October is FINALLY here! And although we’re still a week or so away from comfortably sipping hot chocolate by the fire pit, we no longer have to feel self-conscience about putting out the fall decor or getting on with the oh-so-important business of Halloween costume planning.

October also means it’s Pumpkin Patch season. To help you out with the hunt for the perfect patch, here’s the Junior’s annual Pumpkin Patch Superlist!

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Arlington 

Gather up your wee pumpkins and head to the Patch at First Christian Church in Arlington this weekend. Beside a bounty of pumpkins and great photo opportunities, games, decoration stickers, and fun activities for all ages. It’s the perfect outing for everyone. Open daily through Oct. 31.

Dallas 

Speaking of photo ops, if it’s the perfect pumpkin patch pic you’re looking for, there’s no better place to snap the itty bitties in their Halloween costumes than the Dallas Arboretum. During their annual Autumn at the Arboretum event, the garden brings in thousands of colorful florals and 50,000 pumpkins, gourds and squashes to create its famous Pumpkin Village. To put you in a Halloween state of mind, the garden has chosen “It’s The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” as the theme this year! Snap selfies with Charlie Brown, Peppermint Patty, and Marcie behind the iconic brick wall, get lost with Pig Pen in the hay bale maze, or see the Peanuts Gang in their gourd decorated house. Open daily through Oct. 31.

The Pumpkin Patch at St. James Episcopal Church is one of the most popular fall traditions in Lake Highlands. During this fall season, thousands of pumpkins of every size, shape, and variety will be sold in the patch. Proceeds from pumpkin sales fund the church’s youth group. The patch is located at the intersection of Audelia and McCree, just north of Northwest Highway and is open daily through Oct. 31.

Get into the spirit of autumn with a romp through NorthPark Center’s pumpkin patch. The 1.4-acre green space located in the center of the mall is all decked out with gourds, corn, and pumpkins of all shapes and sizes. It’s the perfect size for toddler exploring and also a great place to snap a cute seasonal picture. After you’re done playing amongst the pumpkins, be sure to stop by the Dallas Public Library’s BookMarks to check out some Halloween books and movies. You’ll find the branch is just inside CenterPark’s north entrance by La Duni bakery. The CenterPark Patch is open daily through Oct. 31.

Grand Prairie

The pumpkin patch at The Woods United Methodist Church in Grand Prairie has oodles of pumpkins to choose from and best of all, it’s open during the whole week. Their hours are Monday-Saturday 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sundays 12 p.m.-7 p.m. through October 31.

Photo: Hall’s Pumpkin Farm

Grapevine

Stop by Hall’s Pumpkin Farm in Grapevine for Pumpkin-palooza! Big pumpkins, little pumpkins, sweet pie pumpkins, and gourds of all kinds. Since it’s a genuine pumpkin farm you can pick your perfect pumpkin off the vine or you can select one that’s been pre-picked at one of the many pumpkin vignettes scattered throughout the farm. Besides all the pumpkins there are also farm animals to pet, a vintage tractor for hayrides, and a huge 2-acre corn maze to explore with friends and family. They’re open daily through Oct. 31.

Flower Mound

If you’re wanting a little bit of everything, check out the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch at the Double Oaks Ranch. The patch has hundreds of pumpkins ranging in size from the very small to the largest you’ll ever see. Besides a bumper crop of pumpkins, there are also plenty of activities like mazes, bounce houses and hayrides to keep the kiddos entertained, and best of all, they’re all free of charge. Open daily through Oct. 31.

Frisco

Pumpkins on the Prairie is celebrating its 16th year of pumpkiny fun. Pick the best pumpkin in the patch, play on a bounce house, run through a hay maze, take a hayride, or just play some games in the “Kid’s Patch” at this family-friendly event located at Grace United Methodist Church in Frisco. Open daily through Oct. 31.

Photo: Storybook Ranch

McKinney

Storybook Ranch in McKinney celebrates fall with a western flair. Not only is there a pumpkin patch, but you can also explore its 1800s Western Town. Kids can enjoy pony rides,  a hay maze, a petting zoo, bounce houses and a wagon ride through the 1800s town. You can feel good about going to this patch because all the proceeds go to support the River Ranch Educational Charities which include helping underprivileged and special needs children experience a bit of the ranch life. Open daily through Oct. 31

Plano

Come purchase your perfect pumpkin and support the youth group at Christ United Methodist Church in Plano. This year marks the 16th year of the annual Pumpkin Patch and its open daily through Oct. 31

Red Tent Market at The Shops at Willow Bend is getting into the pumpkin patch game for the first time this year. You and the littles can have your pick of pumpkins in all shapes and sizes. Plus, there will be gourds, bales of hay, corn stalks, and holiday decorations for sale as well and a fun hay maze for all to explore for a $5 fee. The Patch will be open daily through Oct. 31

Northern Counties

Enjoy simple pleasures at the Big Orange Pumpkin Farm at Preston Trail Farms. Pick a pumpkin right off the vine at this working farm just a 40-minute drive from Plano. Experience the country life as you take a hayride, explore a 6-foot hay maze, ride the farm train, or pet some farm animals. Open daily through Nov. 27.

Fall is in the air and the Pumpkin Patch at Creekwood United Methodist Church in Allen is open for business! Stop by for pumpkins of all sizes and colors, gourds, and bales of hay. Take pictures by the patch and even check out their famous big red barn. The patch is open daily through Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to dusk.

Photo: Blase Family Farm

Eastern Counties

Pack up the family and head to Blase Family Farm in Rockwall. Your family will enjoy a petting zoo featuring longhorns, goats and sheep, a hayride around the wooded grounds, and pumpkins galore.  Open daily through Oct. 31.

The Gentle Zoo in Forney also doubles as a pumpkin patch and a petting zoo. You can ride the Halloween tractor, run through the maze, play some games, and make some very cute four-legged friends to boot. It’s true–they really do love being petted. After you got your cuteness quota taken care of, head over to the giant tent to pick out your perfect pumpkin. Open daily through Nov. 3.

One of my favorite seasonal jaunts is to the Fall Festival at Yesterland Farm in Canton. Originally a Christmas tree farm, the owners expanded it to include a pumpkin patch. But hold on, the autumnal wonderland doesn’t end there. The place is packed to the gills with fall fun. There are rides for the kids, a candy cabin, a three-acre corn maze, pig races, and miles and miles of pumpkins. There’s also an after-hours Fright Farm where you can get into a paintball fight with zombies, or take a scary hayride. Both the Fright Farm and the tamer Fall Festival are open weekends through Nov. 3.

Photo: Mainstay Farm

Southwestern Counties

Fall has arrived at Country Critters Farm in Alvarado. Treat your little pumpkins to pony rides, bounce houses, hayrides, duck races, and my favorite, storytime. Kids can listen to a seasonal story while enjoying a cookie and apple juice. (Parents get to try out the homemade pumpkin bread).  The farm is open weekends through Nov. 17.

The journey to pick out the perfect pumpkin is part of the fun at Lone Star Family Farm in Stephenville. That’s because you get to take a hayride out to the pumpkin patch and back. Besides the patch, the farm offers a bumper crop of attractions that are fun for the whole family. Highlights include a giant 8-acre corn maze, and smaller mini maze, a cow train, and hay bale mountain that kids can climb up and then take a slide down. Lone Star Family Farm is open Friday through Sunday through Nov. 9.

Catch up with the Great Pumpkin at Mainstay Farm, in Cleburne. Besides the obligatory pumpkin patch and a wooden corn maze, there is also a hayride that goes over hill and dale, a one-of-a-kind giant house made out of pumpkins, a huge three-story treehouse, a 100-foot long super chute slide, and get this… a jumping pillow! I don’t know about you, but a jumping pillow sounds like a great way to spend a fall afternoon. Family Pumpkin Days are weekends through Nov. 3.

If you’re a pumpkin lover you’re going to be in heaven at Shadow Creek Pumpkin Farm. The family-owned business in Midlothian offers over 40 varieties of pumpkins for you to pick from. If you don’t like dealing with the mess of carving a Jack-O-Lantern you can carve and decorate them right there on the farm. Besides the pumpkin patch, they also offer a 2-acre corn maze and plenty of activities for the tinies. They can pedal around on a mini tractor, play a game of yard Yahtzee, or swing on one of the 30 tree swings around the grounds. Best of all, the farm features over 10 acres of creekside shade. Open weekends through Oct. 27.

For even more seasonal fun, check out our complete list of fall fun featuring area haunted houses and fall festivals