4 Best Pumpkin Patches With a Petting Zoo in New Jersey
Jump to: 1. Duffield's Farm Market 2. Atlantic Farm Market 3. Schaefer Farms 4. A. Casola Farms
The 4 best pumpkin patches with a petting zoo in New Jersey are Duffield's Farm Market, Atlantic Farm Market, Schaefer Farms and A. Casola Farms — farms tagged for farm animals kids can get close to, alongside the pumpkins. For toddlers and preschoolers especially, an animal barn is often worth more than every other attraction on the farm combined. Below, each gets a closer look — what it offers, how it's rated, and how to get there — followed by answers to the questions we hear most about visiting. See every pumpkin patch we track in New Jersey, or browse pumpkin patches with petting zoos in every state on our Petting Zoos and Farm Animals near me page.
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Duffield's Farm Market
Duffield's Farm Market in Sewell takes the top spot, rated 4.6 out of 5 from 1,970 reviews. Visitors come here for u-pick pumpkins and petting zoo.
280 Chapel Heights Rd #9355, 08080
U-pick pumpkinsPetting zooFarm storeDuffield's Farm Market is ranked #1 on this list, located at 280 Chapel Heights Rd #9355, Sewell, NJ, 08080. It carries a 4.6-out-of-5 rating on Google from 1,970 reviews, which puts it among the more established pumpkin patches we track near Sewell. Beyond the pumpkin field itself, it's tagged for u-pick pumpkins, petting zoo and farm store, so there's usually more to a visit than just picking a pumpkin and heading home.
Google hasn't surfaced a set of recurring review themes for Duffield's Farm Market yet, so there isn't a themed summary of what visitors say to pass along here — the star rating and review count above remain the clearest public signal until more detail comes in. In the farm's own words: "Farm featuring pick-your-own produce as well as a bakery, a deli and a petting zoo." Duffield's Farm Market is one of the farms we track with a u-pick pumpkin patch, which typically means true u-pick means walking into a growing field and cutting a pumpkin off the vine yourself. it is the version of the experience most people picture, and it is worth checking for specifically — a great many farms advertis…
Based on its public listing, Duffield's Farm Market is typically open Monday 9AM-7PM, Tuesday 9AM-7PM, Wednesday 9AM-7PM, Thursday 9AM-7PM, Friday 9AM-7PM, Saturday 9AM-7PM. Pumpkin patch hours shift often during the season — expect longer hours the two or three weekends around mid-October and shorter, sometimes weekend-only hours toward either end of the season — so treat this as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee. Admission pricing isn't listed for Duffield's Farm Market either — pumpkin patches generally charge one of three ways (free entry with pumpkins priced individually or by weight, a flat gate admission bundling attractions, or a per-attraction wristband system), so it's worth asking which applies here before you go. It accepts checks, credit cards, debit cards and nfc mobile payments, though it's still smart to carry some cash — field admission and wagon rides at farms like this are sometimes handled separately from the main store.
Like most working farms, the exact open and close dates for Duffield's Farm Market can shift year to year with weather and how the pumpkin crop comes in, even though the general window is fairly predictable. If you're planning a special trip, a weekday morning is consistently the quietest time to go, with shorter waits for wagon rides and easier parking than a weekend afternoon. Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy — pumpkin fields are working farmland rather than paved lots, and they get soft fast after rain — and call ahead if it's rained heavily in the last day or two, since field access and hayrides are usually the first things a farm closes when the ground is saturated. Layers help too: fall mornings can start cold and warm up quickly once the sun is over an open field.
Duffield's Farm Market sits in Sewell County, near Sewell, NJ, with parking typically in a grass field rather than a paved lot — allow a few extra minutes on busy weekends for staff or volunteers to direct traffic, and if you're navigating by GPS rather than the link on this page, search the farm name directly rather than just the street address, since rural addresses sometimes route to the wrong gate. See the full profile — hours table, rating breakdown, review themes, FAQ and a map you can route from — on Duffield's Farm Market's listing page, or tap Directions below to head straight there.
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Atlantic Farm Market
Atlantic Farm Market, out in Manasquan, is next up, rated 4.5 out of 5 from 388 reviews. Visitors come here for hayrides and petting zoo.
1506 Atlantic Ave, 08736
HayridesPetting zooFarm storeAtlantic Farm Market is ranked #2 on this list, located at 1506 Atlantic Ave, Manasquan, NJ, 08736. It carries a 4.5-out-of-5 rating on Google from 388 reviews, which puts it among the more established pumpkin patches we track near Manasquan. Beyond the pumpkin field itself, it's tagged for hayrides, petting zoo and farm store, so there's usually more to a visit than just picking a pumpkin and heading home.
Google hasn't surfaced a set of recurring review themes for Atlantic Farm Market yet, so there isn't a themed summary of what visitors say to pass along here — the star rating and review count above remain the clearest public signal until more detail comes in. In the farm's own words: "Local farm featuring a petting zoo with sheep, llamas and goats, along with produce sales and hayrides." Atlantic Farm Market is one of the farms we track with a hayride, which typically means hayrides run on a loop from the barn out to the pumpkin field, typically ten to twenty minutes, and at many farms they are the only way to reach the picking field at all. some are free with admission, some are a few doll…
Based on its public listing, Atlantic Farm Market is typically open Monday 10AM-5PM, Tuesday 10AM-5PM, Wednesday 10AM-5PM, Thursday 10AM-5PM, Friday 10AM-5PM, Saturday 10AM-5PM, Sunday 10AM-5PM. Pumpkin patch hours shift often during the season — expect longer hours the two or three weekends around mid-October and shorter, sometimes weekend-only hours toward either end of the season — so treat this as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee. Admission pricing isn't listed for Atlantic Farm Market either — pumpkin patches generally charge one of three ways (free entry with pumpkins priced individually or by weight, a flat gate admission bundling attractions, or a per-attraction wristband system), so it's worth asking which applies here before you go. It accepts credit cards, debit cards and nfc mobile payments, though it's still smart to carry some cash — field admission and wagon rides at farms like this are sometimes handled separately from the main store.
Like most working farms, the exact open and close dates for Atlantic Farm Market can shift year to year with weather and how the pumpkin crop comes in, even though the general window is fairly predictable. If you're planning a special trip, a weekday morning is consistently the quietest time to go, with shorter waits for wagon rides and easier parking than a weekend afternoon. Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy — pumpkin fields are working farmland rather than paved lots, and they get soft fast after rain — and call ahead if it's rained heavily in the last day or two, since field access and hayrides are usually the first things a farm closes when the ground is saturated. Layers help too: fall mornings can start cold and warm up quickly once the sun is over an open field.
Atlantic Farm Market sits, near Manasquan, NJ, with parking typically in a grass field rather than a paved lot — allow a few extra minutes on busy weekends for staff or volunteers to direct traffic, and if you're navigating by GPS rather than the link on this page, search the farm name directly rather than just the street address, since rural addresses sometimes route to the wrong gate. See the full profile — hours table, rating breakdown, review themes, FAQ and a map you can route from — on Atlantic Farm Market's listing page, or tap Directions below to head straight there.
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Schaefer Farms
Schaefer Farms near Flemington rounds out this stretch of the list, rated 4.1 out of 5 from 212 reviews. Visitors come here for u-pick pumpkins and petting zoo.
1051 County Rd 523, 08822
U-pick pumpkinsPetting zooHaunted attractionFarm storeSchaefer Farms is ranked #3 on this list, located at 1051 County Rd 523, Flemington, NJ, 08822. It carries a 4.1-out-of-5 rating on Google from 212 reviews, which puts it among the more established pumpkin patches we track near Flemington. Beyond the pumpkin field itself, it's tagged for u-pick pumpkins, petting zoo, haunted attraction and farm store, so there's usually more to a visit than just picking a pumpkin and heading home.
Google hasn't surfaced a set of recurring review themes for Schaefer Farms yet, so there isn't a themed summary of what visitors say to pass along here — the star rating and review count above remain the clearest public signal until more detail comes in. Schaefer Farms is one of the farms we track with a u-pick pumpkin patch, which typically means true u-pick means walking into a growing field and cutting a pumpkin off the vine yourself. it is the version of the experience most people picture, and it is worth checking for specifically — a great many farms advertis…
Based on its public listing, Schaefer Farms is typically open Monday 9:30AM-5PM, Tuesday 9:30AM-5PM, Wednesday 9:30AM-5PM, Thursday 9:30AM-5PM, Friday 9:30AM-5PM, Saturday 9:30AM-5PM, Sunday 9:30AM-5PM. Pumpkin patch hours shift often during the season — expect longer hours the two or three weekends around mid-October and shorter, sometimes weekend-only hours toward either end of the season — so treat this as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee. Admission pricing isn't listed for Schaefer Farms either — pumpkin patches generally charge one of three ways (free entry with pumpkins priced individually or by weight, a flat gate admission bundling attractions, or a per-attraction wristband system), so it's worth asking which applies here before you go. Payment methods aren't listed, and a meaningful share of family-run patches are cash-only for field admission and wagon rides even when the farm store takes cards — bringing some cash as backup avoids an awkward trip back to the car at the gate.
Like most working farms, the exact open and close dates for Schaefer Farms can shift year to year with weather and how the pumpkin crop comes in, even though the general window is fairly predictable. If you're planning a special trip, a weekday morning is consistently the quietest time to go, with shorter waits for wagon rides and easier parking than a weekend afternoon. Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy — pumpkin fields are working farmland rather than paved lots, and they get soft fast after rain — and call ahead if it's rained heavily in the last day or two, since field access and hayrides are usually the first things a farm closes when the ground is saturated. Layers help too: fall mornings can start cold and warm up quickly once the sun is over an open field.
Schaefer Farms sits, near Flemington, NJ, with parking typically in a grass field rather than a paved lot — allow a few extra minutes on busy weekends for staff or volunteers to direct traffic, and if you're navigating by GPS rather than the link on this page, search the farm name directly rather than just the street address, since rural addresses sometimes route to the wrong gate. See the full profile — hours table, rating breakdown, review themes, FAQ and a map you can route from — on Schaefer Farms's listing page, or tap Directions below to head straight there.
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A. Casola Farms
Also worth the drive: A. Casola Farms in Holmdel, rated 3.3 out of 5 from 398 reviews. Visitors come here for hayrides and petting zoo.
178 NJ-34, 07733
HayridesPetting zooHaunted attractionA. Casola Farms is ranked #4 on this list, located at 178 NJ-34, Holmdel, NJ, 07733. It carries a 3.3-out-of-5 rating on Google from 398 reviews, which puts it among the more established pumpkin patches we track near Holmdel. Beyond the pumpkin field itself, it's tagged for hayrides, petting zoo and haunted attraction, so there's usually more to a visit than just picking a pumpkin and heading home.
Google hasn't surfaced a set of recurring review themes for A. Casola Farms yet, so there isn't a themed summary of what visitors say to pass along here — the star rating and review count above remain the clearest public signal until more detail comes in. In the farm's own words: "Nursery offering plants and Christmas trees, plus family-friendly attractions such as a petting zoo and hayrides." A. Casola Farms is one of the farms we track with a hayride, which typically means hayrides run on a loop from the barn out to the pumpkin field, typically ten to twenty minutes, and at many farms they are the only way to reach the picking field at all. some are free with admission, some are a few doll…
Based on its public listing, A. Casola Farms is typically open Monday 8:30AM-4:30PM, Tuesday 8:30AM-4:30PM, Wednesday 8:30AM-4:30PM, Thursday 8:30AM-4:30PM, Friday 8:30AM-4:30PM, Saturday 8:30AM-4:30PM, Sunday 8:30AM-4:30PM. Pumpkin patch hours shift often during the season — expect longer hours the two or three weekends around mid-October and shorter, sometimes weekend-only hours toward either end of the season — so treat this as a strong starting point rather than a guarantee. Admission pricing isn't listed for A. Casola Farms either — pumpkin patches generally charge one of three ways (free entry with pumpkins priced individually or by weight, a flat gate admission bundling attractions, or a per-attraction wristband system), so it's worth asking which applies here before you go. It accepts credit cards and debit cards, though it's still smart to carry some cash — field admission and wagon rides at farms like this are sometimes handled separately from the main store.
Like most working farms, the exact open and close dates for A. Casola Farms can shift year to year with weather and how the pumpkin crop comes in, even though the general window is fairly predictable. If you're planning a special trip, a weekday morning is consistently the quietest time to go, with shorter waits for wagon rides and easier parking than a weekend afternoon. Wear shoes you don't mind getting muddy — pumpkin fields are working farmland rather than paved lots, and they get soft fast after rain — and call ahead if it's rained heavily in the last day or two, since field access and hayrides are usually the first things a farm closes when the ground is saturated. Layers help too: fall mornings can start cold and warm up quickly once the sun is over an open field.
A. Casola Farms sits, near Holmdel, NJ, with parking typically in a grass field rather than a paved lot — allow a few extra minutes on busy weekends for staff or volunteers to direct traffic, and if you're navigating by GPS rather than the link on this page, search the farm name directly rather than just the street address, since rural addresses sometimes route to the wrong gate. See the full profile — hours table, rating breakdown, review themes, FAQ and a map you can route from — on A. Casola Farms's listing page, or tap Directions below to head straight there.
Conclusion
Duffield's Farm Market is our top pick for a pumpkin patch with a petting zoo in New Jersey, rated 4.6 out of 5, with Atlantic Farm Market, Schaefer Farms and A. Casola Farms rounding out the list. Ratings and review counts reflect public data at the time of writing and can change, and which animals are on site — and whether the barn is open that day — can vary week to week, so always confirm with the farm directly before you drive out. For more options, see every pumpkin patch we track in New Jersey.
Frequently asked questions
What is the best pumpkin patch with a petting zoo in New Jersey?
Based on rating and review volume, Duffield's Farm Market ranks first among the pumpkin patches with a petting zoo we track in New Jersey, with a 4.6-out-of-5 rating. See the full breakdown above, or its full listing for hours and directions.
What animals are usually at a pumpkin patch petting zoo?
It varies by farm, but goats, sheep, alpacas, rabbits and barn cats are the most common. Larger farms sometimes add pigs, ponies or a small aviary. Feed cups are usually available for a dollar or two even when general admission is free.
Is the petting zoo included in admission?
At most farms, yes — the animal barn is bundled into general admission rather than ticketed separately. It's still worth confirming when you call, since a minority of larger destination farms do charge extra for it.
Are petting zoos safe for toddlers?
Generally yes, with normal precautions. Well-run farms provide hand-washing stations near the animal area and it's worth using them properly — animal contact areas are a recognized source of E. coli and salmonella exposure in young children. Strollers are frequently not permitted inside the enclosure itself, so plan for carrying.
Are these pumpkin patches good for young kids?
Yes — a petting zoo is one of the two features (alongside a dedicated kids' play area) that most reliably holds a toddler's or preschooler's attention. Check the listings above for hours, and call ahead if you're planning specifically around animal-barn access.