Every fall season, the pumpkin patch becomes a highlight of small town life with muddy shoes, cups of warm cider and families enjoying a perfect autumn day. The very popular hot spot in Nebraska during August through September is, without a doubt, Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. This pumpkin patch is where I have made so many memories with my friends and family, and anyone, no matter age, will have a great experience.
Vala’s has many fun activities to do there other than just picking pumpkins. In fact, few people go there for the pumpkins. They go there for the experience. Vala’s has lots of things to do, and I never find myself bored. They have many attention grabbers, such as the corn maze, barnyard obstacle courses, barnyard sports, jumping pillows and the Storybook Barn and Garden. This place is family-friendly and doesn’t have much of a scare factor. The scariest things there are the haunted houses, the Spook Shed and the Lost Pumpkin Mine. I wouldn’t even consider these haunted houses, and they are interactive with buttons to press that make the characters speak.
Along with fun activities, there are also many engaging rides. One of my favorites is Tim’s Runway Grain Wagons, which is a small rollercoaster that isn’t necessarily scary, but it is still fun to go on. Some other interesting rides include Freya’s Egg Spinners, Jan’s Carousel, Cousin Lauren’s Racin’ Pigs and the Barnyard Adventure Ride. I have been on all of these, and it is safe to say that they provide a fun time. Another one of their most famous rides is The Pumpkin Creek Train Ride, which is a train that goes through the pumpkin patch and sees all of the fields and attractions. This used to cost money to ride, but they recently made it free to all visitors. If you ever go, I definitely recommend.
The Pumpkin Patch also provides lots of delicious food places to eat. My personal favorite is the Cookie Coop, where they sell cookie cones or buckets. They are so warm and soft, and they melt on my tongue. I definitely think that it is a place you must stop at. I also really enjoy food at the Dairy Barn. Their chicken and fries are to die for! Other popular locations to get within the patch are The Pie Barn, the Cider Mill and Grandma’s Kitchen. I absolutely love the Cider Mill’s apple cider, especially their cider slushies and donuts. Every time I go, I make sure to get a gallon of cider to take home.
This fun and memorable pumpkin patch does have one downside, and that is the insane prices. A one-day pass is $25 for weekdays and $43 for weekends per person. A season pass is $100 per person. The season pass option makes sense, but the day pass price is a lot! No one wants to pay over $50 for themselves, let alone their whole family. Bigger families would have to pay over $200, and that definitely brings their customer rate down a bit. Despite this, they are still an extremely popular spot in town.
All in all, I had a fantastic experience at Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. It really puts me in the Halloween spirit, and I look forward to it every year. In my opinion, it is the best part of fall.
Vala’s is located at 12102 S 180th St. It is open this season through Nov. 2.
