Hayrides are a fall ritual for many families. Depending on the age of your child, you might be in search of a gentle meander through fields or a spine-chilling adventure that sparks Halloween excitement. Tons of Boston-area farms offer hayrides, and we’ve rounded them up for you here. The best part? Most of these farms also offer other activities to entertain your family, like apple picking, corn mazes, and delicious cider doughnuts. Happy—or spooky—trails!
For more seasonal fun for Boston kids, explore our Fall Fun Guide.
Farm Hayrides Near Boston
1. Davis Farmland—Sterling
Davis Farmland is a discovery farm designed especially for kids ages 12 and under. Open Thursday to Sunday after September 5 through October 14, 2024, and then Saturdays and Sundays through the end of the month, the Safari Hayride is totally unique and ends at a pasture with large farm animals. Cross the street to try to navigate the giant corn maze on fall weekends. Prices start at $24.95.
Head to North Andover for a fun family hayride this Fall. Photo courtesy of Smolak Farms
2. Smolak Farms—North Andover
Smolak Farms continues their hop-on hayrides for 2024. Hop-on hayrides allow weekend visitors to jump on a hayride from 10 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. to get a view of more of the farm’s scenic fields and orchards.
Kids can jump, race, climb, and play for hours at this farm-themed play area in Danvers! Photo courtesy of Connorsfarm.com
3. Connors Farm—Danvers
Connors not only offers visitors hayrides, but a seemingly endless list of fall activities for the whole family, including a corn maze, baby animals, trains, and an expansive farm-themed play area with a giant jumping pillow, duck races, and more. General admission tickets from $14.99 online or $19.99 at the gate.
4. Honeypot Hill—Stow
There are weekend hayrides for the family at Honeypot’s bucolic orchard in Stow. In addition, families can cuddle farm animals, pick apples, and navigate three mazes, including the Big Green Monster Maze, for an extra fee. Tickets are $2 (kids 2 and under ride free).
5. Kimball Farm—Haverhill
This 9th-generation family farm offers hayrides on weekends through their farm fields to their corn maze. Cost is $6 per person.
6. Parlee Farms—Tyngsboro
Make your apple-picking adventure even more special when you head to 19-acre Parlee Farms. On weekends and fall holidays, hayrides to the orchard and back to the farm stand are included with the purchase of an apple-picking bag. Kids also love the play area, the mini tractor driving course, and Annie’s Animal Barn petting zoo. Hayrides included apple-picking bags.
Kids love the corn maze at Marini Farm, as the hayride makes special stops. Photo courtesy of Marinifarm.com
7. Marini Farm—Ipswich
Marini Farm’s Island Adventure 2021 Corn Maze, open on weekends and fall holidays, includes hayrides. The tractor drives around the 8-acre corn maze with special stops along the way, featuring costumed characters with lots of treats to share. Costumes are encouraged. Along with the hayride and corn maze, there are bouncy houses, a pirate ship playground, an apple cannon, a huge tube slide, and more. General admission tickets are $14.99 (children aged 2 and under are free).
8. Schartner Farms—Bolton
This 4th generation family farm offers hayrides on weekends for free. There’s also farm animal viewing and access to the 2.4 mile Bolton Loop Hiking Trail, which runs through the property.
Scary Hayrides Near Boston
9. Witch’s Woods Haunted Hayride and Halloween Screampark—Westford
A terrifying hayride is located at Nashoba Valley Ski Area in Westford. Please note: This hayride is not recommended for children under 6. Babies and toddlers are not allowed at the park or any attraction. At Witch’s Woods, guests are confronted by witches, ghouls, and werewolves, among other scary characters. Open Friday to Sunday nights and select Thursday nights from September 27 – November 2, 2024. Tickets are $52 per person.
Skittish visitors will enjoy daylight at Hanson’s Farm, but the bigger kids will love the spooky hayride!
10. Hanson’s Haunted Farm and Hayride—Framingham
Hanson’s has been scaring the daylights out of families since 1993. Not for the faint of heart, Hanson’s Haunted Hayride features more than 100 volunteers to shock and scare visitors every Friday and Saturday from 7 p.m. – 10 p.m. in October. Hanson’s Farm also offers pick-your-own pumpkins and a corn maze. The farm also features non-scary hayrides during the day for the PYO crowd.
11. Spooky World: Nightmare New England Haunted Hayride—Litchfield, NH
Another hayride that will have you screaming and jumping out of your seat is at this horrifying Halloween theme park. Each year Spooky World pops up for the season offering haunted houses and games along with the hayride. Please note: This hayride is not for the faint of heart: “This is no kiddie ride through the pumpkin patch,” the website boasts. The one-mile ride takes you through a dark forest with live actors and special effects. While there are no age restrictions, the park warns some adults may not even be able to handle the scares. Admission ranges from $37 – $62 for VIP.
