Deck the halls with pumpkin spice lattes. Fall lal lal lal lal lal lal lal lal – that’s how the song goes, right? ‘Tis the season of pumpkin everything. Embrace being totally basic with every way possible to go gaga for gourds in the Queen City.
Pumpkin Patches
Where: 3900 Rocky River Road, Charlotte
What: 10 acres of pumpkins open every day, Sept. 25 – Oct. 31 from 9 a.m. to dusk.
How much: Families of all sizes are free.
Where: 10713 Providence Road West, Charlotte
What: Convenient for Ballantyne families, Hall Family Farm has pumpkins, hayrides and chickens.
How much: Free mini activities for kids.
Where: 1261 Oak Ridge Farm Highway, Mooresville
What: Take a hayride to the patch where tens of thousands of pumpkins await.
How much: Free to wander, hayrides are $10 per person.
Pumpkin Drinks
Where: 125 Remount Rd., Charlotte
What: Good Bottle has an entire section devoted to seasonal/pumpkin beers. I’m sipping on a Pompoen from Wicked Weed as a write.
How much: Seasonal bottles (like Pompoen) can range from $9 to $20.
Where: 719 Louise Avenue, Charlotte
What: Their pumpkin pie latte was made with real pumpkin puree long before Starbucks finally jumped on the bandwagon.
How much: Under $4.
Where: 1212 Pecan Avenue, Charlotte
What: Try their pumpkin old fashioned with whiskey, pumpkin, brown sugar and orange bitters.
How much: Around $10 (depending on your whiskey choice).
Pumpkin Eats
Where: 1100 Metropolitan Avenue, Charlotte
What: Vivace is serving a spiced pumpkin crostata with cinnamon gelato. Yum.
How much: Between $8 and $10.
Where: 110 Perrin Place, Charlotte
What: Two words: Pumpkin gnocchi.
How much: Around $25.
Where: 2809 South Boulevard, Charlotte
What: Pretend you’re wandering the streets of Paris for a few minutes as you enjoy a pumpkin croissant by Renaissance Patisserie’s French-born chef.
How much: Around $3.50.
Pumpkin Activities
Where: Carowinds
What: Saturdays and Sundays this fall, take your little ones trick-or-treating with the Peanuts gang in Planet Snoopy.
How much: Included with daytime admission ($49.99 for adults, $41.99 for kids).
Pumpkin patch and carving at Romare Bearden Park
Where: 300 South Church St., Charlotte
What: On Oct. 25 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., bring your kids uptown for a pumpkin patch with carving stations, contests and games.
How much: Free.
GUTS 7th Annual Pumpkin Carving Competition
Where: 1000 North Carolina Music Factory Boulevard, Charlotte
What: Bring out your competitive side and raise money for the Make-A-Wish Foundation during Charlotte’s annual carving competition. It beings at 4 p.m. sharp, so don’t be late!
How much: $50/carver, supporters/viewers are free.
(Photo credit: Hill Family Farm photo via their Facebook page)
