The Okanagan is in full harvest season right now. With Thanksgiving and Halloween approaching, there are lots of pumpkins available locally. Going to pumpkin patches to pick out your own pumpkins is a wonderful Fall activity.
Whether you’re looking for a small family farm, a tractor-powered tour, or an organic option, it’s available in the Okanagan. Check out these Okanagan pumpkin patches!
1. Armstrong local pumpkin patch
Now, this really is the quintessential pumpkin place! This amazing spot is located in the countryside between Vernon and Armstrong on the Glaicar’s family farm. If you are looking for a truck full of reasonably-priced, orange jack-o-lantern style pumpkins, complete with the small farm experience, this is the place.
Bring cash to pay for your pumpkins and clear out lots of space in the trunk! You might end up with more pumpkins than you planned for, as well as a few gourds, squash, and decorative corn stalks. They also have a nice photo hay wagon set up with hay bales and pumpkins for you and your whole family to take your own family photos at!
The Armstrong Pumpkin Patch is a great destination for family fun! It is conveniently located near the historic O’Keefe Ranch and its fantastic corn mazes, petting zoo and tons of other activities. Kids of all ages can enjoy finding their own pumpkin to take home, then spending an afternoon exploring the ranch just down the road!
- Days: October 1-31
- Hours: Dawn til Dusk
- Address: 642 St. Anne’s Road, Armstrong, BC
- Website: armstrongpumpkinpatch.com
2. Davison Orchards country village
The Davison Orchards pumpkin patch in Vernon, BC has all the bells and whistles. It’s pretty much the theme park of pumpkin patches in our area. This will probably be the most expensive pumpkin patch experience on this list, but it is definitely the only one where your child can meet the Pumpkin Princess! Davison Orchards also includes a bakery, large gift shop, farm market, playground, and small animal viewing corral (which is free).
Visitors cannot drive to the pumpkin patch. A tour is available from the orchard for a fee ($10 to pick one pumpkin of any size). Visitors are transported in adorable orchard crate carts, pulled by a John Deere tractor, to the orchard’s pumpkin patch. Additional pumpkins are available for sale at the farm market. The pumpkins on the tour are the orange jack-o-lantern type, but there are many other varieties available at the market, including the ever-popular white ghost pumpkins, tiny mini pumpkins, delicious culinary pumpkins, and specialty decorative pumpkins.
- Days: Wednesday – Sunday 10:00am – 4:30pm in October (get more info here)
- Hours: 10 AM – 4:30 PM
- Address: 3111 Davison Road, Vernon, BC
- Website: davisonorchards.ca
3. McMillan farms
McMillan Farms is Kelowna’s family pumpkin patch. Located south of K.L.O. Road, McMillan’s has a ton of different pumpkin and squash varieties to choose from. There is also a corn maze, pumpkin sling shot, and sunflower patch. This pumpkin patch is ready for Instagram!
Like Davison Orchards, there is no admission to enter but there is a cost to some activities. Fortunately, the prices for pumpkins and activities are very affordable and they offer family deals and freebies for little kids. Make a day of it and enjoy this wonderful family farm during harvest season!
- Days: September 25 – October 31
- Hours: 10 AM – 5 PM (open late until 6PM Thursday-Saturday)
- Address: 3690 Berard Rd, Kelowna, BC
- Website: http://www.mcmillanfarms.ca/
4. Green Croft gardens
The organic, low-key option for a pumpkin patch experience is Green Croft Gardens, a Certified Organic family farm. Green Croft operates a pumpkin patch on the honor system. You pick your own pumpkins and then place your cash into a little unmanned booth.
They offer many different kinds of pumpkins, including larger ghost pumpkins than available elsewhere, and also the beautiful, rich, red cinderella pumpkins. This is also the only location I’ve found selling scarified pumpkins, which have messages written on the pumpkin’s skin. Bring cash, and note that the pumpkin patch is located approximately 2 km from the main farm store (near the intersection of Meadowview Road and Riverbend Road).
- Days: End of September – End of October (NOTE – not open for 2021 season)
- Hours: Dawn til Dusk
- Address: 42 Meadowview Road, Grindrod, BC
- Website: greencroftgardens.com