The best pumpkin patches are farms first and attractions second. At the Petaluma Pumpkin Patch, just north of town on Highway 101, the pumpkins are picked straight from the vine — grown sustainably on the same ground the maze is cut from.
This is the patch's 34th season. It is run by Jim Groverman, a fourth-generation Petaluma farmer, who grows roughly fifty varieties of pumpkins, squash and gourds with his wife. That depth of variety is the quiet difference here: beyond the standard jack-o'-lantern orange, the field holds the knobbly, the striped and the ghost-white.
The maze with a reputation
Farmer Jim designs a new corn maze every year, and the patch says Reader's Digest ranked it among the top nine in the world. Daytime maze entry is $9, the night maze $13 — the weekend night maze is the version locals talk about. Beyond the maze: farm animals, weekend pony rides, face painting, a toddler maze, rubber duck races and food vendors.
The weekend plan
Come in the afternoon, work the maze before the light goes, then pick your pumpkins while the field is still golden. Note the practical bits from the farm: no outside food or beverages, pets stay home, and the maze runs on cash (there is an ATM on site). Sunday through Thursday the patch runs 10am to 7pm; Friday and Saturday it stays open until 10pm.