The Cool Patch Pumpkin Corn Maze in Dixon is huge, like World Record huge. I recently took my four kids (ages 5-12) for our annual pumpkin-picking trip on a hot Sunday morning, and long story short, it’s epic. With about an hour drive to contend with, as well as scorching temps, pricey tickets and over an hour hiking through the maze, it is not for the faint of heart. But for those with an adventurous spirit and a good sense of direction, Cool Patch Pumpkins is well worth a visit.
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Cool Patch Pumpkins Corn Maze for Kids
As I mentioned, this maze is epic. According to the sign at the entrance, the corn maze won a 2014 Guinness Book World record. The recommendation is that you allow for one to two hours to navigate the entire maze (it’s 60+ acres). We went with a another family and so we split into groups and staggered our entrance to the maze to see who would reach the end first. The moms stuck with the younger kids (ages 5-7), while the older kids tried it on their own (they had a phone/tracker though just in case they got too too lost).
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After about 32 minutes, the younger kids were hot and needed a snack and water (fair; it was already in the 80’s with limited shade). After that little break, we pushed through to the finish in about 52 minutes. The bigger kids took a bit longer, though they made sure to hit all the bridges, taking closer to and hour and fifteen minutes.
ProTip: If this seems too much for your little kids, there’s also a mini maze they can try for free. FYI, there are no strollers or wagons allowed in the big maze, so be sure to bring a carrier for your toddler, or some candy to entice them through to the end (lollipops worked for us).
And what if you get lost? They encourage you NOT to call 911, but carefully walk between the rows of corn until you exit the maze. Then, walk back around the outside edge until you return to the plaza. If you’re like me and need your GPS to find just about anything, make sure to grab a map before heading into the maze.
Cool Patch Pumpkins Pumpkin Patch
Any and all pumpkins are available for purchase at the Cool Patch, so you can either pick straight off the vine, or grab your favorites from the pre-picked plaza display. There are wagons available, which we saw people loading up with a cornucopia of different shaped and colored gourds. I’ve been to my fair share of pumpkin patches over the years, but this one seems to have the most diverse and plentiful collection of pumpkins to choose from (they say they have 50 different varieties!).
Pumpkins are priced by the size and quantity, so the more you buy, the better deal you get. I wasn’t entirely sure how they priced ours, but we got six medium-small pumpkins and ended up spending $30. Is that expensive? I don’t know, everything seems expensive to me these days.
All the Extras
There aren’t any jumpy houses at Cool Patch, but they do have a decently sized hay bale pyramid to climb, a corn bath, hay ride, and some cute rocking horses for kids to play on. There are also a plethora of awesome statues that’ll delight your little kids, from dinosaurs to Minions, and even a giant spider.
Food-wise, they have several concession stands available on the weekends where they have plenty of options, from hot dogs and tri-tip sandwiches to soft-serve ice cream and shaved ice. There’s also a big tent with lots of tables to relax on, which we enjoyed with some frozen treats to celebrate our conquering the maze. Concessions are pricey ($7 ice cream, $2 water, etc.), so maybe bring some snack or lunch from home to supplement.
Cool Patch Pumpkins Details
Address: 6150 Dixon Ave W, Dixon, CA 95620 | About an hour from Berkeley (or more depending on traffic).
Open/Hours:Â 2023 Season | September 23 – October 31, 2023 |9 am – 8 pm daily, gates close at 10 pm
Pricing:Â $22.00/person, 5 and under FREE | Pumpkins starting at $1.00+, priced by the size and quantity, the more you buy, the better the price. Corn Bath – $5 per person; Hay Ride – $5 per person.
Payment: Cash and Credit Cards are accepted. No Checks. There is an ATM on site.
Food: Bring your own during the week, or enjoy the concession stand Friday nights, Saturdays & Sundays. Also not far from the Nut Tree if you want to stop on your way home.
Dog Friendly: Yes! But on a leash.
Parking: Free and plentiful, but not shaded.
Bathrooms: A bunch of portable potties with hand washing stations
What to bring: Hats, sunscreen, closed-toed shoes/boots, snacks/lunch, water, kid carrier (remember no strollers/wagons in maze!), cute outfits for holiday photo, determination.
The Bottom Line
Cool Patch Pumpkin Maze is epic, unlike any pumpkin farm we’ve been to in terms of maze size and pumpkin variety. The older kids seemed to enjoy the maze the most, though the younger kiddos insist that they want to try it again next year (as long as there’s ice cream at the end). My recommendation would be to aim for arriving in the morning when it’s not as hot or crowded, and bring your own lunch and snacks. It won’t be cheap (we spent $145+), but how often can you say you’ve conquered a World Record corn maze, right?!
Thank you to Sara and family for introducing us to this fun pumpkin patch and maze!Â
