:30 pm.

Their first Pumpkin Patch Harvest Faire, which supports local artists, takes place on October 1 and 2, and Marin Agricultural Land Trust (MALT) Day will be on Sunday October 16 from 10 am–4 pm with kids' games and crafts, farm animals, grass-fed burgers from Stemple Creek Ranch, local Marin beer and wine, educational exhibits, and more.

Organic Pumpkin Patch at Marin Country Mart

2257 Larkspur Landing Circle
Larkspur 94939
(415) 461-5715
marincountrymart.com
Open in October, all day every day
Organic heirloom pumpkins from Marin’s Fresh Run Farm in Bolinas will be available at the Marin Country Mart Pumpkin Patch. There are two pumpkin patch locations, one in front of Three Twins Ice Cream, and the second at the farmers market and near the Marin Country Mart Trading Post and post office. Choose from traditional Howden jack-o-lanterns for carving and Cinderella pumpkins, which are great for carving but also delicious for eating. This is an honor system pumpkin patch: there is a payment box at the patch, and prices are set as a flat rate by size.

Godmothers of Timothy Murphy School Pumpkin Patch

St. Vincent's Field, at the Marinwood/St. Vincent's exit off Hwy 101
San Rafael 94903
(415) 785-3264
www.godmothers.org
Open Wednesday–Sunday, dates TBD
This long-time favorite pumpkin patch at St. Vincent's near Marinwood offers a variety of pumpkins as well as attractions and activities like bounce houses, a hay pile, face painting, snack shack, and a picnic area. Groups welcome. 

Ian's Pumpkin Patch at Bon Air Center

Bon Aire Shopping Center, Sir Francis Drake Blvd
Greenbrae 94904
Shopping center pumpkin patch with bounce house and slide.

Ian's Lazy Days Pumpkin Patch

690 Redwood Highway (at Terra Kids Outdoor play structures site)
Mill Valley 94941
A pumpkin patch with bounce houses and play structures. Off Highway 101.

Kevin's Strawberry Villa Pumpkin Patch

100 Shoreline Highway
Mill Valley 94941
A pumpkin patch with bounce houses and inflatable space shuttle slide. Right off 101 near the Highway 1 exit.

Sonoma County

McClelland's Dairy Pumpkin Patch

6475 Bodega Avenue
Petaluma 94952
(707) 664-0452
www.mcclellandsdairy.com
Saturdays and Sundays Starting September 24, 10 am–5 pm
Find the perfect pumpkin in McClelland's three-acre organic pumpkin field. Pick your pumpkins straight from the vine. Pumpkins range from mini to giant in size. Free admission includes pumpkin patch, petting farm animals (including cows, goats, and chickens), and watching cows being milked in the parlor. There's also a hay maze, kids' haunted hay house, hay rides, bounce houses, and u-pick squash, as well as a farm store selling products like free-range eggs from the farm's chickens, ice cream and butter from their cows, lavender, and vegetables. There will also be a food cart serving organic grilled cheese sandwiches, organic milkshakes, organic popcorn, and espresso drinks. Don't miss the "Photo Spot"—the perfect place for a family photo shoot. School tours are available during the week. Read our review here.

Petaluma Pumpkin Patch and Amazing Corn Maze

550 Stony Point Rd
Petaluma 94952
www.petalumapumpkinpatch.com
Opens Friday, September 30
Sunday–Thursday, 10 am–6 pm
Friday and Saturday, 10 am–10 pm
This is the big pumpkin patch you see off ofHighway 101 on your way out of Petaluma. Over 50 varieties of pumpkins, squash, and gourds, as well as a 4-acre Amazing Corn Maze with second-story viewing platforms (admission $5, 5 and under free; $9 on Friday and Saturday nights 6–10 pm), a little kids' maze, a huge mountain of straw bales to climb, farm animals, rubber duck races, a corn-kernel "sandbox", a zip line, weekend pony rides, face painting, jumpy houses and inflatables, food vendors, covered snack area, school tours. Special events include 4H bake sales, face painting, and more. 

Great Peter Pumpkin Patch at Spring Hill Jersey Farm

4235 Spring Hill Rd (off Bodega Ave)
Petaluma 94952
(707) 762-3446
www.springhillcheese.com
Open daily starting Saturday, October 1, 9 am–dusk
Another one of our all-time favorite pumpkin patches. Pick your own pumpkin, dig for potatoes, take a tractor ride, visit farm animals, taste homemade ice cream and Spring Hill cheese, milk a cow, and get lost in the hay maze. Peter Pumpkin Patch also ofers fresh fruits and vegetables, picnic baskets, and live music on weekends. School field trips available Monday–Friday during October. This is a wonderful and fun pumpkin patch on a real working farm. Don't miss the homemade pumpkin ice cream! Read our review of the Great Peter Pumpkin Patch.

Tolay Fall Festival

Tolay Lake Regional Park
Lakeville Highway at Cannon Lane
Petaluma 94954
(707) 565-2041
www.sonoma-county.org/parks/pk_tolay_fallfestival.htm
October 15–16 and 22–23
11 am–5 pm Saturday and Sunday

The 9th annual Tolay Fall Festival takes place over two long weekends in October at the site of the old Cardoza Ranch off Lakeville Highway, which was famous for its pumpkin patch. In addition to pumpkins and fall decorative items for sale, activities include a Native American village, the Nighttime Creatures Barn with Creepy Crawly Critters Room, nature hikes, a giant straw maze, a hands-on children's area and kiddie corral, and tractor-drawn hay rides out to the pumpkin patch. Pumpkin prices are a bargain here, compard to other area pumpkin patches.

Festival admission is $5 for adults and teens ages 13 and up, $3 for children 12 and under; parking is $7 per car or free with a Sonoma County Regional Parks Parks membership. School field trips may be scheduled on October 12–14 and 20–21 from 9 am–3 pm.

Pronzini Pumpkin Patch

3795 Adobe Road, 
Petaluma 94952
(707) 778-3871
www.pronzinitrees.com
Open daily
Monday–Thursday, 11 am–6 pm & weekends 9 am–7 pm
The Pronzini Pumpkin Patch in Petaluma offers acres of fun in the fall, including a petting zoo, bounce houses, hay rides, a corn kernal box, a haunted trail walk, and more. They offer school field trips too. It's run by the same Pronzini family that operates Christmas tree lots in Marin during the holidays.

Muelrath Ranches Pumpkin Patch

3800 Walker Avenue
Santa Rosa 95407
(707) 228-3085
www.muelrathspumpkins.com
Open daily starting September 30
Sunday–Thursday, 10 am–6 pm, Friday & Saturday, 10 am–9 pm
Muelrath Ranches offers pumpkins and other farm products as well as attractions like hayrides, a pumpkin slingshot, a pumpkin cannon, bounce houses, farm animals, and more.

Santa Rosa Pumpkin Patch

5157 Stony Point Road (at Rohnert Park Expressway)
Santa Rosa
(707) 331-6653
santarosapumpkinpatch.com
Open daily starting September 30, Monday–Thursday 9 am–7 pm, Friday & Saturday 9 am–10 pm, Sunday 9 am–8:30 pm
Santa Rosa Pumpkin Patch offers eight acres of pumpkins, a huge seven-acre corn maze ($6 admission), kiddy corn mazes, hay and sunflower mazes, jack-o-lantern tether ball, tire swings, a 10-bale-high hay pyramid, a huge jumpy pillow, pedal trike races, a corn play box, a petting zoo ($4), face painting, children's entertainers, pony rides ($7; weekends only), hay rides ($4), yummy treats and food, birthday parties, field trips, group tours, and more. Purchase acitivity wristbands for unlimited access to attractions for $2, $8 or $18.

Article and photos credited to Marin Mommies, post by Andrew on 9/17/2016.