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Arata Pumpkin Farm

4 star rating
based on 45 reviews

Categories: Food, Parks, Local Flavor  [Edit]

185 Verde Drive
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019
(650) 726-7548
Price Range:
$$
Accepts Credit Cards:
Yes
Parking:
Private Lot
Good for Kids:
Yes
Wheelchair Accessible:
Yes

45 reviews for Arata Pumpkin Farm

Review Highlights   

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"The maze changes every year so I can't wait to go back again." (in 33 reviews)
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"…here: pumpkin patch, play grounds, choo-choo train, petting zoo, hay maze…" (in 4 reviews)
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"It has a train, petting zoo, and playground for the wee ones." (in 11 reviews)
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Photo of Shelley B.

 

3

18

Shelley B.

Belmont, CA

5 star rating
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.

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Photo of Paul L.

 

11

49

Paul L.

Berkeley, CA

5 star rating
11/17/2009

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.

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Photo of Cat H.

 

7

10

Cat H.

Palo Alto, CA

3 star rating
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.

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Photo of Steve S.

 

299

575

Steve S.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
10/28/2009

How many tickets to use the porta-potty?

Seriously, they are charging for EVERYTHING here.

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Photo of Lukas B.

 

5

2

Lukas B.

San Mateo, CA

5 star rating
11/2/2009

We were on our way home from hiking at Franklin Point and noticed their HUGE HAY MAZE and all the amazing sculptures - even though it was almost dark and I thought they would be closed, my friend Joey convinced me to pull over.  These folks are my new neighbours since I just moved in up the street a few weeks ago.  They are super friendly and let us go in since I had a flashlight in the car.  It was also a full moon so there was decent light from that.  The maze was so awesome - it took us about 40-50 minutes to complete it and that was alone, in the dark.  I can't even imagine how crazy it would be with other people cause some of the passageways were very narrow.  Lots of awesome tricks and turns.

After we came out, Oliver spoke with us at length about the process of building the maze and how it takes 10,000 or so bales to make this maze and how each year they have to come up with new designs.  It's been done for 7 years now and it's so obviously a work of passion.  

I'm so excited that these folks are my down the street neighbour and I look forward to checking out the new maze in June of 2010.

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Photo of Lindsay M.

 

12

73

Lindsay M.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
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.

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Elite '09

161

674

David P.

San Carlos, CA

2 star rating
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.

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Elite '09

11

197

Tara M.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
10/11/2009

Ugh, what a circus. Yeah, that's clearly just what some people like about this place, but count me out. I'll say this about the owners: They're clearly savvy about their business.

Okay, I could enjoy the maze, and maybe the haunted house could take me back to my childhood, but gladiators? A train that runs around tiny track? However, a lot of kids seemed to be having fun; not sure about their parents.

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Photo of Nelson W.

 

2

24

Nelson W.

El Cerrito, CA

3 star rating
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.

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Photo of JAYSON C.

Elite '09

13

95

JAYSON C.

San Jose, CA

4 star rating
10/3/2009

This place is more than just your average pumpkin farm.  There is plenty to do here for the whole family:

- Pumpkin paint decorating
- Petting area for goats (WARNING! It stinks here, unless of course you like the smell of feces)
- Cinderella magic show
- Choo-Choo train
- Playground
- Hay Bale ride on a tractor
- Maze

I've been to most of the pumpkin farms around here and this is the only one that has security directing you to park.  Odd, but whatever.  I usually go to Farmer John's, which is about 6 miles up highway 1, but I wanted to get pumpkin pie this time around and some of the reviews here directed me to this place.  Things must change every year.  There was no pumpkin pie and the only BBQ they had there were for the employees.

There's also a gladiator show every hour or so.  Just imagine the movie Gladiator with all the fighters with their swords and gear and that's what you'll find something like that here to watch.  It's kind of out of place, but what the heck, it just adds more entertainment to this place.

Pumpkin selection is OK.  I think they focus more on the entertainment than offering a good selection of pumpkins.  You can also reserve table areas that come with a tent.  When I was here today, a few were having parties and you can bring your own food.  They also have a little snack and beverage shack for those who need it.

For those who are concerned about needing a restroom, this place has a good amount of porta-potties (I think there were at least 12).  Outside the restroom area there's a portable sink with soap and paper towels.  The nice thing about the portable sink is that you step on a pump to get the water going.  Perfect for you germaphobes or those with mysophobia who dare challenge me on the correct term.  Ha!

Overall, if you're coming to Half Moon Bay to do the whole pumpkin thing, then this one should easily be on your list of destinations.  The only catch in enjoying the maze, hay bale ride, choo-choo ride and the playground is you have to buy tickets.  Small price to pay

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Elite '09

13

136

Sandy N.

Fremont, CA

5 star rating
10/25/2009 4 photos

After putting up a post that asked what are some fun pumpkin patches to check out - I got a reply Arata's in Half Moon Bay.
So today we head out...getting to the farm was a breeze compared to the sloooow traffic coming into HMB due to the other various patches along 92 (San Mateo Road) My advice, leave early or face lots of stop and go.
So coming upon the farm, we turn onto Verde road, you'll notice a security guard that helps to direct traffic. You can either follow what he says or just ignore him and drive up the road and hope to find a parking spot on the narrow roads ahead.
We get into the farm and noticed the place was packed! I wanted to check out the hay bale maze which you have to pay to get in (as for just about everything else there too) But what do you expect? Its their time a year to make their money and you get to enjoy yourself.
So for the amount of tickets the attraction takes its equal to $1. The same goes for their food too. So at first look around and see what you and your family wants to do and then go back to the ticket booth and let them know how many tickets you'd like.
We went through the hay maze, haunted barn and checked out the gladiator show. The maze was fun, though at some points can get crowded and you'll see the occasional wall jumper (cheater) we were able to get out in about 30 or so min. The haunted barn was interesting, in some parts its very dark and after coming in from the outside you just cant see. There's supposed to be people jumping out but we didn't see any. Oh and a plus is that once you buy a ticket and go use it at the attraction, you'll get a stamp on your hand. With that stamp you can go back to the attraction over and over again for free.
The gladiator show was interesting, old time sword fighting though perfectly choreographed when the other person dies its without a real hard blow. The swords are real steel and they wear a full on armour costume. It was fun to watch.
If you plan on going bring water bottles and some lunch there are places to sit and there's picnic benches/tables.
The hay ride was short and small (we didn't go on it) but we watched it cruise around the pumpkin patch, the pony ride consists of a guy pulling the pony along in a circle with your kid riding it, the choo choo train went in a small circle and its only the engine and caboose, petting zoo was small and full of goats, I didn't check out the play land so I cant comment on that.
Pumpkin were priced high, so we went to Bob's Pumpkin Patch that was about a mile up the road off of Hwy 1.

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Photo of Catherine C.

 

5

22

Catherine C.

Milpitas, CA

4 star rating
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

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Photo of Valerie W.

 

0

1

Valerie W.

Boulder Creek, CA

4 star rating
11/5/2009

I've never been, but the Burning Man Camp Nexus Nebula uses the Hay Maze for a giant rave after all is said and done, and visitors can console yourselves with the fact that Arata doesn't profit much from this. The party is this Saturday!

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0

1

Scott S.

San Francisco, CA

2 star rating
11/2/2009

Back-Country Disneyland (in a bad way).

Used to be a quiet little farm where the kids could get out of the city and be in a real pumpkin patch. But now its a carnival that is un-ashamedly fleecing you. VERY expensive pumpkins, rides, and food. The experience of getting pumpkins was quickly lost in the crowds, rides and hoopla. Been going for 10 years, but now it appears we'll need to find a new, quieter, simpler (and less expensive) place.
*(However, for the farm owners, I am glad you have some decent revenue to get you through the year. Don't want to rain on your parade, really, I know it must be tough, but just too much distraction for our family.)

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Photo of Lauren S.

 

3

20

Lauren S.

Mountain View, CA

1 star rating
10/10/2009

Why are you only open until 7pm????  On a weekend!  In October!  Seriously, .....WTF?

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Photo of Brad D.

 

2

14

Brad D.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
8/29/2009

This was even more fun than I anticipated. My partner, daughter and I met up with another friend of ours to check out the hay maze.

There is a place to get snacks and drinks and cool corn-stalk huts to sit in to shade yourself from the sun. They also have a train that looked appropriate for little ones - maybe 7 and under would enjoy.

For $7 each, we went on an amazing journey through their hay maze. It took us about an hour and a half to complete. We saw some families give up and head back to the beginning and one family called out for help from a guide who even got them lost a couple of times before finding the exit which proves just how difficult this maze is.

Even though it's difficult and at times even frustrating, it is all in good fun. You feel safe and never completely trapped. There are a few large openings to contemplate your next move if you start feeling claustrophobic in the narrow passages.

It was a feat in problem-solving, patience and great physical exercise. I recommend bringing a hat, water and a little snack. We brought granola bars but didn't end up needing them but I could see where I might have felt less secure without them. It took us an hour and a half to complete including several trips back to the beginning to start over (with the option to give up). Completing the maze was an exhilarating sense of accomplishment.

I will definitely be back in October when there is a Minotaur in the maze, sword fighting and other halloween-centric activities. Maybe next time we'll do a night-time maze experience with flashlights!

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0

3

Larry P.

Sunnyvale, CA

2 star rating
10/12/2009

BOOOOOO!

First of all everything cost money. Everything. They had a kids play area and it looked really fun, but I am not paying $3 for my kid to play. Hmmm?  I guess, that is why it was empty. Tons of kids outside running around. I guess I was not alone on that thought. Hey, if you and your wife want to take your two kids through the maze it will only cost you $24($7adult and $5 for 8&under). What a joke. Most Pumpkin patches have free hay rides, not here.

So let talk pumpkins. Very poor selection. Oh they had tons of pumpkins, but a lot where ugly. It really took me a while to find a decent one.  I grabbed a pumpkin (average size) and a mini (softball size).  That would have been $14. unreal.  So we took pictures and left.
I wouldn't be surprised if it cost you money to use the bathroom.

I have been to a lot of pumpkin patches and this is by far the worst for a family in todays economy.  This is more like an overprice entertainment play area with pumpkins.

The last time I went to a pumpkin patch we had a great time. Guess what, at the end of the day, we left with a bunch of pumpkins and that is all we paid for.

It is really not about the money, but the principal. I don't like being gouged, because I drove to a pumpkin patch with my kids.

Talk about using  the hearts of kids to pull money out of the hard working hands of parents. Not good.

There are way to many pumpkin patches to go to in halfmoon bay.  Try Bob's.

So far, one of the best pumpkin patches I have been to, is Zittle Farm in Folsom.  Great fun, tons of really and I mean really good pumpkins.  I don't know how they get so many good looking pumpkins. They have animals and a free real hay ride.

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Photo of Mama S.

 

3

33

Mama S.

South San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
8/30/2009

Took the hubby & kids to run through the maze.  We got lost w/ the GPS, but found it eventually.  We visited the porta-potties & to my surprise they didn't stink to high heaven.  They had a couple of animals, but we were there for the maze.  I was surprised that they accepted credit cards & offered yummy snacks.  We'll probably need to come back when they have more activities.  If you are not clauserphobic then this would be a fun adventure.  I was surprised how long we were stumped on trying to find the way out.  At the end there was a play ground and a jumpy house for my son to play in.  We had a good time only 3 out of 4 of us figured out how to get out.

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0

11

Hannah D.

Oakland, CA

5 star rating
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. After a little time at the beach, we headed back to see what it was all about.

At $5 per person, it's some of the cheapest entertainment around. And, it's tons of fun! We wandered around, hitting many dead ends, but remembering vaguely where we had been and hadn't been. We found our way out the exit before we started worrying about not having brought any snacks, or the possibility of sleeping in the maze.

It's great for kids to build their problem solving skills too. just make sure the young ones have an adult with them so you know they'll make it out eventually.  

We plan on trying it again in October, when they put in trap doors. It'd also be fun to do it at night, which they offer. Just be sure you bring a flashlight.

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Photo of Vernon L.

 

4

2

Vernon L.

Daly City, CA

1 star rating
10/19/2009

Looked great on the net, but the price of the a la carte activities truly took away from the fun of it. Avoid this place. Small train ride for $5, $5 for a hayride, and $3 for the friggin magic show???? NICKEL and DIMING EVERYTHING was entirely disappointing. And as a parent of 2 young kids I found the gladiator show INAPPROPRIATE.  I shudder to think of the kids mimicking the swordplay. Ironically, that was the only part of this farm that was free.

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Photo of Keromi K.

 

4

121

Keromi K.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
10/12/2009

My family had a great time here. My only complaint is they charge you for every activity. $5 for a train ride, $5 for a pony ride, etc..... We didn't do the maze but it looks amazing. My daughter also loved walking through the corn stalks and looking at the river of pumpkins. The location is bit out of the way, but we would go back.

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0

1

crespo c.

San Mateo, CA

5 star rating
10/13/2009

Woohoo! As good as it gets!

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Photo of Jenn K.

 

0

7

Jenn K.

Oakland, CA

5 star rating
10/1/2009

This place is awesome! The hay maze is simply amazing - fun, challenging, frustrating and amazing all at the same time. We take our kids back year after year and it never gets old. I can't wait for our annual trip this year!

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Elite '09

558

1284

Kathleen M.

San Jose, CA

3 star rating
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.

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33

101

Edina R.

Castro Valley, CA

5 star rating
10/13/2008

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!  : )

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Elite '09

40

219

Larry A.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
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!

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Elite '09

71

183

amanda b.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
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.

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0

18

Sadie F.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
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.

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Elite '09

16

78

Nicole L.

San Francisco, CA

4 star rating
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.

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Photo of katrina m.

 

2

27

katrina m.

South San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
9/2/2009

well how can you not love it when your the one to save your family from going insane trying to get out of the labyrinth...its what they call their maze...hah...pshhhh labyrinth my butt i killed that maze....haha!
so it was really fun..go...i like it..but it is really hard to find.

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Elite '09

109

489

Bradley O.

Santa Cruz, CA

5 star rating
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.

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1

89

Kitten C.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
6/26/2008

This was so much fun!  We must've spent 2 hours running around in there trying to figure out the maze.  We finally made it through with a little help from our new friend Oliver.  Thanks Oliver!  

The maze changes every year so I can't wait to go back again.  They also have a haunted house and pumpkin patch around halloween.

The people who work there were so nice and they have cute and friendly dogs and goats you can pet.

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Elite '09

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1418

Lolia S.

San Francisco, CA

3 star rating
10/30/2007

One of the larger and most popular pumpkin farms in the area, they put a great deal of effort to transform the farm into a Halloween wonderland.  There's a straw castle, a maze, petting zoo, pony rides, a haunted house (barn), and corn fields filled with pumpkins.  They sell drinks and pumpkin baked goods.  

The place is packed with families.  And they have pumpkins, tons of pumpkins, not just the usual ones but different varieties: dark orange ones, green ones, white ones and these strange looking elongated cylindrical ones.  They pumpkins are priced according to size and they're all over the property including in the corn fields.

The down side is that they seem to charge extra for everything.  It's $10 to go inside their haunted house (in an old barn).  Ten dollars seems steep given the size of the barn.  It might be worth it at night though (they let you use flashlights) but not during the day.  You have to pay $5 to check out the hay maze.  Pony rides?  Be prepared to pay.  I understand that they have a seasonal business but something feels off about charging so much for everything.

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186

162

Veronica D.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
11/18/2007

Who knew getting lost all night would be such fun?  The Nexus crew throws an annual party here late fall.  When I heard that they'd be setting up sound systems in three different areas within the maze and going until dawn I thought "Now this I gotta see".  Specially since the "Teacher w/a Bus" was giving rides and the pick up location (at Frijtz Fries) is only stumbling blocks home!  

It had been raining all day but that didn't deter the hundreds of people that showed up prepared for a night in the muddy dark.  The maze was not at all what I expected.  Huge, difficult and extremely well constructed.. finding your way through it became a philosophical look at life.  Why do we choose the paths we are on?  Do we want to get somewhere or enjoy exploring endless new roads?  I will say it was the most fun I've ever had at a dead end!

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238

Dixon T.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
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!

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Elite '09

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512

Kristine D.

Mountain View, CA

4 star rating
10/26/2008

If you can make your way through the madness that is the parking situation at this place and the congestion at the entrance, you're in for a lot of fun!  Arata Farm appears to be a crazy farm until you get well inside of it and realize it has something for everyone.  A petting zoo, a labyrinth, a hay ride, toddler train are only a few of the highlights to be enjoyed here.  You're guaranteed to leave lighter than when you arrived ---- and all that weight loss will be in your wallet!  Everything and I mean EVERYTHING in this place  has a price attached to it.

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Grace V.

Alameda, CA

4 star rating
9/23/2008

I want to come back here at night time! Apparently you can reserve the maze for the night time with friends. It took us close to an hour to get out of it in the day time...imagine at night? The guy who owns this farm takes down the maze every year and rebuilds a new one! very cool! We saw the great pumpkin and a little kid's idea of pumpkin heaven in the middle of the corn rows. I saw so many varieties of pumpkins and squash, I wanted to touch them all!...except the variety that looks like that it has syphilis. I didn't want to touch that one. It has a train, petting zoo, and playground for the wee ones. And for those of you who suffer from  Type ! allergic reactions, they've got something for you too! Nice hay rides to jump start your immune systems this fall! Either way, this place is a great place to run around and play.

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753

qirk z.

Los Gatos, CA

3 star rating
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.

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39

Dennes H.

San Francisco, CA

5 star rating
10/15/2008

It's that time of year again and what better way to represent the Holiday Spirits than by going to a pumpkin patch in Half Moon Bay. I went here to relive those glorious moments of searching for just the right pumpkins to represent what you think Halloween to be. I had a great time and I totally recommend them especially if you are looking to be a kid again or for that matter, if you have kids...great great place to get lost in time. The labarynth was quite enjoyable.... Make sure to catch the sword fighting show at 3pm beginning the 18th and 19th when Half moon Bay hosts their annual Pumpkin and Art festival.....cheers!

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Elite '09

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98

Allison D.

Mountain View, CA

4 star rating
10/13/2008

I came here with my family on Saturday mostly for the haybale maze and it was really fun!  It took us about half an hour to find our way out, but we went about it very methodically (thanks to my boring financial analyst mind).  It probably definately would have taken longer had we just wandered.  I'd love to go back at night too...scary and fun!  I also picked up some awesome pumpkins (5 in total), all for $40.  It was crowded on a Satruday afternoon but that is to be expected for an October weekend.

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