Top 18 reasons to visit Gaver Farms, MD this Fall Festival (2023)
If you are looking for a place to visit for the Fall Festival, then look no further than Gaver Farms, MD! There are over 65 attractions for families and kids to explore. It was our first time going to Gaver Farms, MD and we had a blast. We were here for about 4 hours and still did not go through the entire farm.
Fall festivals in Maryland are a great way to experience the fall season, and what better way than to check out Gaver Farms.
The annual Fall Festival at Gaver Farm is a must-visit destination, offering an array of family-friendly activities that brilliantly capture the spirit of the season. Get lost in a Maryland corn maze, pick your perfect pumpkin, or sip on fresh apple cider – the charm of Gaver Farm in the fall is an experience not to be missed.
Why you need to visit Gaver farms, MD for Fall Festival
Here are some of our top reasons for visiting Gaver farms, MD for the fall festival.
1. Touch a tractor
On September 2nd and 3rd, 2023, they had Touch a tractor days where kids were able to see and touch tractors, trucks, lawnmowers, and other farm machines throughout the day.
My kids were blown away, especially my son. They loved climbing onto the tractors and pretending they were driving them round the farm. My son probably went on every tractor at the farm.
2. Apple Cider Donuts
They have one of the best apple cider donuts I have ever had. My kids tore up all the donuts in seconds. The donuts are so yummy especially when gotten fresh and hot from the Barn bakery.
This year, they also have a new item called the Fall Shake Up which is their famous apple cider slushie layered with soft serve ice cream and topped with a delicious hot apple cider donut for $10.95.
3. Corn maze
They also have corn mazes to explore and you could easily spend hours trying to make your way out. We did not spend long in the maze as at this point we had been at the farm for over 3 hours and the kids were ready to get lost in the maze.
4. Petting farm
I really loved their animal barnyard, it was full of several animals like rabbits, goats, alpacas, ponies etc. We also got some feed and were able to feed some of the animals.
Next to most of the animal sections are hand sanitizers which was great to ensure everyone was well sanitized.
5. Tons of games to play
Gaver farms had so many games for families to enjoy. There were bubble stations, hula hoops, tic tac toe, playground sets, fall wall ball, basketball toss, bouncy ball section and so much more!
We could not go round all the farm games as they were that many and my kids spent so much time at each section.
6. Ropestackle Ninja course
This was one of our favorite things to do at Gaver farms this year. It’s a big obstacle course section that is perfect for both young and older kids. There is something for both age groups to try. There was a climbing wall as well, rope climbing challenges, balance boards etc.
It is located close to the entrance and thus one of the first things we did, and the kids were full of energy going through it.
7. Huge slides
There were so many slides at the farm and each one was different in its own way. When we entered the farm area, there was a huge slide where we climbed the stairs to get to the top. Then there are also hill slides, silo slides, double barrel slides and more! We did the double barrel slide and hill slide a ton of times.
8. Corn cribs
I have a love hate relationship with the corn cribs. There is a Twin Bins section that housed the corn cribs. My kids absolutely loved playing in the corn which was great but when they came out, they were as dusty as can be due to the corn.
Their hair and shoes had corn in them which was hilarious but annoying to clean at home. But the smile on their faces made it worth it.
9. Beach section
This was one other area we ended up spending about 20 mins. It’s a small, shaded hut or something with beach sand and beach toys. The kids played in there and pretended to be restaurant owners serving me up so many yummy goodies.
10. Jumping pillows
We loved the jumping pillows. There are two of them, one for taller jumpers and one for smaller jumpers. There was a height to double check before deciding which pillow to jump on. They also had little cubbies for kids to store their shoes away.
11. Hayride for Pumpkin and apple picking
We went on the hayride twice and nearly even went a third time. Initially we planned to go apple picking but the kids decided they would rather stay on the hayride. The hayride was free and included in the admission fee.
The pumpkin patch here is free to enter so guests do not need to get admission tickets to ride the tractor hayride.
12. Barn bakery
The Barn bakery offers delicious goodies such as Pies, fudge, hot nuts, cookies, brownies and more.
13. Shop
At the exit of the farm is the shop which sells a wide variety of things such as preserves, local honey, apple cider, carving tools, scarecrows, fall and home decor, toys, and bakery goods like cider donuts, pumpkin donut holes, farm fresh fudge and more!
14. Color Maze
This was a quick and colorful maze that the kids could run around in.
Gaver Farm, MD Features only available on Fall Festival weekends
These features are only available on weekends, so plan accordingly if you would love to do these with your kids!
15. Pedal Karts
There were different sizes and varieties of pedal karts and it was great to see the kids try to pedal around in the kart area. I had to give the toddlers a couple pushes as it was quite hard for them to do it on their own.
16. Country Cruisers
I personally enjoyed the country cruisers with the kids. Only bummer was you have to be I believe over 50 pounds to sit at the back and under a certain weight to sit in front. I obviously sat at the back to drive, my twins had to sit in front but my 8 year old was too small for the back seat and thus could not ride with us.
Thankfully she was able to ride the other type of country cruiser although by herself, so she did not find it as fun.
17. Cow Train
We did not end up going on the cow train, but it looked so cute! It goes through the Gaver Farm Christmas Tree fields and they have sits where parents can sit with their kids to enjoy the ride and view the scenery of Gaver farms, MD
18. Gem Mining
I believe this is new this year. They had 3 different price points for the mining items. We chose the gem stones since the kids are smaller and only cared about looking at the stones.
They had other fun treasure items such as fossils, arrowheads and seashells. The kids lit up when they mined and saw the variety of beautiful gemstones they had found.
Things to know before visiting Gaver Farms, MD
Fall season: The Fall Season runs from September 1 – October 31, 2023!
Pick Your Own pumpkins available daily and apples available on weekends.
Address: 5501 Detrick Rd Mt. Airy, MD 21771
Parking: There are lots of free on-site parking
Admission cost: Tickets are required for kids 2 years & older
$13.50 weekdays
$18.75 (weekend in September)
$21 (weekends in October)
$50 Season passes
Areas of the farm that do NOT require a ticket for access: Farm Market, Donut Hut, Barn Grill, hayrides, pick your own pumpkins, apples and sunflowers.
Hours of operation: 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
Bathrooms: There are tons of port-a-potties at every corner.
Stroller: It is stroller friendly
Final thoughts on Gaver Farms, MD
A visit to Gaver Farms in Maryland during the fall festival season promises an unforgettable experience for the entire family. The vibrant, sprawling pumpkin patches, the smell of freshly baked pies and apple cider doughnuts, the delightful hayrides, and the enchanting corn mazes all create an amazing experience at Gaver farms.
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