Best Farms with Family Entertainment in the Hudson Valley
Here in Westchester and Hudson Valley, we have a bounty of farms with family-friendly activities to entertain every age. And that's a pretty fortunate state of affairs, since nothing delivers that warm, autumnal feeling like a trip to the farm and activities like apple picking, hayrides, and visiting some cute animals.
Read on for descriptions of the top farms in and around the Hudson Valley with great entertainment for families, and be sure to visit our Westchester pick-your-own guide for more farm fun.
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1. Barton Orchards – Poughquag
Your family can spend an entire day enjoying all that Barton Orchards has to offer, including pick-your-own apples, pumpkins, and veggies, a playground, a petting zoo, gemstone mining, miniature golf, concessions, and a farm market. And there are fairs and other special events every weekend in October.
2. Muscoot Farm – Katonah
Although it is now a Westchester County Park, Muscoot Farm was once a fully operational dairy farm. As such, you can visit with more than 50 animals (cows, horses, sheep, ducks, etc.) and tour historic buildings, such as the milk house and carriage house. Muscoot also offers special events, educational programs, and more than six miles of scenic trails.
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You'll find plenty of pumpkins at Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard. Photo by Susan Miele
3. Harvest Moon Farm & Orchard – North Salem
Bring the family to Harvest Farm & Orchard to enjoy apple picking, barbecues, live music, scenic orchard walks, and much more. (Advance reservations and admission tickets are required for some events.) And bring your appetite for a farm-fresh menu of breakfast and lunch favorites. Another bonus here: The fun extends well beyond harvest this season as the orchard hosts Lumina, a holiday lights walk-through this winter.
4. Pierson’s Farm – Middletown
Pierson’s Farm offers plenty of family-friendly activities, including a petting zoo, gem mining for kids, rubber duck races, a playground, and more. Some activities require an additional charge. Of course, there is also apple picking, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and a variety of produce, baked goods, and even farm-fresh eggs and meat for sale.
5. Stamford Museum and Nature Center – Stamford, Connecticut
Every time my family and I visit the Stamford Museum and Nature Center, located right off the Merritt Parkway, we discover a range of activities to satisfy everyone’s interests. Highlights include the 10-acre Heckscher Farm, featuring barns, a maple sugar house dozens of farm animals, an otter pond, a playground built into the woods, a planetarium, and rotating art exhibits.
6. Outhouse Orchards – North Salem
Enjoy a 15-minute tractor ride around Outhouse Orchards and take in some great views of the gardens, apple trees, and other area farms. Afterward, pick apples and pumpkins, get lost in a corn maze, and shop for fresh produce grown right on the farm. (Note: Advance reservations are required for weekend visits and selected holidays.)
7. Stew Leonard’s – Yonkers
OK, I know this is a supermarket, but it looks like a farm, and it has plenty of family-friendly activities to enjoy. The annual Harvest & Halloween Drive-Thru features some not-so-spooky inflatables (and a few really creepy clowns). Inside the store, there are audio-animatronic cows, chickens, and more that sing and dance and have entertained kids for years. Best of all, all activities are FREE.
8. Stuart’s Fruit Farm – Granite Springs
A family-operated farm since 1828, Stuart’s offers about 20 different varieties of apples for picking, as well as pumpkins. The original barn now serves as a market selling fruit and produce grown on the farm. Families can also enjoy fresh-baked pies, doughnuts, and other goodies.
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Enjoy a tractor ride on the grounds of Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm. Photo courtesy of the farm
9. Wilkens Fruit & Fir Farm – Yorktown Heights
My family and I have been visiting this Westchester County farm for more than 20 years. Located just off the Taconic State Parkway, Wilkens has multiple varieties of apples to pick, a pumpkin patch, a corn maze, a bakery, a gift shop, and a playground. Parents will enjoy checking out the recently opened White Hill Vineyard.
10. Wright Family Farm – Warwick
There is seemingly no end to the unique, family-friendly activities at this farm, including a cow train, rubber duck races, pumpkin bowling, goat walk, and pedal cart, as well as traditional favorites such as pony rides, a corn maze, and a pumpkin patch. (Be advised that many activities require an additional fee.)
11. Kelder’s Farm – Kerhonkson
With more than 30 farm-themed attractions, there’s something for everyone in your family at Kelder’s Farm. You can enjoy apple and pumpkin cannons, 18 holes of miniature golf, a corn maze, hay rides, fishing, the world’s largest garden gnome, and other attractions. And of course, depending on the season, you can pick fruits, vegetables, and even flowers.
12. Silverman’s Farm – Easton, CT
Conveniently located off the Merritt Parkway, Silverman’s Farm provides the full family-friendly farm experience. Open for more than 100 years, they offer pick-your-own fruit (including apples, blueberries, and peaches), an animal farm, tractor rides, a pumpkin patch, and more. And the farm's Country Market is stocked with produce, annual and perennial plants, freshly-naked pies, gifts, and collectibles.
Places featured in this article:
Barton Orchard
Outhouse Orchard
Pierson's Farm
Stuart's Fruit Farm
Wright Family Farm