Very cute place to visit. The staff is very friendly and helpful. Great selections of nuts and candy. The best thing for us was the fresh hot pnuts. So good! read more

Love this place! My family and I visited Oma's Pumpkin Patch last year and decided to make the drive out to Bates this year. We came on a Thursday so it wasn't busy at all. Parking is in a huge lot in front of the farm and you just walk right up. The best thing about this pumpkin patch is that you only pay for what you want to do. There isn't an admission fee but they do charge for parking on the weekends. It does cost money for the tractor and pony rides but if you don't want to participate then you can enjoy walking around and looking at their animals and pumpkins free of charge. There is also a store for little pumpkin goodies and other snacks. read more

I've visited Bates Nuts farm for 3 years now and unfortunately this will be my last. The environment itself is really nice. I love the pony rides they offer and think the big slides are fun for kids but other than that it's far too overpriced now. Parking is $10 and a deal they advertise is 30 tickets for $60. 30 tickets doesn't get you far and I found myself needing to go back several times for more tickets. (Which may be the whole point from a business perspective). For example, for your child to ride the bull it's $10 of $10 worth of tickets for maybe a 2 min ride. It's just not worth it now. When you drive over an hour to attend, it's nice to enjoy your time for at least 2 hours but with the way tickets are overpriced your better off going elsewhere. read more

I have been going here since I was a kid and while when I was a kid I swear this place was huge taking my oldest it didn't feel as huge but was a great feeling to share with my oldest. I hate that I now live so far away so my little will not to experience it but it is great to come during events but loved the idea of just coming and feeding the animals during the week read more

I truly enjoyed coming here. It was a nice drive. The store was filled with so many different selections of nuts and sweets. samples of delicious fudge and special dips and other things. Restrooms conveniently located and clean outside store. I walked down to the little petting area and appreciated all the different animals they had. The goat were very eager to be fed and petted I was amazed at how well they interacted with people. It is just a nice area to come and even bring your own food and picnic underneath a nice tree. very relaxing, family oriented environment. tons of parking and free of cost. I saw in the distance, there was a huge pumpkin patch you could walk to but I didn't get a chance to see. I plan on coming back with my family to revisit and see the patch. read more

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Beautiful farm, we went on the week day to avoid crowds; and it was great. Kids had an great time read more

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---First time visit review.--- Great place to spend time with the family! The reason for the visit was their Easter egg hunting event. Awesome for the kids! They provided different activities, had a raffle and great photo ops! And all of this was FREE Including parking (which there was plenty) I've hear that their pumpkin patch during the Halloween season is also fun, but note that you may be charged for parking. ----- They have a nice store with a lot of treats, snack shop and a small farm of animals! 25cents for corn to feed their goats and chickens. read more

Bates Nut Farm - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

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Within seconds of arriving we approached the horses to admire them. The handler introduced Pumpkin instantly followed by asking us if "we had found Jesus" and "if you haven't found Jesus and you die on the way home what will you do". This completely ruined a day that was meant to be light-hearted and fun. We instantly turned around and left. DO NOT accost people with "what happens if you die" or religious commentary for that matter. Needless to say I will be sharing with everyone I know to NEVER VISIT BATES NUT FARM. If these are the people you are employing I recommend reevaluating your staff. Shame on her and shame on this establishment. Keep personal beliefs to yourself. read more

One star because you will be waiting literally a whole hour just to get in. One additional star because the place is actually cool. It just feels nice because it's not a pumpkin patch off the side of the highway and they have good activities for kids. This place has been aware of the parking issues and not enough staff taking care of it which creates over a mile line on the street but still no action has been taken. I don't think the $8 parking fee will make less people come but will make visitors frustrated because they already sat in their cars for a good 2 + hours assuming you don't live in Valley Center. I get they want to make more money but there doesn't seem to be a shortage of customers. It's totally NOT WORTH IT. Take the drive out to Julian instead. read more

Bates Nut Farm - Turned around because the line is pathetic... over an hour plus wait just to park - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

Team bonding party at Bates Farm. We had a wonderful time picking out pumpkins, running through the maze and riding all the rides. Thank you Bates Farm for a wonderful time. read more

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Amazing place to go to with your friends and family. My boyfriend and I did a mini photoshoot there for our three year anniversary. Seeing the pumpkin patch was incredible and they have good prices for buying pumpkins big and small. read more

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Love the store on site that sells the best chocolate and fudge. They have sugar free candy as well. Bates nut farm is the only place we go to every year to pick out a pumpkin. This year, we went on a Monday around 3pm. It was perfect to go on a Monday because it was less crowded and we were able to get beautiful pictures with my daughter. read more

Bates Nut Farm - Pumpkin patch - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

This was such a cute little farm. I am so glad that we ventured out, and we even brought our dog. They have farm animals that you can feed take pictures of. Inside the farm market, they have fresh made peanut butter (they make it in front of you) for reasonable prices. They also have a ton of candy, nuts, snacks, everything! The best item that we purchased was the Bates Nut Farm Habanero Jalapeño Jam. It is terrific on a charcuterie board. My guests always ask where the jam is from; I am just about to order more. read more

A perfect autumn day to my favorite pumpkin patch and Nut farm, Bates family Nut farm, Valley Center is a wonderful place to take the whole family to find that special pumpkin, many varieties, big and small, treats, animals, good old Fashion family fun! I would suggest taking a picnic and enjoy the grounds, there is food on site but a picnic is always nice. The nut Farm is a short drive from San Diego, or an hour from Temecula. Kid friendly, doggy friendly, a variety of games, shops, and people watching. I enjoy watching people look for that special pumpkin. What a great day! read more

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We've only been during the fall season more specifically for Halloween for the past three years and it's become our go to fall tradition every year. Really great atmosphere for the kids with a petting zoo and pony rides. Those you have to pay for (approx $10 a child for both) but there's a new addition on the other side of the farm where kids can see and feed other livestock. That's free, the only thing is you pay for the feed from one of those dispensers. There's also a tractor ride, corn maze, inflatable slides and a mechanical bull ride to name a few. The times we've been on weekdays, parking is free but there are field trips so expect a lot of kids. Weekends I believe you pay for parking ($8 a car?). Food is also a hit or miss. Sometimes vendors are open (like 2) so we've learned to pack our own lunches. There's plenty of picnic tables and shade under large trees. Pack a sweater and sun block. It's windy and very sunny. But overall it's a lot of fun for both kids and adults. Pumpkins are fairly priced, not as cheap as super markets or Costco but that's the price for visiting a farm and I figure it's fun for the kids and helps out a local farm. I've been told the farm is open during other seasons but haven't made it out during those times. If anything calling ahead might be a good idea during off season. read more

amazing family expirience a must go. Maze, pumpkin, pony rides and much more. Go have fun.

It's definitely a family friendly farm. The kids can feed the animals w their corn feed and I love the gift shop. They make their own goods and it is such a great way to support small businesses. read more

Bates Nut Farm - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

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We have been going to Bates Nut Farm for decades. Today we took our grandson to feed the animals, get his little bag of candy as per usual, then go get his pumpkin. The experience was great as it always is. Until we got ready to pay for his pumpkins. The entire box/bin of pumpkins he chose from were all the same type of pumpkin with a price sign inside. When we went to pay the price was almost double what the sign said. So my wife asked for a manager since the cashier obviously didn't care to try and help or explain. Enter the "manager" Cooper. He has this entitled attitude and literally spoke to my wife like trash. I grabbed my grandson and we just left. Not only was he a complete *******, he talked to a woman that way in front of a 5 year old and one of his employees. So I called the office, was immediately told basically that he's the owners son, so he would be "talked" to. It was clearly obvious that he can do whatever because he's the owners son. So now there are 4 generations of us who will not be returning. read more

The main reason I chose to come to Bates Nut Farm was b/c they are dog friendly (leashed dogs are ok). Not many pumpkin patches allow dogs unfortunately. My boyfriend and I have made a tradition on going to the pumpkin patch in Dixon, CA (NorCal). They have one of the largest corn mazes and has fields and fields of pumpkins. You could even pick your own pumpkin straight from the vine. However, we moved down to San Diego recently and have yet to find a similar pumpkin patch. We ended up just taking pictures with our dog and didn't buy any pumpkins b/c they were kinda expensive. We're used to getting like four or five 10+ lbs pumpkins for only $15. They weigh the pumpkins except some have a fixed price. I'd recommend getting the fixed price ones if you want to buy pumpkins here. They range from $1.50-$7/each but keep in mind, they're on the smaller end. The pumpkin patch itself was very minimal. However, I did like that they have giant pumpkins. No corn maze but they do have a straw maze, which I think aren't as much fun. There are various activities for the children such as: pony rides, bounce houses, hay ride, etc. but nothing really catered to adults. Overall, it seemed like a nice place for families and younger children. They could easily spend a few hours there. Minus one star for lack of corn maze b/c they're my favorite fall/pumpkin patch activity and they had a very basic/subpar pumpkin patch. read more

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The nuts at Bates nut Farm are exceptional. Unfortunately the way they treat their animals is subpar. The pans are not cleaned the animals are fly infested don't have anything to graze on. Sad. read more

There are some things in this world that apparently 'you just have to do.' Eat, sleep, pay your taxes, have a hot dog from a street cart, see REO Speedwagon in concert, go to Bates Nut Farm, and die. According to my crazy uncle, that's a full life right there. So, with a need to get my son a pumpkin he can carve and my girlfriend an experience akin to being back in rural Ohio, we packed up the 'ole wagon, headed out into the wild frontier, and went to where her friends told her, 'oh, you simply must go!' Now, I've never been to Bates and I've never had any major inkling to go to Bates. For most of us who live on the coast, traveling east any further than the 15 is kinda pushing it (no offense, Ramona), making the prospect of coming here in the first place low on my list of ways to spend the weekend. The drive alone is enough to fan the flames of my smoldering preconceptions as multiple lanes condensed into one, slowly crawling parade of cars, lumbering up the mountainside. The occasional sign promises that you're almost there and that you'll have to pay $5 when you arrive. I understand it's Halloween and, like most holidays in America, all semblance of culture has been stripped to make it a shallow, commercialized, social necessity where you have to decorate your entire house and put on gaudy, specialized attire or risk being labeled as 'a grump.' But, if you're a cynic like me, Bates Nut Farm is a symbol for everything that is wrong with our society. It's an environment so removed from the sterile trappings we've grown accustomed to that most can't even conceive of why anyone would choose to live in such a place. "A farm? Why, I thought they only had these place in Charlotte's Web and The Grapes of Wrath!" And to us it's become a novelty. Leave the beach and the downtown shops where you can shuttle yourself into a dirt and hay covered lot to take pictures with your iPhone on a selfie stick in front of a real-life scarecrow and maybe get to touch a goat. Just know that all of this 'wholesome, old-time' fun comes with price tag on every little thing. Pony ride? Three bucks. Tickets for the petting zoo? Another three bucks. Pick a rubber ducky at a chance to win a $0.50 glow stick? That'll be five dollars. Hay ride? Authentic, country, bouncy castle? How about some farm-grown pulled pork sandwiches or artisan pizza? From the carnival games with cheap plastic prizes to the general store where you can scoop up bags of salted taffy, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups, and Bits o' Honey out of real, country barrels with a real bottle of Coke to wash it all down, everything is something you could probably get at your local 7-11, except here you can get it with a bow made of straw tied around it. Hell, we bought a bag of Pumpkin Bread Mix for my mother and the directions call for a cup of oil, three eggs, and a can of pumpkin. Thank you Bates Nut Farm for selling me pumpkin bread mix where I have to supply my own pumpkin. Oh, look, it's the same stuff inside as the Zucchini Bread Mix, just with a different label and ingredients to add. It was $13. The different ingredient to add, in case you hadn't guessed it ... zucchini. In the end, my girlfriend was disgusted at how commercial the whole place seemed, pining for her days back in the fields in the outskirts of Akron, my son was happy with his little pumpkin which we could have gotten from a local patch for about half the price, and I got to ponder my fruitless existence in the vast emptiness of the universe as I spent the next hour driving the three mile stretch of road back to the freeway. Is Bates Nut Farm somewhere you have to go at least once? Yes, if only to remind you why you live in San Diego in the first place. And just like watching Deliverance (and I mean JUST like it), you never have to do it again. read more

This is your go-to place for pumpkin season. I think that every family here in San Diego probably visits Bates Nut Farm once a year before Halloween. I love that this farm allows dogs! I had such a great time with my pup and enjoyed walking around in the pumpkin patches. Come on a weekday if you can because it is $5 for parking on the weekends and I am pretty sure it gets pretty packed. Although I think the pumpkins are a little expensive, you come and pay for the experience! When I have children in the future (far future), I hope this farm is still in existance because I would bring my kids here and kill a few hours of their energy while they run around the pumpkin patch and the corn maze. read more

Lots to do here and great way to celebrate the kick off of Fall. Tons of pumpkins to choose from. They are about $7 each. They also have Big Macs that they charge by weight. You can roam around anywhere in the complex. We went on a weekday and didn't have to pay for parking in the lot. We did a lap around the place to scope out what they had. We only had $10 cash on us so we were limited. We went on a hay ride for $2.50 each. The baby was free bc she was under 18 months. There is a stroller parking area while you are on the slow moving tractor ride. You pay for the ride at the same place where you pay for the pumpkins. They also have a small petting farm where they have pigs (can't pet), bunnys, baby goats, and sheep. This costs $3 and you can buy food to feed them by hand for $1. Be careful bc once they know you have food, they will surround you and try eat everything you have. You can stay in there as long as you want. They also have a hay maze and pony rides. I did not get to ride the pony, but I'm sure it would be fun. read more

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Bates Nut Farm is a fun place to go if you have little ones. Especially during Halloween. The pumpkin patch is decent size and the prices for pumpkins aren't too bad, although the you won't find a big pumpkin unless you check out the deformed ones in the back. Are these pumped with GMOs or what?! There's a petting zoo which my husband LOVED. You can buy some feed for the goats and watch as they surround you and jump on you like dogs. Pony rides for littles, looks like a blast. Hay ride which takes you around the corn field, maze, and pumpkin patch which, again, my Husband loved. It's $2.50 per person to ride and free if you're under 18 months. Lucky for our little, she's only 7 months! Score!! There's a shop and food on site that we did not partake in, but it's convenient for guests. Parking isn't bad but we came on a Wednesday morning. I'm assuming it's a mad house on weekends! read more

Bates Nut Farm - Petting zoo - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

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We always have a good time coming to Bates. We come here during their seasonal events and during the off seasons. Kids love to go feed and pet the animals then we just peruse the store. Lots of different jams, teas, fudge, nuts, dried fruit, seasons, sauce, etc. read more

I really don't understand what all the rave is about this place. For one its way to far to travel to a pumpkin patch (45 mins from where I live) and the kicker was they charge $5 per car to park in their parking lot. This place made a killing just on parking alone. When we arrived it was about 2pm the lot had over 200 cars already parked there. A few food vendors, not to excited about the selection of food there. Good thing we ate before driving down there. They also had a petting zoo, pony ride. face painting and of course a charge for those activities. Didn't bother to look at the prices for that since we were only there to pick a few pumpkins. They also had an older gentlemen band playing folk music or something like that. Best thing from this place was there vast pumpkin patch which included all sizes and breeds of pumpkins. I never knew there were so many colors and styles of pumpkins. read more

Bates Nut Farm - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

Some nutty reviews--pun intended--about this place out in the boonies. Yes, they charge for the stuff they sell there. Hopefully, it's not a big shocker to anyone that they don't hand out pumpkins, nuts, hay rides or drinks for free. On the other hand, parking is plentiful and it is free. And there is no "admission" price just to wonder the store or grounds. I went last weekend and spent a grand total of $7 bucks (one pumpkin and one Coke). Yes, the drive there can be long. It is out in the middle of nowhere, but that is also part of its charm. Also, during prime events season (pumpkin patch, fall and Christmas festivals, etc.), the two lane road out there can be a real drag. Fair warning. You might want to go during off-times or on a weekday if the likelihood of being stuck in some traffic is bothersome. Otherwise, there really is nothing not to like about Bates. They have penned up animals year-round (chickens, hogs, goats, emus, etc.) which you can look at it (for free!). The store itself is large, fairly charming and packed with all sorts of fruits, nuts, and holiday trinkets. And it is enjoyable to wonder through the vendors which are on the grounds during the festivals which occur during the fall and winter months. Check the website for the schedule of fairs and events. Just enjoy it for what it is and ignore those who complain about what it is not. It's a country store, in the middle of nowhere, where you can check out some animals, pumpkins and crafts and breathe in some fresh air. Great for kids and for family outings. read more

This has to be the best pumpkin patch in San Diego! It is huge, & I mean huge! It is pretty deep in Escondido and the road to get there is only 2 lanes. I went on a Sunday and the traffic was horrendous so try to go on a weekday. Parking is $5. Entrance is free. & they have a ton of fun activities for all ages for 1-3 tickets, which is $2.50 per ticket. We did the maze and the horse drawn carriage around the farm and both were great! If you want to learn about the history of the farm & have a few good laughs, definitely do the 10 minutes carriage ride. The other activities they have include: jumpers, petting zoo, caricatures, and much more. During the weekend, they have several food vendors. Make sure to check out the Bates Nut Farm store because they have a lot of goodies, fudge, and other great gift items. I never knew how many pumpkins there were & Bates sells them all--big, small, ghost, pumpkins that are U-shaped & can be a necklace (such a fashion accessory!), & more. The regular orange pumpkins are $7. read more

Beautiful place to go for a few hours. There are events here. Recently they had a food truck event/sleep over/movie night. We were sitting away from the food trucks, people had their tents set up and we had a blanket under the tree. It was very peaceful. Took my granddaughter to feed the animals. We actually didn't realize so many people were at this event until we went to eat....lines were too long and decided not to eat here. No big deal...nice time with family. read more

Haha I didn't make this a new tradition. 5 years later and I finally made it back to Bates Nut Farm. It's basically the same and doesn't really change. I made the mistake of coming the other way and it took an hour just to get to the parking lot. I came in the afternoon and there was a bunch of bees flying everywhere by the trash cans. Somebody needs to be on top of the trash especially with all the people that come every year. I also learned don't come close to Halloween. I was very disappointed since there weren't that many big pumpkins. It's just a smell of smashed rotting pumpkins. You can find little pumpkins everywhere. I just like Bates Nut Farm for the big pumpkins. They also started charging $5 parking this year on weekends. Bates is still a cool place to come. Just plan to come early in October! read more

Bates Nut Farm - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

Hmmm 3 or 4 stars. Positives: Lots and lots of pumpkins. Nice pumpkins too. Some of those pumpkins are ginormous too! Great for kids. Lots of things for them to do. Jumpers, slides, hay rides, mazes, petting zoo, animals to feed. Candy, candy, candy, fudge... Oh wait, that was for me :). Lots of special events going on during the season. Beautiful area in the hills and not very far from where we live (it took us under 15 minutes to get there). Negatives: So very, very crowded. There were already a good number of folks present when the place opened at 9AM. Two hours later, the parking lot was packed (and this is a nearly Sea World sized parking lot). We even saw a tour bus full of people pull up at one point. Along with the crowded, it is very commercial. Of course, we went during the height of the season so I'm sure this place is much quieter during the summer. Expect to pay for everything. They do offer some package deals that are pretty good priced, but it is like going to the fair so expect things to add up. Make sure your kiddie inflatable slides are up to snuff. Our kid was set on one of them, we bought tickets and pouf it had to be closed. This happened twice. That said, this is a nice place to bring the kids and the pumpkins are high quality. Not sure if I would ever come back again specifically unless I was asked to. read more

This place is a definite must during the halloween season. They have a really nice pumpkin patch and events going on over the weekend that will keep you busy and entertained for a few hours. This place is great to bring the kids to pick out a pumpkin. They have a lot of activities going on and things to buy/do. They have a few food trucks stop by over the weekend as well as music/entertainment. There's so much to do here. They have really good photo ops as well for the family. They have a store filled with some things that they make at bates. They have a little candy area and fudge shop. They sell like nuts and a lot of random things inside their store. This place is big but can get really packed during the halloween season. This place is beginning to get more popular every year. Expect delays on the weekend, especially on the weekends closer to halloween. If you haven't been here before, it is a good place to stop by and take the family. Just keep an open mind and know that it can get busy. But the experience is really worth it. I enjoy this place every year. I definitely recommend this place if you haven't been here and want to see a real pumpkin patch! read more

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Unfortunately they have multiple chickens with extreme, scaley leg mites, that have gone untreated for years. I'm hoping they will treat this painful infestation after reading my review. read more

Bates Nut Farm - Scaley leg mites - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

The best fall and wedding experience! I've been going to Bates Nut Farm since I was little and have so many memories coming here. So family tradition has continued into my new little family! My husband and I got married here in March! Such a perfect sentimental place to do it. They only charge $2,600 for the place and you get it the day before as well! That cost also includes tables and chairs up to 150 people and also includes other fun pieces they have to use for gift tables, cake tables etc.. such a beautiful area with market lights! I hear they are even opening up a bridal suite! Now for the pumpkin patch! It's the best in San Diego county! Always clean and organized and so many activities for the kids! They also have delicious food vendors and their store has the best fudge and so many fun country nick knacks! It's the perfect place to get you in the fall mood and get great family photos! So happy to carry on this tradition! They are charging for parking now on the weekends. But for $5 who's going to complain. So worth it! read more

Bates Nut Farm - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

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I used to visit bates 30 years ago, an escape from apartment life to the country. Looks like they have been improving the entire time. More animals, more picnic areas snd two cute shops for dry fruit, candy and nuts, as well as jewelry and apparel. Bates welcomes young and old, time stretches out while the sunshine pours down. Smile! read more

Bates Nut Farm - Goose - Specialty Food Near Me - Valley Center, California

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I love Bates Nut Farm! I'm always excited to go here every time the Fall season rolls around. I love walking through the enormous field of huge pumpkins and just surveying the landscape. We went here last Saturday and enjoyed ourselves as much as last year, if not more! My boyfriend and I fed the goats, did the corn maze, and walked around the cute and quaint general store--the usual. And like everyone mentioned, the traffic, lines, and crowds are horrible. BUT time is literally of the essence and the deal breaker on whether or not you'll enjoy your visit. I highly, highly suggest biting the bullet, and GOING EARLY. I know, I know, waking up early sucks. And honestly, I'm not one to talk since I was never a morning person; but it will be worth it. Anthony and I left the house around 9:45AM and dealt with very little to no traffic; the parking lot was still rather empty when we arrived. The crowds were very manageable, the General Store wasn't its usual complete mess of people, and you could freely walk around and browse without very frequent, "Excuse me's" to say. If you want to avoid horrendous traffic, 2-3+ hour waits, and large unmanageable crowds..don't come in at 2PM. Again, GO EARLY. Heed my warning and plan accordingly! read more

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Looking for something fun to do this fall season? If so I highly recommend getting your fall decorations and treats at Bates Nut Farm in valley Center. I would get your butt outta bed, drink some coffee and get there when they open at 9 AM while it's cool and parking is available. The highlights of this farm include: -huge variety of small, medium and large pumpkins. -harvest corn and other strange squash variates are there for your shopping pleasure. -tons of photo opportunities. -if there during a special event they usually have other vendors selling goodies like BBQ, kettle corn, funnel cake, arts, crafts, rock climbing wall, huge inflatable slide and hay ride. -corn maze. -the beacon in this cute farm is the Bates Nut Farm general store where you can pick up candy, jams, specialty foods, seasonal decorations, drinks, ice cream, and many other impulse buys to satisfy your holiday wants and needs. Our loot included taffy, chocolate covered peanuts, chocolate covered honeycomb, cute huge pumpkin lolly-pop, candy corn, BNF magnet, hot N spicy jelly beans and some kinda jalapeno strawberry jam that looked good. It was an easy drive from North County that kept us entertained for a few hours and now our home is very festive for the fall season...thanks BNF! I give this farm 8.5"perfect fall mornings" out of 10. read more

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We've been coming to Bates w/ the kids every year for the past 10 years, and we always enjoy it. We pick out our "big Mac" pumpkin that's usually around 100 lbs, a couple smaller ones to carve, and some fresh squash to cook up at home. Then there's lots of festivities -- pony rides, hay rides, petting zoo, rock wall, pumpkin painting, bouncie houses, costume contests, things to buy, food stands, etc. One year, we even did our daughter's birthday party here, which was a lot of fun. I think we enjoyed it the most when the kids were toddlers, and we'd sit them on the pumpkins to take photos. Also, every year the crowds, lines and traffic seem to get worse, especially on the weekends. But it's a Halloween tradition that I'm sure we'll continue for many more years. read more

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This place would be a lot better if the COVID rules they put in place were enforced. No one is enforcing masks or social distancing-- not even the vendors for the petting zoo are wearing masks. There is a lot of hand sanitizer and it's a big space but if you are still concerned about COVID this is going to be a really disappointing outing for you. read more

I'd definitely recommend Bates Nut Farm if 1) you have never been here. 2) you have kids to bring along. Even if you don't fit the above criteria, I'd still recommend it. This place grows the pumpkins and groups up the different kinds. They even have huge pumpkins which aren't that pretty. You can scope out all the pumpkins to find the perfect one for you. The earlier you go before Halloween, the better selection. For regular pumpkins, it was about 6.75 each. I think right before Halloween, they run cheaper but you get the reject pumpkins. It's great for photo op moments with all the pumpkins out there. However, it can get really hot in Valley Center and taking pictures can end up being unpleasant. On the weekends, they have a lot of stuff going on. Kids can check out the animals, food trucks are there, and a live band plays. Recently, I went and ate BBQ corn, ate kettle corn, and drank fresh coconut juice from a coconut. Beware!! TONS of bees attracted to the sweet stuff! I'd recommend going on a week day or at least go before noon on the weekend. It gets busier the closer it gets to Halloween. Traffic can build up going to the farm and also leaving. I'll reiterate, Its usually hot in Valley Center around this time of year. Don't forget the sunscreen. Definitely go if you have patience and aren't in a rush to go anywhere afterwards. read more

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