Without a doubt, Boston’s best season is the fall. The stifling heat and humidity of summer have passed and the bone-chilling cold of winter has yet to arrive. It’s the perfect time to grab the family and head out of the city to enjoy the crisp air and gorgeous autumn colors. And with Halloween just around the corner, why not go pumpkin picking at one of these family-friendly Boston-area farms, all within an hour’s drive of the city.
1. Belkin Family Lookout Farm
During the fall U-pick season Belkin Family Lookout Farm offers a variety of kid-friendly activities. Take a train ride through the orchards, enjoy the new children's play area, go on a pony ride, explore the burlap maze, take a spin on the "Caterpillar" ride, and visit the animals and bee observatory. U-Pick hours are 9 am to 5 pm, seven days a week. U-pick pumpkins are $0.65/lb.
89 Pleasant Street, South Natick
(508) 651-1539
2. C.N. Smith Farm
Pick pumpkins from the pile seven days a week or directly from the field on the weekends. Columbus Day weekend check out the Harvest Hoedown, featuring live bands, pick-your-own pumpkins, hayrides, pony rides, and cider mill tours. The last two weekends in October they offer Creepy Hollow Hayrides, slightly haunted daytime rides for younger kids. There’s also the Hallo Lantern Hayride, a nighttime ride featuring hundreds of lit Jack-o-lanterns.
325 South Street, East Bridgewater
(508) 378-2270
3. Parlee Farms
This family friendly 93-acre farm recommends calling ahead for current picking condition before you head out on a pumpkin expedition. As of October 2007, the farm had more than 40,000 pumpkins to choose from. Popular attractions at Parlee Farms are Mary's Country Kitchen, Annie's Animal Barn, and the utterly bizarre sounding Annie's Goats in the Trees, a goat walk where you can send food up to the 20-foot-high top platform. It's one of those see-it-to-believe-it things. There is also a hay play area in the autumn.
Farwell Road, Tynsboro
(978) 649-3854
4. Smolak Farms
October 14, 2007, is Great Pumpkin Day, featuring a pumpkin carving demonstration, a concert, hayrides, and more. The farm also offers Trick-or-Treat Hayrides from 10 am to 4 pm on Saturdays and Sundays, October 13 & 14, 20 & 21, 27 & 28, during which kids enjoy a ride around the farm and characters from film and television hand out goodies. After the hayride, kids can get their faces painted or do a craft. Smolak Farms also offers pony rides, a food court, and children's crafts every weekend. 315 South Bradford Street, North Andover
(978) 682-6332
5. Verrill Farm
Pick your own pumpkins any weekend in October at this 140-acre farm. The Harvest Festival, October 6, 2007, from noon-4, features pumpkin picking, a ride to the pumpkin patch, live music, pony rides, hayrides, cookie decorating, face painting, games, a clown, games, and a raffle. All proceeds will benefit Emerson Hospital Pediatric Care.
11 Wheeler Road, Concord
(978) 369-4494
6. Drew Farms
Family owned and operated, this farm has a large selection of pumpkins priced by weight. The annual Pumpkin Light is a free evening event tentatively scheduled for October 31 with hundreds of lit Jack-o-lanterns displayed throughout the orchard. Open daily from 10 am to 5 pm. Free tractor-drawn trailer rides down to the orchard on weekends. 31 Tadmuck Road, Westford
(978) 392-3449
7. Connors Farm
Established in 1904, this 104-acre farm has eight greenhouses and offers hayrides, pumpkin picking, farm animals, homemade ice cream, and fresh produce, meats, and baked goods.
30 Valley Road (Rt. 35), Danvers
(978) 777-1245