09/25/2026
The pumpkin is never the point. You can grab one at the grocery store for a few dollars on your way home, and every parent knows it. The morning out is the whole thing.
Here's where we'd take little kids this October:
- Bates Nut Farm, Valley Center. Free to get in, pony rides (75-pound limit), and most activities are $2.50. Parking runs $10 on October weekends and it's free on weekdays.
- Pumpkin Station, with locations in Del Mar, Bonita, National City, and Escondido. Free entry and parking, and all the rides are $5. The Bonita location is the stroller-friendly one.
- Oma's Family Farm, Lakeside. Open Thursday through Saturday, 9am to 8pm. The tractor wagon ride is $5 a person.
- Goff Family Patch, Liberty Station. Completely free.
One tip: go on a weekday if you can. Same pumpkins, half the crowd, and no $10 parking line at Bates.
Full guide with all the details: https://sitterwise.com/post/san-diego-pumpkin-patches-with-kids/
And if there's a baby in the mix who still naps on a schedule, we'll send a trusted, referred caregiver to your home or hotel so the big kids can do the hayride while the littlest one sleeps through it. More at sitterwise.com.
