It’s almost autumn in Maryland, and that can mean only two things: days spent wandering outside admiring the beautiful changing of the leaves, and fun-filled family adventures out in the pumpkin patch searching for the perfect gourd to shape into your next jack-o-lantern art project. Since we know you’re itching to get started, here’s our list of the eight best pumpkin patches in Maryland to visit this fall! See which pumpkin patch in Maryland you want to visit first.

1. Baugher’s Orchard

Out in Westminster, Baugher’s Orchard offers some of the best October pumpkin picking you could hope for. Hop aboard the hayride and head out to the fields to grab your favorite one, and don’t forget to nab one of their famous apple cider slushies, which are one of my favorite fall treats! This one is available all weekends in September and October.

2. Summer’s Farm

Summer’s Farm is also home to one of the best fall festivals in Maryland, and when you get there it’s clear to see why. This festival is more like an amusement park than a temporary event, complete with a gigantic corn maze and a wide variety of pumpkins to pick. It runs from mid-September until Halloween.

3. Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch

Jumbo’s Pumpkin Patch is open daily starting on September 21 and running through Halloween. This is a family-run business in the most sincere sense; the farm has been run by the same family for seven generations. There are acres of pumpkins for you to pick, and they have a corn cannon, which has got to be one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve ever had.

4. Clark’s Elioak Farm

Clark’s Elioak Farm opens their pumpkin patch on in mid-September. All of the old Enchanted Forest attractions that Ellicott City residents fell in love with live on here, and now you can pick your own pumpkins in that fairy tale land! I think it's the most magical pumpkin patch in Maryland!

5. Butler’s Orchard

Butler’s Orchard opens their pumpkin festival on September 21, and they really bring the house down. It runs through early November and offers a huge selection of entertainment options in addition to pumpkin picking. They have some of the best caramel apples you’ll ever try, live music, and a corn pool. What a great place to celebrate fall in Maryland!

6. Homestead Farms

This family-owned and operated farm out in Poolesville opens its pumpkin patch in late September and runs it until Halloween. It’s a simpler, more down-to-earth affair, but you can feed their alpacas and pick flowers in addition to the pumpkins!

7. Lockbriar Farms

Lockbriar Farms also opens in mid-September, when the weather has grown chillier out in Chestertown, and runs until Halloween. They boast the largest pumpkins out on the Eastern Shore, with tons of events and produce to go around.

8. Queen Anne Farm

This spot in Mitchellville, Maryland was built for pumpkin picking season. The pumpkin house overlooking the patch is famous for its autumny appeal, and the scenic countryside foliage encourages visitors to thrive on the brisk air and the rural atmosphere.

What is your favorite pumpkin patch in Maryland to visit? Did yours make the list? Let us know!

Looking for an interesting pumpkin carving idea that will set your porch above the pack this Halloween? Check out this Bookshop.org listing for a fun and culturally unique spin on your usual jack-o-lantern stencils!