Fall around St. Louis means apple orchards, pumpkin farms, corn mazes, and plenty of family adventures, and this guide to the best fall attractions near St. Louis will help you find places to enjoy the season.
Over the years, I’ve visited several farms, orchards and fall attractions with my family. Some are great places to pick apples or pumpkins, while others offer corn mazes and other activities that make for a fun autumn outing.
This Ultimate Guide to Apple Orchards, Pumpkin Farms, and Corn Mazes Near St. Louis brings together my experiences at these fall destinations.
Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm
DETAILS
Location: Millstadt, Illinois
What you can do: Apple picking, pumpkin picking, corn maze, petting zoo, carnival rides, pig races, mini golf, pedal tractors and more
Best for: A full day of family fall activities
That Away Dad experience: Yes
Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm is much more than a place to pick apples or pumpkins. When my son and I visited, we discovered a long list of activities that could easily turn a farm visit into a full day.
My son wanted to head straight for the corn maze, which is located toward the far south end of the farm. He enjoyed exploring it on his own while I tried to keep track of where he was.
The maze is large enough that you can spend quite a bit of time wandering through it.
After the maze, we checked out the spinning apples, pedal tractors and rat races before exploring more of the farm.
The farm also offers a petting zoo, miniature golf, Fort Eckert, a straw pyramid, slides, carnival rides, pig races and wagon rides. During the fall, you can also pick your own apples and pumpkins.
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Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm: Full of Family Activities
Mills Apple Farm
DETAILS
Location: Marine, Illinois
What you can do: Apple picking, pumpkins, farm activities, animals and children’s activities
Best for: A traditional apple-picking experience with family activities
That Away Dad experience: Yes
Mills Apple Farm gave us a chance to get out into an actual apple orchard and pick our own fruit.
My son also enjoyed the other things around the farm, including the small train and animals.
We walked through the orchard looking for apples that were ready to pick. On our visit, Granny Smith apples were available.
It was a simple fall family outing that combined apple picking with other farm activities.
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Apple Picking at Mills Farm
Relleke Pumpkin Patch
DETAILS
Location: Pontoon Beach, Illinois
Address: 473 Sand Prairie Road, Pontoon Beach, IL 62040
What you can do: Pumpkin picking, corn maze, carnival rides, petting zoo, pony rides, barrel train, giant slide, bouncy houses and pumpkin chucker
Best for: Families looking for a traditional pumpkin-patch experience
That Away Dad experience: Yes
At Relleke Pumpkin Patch, picking the pumpkin is only part of the adventure.
When my family visited, we took a cart into the pumpkin patch and searched through pumpkins of different shapes, sizes and colors.
After finding our pumpkins, we headed toward the carnival area.
There were rides, a Jungle Maze, Corn Maze, Petting Zoo, Pony Rides, Barrel Train, Giant Slide, Haunted Barn and bouncy houses.
One of the more unusual attractions was the Pumpkin Chucker, which lets visitors launch pumpkins toward a target.
Admission and activities have changed over the years, so check with the farm before visiting.
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A Relleke Pumpkin Patch of Fun
Broemmelsiek Park Corn Maze
DETAILS
Location: Broemmelsiek Park near Defiance, Missouri
What you can do: Free corn maze, Agricultural Education Garden, historic farm equipment and gardens
Maze: Approximately 3 acres
Walk: About 0.5 mile including the maze and garden
Admission: Free
Best for: A simple, inexpensive fall outing
That Away Dad experience: Yes
Not every corn maze has to be part of a big pumpkin farm.
At Broemmelsiek Park, I discovered a free 3-acre corn maze near the Agricultural Education Garden.
I started by heading into the maze and turning right, working my way through the different sections. I eventually became a little disoriented before finding my way back to the entrance.
The maze isn’t enormous, but that’s part of what makes it approachable. And because admission is free, it makes for an inexpensive fall activity.
After finishing the maze, I explored the Agricultural Education Garden.
The area includes historic farm equipment along with gardens featuring vegetables, berries, medicinal plants and other crops. I also found displays explaining the farming tools used in earlier generations.
I think this would be an especially fun place to return with my son and see if he can make his way through the maze.
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Broemmelsiek Park Offers Free Corn Maze
Walk Through Hemp at the Great Godfrey Maze
DETAILS
Location: Godfrey, Illinois
What you can do: Walk through a hemp maze at the Great Godfrey Maze
Maze: Hemp maze — a twist on the traditional corn maze
Admission: Check current event information before visiting
Best for: Families looking for a different kind of fall maze experience
That Away Dad experience: Yes
Not every maze has to be made from corn.
At the Great Godfrey Maze, I found a different kind of fall maze experience: a walk through hemp.
Instead of walking through rows of corn, visitors make their way through hemp plants, creating a maze experience that’s a little different from the traditional fall corn maze.
That makes the Great Godfrey Maze a fun addition to my list of corn mazes and maze experiences near St. Louis. If you’ve already visited traditional corn mazes or you’re simply looking for something unusual to do in the fall, this is one worth checking out.
Read the full story:
Walk Through Hemp at the Great Godfrey Maze
Which Fall Farm Experience Are You Looking For?
🍎 Apple Picking
If you’re looking specifically for apples, check out:
- Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm
- Mills Apple Farm
🎃 Pumpkin Picking
For pumpkins and additional family activities:
- Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm
- Relleke Pumpkin Patch
- Mills Apple Farm
🌽 Corn Mazes
For a corn-maze adventure:
- Eckert’s Millstadt Fun Farm — large family attraction with many other activities
- Relleke Pumpkin Patch — corn maze combined with a pumpkin-patch/carnival experience
- Broemmelsiek Park — approximately 3-acre free corn maze
- Great Godfrey Maze– corn maze-like experience but with hem.
💰 Looking for a Free Fall Activity?
Broemmelsiek Park is the standout option from my experiences because the corn maze and Agricultural Education Garden can be explored without an admission charge.
What to Know Before Visiting an Apple Orchard or Pumpkin Farm
Check before you go. Apple varieties and pumpkin availability can change throughout the fall.
Check the weather. Farm fields can become muddy after rain.
Wear shoes you don’t mind getting dirty.
Bring a wagon or leave room in the vehicle. Pumpkins and apples can take up more space than you expect.
Go early when possible. Popular pumpkin patches can become very busy as Halloween approaches.
Check admission and activity fees. Some farms charge admission while others charge separately for rides and activities.
Check picking conditions. Don’t assume apples or pumpkins are available simply because it’s fall.
Have realistic expectations with kids. You may have a list of things you want to do, but your kids may have a completely different agenda.
Don’t try to do everything. Pick the activities that matter most to your family.
Remember the reason you’re there. A pumpkin-patch trip is ultimately about enjoying the fall season and spending time together.
Quick Tips for Halloween Pumpkin Patch Sanity
DETAILS
Type: Halloween and pumpkin-patch tips
Best for: Parents planning a pumpkin-patch visit with kids
Topics covered: Crowds, timing, expectations and keeping the family outing enjoyable
That Away Dad experience: Yes
A trip to the pumpkin patch is supposed to be fun, but if you’ve ever taken kids to one during the weeks leading up to Halloween, you know things don’t always go according to plan.
That’s why I put together Quick Tips for Halloween Pumpkin Patch Sanity.
A pumpkin-patch outing can involve crowds, long lines, excited kids, muddy fields and plenty of distractions. A little planning before you go can make the experience much easier on everyone.
My biggest advice is to have a plan but don’t expect everything to go exactly according to that plan.
Kids may want to spend an hour doing something you thought would take five minutes. They may find the biggest pumpkin in the field and decide that’s the one they have to have. And sometimes the weather or crowds can change the entire experience.
The goal isn’t to get through every activity.
It’s to have a good time and come home with a pumpkin—and hopefully some good family memories.
Read the full That Away Dad story:
Quick Tips for Halloween Pumpkin Patch Sanity
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