This Epic Pumpkin Patch Is A Family-Friendly Fall Fantasy Worthy Of Its Social Media Hype

Picking out pumpkins is one of the best parts of Halloween season, and nothing beats a trip to a farm. Families browse the ranks of orange gourds arrayed on grassy lawns, play carnival games, puzzle out the corn maze, and sip cups of apple cider. Tractors pull kids across the property on a scenic hay ride, and adults can pick flowers from the marigold fields.

Also, dinosaurs? Okay, a full-size tyrannosaur sculpture might not be the centerpiece of your local pumpkin grower, but that is very much the case at Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch in Morgan Hill, California. Nestled in a rural community just southeast of San Jose, Spina Farms has won viral attention on social media for its attractive location and quirky decorations. The landmark that feels most symbolic of harvest season is Spina Farms' "pumpkin pyramid," a ochre-colored colossus that rises out of the flats. Opposite the hayride is the "Cow Train," with cars that look like pairs of patterned bovine getting pulled along a track. Then there are the animatronic creatures; past cameos have included a towering Godzilla, a hooded dilophosaurus, and a triceratops with pumpkins impaled on its horns. The creatures swivel heads and open mouths; they're practically begging to be posted to Instagram.

With so many diversions, Spina Farms can occupy visitors for hours. Small wonder this place has won "Best Pumpkin Patch in the Bay Area," despite being about 25 miles from the eponymous bay. You could easily add it to a list of fun and spooky destinations around the globe to celebrate Halloween.

Long before the animatronic thunder-lizards, Vincenzo Spina arrived from Italy and started his farm about a quarter mile down the road.  That was back in 1937, and it took time for the Spina family to build a roadside fruit stand to sell produce to locals. From one October to the next, a growing number of people would come to the Spinas' patch to pick out a pumpkin for Halloween. Partnering with the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority, the owners eventually moved to the current location. The long-held Halloween tradition has grown over the decades, as Spina Farms has added more decorations, activities, and rides to its 60-acre estate. It's hard to say why management decided to add dinosaurs to the mix, let alone a King Kong replica for Halloween 2025, but kids are fanatical about both, which might be reason enough.

The property's most recent achievement has taken place entirely online: Spina Farms' own Instagram account boasts more than 70,000 followers, and each post is a magnet for "likes" and comments. Influencers clamor to photograph themselves in front of pumpkin displays, corn rows, and sunflowers, and the hashtags #spinafarms and #spinafarmspumpkinpatch are tied to thousands of photos and videos. Countless YouTubers have also made the pilgrimage to Northern California, where they tour the grounds and aim their cameras at all the Jurassic monuments. This place is one of many Instagrammable travel destinations around the world — and you can walk off with bulbous pumpkins ripe for Jack-o-lantern carving.

Visiting the Spina Farms Pumpkin Patch is technically free, if you just want to wander around and take it all in. Each activity costs about $8, if you want to participate, including the Cow Train, Dino Ride, and three shots on the "Pumpkin Blaster," among other curiosities. To everything, you can just pay a flat $35 fee, which includes a dizzying walk through the formidable corn maze. Budget about 45 minutes to navigate the maze, and rest assured that, in a pinch, you can call the farm's main number and someone will help you through it.

Alcohol and tobacco use are strictly prohibited at Spina Farms. As cool as aerial shots would look, visitors are not allowed to fly drones here, even with a commercial license. When it comes to pets, only service dogs are allowed on the premises. Guests can wear costumes, but management will bar entry to people with clothing deemed inappropriate.

The closest major airport to Spina Farms is San Francisco International, about an hour away by car. This stretch of the Santa Clara Valley is hard to reach without driving, but there is technically a bus stop on the 68 line out of San Jose; just look for the intersection of Santa Teresa and Laguna. You can also access it from the Coyote Creek Trail; the closest trailhead lies about 10 minutes away by bicycle. In short, if you're traveling in October, Spina is a must-see destination for your ultimate West Coast road trip.