The fall tradition of heading to the pumpkin patch hits different in Texas, where temperatures are likely to be in the upper 80s during your bumpy hayride through the fields. Despite that, the nation’s self-proclaimed “Pumpkin Capital” is located right here in Texas. Floydada, nestled in the High Plains, is home to 1,000 acres dedicated to cultivating all varieties of pumpkins and gourds.
There are also two popular pumpkin patches nearby: Assiter Punkin Ranch in Floydada and At’l Do Farms in Lubbock. Visitors of either can make a night of it nearby at a charming collection of six retrofitted barn siloes and two train cars, each appointed with a different theme. The project combined the efforts of husband-and-wife owners Rick and Carol Pevey. “She had a vision for what she wanted, and I had a vision of what I wanted,” Rick says. “So I told her, ‘I’m going to build and you stay away, OK? And when I get them done, you come in and do the decorating.’ And that’s what happened.”
The results of that compromise are charming temperature-controlled interiors inside old grain silos, one with a spiral staircase and all outfitted with refrigerators, spacious bathrooms, and porches. You’ll be welcomed by endless fields and the resident prairie dogs that pop up from their holes. Don’t miss one of the best sunset views around.Rooms start at $250/night. hubcitysilos.com
1/Milk & Honey Ranch, Burton
Mingle with turkeys and pigs at this 54-acre farm-resort hybrid near Round Top. Select from the main lodge, bungalows, casitas, domes, villas, and tree house accommodations and enjoy upscale amenities like a beautifully landscaped pool, an on-site coffee shop and restaurant, and complimentary snacks. The 100-year-old Jersey Barnyard Pumpkin Patch in La Grange is 30 minutes away. Rooms start at $344/night. milkandhoneyranch.com
2/Great Wolf Lodge, Webster
The newest member of the Great Wolf Lodge family is just a short drive from the Houston Pumpkin Festival at Discovery Green and Froberg’s Farm Festival in Alvin. Guests get access to the indoor and outdoor water park experience, plus an updated indoor ropes course and interactive MagiQuest experience. Rooms start at $139/night. greatwolf.com
3/Cottage at Bear Creek, Marshall
Restaurateur Robbie Shoults offers a three-bedroom cottage next door to the Bear Creek Smokehouse on the family’s 1,500 acres filled with stately pines and longhorn cattle. The cottage, with a kitchen and two bathrooms, sleeps six. Piney Park’s fall festival, which has pumpkins, a spooky trail, food trucks and more is 15 miles away. The cottage rents for $230/night with a two-night minimum. bearcreeksmokehouse.com
