There may not be crisp New England weather in Florida and Texas just yet, but that doesn’t mean families have to miss out on fall.
Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides, sunflower fields and apple cider donuts are popping up across both states, giving families plenty of reasons to spend a day outside together. Whether you’re looking for a quick weekend outing or a full-day fall adventure, we’ve rounded up some of the best family-friendly pumpkin patches and fall festivals to visit in Florida and Texas this season.
Fall Festivals and Pumpkin Patches in Florida
1. Southern Hill Farms Fall Festival
Clermont, Florida
If your ideal fall day includes a little bit of everything, Southern Hill Farms is hard to overlook. Its 11th Annual Fall Festival runs from September 26 through November 22 on select Thursdays and Fridays through Sundays.
Families can explore a corn maze, visit the petting zoo, ride farm wagons, play yard games, pick flowers and enjoy a full Fun Zone with carnival-style rides and attractions. There are also pumpkins, live music, food trucks and plenty of places for a fall family photo. Their bakery’s hot apple cider donuts may warrant a spot on the itinerary all by themselves.
Good to know: Tickets must be purchased online before arrival for guests ages 3 and older.
2. Dade City Farms Fall Festival
Dade City, Florida
For families in the Tampa Bay area, Dade City Farms offers a more classic day-on-the-farm version of fall.
The 2026 Fall Festival begins September 26 and continues Saturdays and Sundays through November 1. Kids can take a tractor hayride, play in a giant corn bin, explore the tire playground, take a pony ride and meet animals including Scottish Highland mini cows, camels, alpacas, goats and sheep. There’s also a pumpkin patch, face painting, local vendors and plenty of seasonal food, including fresh apple cider donuts and boiled peanuts.
This one could be especially good for families with younger children who want plenty to do without feeling like they’ve stepped into a full-scale amusement park.
3. Jacksonville Pumpkin Festival at Amazing Grace Family Farms
Green Cove Springs, Florida
Northeast Florida families can head to Amazing Grace Family Farms for the Jacksonville Pumpkin Festival beginning October 2.
Visitors can wander through pumpkin displays, explore sunflower and zinnia fields, tackle the crop maze, enjoy family attractions and make the obligatory stop for funnel cakes and other festival treats. The farm is located in Green Cove Springs, about 30 minutes outside Jacksonville. Because crops and weather can affect the festival schedule, the farm recommends checking current availability before visiting.
For families hoping to capture a few fall photos while they’re there, the combination of pumpkins and flower fields gives you plenty of options.
4. Bedner’s Fall Festival
Boynton Beach, Florida
South Florida gets a turn at fall, too.
Bedner’s Farm Fresh Market will host its 2026 Fall Festival from October 3 through November 1. Admission includes the pumpkin patch, corn maze, unlimited audio tractor tours, animal park admission and other fall activities around the farm.
Bedner’s makes a good pick for families looking for the traditional pumpkin-patch experience without having to leave Palm Beach County.
5. Sweetfields Farm Fall Season
Brooksville, Florida
Sweetfields Farm brings together two fall heavyweights: pumpkins and a corn maze.
Its 2026 fall season runs September 26 through November 8. Along with its pumpkin patch and corn maze, Sweetfields offers hayrides, farm animals and seasonal farm activities, plus apple cider for a little extra autumn atmosphere. Tickets are required for visitors ages 3 and older and can sell out, so this is one you’ll want to plan ahead for.
Fall Festivals and Pumpkin Patches in Texas
Everything is bigger in Texas, and apparently that includes fall festivals.
6. Yesterland Farm
Canton, Texas
Yesterland Farm’s fall season runs September 19 through November 8, and this is much more than a patch where you pick out a pumpkin and head home.
The farm features a Texas-sized pumpkin patch, corn maze and more than 30 rides and attractions. Families who stay into the evening can also catch nighttime fireworks, while Spooktacular Nights add Halloween-themed fun later in the season.
If you have kids with plenty of energy to burn, Yesterland could easily fill an entire day.
7. Dewberry Farm
Brookshire, Texas
Located west of Houston, Dewberry Farm’s Fall Festival runs September 12 through November 8.
The sprawling festival includes more than 40 rides and attractions, an 8-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, farm animals, a county carnival and a life-sized Pumpkin House. Evening visitors can also catch fireworks and the farm’s BOOriffic Nights attractions.
This is another destination worth treating as a full-day outing rather than a quick pumpkin stop.
8. South Texas Maize at Graff 7A Ranch
Hondo, Texas
For families near San Antonio, the South Texas Maize opens for its 2026 season on September 26.
Its centerpiece is an enormous 8-acre corn maze, accompanied by a 3-acre pumpkin patch, hayrides, slides, a zipline, children’s play areas, animals and other farm attractions. The ranch also offers campfire reservations for families who want to stretch their visit into the evening.
This one has plenty for older kids who may have graduated from simply posing beside a pumpkin and calling it a day.
9. Hall’s Pumpkin Farm and Corn Maze
Grapevine, Texas
For a traditional North Texas pumpkin-patch experience, Hall’s Pumpkin Farm opens October 2 and runs through November 1 for the 2026 season.
Families can wander through pumpkins of all shapes and sizes, challenge themselves to a roughly 2-acre corn maze, see farm animals and take a tractor-pulled hayride. The maze stays open after dark, too, so older kids can bring a flashlight and see whether navigation becomes slightly more questionable once the sun goes down.
One important note before you go: Hall’s is cash only.
10. Sweet Berry Farm
Marble Falls, Texas
Sweet Berry Farm offers a nice option for families who would rather build their own fall day instead of paying one admission price for everything.
There’s no general entrance or parking fee. Instead, families can choose the activities they want to do, including hayrides, a Texas Maze, kid-sized mazes, a barrel train, pumpkin painting, flower picking and even scarecrow stuffing. Pumpkins and gourds are available separately.
The farm opened for its 2026 fall season in September and traditionally continues its fall activities into November.
Turn Your Fall Outing Into a Learning Adventure
A trip to the pumpkin patch doesn’t have to feel anything like a school assignment to spark curiosity.
Younger students can practice estimating the weight or circumference of pumpkins, while older students can talk about crop seasons, agriculture, supply and demand or the science behind changing daylight hours. A corn maze becomes an exercise in problem-solving and spatial reasoning. Even letting a child manage a set amount of spending money at the festival can turn into an impromptu lesson in budgeting.
Or you can simply eat the apple cider donut.
Not every experience needs a worksheet attached to it.
Make Room for Fall Memories
One of the best parts of fall is having an excuse to do something a little different together. A Friday afternoon at a farm, a family corn-maze challenge or an annual trip to choose the perfect pumpkin can become the kind of tradition kids remember long after the pumpkins disappear from the porch.
For families at Optima Academy Online, the flexibility of online learning and a four-day school week can create more room for experiences beyond the classroom, whether that’s exploring a local farm, visiting a museum, traveling or simply spending more intentional time together.
Wherever you live in Florida or Texas, there’s probably a fall adventure closer than you think.
Before heading out: Festival schedules, attractions, crop availability and operating hours can change because of weather and growing conditions. Check the destination’s website before your visit for the latest information.
