Fall Day Trip: Visit America’s Best Pumpkin Patch

Looking for a pumpkin patch with an ocean view? Or some epic hay rides and a petting zoo? We've got just the place for you.


Crisp air, piles of colorful leaves, apple cider donuts and ever-divisive pumpkin spice lattes — thoughts of autumn don’t immediately conjure images of California.

But according to a list compiled by Travel + Leisure of America’s 25 best pumpkin patches, the top two are actually right here in the Golden State — both within about two hours of Sonoma County.

The list of America’s top pumpkin patches was created using data from crowdsource review platform Yelp. The patches were ranked according to a number of different factors, including a requirement that visitors be able to pick their own pumpkins.

To be considered, Yelp businesses had to be listed under “farm” or “home and garden,” and also contain the word “pumpkin” in reviews. Businesses also had to have a pick-your-own patch on-site.

Coming in at No. 1 is Bob’s Vegetable Stand & Pumpkin Farm, located in Half Moon Bay.

How can you beat a pumpkin patch with an ocean view? With more than 70 reviews and a rating of 4.5 stars, Yelp visitors praised the patch for its dog-friendly atmosphere, lack of excess attractions like bounce houses or hayrides and its good ol’ fashioned vibes.

Bob’s Vegetable Stand & Pumpkin Farm can be found on Highway 1, about 5 miles south of Highway 92. The patch is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day, closing on Oct. 31.

With 4.5 stars and more than 60 reviews, Yelp ranked Sacramento’s Uncle Ray & Uncle Ron’s Pumpkin Patch as the second best pumpkin patch in America.

While the Half Moon Bay patch is continuously praised by Yelp users for its back-to-basics approach to harvesting pumpkins, Uncle Ray & Uncle Ron’s Pumpkin Patch is the exact opposite. The Sacramento patch’s many attractions include a pumpkin cannon, a kids train, hay rides and a weekend petting zoo.

Uncle Ray & Uncle Ron’s is located at 5610 Garden Highway in Sacramento, and is open weekdays from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and weekends from 9 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. It’s last day is Oct. 31.

What’s your favorite Sonoma County pumpkin patch? Let us know in the comments!