Where To Pick Pumpkins In Temecula This Fall: 2024

TEMECULA, CA — Heading out to a patch or field to pick the best or biggest pumpkin isn’t just about finding the perfect Halloween jack-o-lantern. It’s a chance to head out with the family in a cherished fall tradition full of fun activities.

Many pumpkin patches and fields offer complementary activities like hayrides, corn mazes and games for the kids. Picking your pumpkin also is a good way to support the local farmers who grow them.

Pumpkins can be pricey when you head to a specialized patch. Expect to pay for admission, as well as over $10 to $20 per pumpkin. Larger pumpkins can cost over $40 each, depending on location.

Whether you plan to carve a jack-o’-lantern or just add some festive flair to your stoop, there are plenty of places to pick up a pumpkin in and around Temecula this year. Here are a few of our favorites:

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SOUTHWEST RIVERSIDE COUNTY:

• Peltzer Pumpkin Farm: 39925 Calle Contento, Temecula: Monday through Friday: 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. for $2 per person, Saturday and Sunday: 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for $4 per person: The Halloween Festival at Peltzer Pumpkin Farm is open for its 28th season through Halloween. Admission is free for Peltzer Winery Crush Club Members. Here, select the perfect Temecula-grown pumpkin for your little ones. Also, find attractions like the petting farm, pony rides, gem panning, tractor garden, train rides, John Deere carts, carnival games, pig races, and treats, and stop by the Crush House for a toast to the fall season on the porch, Temecula style.
• Big Horse Corn Maze and Harvest Festival: 33320 Temecula Parkway, Temecula: Now open, head to the Big Horse Corn Maze and Harvest Festival for all things fall fun. Purchase tickets online instead of at the door to skip the lines and see all the events and activities, including the giant inflatables, corn maze, paintball, food, and a plethora of pumpkins.
• Pumpkin Land: 40820 Winchester Road, Temecula: Head to Promenade Temecula Mall for the annual Halloween Pumpkin Land carnival. Get a wristband for playtime on the giant inflatables, and feed goats and baby pigs before you pick your perfect pumpkin. Food is available on-site.

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MURRIETA:

• Seasonal Adventures Murrieta Pumpkins: 41199 Murrieta Hot Springs Road, Murrieta: Open daily through October, there is a “huge supply of fresh pumpkins In all shapes and sizes. Come for fall decorations, mechanical rides, blow-up slides, obstacle courses, bound houses, a petting zoo, and a train, too. Be sure to look at the Know Before You Go page and follow them on Facebook For more information on opening days.

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MENIFEE:

• The Wickerd Farm: 26852 Scott Road, Menifee: Open 7 days a week, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. Visit the Wickerd Farm in Menifee to shop for pumpkins and decorate your home! “We provide wagons for our customers to shop for the ‘perfect pumpkin,’” owners say. They also sell decorations such as corn stalks and straw bales. Owners say this is an ideal picture spot and will be open until Halloween night.

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INLAND EMPIRE:

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MENTONE:

• Greenspot Farms Pumpkin Patch: 10133 Ward Way, Mentone: Head to the 28-acre family farm for fall fun, games, inflatables, horse rides, a hay maze, and, of course, the pumpkin patch. “We are excited for Halloween 2024!” Admission and parking are free, though paid activities are available on-site. “This year's pumpkin patch is bursting with colorful pumpkins of every different shape and size, the owners say. Corn stalks, hay bales, Indian and strawberry corn, and gourds are available in this place where traditions are made,” they say. “We are near Yucaipa, Redlands, 30 minutes from Riverside, and not too far from anywhere in The Inland Empire.”

MORENO VALLEY:

• Hunter's Pumpkin Patch: 12125 Day Street, Moreno Valley: Held annually in memory of Hunter, come for the food, fun, and pumpkins at Hunter's Pumpkin Patch. Open daily through Oct. 30, a variety of family-oriented activities abound here. Bring your camera for the memories, and start some new fall traditions.

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REDLANDS:

• Live Oak Canyon Pumpkin Patch: 32335 Live Oak Canyon Road, Redlands. It’s pumpkin season and Live Oak Canyon Pumpkin Patch offers over 70 attractions for families to enjoy. Rides, games, petting zoo, food and beverages are available. Check the website for admission information and prices. Parking is free.

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BEST-PRICED PUMPKINS IN RIVCO AND THE IE:

• Grocery Stores: Walmart, Sprouts, Smart & Final, Stater Bros., Aldi! Take your pick! When gathering pumpkins, your local grocery store is often the most cost-effective place—pumpkin shopping. Though it may not have the fall flare as some of the pumpkin patches across town, purchasing pumpkins from your local grocer can benefit your wallet.

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Keep in mind that carving and baking pumpkins aren’t the same. Carving pumpkins are grown in fields to be large, more vibrant in color, and relatively hollow. Their watery flesh doesn’t have the same flavor as baking pumpkins, which tend to be smaller, have thicker, harder-to-carve walls and sweeter flesh. For those, you’ll probably need to head to the grocery store.

If your pumpkin is destined for a starring role on Halloween night, here are some tips for carving a perfect jack-o’-lantern. Warren Nash on YouTube also shows a step-by-step process to make the perfect carve.

Pumpkin carving kits will go a long way in getting what you need. They typically include saws, a scooper, a drill and multiple patterns.

If you're looking for the items individually around the house, here's what you could use:

• Pumpkin. Unless you have a pumpkin-growing operation in the backyard, you'll need to pick out one you like from your local pumpkin patch or a store. Make sure it looks sturdy and clean. Remember, this is the pumpkin that will be front and center on the porch for the Halloween season.
• Curved boning knife, or serrated knife from the kitchen.
• Ice cream scoop or scraper
• Paper
• Pencil or pen
• Candle or battery-operated light
• Lighter

Steps

1. Cut it: If cutting from the top of the pumpkin, make sure to do it on an inward angle, so the top won't drop inside the pumpkin when you put it back on. Michael Natiello, creative director for The Great Jack-o'-Lantern Blaze, said it's better to cut the pumpkin from the bottom, in a series of pumpkin carving tips from Good Housekeeping. That helps prevent the sides from caving in later.
2. Gut it: Use the ice cream scoop, or your hands, to remove all the seeds and other debris from inside the pumpkin. Do a thorough cleaning and make sure nothing is left sticking to the sides.
3. Trace it: Draw your design on a piece of paper before putting it on the pumpkin itself. That way, it is easier to trace the design onto the pumpkin.
4. Make the cuts: Cut out the design. Natiello said to use a fork or pencil to poke holes around the lines. When cutting, get the big pieces of pumpkin out first and clean up the edges later.
5. Light it: Light the pumpkin with a battery-operated light or candle in a holder, place it in the pumpkin then admire your work.