Santa Cruz This Weekend: Pumpkin Patches, Corn Mazes & Fall Fun
A little coastal.
A little spooky.
Pumpkins by the ocean. Cider at the farm. Open studio doors. Here’s how to spend a very Santa Cruz fall weekend.
Fall here has its own personality. We get pumpkin fields along the coast, a farm festival above the bay, and artists welcoming us into the places where they create. This weekend, there’s plenty of reason to put down the phone and go find a little of it.
Pick your pumpkin.
Lose your way.
Start with Rodoni Farms, just north of Santa Cruz. There are pumpkins to choose from, hay bales, seasonal photo spots, and a five-acre corn maze for anyone who likes an outing with a few wrong turns.
Go with friends, bring the family, or make it a relaxed date. Take your time finding a pumpkin with a little personality.
Where: 4444 Coast Road, off Highway 1
Maze: $10 ages 5+; under 5 free
Pumpkins: Priced by size; purchased separately
Dogs: Welcome on a leash
Bring cash or use Venmo or PayPal; checks are also accepted. Rodoni does not accept credit cards. Comfortable shoes are a good idea for the fields.
Plan a pumpkin stop ↗Cider, music &
one more slice.
The UCSC Harvest Festival is a whole afternoon of fall: cider pressing, pumpkin painting, flower pressing, tractor rides, and an apple pie bake-off.
Live music from Sambada and Lucas Lawson, plus local food trucks, makes this an easy place to settle in for a while.
Where: UCSC Farm · 152 Farm Road
Admission: $5 general; free for children under 12, current UCSC, Hartnell and Cabrillo students, and Friends of the UCSC Farm & Garden members
Park in East Remote Lot 104. A shuttle runs every 10–15 minutes, 10:45 a.m.–3:30 p.m. ADA parking is in Lot 168. Expect uneven farm paths; bring a water bottle. Service animals only.
Festival details + tickets ↗
How many apples
have you tried?
Wilder Ranch hosts its Harvest Festival on October 17, and the Monterey Bay chapter of California Rare Fruit Growers is bringing an apple tasting with up to 70 varieties.
Sample a few unfamiliar favorites, ask about apples that grow locally, and spend some time in the park’s historic ranch setting.
Tasting fee: $5 individual / $8 couple / $10 family
Parking: Park lists $10 vehicle day use
Where: Wilder Ranch State Park, off Highway 1
The tasting fee is separate from parking. On arrival, check in and take a number so you can enjoy the festival while you wait.
Apple tasting details ↗Wilder Ranch visitor information ↗
Art, monsters &
a pumpkin with a twist.
Follow the art.
It’s All County weekend for the Open Studios Art Tour. Visit participating artists in their studios, see how the work comes together, and perhaps find a piece you’ll want to live with.
October 17–18 · 11 a.m.–5 p.m.
Studios throughout Santa Cruz County. Look for the “All County” designation in the artist guide.
A very Santa Cruz kind of spooky.
The Festival of Monsters brings writers, comics, and games downtown. Try the free “Devilish Discussion” at the MAH, monster-themed games at Game Santa Cruz, or an author appearance at Atlantis Fantasyworld.
MAH discussion: 2–3:30 p.m.
Monster-themed games: 2–5 p.m.
Atlantis Fantasyworld: 4–5 p.m.
This pumpkin patch floats.
Trade the field for the pool at Simpkins Family Swim Center. The Floating Pumpkin Patch combines swimming for pumpkins with decorating, games, prizes, and open swim time.
October 17 · 4–7 p.m.
979 17th Avenue, Santa Cruz
Listed admission: $20. Check registration and availability with the organizer.
Meet your local makers.
The Santa Cruz Makers Market brings more than 40 artisan vendors to Pacific Avenue. Leave room for browsing, a lunch stop, and a few nearby Open Studios visits.
Sunday, October 18
1100 block of Pacific Avenue, between Cathcart and Lincoln streets. Confirm market hours on the city calendar.
Go find your kind of fall.
Maybe it’s a pumpkin you can barely carry. Maybe it’s an apple you’ve never tasted, a painting you keep thinking about, or an afternoon that doesn’t need much of a plan.
There’s a little of all of it here.