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Arata Pumpkin Farm
Categories: Food Active Life Parks Local Flavor Food, Parks, Local Flavor [Edit]
185 Verde DriveHalf Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 726-7548
- Price Range:
-
$$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- Yes
- Parking:
- Private Lot
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
69 reviews for Arata Pumpkin Farm
Review Highlights
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"They have animals and pony rides and tons and tons of..." In 13 reviews -
"Petting zoo, complete with -very- friendly goats." In 22 reviews -
"...patch, play grounds, choo-choo train, petting zoo, hay maze..." In 4 reviews
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69 reviews in English
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Review from stephanie l.
Laguna Beach, CA
12/20/2011
I brought friends from out of town here. I had not been before but had driven past a million times wanting to go try it.
INCREDIBLE! Talk about a fun afternoon. The maze was shockingly difficult. I thought it would be like the ones I had done before that you find your way out in about 5 min. It took us about 45-50 min to find our way out. I some how kept finding the emergency exits. The best part about this place is the people who work there. So friendly and showed us the aerial shots from the previous years. Great activity for kids of ALL ages.
If you're in the Half Moon Bay area this is a must! -
Review from Lolia S.
San Francisco, CA
Updated - 11/2/2011 3 photos
One of the largest farms in the area and the oldest working pumpkin farm in San Mateo County, Arata's Farm is known for its large 2 acre Minotaur's hay bale maze ($8 day, $12 night admission). There are activities for all ages, including a petting zoo, haunted barn, jumper, hay rides, pony rides, etc. Tickets are required and the prices keep rising.
Wandering around the corn fields to view the statues (Trojan horse, ape) and pumpkins on this 6 acre farm is free. We also saw a free swordfighting show.
Pumpkins are sold by size and they're overpriced (go to Bob's). They have the standard variety, along with Cinderella pumpkins, gourds, etc. Snacks and hot dogs are available.
Credit cards accepted. Free parking.Listed in: Halloween Spirit in Half Moon…
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/30/2007
One of the larger and most popular pumpkin farms in the area, they put a great deal of effort to… Read more »
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Review from Kristine D.
Mountain View, CA
Updated - 10/24/2011
While the Arata Pumpkin Farm has a lot of fun stuff --- maze, train, all sorts of opportunities to throw hay at your siblings, farm animals and picnic areas --- it is such a pain to get into the place, it is ridiculous! When we attempted this year, we were held in a line of cars at the gate while a gruff security guard yelled a bunch of stuff into a walkie talkie before ordering us to drive up a hill to park. So we decided to spend our money in a place where we would encounter friendlier people and not have to hike in from the parking area.
I understand why this place is popular. Every year I've gone, I've felt a little badly for the folks who live around Arata. What they must put up with during the month of October! There must be a better way to handle this situation! Perhaps Arata should begin taking reservations or allow free tickets to be picked up online? It's just something to think about!Listed in: Day Tripping, Doing it Coastal Style
1 Previous Review: Show all »
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10/26/2008
If you can make your way through the madness that is the parking situation at this place and the… Read more »
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Review from L A H.
Pacifica, CA
10/30/2011
I love this place. I've done their Hay maze three times and it never gets old =] Today was the first time my friend and I tried their haunted barn, we really liked it. They are very creative. Reasonable prices too.
Oh, and I love picking out pumpkins at their patch during the Fall. -
Review from Amy L.
10/17/2011 1 photo
Arata Pumpkin Farm brings back memories for me of a childhood spent surrounded by farmland, and romping in the giant pumpkin patch that sprawled along a large part of what my town called "Main Street". While I admit that some of the magic of being a child is lost when the illusion is broken by having to fork over $12 to walk around a maze of hay bales, it's still pretty fantastic!
My partner and a friend of ours helped me overcome my fear of dark, creepy places by venturing into the afore-mentioned hay maze after dark, armed only with flashlights and a healthy dose of horror film clips flowing through our imaginations. I noticed that they've changed things up from years past, as the hallways of the maze were a lot wider. This was great, because it makes it a zillion percent easier for those requiring WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBILITY. The size and scope of the maze was a lot bigger than the last time I was at Arata, too, seeming to sprawl out for the better part of an acre of land, maybe more.
And when you get overwhelmed and want out ASAP? There are emergency exits that your co-maze-wanderers will happily help direct you to!
The displays of pumpkins and squash of all sizes and colors and varieties make me so happy! The prices are very reasonable (yes, maybe more than your local grocery store chain, but so much more beautiful and without the homogenous look of those faded-orange clones at Safeway), and they also sell goodies like fresh brussel sprouts on the stalk ($3)...mmmm!!!! My grand tally was $17 for a large gorgeous reddish-orange Cinderella pumpkin, 2 large butternut squash, and a stalk of brussel sprouts...very reasonable, no?!
For those of you wondering...there's ample FREE PARKING here, everything outside is as WHEELCHAIR ACCESSIBLE as the outdoors can get, and there's plenty to do here for people of all ages, so long as you have a love of all things Halloween and Autumn...!
I'll definitely be back next year!!! -
Review from Kailey M.
Pleasanton, CA
10/6/2011
My best friend and I came here over the weekend to get some pumpkins for her office (and one for my porch...) and we had a surprisingly good time for two ladies in their mid-twenties.
We decided to try out the hay maze, which is huge and intimidating. We were straight-up LOST for over an hour. Our mistake was pairing up with two 8-year olds who "knew the way out". After ditching our new friends and using our brains, we finally found the way out, got a great deal on some good-sized pumpkins and made some amazing memories.
I definitely plan on returning next year... -
Review from Marie P.
Pacifica, CA
I took my son here for his first pumpkin patch experience. We loved it! It is a wonderful experience for all ages. Going in the middle of the week worked out perfectly because it wasn't extremely crowded the way I would imagine it to be on a weekend. We were greeted pulling into the farm by a gentleman who pointed out a parking space for me. Now that's immediate service! We were then greeted again when we got out of the car. It was very welcoming. Because it was our first times there, I didn't even know where to start. Thus, we decided to walk around first. There is a stand where the attraction tickets were sold. Attractions being: pony rides, haunted house, petting zoo, labyrinth, train ride, jump-for-fun, etc. It was pumpkins galore...on top of everything fun to do! We first rode the train ride. The train ride is mainly for the kids, but they were nice enough to let me ride because my son wouldn't have rode without me. He loved it. We went back and forth to the pony area, but my son refused to pet them so we went to the petting area instead. There were five friendly goat and two shaggy sheep in the pen, along with three bunnies. It's always fun to see kids interact with animals. The farm has a corn field that you can walk through to get to the front end of the farm. Walking through the corn field, you'll find hundreds of pumpkins lined up waiting to be purchased! It's amazing to see what variety they had. Arata even provides wheelbarrows for customers to carry their loads of pumpkins. Just next to the ticket stand, there is Play Land - Arata's mini playground area.
Overall, the service is excellent. It's wonderful to see the actual owners running their own business. The environment is like a farm fun land, and more! -
Review from Noelle J.
10/23/2010
The World According to Noelle
Allergic Girl's Guide to Life
Arata's Pumpkin Farm is my favorite in the Half Moon Bay Area. When my hubby and I first started dating we came here to pick out pumpkins. Its our yearly tradition to come to Arata's Pumpkin Farm, take pictures with different colored pumpkins, share a slice of pumpkin pie and purchase a few pumpkins.
Family Fun Stuff
Hay Rides
Pony Rides
Petting Zoo
Haunted Barn
Children's Train
Gladiator Battles
Minotaur's Labrynth Hay Maze
There are separate charges for each of the mentioned items in the Family Fun Stuff List I made. When you first arrive you will park in a dirt parking lot- so wear sensible shoes! This is a well run local farm that provides a wonderful pumpkin picking experience!
Noelle's Notes
My favorite pumpkin patch!!! -
Review from Rachel H.
11/3/2010
Came here specifically for the hay maze and had a blast. We went during the day when there wasn't a lot of people and it took us about 45 minutes to get out. Wish I didn't have to work on weekends, otherwise I would have loved to come here when the minotaur is out and about!
We didn't buy/do anything else because it didn't seem like it was worth it. -
Review from amy m.
San Ramon, CA
10/25/2010 1 Check-in Here
What a great experience for kids.
Lots of things to see and do:
-Gladiator fights were a hit with the kids, my son loved watching the Ninja/Knights battle it out.
-Very Large Corn Maze
-Pricey Pumpkin ($6-$9) for a decent sized squash... Hey they have to make their $ someplace!
-$5 Haunted house... they let you go in/out here as many times as you want... and they are lenient with the kids... less jumping out and scaring you. This is a small haunted house (maybe 3-4scenes) so don't expect to be scared out of your skin! -
Review from Rosalind S.
San Francisco, CA
10/10/2010 1 Check-in Here
This place is kinda of a joke. I heard stories from friends that they took hours to get out of the maze and one group even had to backtrack and exit through the entrance. My BF and I got out in less than 15 mins. It cost us $7 pp. They stamp your wrist so you can reenter as many times as you want. But why? LAME!!!
I know this place is targeted towards children with the haunted barn and pony rides and other stuff but I'm I didn't partake in those activities. The maze, for a family of 4 would have been almost $30. That's highway robbery! Not to mention the two kids would most likely want to go to the haunted house, train, and petting zoo areas too...that's going to add up quick!
They don't even have a pumpkin patch! They have tables made of hay with pumpkins sitting on them and separated by type. No no noooo, I want a pumpkin patch. So we headed up to Bob's pumpkin patch, (I reviewed them too).
Parking was a little confusing so they have security (?) or parking attendants regulating traffic. I don't recommend this place at all. But then again I'm not a 5 year old child. -
Review from Michele H.
San Mateo, CA
10/23/2011 1 Check-in Here
It's not Halloween until we make our annual trip to Arata Pumpkin Farm. It's one of the few places that appeals to all the ages of our kids kids. My sister and I have 6 kids total between the ages of 17-2. We let the teens go through the corn maze by themselves and then we take the little kids through for a bit and when they get tired we use one of the many emergency exits. It is a bit pricey but no more than any other pumpkin patch that offers the same services. The staff is always very friendly and helpful. They have just about everything you could ever want ..maze, petting zoo, train ride, haunted house, play area. They even have little teepees with tables that you can use for a impromptu picnic. Overall it's a great place to go and spend a beautiful fall day.
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Review from Angelica N.
San Francisco, CA
10/17/2010
I can definitely see how everything could add up if you're paying for a whole family to participate in all the activities. Some are worth it--the labyrinth was fun, and I wish I'd gone in more than once, but others, like the face painting, seemed a tad bit lacking. But what surprised me the most, though, was the lack of delicious food offerings! Holy cash cow, they could sell hot dogs, spiced cider, burgers, anything! Instead, the Snack Shack held some chips, some candy, some other non-filling stuff. Missed opportunity.
(And as a more intellectual sidenote, I think it would be awesome if they provided an FAQ on the labyrinth. How long does it take to build it? Is the maze different every year? How much hay goes into it? etc.) -
Review from redtulip s.
Walnut Creek, CA
10/23/2011
Horrible rip off. For a family of four, we spent over $100. The day was an unusual 85F with no shade, large crowds. Will not be back.
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Review from Alex C.
San Mateo, CA
7/19/2010
(spoilers below..don't read if you don't want to know!)
Looking back on my past reviews, it seems that my lazy butt hasn't written any new reviews lately! I would blame it on writer's block, but in reality it's more along the lines of procrastination block. Hey! We all get bit by that bug from time to time right? Just some more than others.......
Anyahoo, I figured after over a 3 month hiatus in which I haven't written about anything except fast food joints, it was time for a "real" review. And what better way to start that off than with an exciting trip to Arata Farms to partake of their hay maze during the evening.
I went there over the weekend with a Meetup group and had a blast! The event coordinator had actually reserved the maze for us after hours so we had the whole place to ourselves. Unfortunately since the place was technically closed, none of the other attractions (sword fighting, petting zoo, etc...) were actually open. For that reason, and that reason only, I am unable to truly give Arata Farms a full 5/5. Maybe if I go back one day I can bump this review up!
The cost of the maze was $10/person and an additional $75 fee to rent the maze out after hours. Although most of us brought flashlights, the great thing about summer is that it is still decently bright outside even at 8pm. So no extra illumination was necessary. Although it would have been rather fun (and freaky) to be lost in that maze in the dark. On a slightly different note, they also sell strawberries there. Which were quite fresh and delicious and a great way to hydrate oneself before the start of the adventure.
As our group was about to enter the maze, we saw a team of stragglers exiting the entrance area of the maze. Considering the maze had "closed" down to the general public well over an hr ago, through our brilliant deductive genius we were able to conclude that those folks must have been trapped in that maze for over an hr, if not several hrs! Eventually only managing to backtrack their way back to the entrance rather than finding the actual exit. What really made that situation a bit sad, and rather humorous, was the fact that 2 people out of that group of stragglers appeared to be well over 6ft tall. Which meant if they tippie toed, they could probably somewhat see over the top of the hay stacks!
The maze itself is fairly well created and rather confusing. With a lot of twists and turns and loops back to the beginning. I would break the maze into 3 parts:
-beginning area (most confusing)
-castle area
-after the trap doors
I can truthfully say that I spent the vast majority of my first run through the maze going around in circles of the beginning area. I can't even count the amount of times I kept refinding the entrance and emergency exit. I most certainly wasn't trapped! I just couldn't find the right way out! After finding the castle area, and then subsequently the trap doors after, it was a simple matter of trial and error before I found my way to the actual (intended) exit.
Going into this maze, I had cheated and read some of the Yelp reviews below and read mention of trap doors. Expecting the trap doors to potentially be anywhere and very well concealed, I spent the vast majority of my first run pushing on every hay stack that I came across. Half expecting the latest dead end to turn into a secret route to the exit. Unfortunately that wasn't quite to be. And when I actually found the real trap doors, it turns out they were pretty obvious and hard to miss. However when you open one trap door, it does change the path for the people coming around through the other side of the wall.
All in all the first run through took 45mins. We had split into teams of 2 for this event and my partner challenged me to go again after our run through. And I was able to complete it in about 8mins. However it is a bit creepy when your alone in the maze and it is getting darker.
If given an opportunity, I would definitely love to go again next year when they change this maze up again. Maybe a little later in the evening next time when it is actually dark =) -
Review from Jennifer T.
San Jose, CA
10/12/2011
Came here with the family for some pumpkin patch fun. This was our second time coming since the first was quite memorable. We came shortly after a drizzle and everything was supper muddy (like rainboot-stuck-in-the-mud-kind-of-muddy) Our daughter got a bit dirty but she had fun nonetheless. They have pony rides, a petting zoo, a haunted house, a jumper in a little playground, a warrior area (weekends only), a mini-maze for kids and then an adult maze. Definitely a must see if youre in the area.
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Review from Daddy O.
Long Beach, CA
10/22/2007
Dixon T. nailed it. Autumn Bliss.
Ways to spend a morning or afternoon at the Arata Farm:
Wandering through a field of thousands of pumpkins in search of "the one."
Playing with farm cats while they bask in the sun.
Photo ops with a giant King Kong made of straw.
Petting zoo, complete with -very- friendly goats.
Carting your friends around in wheelbarrows, ala Jackass.
Selecting the best Indigenous Autumn Corn and specialty pumpkins to liven up your home.
Leaving the farm without breaking the bank. -
Review from David P.
10/3/2009
The wheelbarrows out front are for the ton of cash you need to cover all the a la carte activities your kids want to partake in. My wife and I needed to divide and conquer with our 3 kids to avoid filing for bankruptcy. $7 x 2 for my son and I to do the maze, $3 x 5 for several rides on the choo-choo. $3 x 2 for the jump house, $3 X 2 for the majic show, $5 x 2 for the haunted barn, $3 for 2 small bags of cookies, and so on.
We didn't even get to the hay ride or petting zoo.
You would think that the pumpkins would be a steal with all the activities subsidizing the oldest pumpkin farm in the area but a few measly pumpkins set us back $16. Up the road at Bob's we got easily 3 x more for the same price.
If just one parent is going with one kid or two adults going just to check out the giant maze (which by the way is rather cool), it might worth it. Still, there are better values in the area for Halloween pumpkin festivities. -
Review from Steve S.
San Francisco, CA
10/28/2009
How many tickets to use the porta-potty?
Seriously, they are charging for EVERYTHING here. -
Review from Kathleen M.
San Jose, CA
10/16/2008
Arata's is definitely worth a stop on your day trip to the San Mateo County just because it is the largest pumpkin farm in these parts (however that's also the downside of Arata's). It's actually verging on theme park.
I didn't actually go through the hay maze, but you have to be impressed by a hay maze that people report taking 1 to 2 hours to get through. (On the other hand do you want to be stuck in a hay maze for 1 to 2 hours?)
You can actually see the hay maze on Google maps here:
http://maps.google.com...
It would be awesome if some evil hay maze genius memorized the path through the maze based on the aerial and then raced people through it.
I think it's awesome that the brochure says the maze is "rumored to have trap doors next year." Um, you're writing the brochure - aren't you writing these "rumors"?
Arata's isn't all hay maze. There are a ton of other attractions like a haunted house and toddler stuff like a train ride (both of these cost extra), hay rides, and a "pumpkin river" of pumpkins to buy. There is also a small hay amphitheater with dueling nerds... er, I mean medieval sword fighters.
Arata's is so over the top with attractions it doesn't have much of a family-run, small pumpkin patch feel. And who wants to bump into other people in a hay maze? It's worth a stop but it's a little too much spectacle. I'd pick my pumpkin and run my hay/corn maze elsewhere.Listed in: Coasting Along the San Mateo…
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Review from Edina R.
Castro Valley, CA
10/13/2008 1 Check-in Here
Going here has been a family tradition for nearly a decade! (WOW!)
There are quite a few things to see / do - mainly for the kiddies:
*a labyrinth that we have yet to try! (After going for 8 years, you'd think
we'd ran through it by now!)
*a haunted house / barn
*pony rides
*a petting zoo
*a choo-choo train
*a toddler playland
*a hay ride around the farm
They have really yummy pumpkin ice cream (that they didn't have this time 'round) and really yummy pumpkin pie (which they ran out of! *big tears*)! This year, there was no BBQ area to purchase burgers and hot dogs, but rather a station where some women were selling tacos & tamales. Wonder if they were any good?
I love how there's something new every year - except for all of the hornets & wasps buzzing around this year! Ack!
I can't wait 'til the next PPH! : ) -
Review from Paul L.
11/17/2009 7 photos
I've been here twice to do the hay-mazing Hay Maze at night.
We brought some crock pot chili and hot cocoa for dinner, and then tackled the maze in the dark. They open the maze at night, as long as you have enough people in your party to go.
It is cold, so you will want to dress warmly and bring hat and gloves. A flashlight is a must. I recommend going before they have daylight savings.
The maze is huge and takes close to an hour to get through. They do have emergency doors in case you really get lost.
It's a ton of fun running around trying to figure things out, or hiding around a corner to jump out at your friends. This year, they even had a trap door. It looks like a dead end, but you have to push on it to get through. Wow--tricky.
All in all, a very fun time. -
Review from Heidi S.
11/1/2010
My friend and I came here specifically for the hay maze. We arrived a little after 6pm on Saturday night hoping to get to do the maze in the dark and when we called on Friday they said that it was open until 10pm. When we entered the maze, they told us that we had to be out in an hour since the committee was preventing them from staying open late. One thing that was a little worrisome was that there were several kids climbing the hay bales and walking on top of the maze. I was nervous that they might fall and even though the hay bales seemed stable, I was a little concerned.
Over all, it was a really fun experience, exactly what we were expecting. They had tons of pumpkins and other activities, since they were almost closed we didn't get to do anything other than the maze.
I was really hoping that they would have hot chocolate or steamed cider but it looked like the food shack only had soda.
Next time I'm looking for some Halloween cheer, I will head back down here. -
Review from Larry A.
San Francisco, CA
10/14/2008
A great place to bring your family pumpkin shopping and then some.
Really not much more to add other than there is lots to do without spending a lot of cash... and yes, they now take credit cards. I'd like to come here at night and run through the labyrinth in the darkness.
One bit of advice- if you're going to check out the haunted house, DO NOT use the 3D glasses they provide. It will make you dizzy as hell and will give you a freakin' headache! -
Review from Annette P.
San Francisco, CA
9/23/2010
If you want to spend $20 so your kid can go on a small jumpie, play in a little playground and get attacked by goats, then this place is for you! Don't be fooled by their website which advertises pony rides, train rides, hay rides, tractor rides, sword fighters, etc. Supposedely this starts in October? Why not list this on your website!
When we arrived today we paid $10 per kid and $7 per adult and were told there was a train ride and ponies by the man who took our money. Nope, wrong, we simply sat at a picnic table while the kids played in the playground. Nice relaxing day, but not worth the drive or money out of pocket. -
Review from Catherine C.
San Francisco, CA
10/5/2009 2 photos
We came here as a large group at extended hours. The staff here are extremely friendly and accommodating. We had a lot of fun drinking and eating food that we brought on the property before entering the maze after it got dark. There were also cute kitties milling about the pumpkins patches and corn stalk huts, which gave the whole place a really nice autumn feel.
The maze is constructed from stacks of hay, complete with creepy enclosed areas, forts, and trap doors. My friend and I totally killed it and got out of this maze within 20 minutes, but a good portion of our group was left wandering about inside for more than an hour...most likely due to the fact that my friend and i would run back in from the exit and holler "IT'S A DEAD END, DON'T COME DOWN THIS WAY!!!" whenever we heard people approaching. muahahahaha :p -
Review from Nelson W.
El Cerrito, CA
10/13/2009
A bit south on highway 1 and away from the madness that is Lemos and Pastorino's in Half Moon Bay, Arata's is geared towards those who want a pumpkin patch with a bit more to do. There is a hay maze, haunted barn, playground area, little train ride, pony rides, magic shows, and other stuff. All of that stuff can add up as it is $1 per ticket and most items are 3 to 5 tickets each. Not cheap but in line with what most places in HMB will charge for similar type stuff.
We skipped most of the stuff that required tickets although we did splurge for a pony ride for my daughter (5 tickets) and she loved it. It's basically two ponies and guys walking around a small area 5 times.
The decor is probably the most interesting part of Arata's. They've got some metal worked statues around that add some flavor to the experience and they do have a lot of differnt types of pumpkins if you are looking for something more unique than the standard orange pumpkin.
If you don't want to get caught up in the Lemos overcrowding and the overflow that heads to Pastorino's further Northeast, I'd recommend going to Arata's for the activities and then head up about half a mile to Bob's to purchase the actual pumpkins at a lower cost. -
Review from Joseph S.
Burlingame, CA
11/30/2009
My wife thinks she's been to a better pumpkin patch off of Hwy 92 in Half Moon Bay. But I really liked Arata's. They were super friendly. We went there last Columbus Day. Tons of pumpkins, giant maze, pony rides, train rides, tractor rides, petting zoo, giant gorilla, they had it all. We came home with three extra large pumpkins for about $50.
I like this place because we can get to it using the back roads through Woodside to avoid all of the HWY 92 traffic. Take Woodside Road, to Kings Mountain Road which crosses Hwy 35 (Skyline) and becomes Tunitas creek road (a slow but beautiful 1.5 lane road through the redwoods), turn right at Lobitos Creek Cut-off and take it to Verder road where you run right into the entrance to the patch. -
Review from Cat H.
11/10/2009 3 photos
I'd rate this place a 3.5.
We came here to check out the hay maze. I have to admit, it was a lot of fun at night. The maze was fairly elaborate and we had a good time exploring the twists and turns, running into dead ends, and finally making it out at the end. It's $7 to do the maze during the day, and $10 for the maze at night.
They have lots of things to do here: pumpkin patch, play grounds, choo-choo train, petting zoo, hay maze, etc. Unfortunately, there's not much you can do for free so just be prepared for costs to add up if you want to do a lot of the activities. This place wasn't too hard to find, and there was ample parking. -
Review from Dixon T.
San Francisco, CA
10/15/2007
This is a perfect pumpkin patch. It's charming, affordable, and has something for everyone :
Corn Maze
Haunted House
Produce
Variety of Gourds
Hay Ride
Corn to Chuck at your Buddies
It can get muddy if it rains and there can be crowds due to just how perfect it is, but once you're out in the corn rows looking at the mile of pumpkins, it all fades in autumn bliss!Listed in: Pumpkin Patches
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Review from Shelley B.
Belmont, CA
11/17/2009
Who doesn't love to be covered in straw and dust after a good night out?
My friend and I went to try our luck in the hay maze before it closes for the rainy seasion (it closes in November and opens in May or June). $10 each. We went on a clear cold black beautiful night and were not disappointed. It took us an hour to get out, and we weren't drunk. Though I do think they should consider adding a few snack shacks and wet bars along the way would really help the CHILDRENOFTHECORNHILLSHAVEEYESCHAINSAWMASSACRE anxiety that creeps up after the fourth dead end. Why are they called DEAD ends?
Had a hard time finding the turn off in the dark. Clock the mileage from Half Moon Bay--it's between 6 & 7 miles south of HMB on hwy 1.
There were several other people in the maze, and we ran into them from time to time, exchanging information. I learned to recognize a flattened starbucks coffee cup that I kept coming around to. Stupid dirty cardboard harbinger of destruction.
The maze changes every year. Can't wait to go back in the summer and try it again.
Don't forget: flash lights, warm clothes, food, and alcohol. -
Review from amanda b.
10/13/2008
Non-alcoholic (mostly) fun. We reserved the maze at night, and spent an hour or two trying to find our way out. I was skeptical at first about going so far out to go to a hay maze, but seriously, it was worth the drive. They also have a good selection of pumpkins for way less than at the grocery.
As a side note, even though you pay $75 per group extra to reserve a night in the maze, you don't actually get the maze to yourself. They just charge the extra $75 for every group that comes after 7. We were somewhat disappointed to be sharing the maze with children. -
Review from qirk z.
Los Gatos, CA
10/17/2007
Come here to see King Kong's butt.
Sit under butt.
Caress butt.
Photo op with butt.
I came, I saw, I touched, I left. -
Review from Lindsay M.
San Francisco, CA
10/22/2009 10 photos
I don't understand all of these mediocre reviews! Sure, this place is "a la carte" so if you're coming with a group of little ones who want to ride the train, and the pony, and see the petting zoo AND go in the maze... I can understand why this place might leave you feeling a little nickel and dimed. But if you're a random 20-something looking for a cheap afternoon of reliving your childhood glory days, then look no further.
I found this place by googling "pumpkin patch Half Moon Bay." I was rather turned on by the idea of a hay maze. Driving up 92, sure I saw plenty of other pumpkin patches along the road. (There is NOT a shortage of pumpkins in Half Moon Bay.) But did any particular pumpkin farm have all the delights that Arata offered?
Not even close.
So I played on the monkey bars, sat on the hay bails, picked through the pumpkins, and took 75 pictures that eventually became iMovied (yes, I just made "iMovie" into a verb) and posted to facebook a la Michael Jackson's "Thriller"!
I had a blast here and I'm sure you will too. -
Review from Yvonne W.
Sunnyvale, CA
10/11/2010
I was not that impressed with this particular farm. They seem to nickel and dime you for everything. So big pumpkins are $25 and then the price gets lower from there. Whereas, on the way to Arata's, you see signs for pumpkins at no more than $5 for any size!!! My 2 year old wanted to go down the slide in the playground area....$3!!!! Pony ride...that cost $. Same with the petting zoo. Then there's $7 for the unlimited use of their hay maze. And parking lot was small and we ended up parking on the very narrow Verde Road.
Ok...so if you still want to go....you have "Like" them on Facebook to get their coupons if you want to save a little, tiny amount of money. I did that and it was not worth it. I made sure I "unliked" them on Facebook after my trip there. To add to the misery...traffic both ways on H92 (from I280 to H1) was horrendous.
On the bright side, my 4 year old had fun goofing around with his best buddy. The Gladiator battle "show" was free and kinda cool...maybe cooler for the boys than it was for me. I think the maze would have been cool if my kids were older (they are both under 5).
I don't plan on going to this farm again. -
Review from Sadie F.
San Francisco, CA
10/27/2008
The maze was fun (although my child was pretty upset that each time she found the minotaur he was out of prizes-come on people!) and we really enjoyed the petting zoo...Be prepared with cash and/or a credit card because you will be shelling out major bucks here. $5 a person for the maze, $3 a person for the petting zoo, not to mention similar prices for the haunted barn, playground, and other attractions. You have to pay everywhere! The food was crazy expensive too ($5 for just a hamburger, $4 for just a hot dog, $3 for a slice of pie) so either bring your own or eat beforehand because you will be hungry after fighting the traffic to get there and walking a while after parking. The traffic over 92 and down 1 (and back) was crazy!
We did have fun but the traffic and major hole in the wallet for a family of
5 will probably discourage us from returning. Plus the guys serving the food had don't use gloves and have major dirt under the finger nails (and use their hands to serve the food-ick!). Next year, I think we will try one of the mazes in the east bay since that was the major draw for us. Oh-and we didn't buy any pumpkins; too expensive and too far to carry back to our car. -
Review from Ramesh S.
San Mateo, CA
8/11/2011
Usually when we visit Half Moon Bay State Beach, we make it a point to stop at Arata's Pumpkin Farm as well.
They have a huge corn/hay maze and it changes every year. It takes about 30-60 minutes to figure your way out (hint: look for hinged doors - you need to use them to get to the next level). It's a very fun activity for kids.
For the maze, they charge $7 per person and its well worth it. You can climb a lookout ladder from the outside to see how complex the maze is.
They also have a small petting zoo and a train (we were only interested in the corn maze though).
The owner is a friendly guy and he said that in October the place is packed. -
Review from Hannah D.
Concord, CA
Updated - 3/3/2010
No flashlight necessary for night time straw mazing. We went here for my birthday the week before Halloween. It was crowded, but soooo much fun!
Definitely the local source of entertainment for high school students. Trap doors make for a fun time, as well as several open areas with many passages. Lots of opportunity for backtracking and trying to remember exactly which way you just went and which way you came from.
The bf had an exceptional memory for the place, enough so that he was able to talk his completely lost sister through the majority of the maze over the phone while we were standing outside. Must be the video games.
This is a great thing to do with a group of people of different ages. Anyone can have fun, whether they're 5 or 75.1 Previous Review: Show all »
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7/5/2009
My boyfriend and I saw the sign for Straw Maze on Hwy. 1, and decided we would have to check it out.… Read more »
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Review from Alena B.
6/5/2011
This place is awesome! This is my favorite HMB pumpkin hunting site. They have animals and pony rides and tons and tons of pumpkins to chose from. Hay rides...a train...a maze! This place is THE place to go in the fall!
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Review from Nicole L.
10/27/2008
I drove down to HMB with my boyfriend to check out the hay maze we'd heard so much about, so when we got there it was the first thing we checked out. It was amazingly fun - we got lost for about 40 minutes until we spotted the minotaur who we followed towards the exit and who rewarded us with a golden pumpkin. That was definitely the highlight of the visit.
Besides the maze there was also a haunted house, sword fighting, corn maze, hay rides, petting zoo, and of course tons of pumpkins. There was plenty to do and though there were lots of people there was a lot of space so you didn't seem crowded (as opposed to Lemo's farm which we drove pass that was overflowing with people).
Pumpkins were more on the pricey side so I was advised by my friend to go to Bob's Pumpkin Patch afterwards, it's right on the road to Aratas.
