October in Louisiana finally gives you a reason to stand in a field on purpose. From a 12-acre corn maze near Dry Creek to a farm outside Calhoun that sells homemade ice cream next to the gourds, the state’s fall farms cover a lot of ground.
Some are full-day festivals with zip lines and pig races, while others are simple weekend stops with hay mazes and photo walls. Here are seven that earn the gas money, with the details you need before you load up the car.
1. CM Farms | Louisiana Pumpkin & Strawberry Fest, Dry Creek, LA
Twelve acres of corn sit at the center of the fall festival at CM Farms, and that maze alone could fill an afternoon. Out here in the piney country of Beauregard Parish, the farm turns into a full-scale fall fair on weekends, with more than 50 attractions spread across the property.
Wagon rides roll past Longhorn cows and Gulf Coast Native Sheep. Kids bounce on a giant jumping pillow, slide down Dirt Mountain, cheer at pig races, and burrow into the corn box.
A Learning Barn Museum and live milking demonstrations add some farm education between the louder stuff, and the pumpkin barn is where most families end up choosing their haul.
Plan around a weekend-only schedule: Saturdays run 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with the fall season running from late September into mid-November. A Not-So-Spooky Carnival is planned for October 31 and November 1.
Parking is free on site.
General admission for ages 3 and up was listed at $18.95, with online discounts available. Pony rides, gemstone mining, and a paintball shooting gallery cost extra, so budget a little beyond the gate if the kids have eyes on everything.
Festival food, gifts, face painting, and seasonal milkshakes round out the day at 252 CM Farms Road.
2. Poche’s Patch & Maze, Lafayette, LA
Not every fall outing needs to swallow a whole Saturday. Poche’s Patch & Maze, on Guilbeau Road in Lafayette, keeps things compact and close to home, which makes it a handy after-school stop as much as a weekend plan.
The farm grew out of a family wanting a pumpkin patch nearby, and it still feels scaled to that idea. A 10-foot-tall maze is the headliner, joined by a hay bale maze, a tree house, a jungle bus, culvert slides, obstacle courses, and a zoo jump zone.
A book walk mixes reading into the wandering.
Photo spots are a big part of the setup. The How Tall This Fall wall lets families mark a child’s height each year, which turns a quick visit into a running tradition.
Newer additions include a 60-foot ball run and a Learn Louisiana bean bag toss built around state facts.
Hours are limited, so check before heading out. The patch opens Thursday and Friday from 3:30 to 6 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., roughly October 1 through November 1.
Entry has been $10, with pumpkins at $5 each, and it is cash only. Free parking sits right on site, and field trips and birthday parties can be booked.
3. Cajun Country Corn Home of Louisiana Maze LLC, Amite City, LA
Here is a fair warning: show up expecting rows of pumpkins on the vine and you may be surprised. Cajun Country Corn, along LA-16 outside Amite City, is built around the maze first, and the farm leans into that identity with its name.
The corn maze is the main event, and the farm also runs a haunted maze that is designed with real care for the season. Some years the stalks come in shorter than others, a reminder that this is an actual field subject to Louisiana weather, yet the paths still deliver a good wander.
Around the maze sits a spread of farm-themed entertainment. Tractor rides come with a driver who keeps the commentary lively, and there are slides, a basketball setup, and a jumping area for kids who need to burn energy.
Food is served on site, and restrooms are available, which matters on a long afternoon in Tangipahoa Parish.
Pricing is on the affordable side compared with the bigger festival farms, so it works well for families trying to stretch a fall budget. Staff are friendly and quick to help first-timers find their way.
Call 225-939-8305 or check the farm’s website for current dates and haunted maze nights before making the drive up from Hammond or Baton Rouge.
4. Indian Village Harvest Farm, Calhoun, LA
Homemade ice cream might be the best-kept argument for a fall drive to Ouachita Parish. Indian Village Harvest Farm, on Guyton Swamp Road in Calhoun, pairs its pumpkins with a farm stand that sells produce, honey, and jellies, so the trip home tends to include more than a gourd in the trunk.
The farm works across seasons, with strawberries in spring and Christmas trees in winter, and fall brings the pumpkin picking. That year-round rhythm gives it the feel of a working produce farm rather than a pop-up attraction.
Families will find a playground, hay rides, face painting, a maze, and a petting zoo. Picnic tables make it easy to pack lunch and stay a while, which suits the slower pace of a farm a few miles west of Monroe.
Listed hours are Wednesday and Thursday from 3 to 6 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday from 1 to 6 p.m., with Monday and Tuesday closed. Seasonal dates shift, and the farm asks visitors to call or text 318-235-3228 or follow its Facebook page for openings.
A quick message before leaving saves a wasted trip.
5. Curry Farms, Inc., Rayville, LA
Forty-plus years of family ownership shows in how Curry Farms handles October. The Richland Parish farm, outside Rayville, saves its entertainment for fall only, and it packs that short season with enough to keep kids busy for hours.
Pumpkins come in more than the standard orange. Visitors pick and buy their own, and some carry unusual colors that make a porch display stand out.
From there, the day branches into a corn maze, hayrides through the property, and the Caterpillar Choo Choo mini train.
The play areas get creative with farm materials. A corn box works like a sandbox filled with shelled corn, tire swing ponies spin on the Horse-A-Round, and a giant climbing spider web and multi-level hay barn give climbers plenty of room.
Pedal carts, culvert races, a hay slide, and a Goat Walk fill in the rest.
A concession stand and picnic area mean nobody has to leave hungry. Pumpkin season generally opens the first weekend of October and wraps on the last Sunday of the month, and admission was $15 per person in 2024.
Hours run 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Thursday through Saturday, and 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday, with free parking at 548 Robinson Drive.
6. Mrs. Heather’s Pumpkin Patch, Hammond, LA
Thousands of pumpkins scattered across the fields make the first impression at Mrs. Heather’s, and that sheer volume is the point. The Hammond patch spreads its picking areas throughout the property, so hunting for the right pumpkin becomes part of the walk rather than a stop at a pile.
For more than three decades, the farm has shaped its fall season around young kids. Rows of hay bales invite climbing, a tire horse ride spins, and a zip line, giant jumping pillow, and tunnel slide handle the bigger thrills.
A corn maze and hay maze offer two levels of challenge, and a short wooded nature trail gives everyone a quieter break.
Small lessons slip into the fun. Kids can see how pumpkins grow, look at cotton plants, and try milking a pretend cow, while weekend pumpkin painting and face painting add a craft angle.
Duck racing, pedal tractors, swings, and a merry-go-round fill out the grounds.
The patch runs daily from mid-September through mid-November, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., rain or shine. Admission has been $10 per child, cash only, with accompanying adults free and adults without children paying $10.
That pricing makes it one of the friendlier deals in Tangipahoa Parish. Find it at 11215 Lees Lane.
7. LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens, Baton Rouge, LA
Five miles of walking paths, a rose garden, and a wetlands area make Burden a peaceful spot most of the year. Come October, the LSU AgCenter Botanic Gardens on Essen Lane adds a 3-acre corn maze, and the grounds take on a much livelier Saturday personality.
The Corn Maze at Burden runs in two-hour sessions on October Saturdays and the first Sunday of the month, with 2026 dates including October 3, 4, 10, 17, 24, and 31. Beyond the maze, a hayride carries guests out to a sunflower field.
A corn crib for digging, a petting farm, Hay Mountain, giant games, a pumpkin patch, and local food vendors fill out each session.
A Night Maze is set for Friday, October 30, from 6 to 9 p.m., with campfire marshmallows, games, food, and live music from Swampland Revival. It gives older kids and grown-ups a cooler, after-dark version of the same fields.
Day tickets are $17.50 for ages 13 and up and $15 for ages 3 to 12, while kids 2 and under get in free. Night Maze tickets are $20.
Sessions often sell out, so buy ahead online. Restrooms are on site, and the staff know these gardens well.