Out in the far west Chicago suburb of West Chicago, Illinois one will find a gem of a pumpkin farm for all ages. The farm known as Sonny Acres has been operating for over a hundred years and is open all year. The farm sells everything from flowers in the spring to Christmas Trees in December. Our fascination with this farm has been during the Halloween season. I paid my first visit to Sonny Acres during a grade school field trip back in the seventies. Besides the annual school group trip, I would also go with the family during a cool crisp October evening to pick out pumpkins and bring home a jug a cider. Those memories are golden and they seem to remain alive and well among many suburbanites attending Sonny Acres.
For the past few years, our family has taken excursions to Kuipers Farm in Maple Park in addition to a quick visit to Sonny Acres. We like to pay Kuipers a visit every year as it is truly set back on a farm with no commercial business nearby. That setting is what a pumpkin farm should be. While Sonny Acres still sits on a farm, the nearby land is all commercialized and residential which sort of jades the whole country experience. Despite the location, Sonny Acres has a place in my heart for nostalgic reasons and I will continue my annual pilgrimages to this pumpkin farm.
Sonny Acres – The Pumpkins
The feature of the farm in the fall is of course picking out a pumpkin. The pumpkin patch is enormous with several different piles of pumpkins to choose from. You will not have a difficult time sorting through the patch looking for a winner. We find the pumpkin patch to be an excellent place to take some great autumn pictures of the kids. When exploring the pumpkin patch, don’t forget to get a picture of the infamous pumpkin tree nearby.
Sonny Acres – The Rides
Sonny Acres features several carnival type rides for kids that require purchase of tickets. There are even rides for very small children such as a toddler trains that goes in circles a few times. The rides and ticket booth are usually located at the west side the farm towards the entrance. Besides the carnival rides, the farm also has pony rides and a wagon ride. These features will also require tickets. We usually pass on the carnival rides and opt for the pony rides and the wagon ride. The wagon ride is fun as it allows the entire family to participate. For the brave of heart, pay a visit to the farm at night and get in line for the haunted hayride which will spook even the adults.
Sonny Acres – Kid Fun
The farm also has a play zone area where kids can unwind on outdoor play sets. The play area includes all sorts of fun tunnels and equipment to climb through. In addition there are other fun features at Sonny Acres such as the kids spook shed. This haunted shed is pretty tame as I went along with my three year old son and he wasn’t fazed. There is a spookier haunted house on site for the older children.
Sonny Acres – Shopping
The farm has all sorts of neat shops for those looking for costumes, decorations, or even sweets. The barn shop has all sorts of delicious apple products including cider, butters, and more. The store has more decorative and costume merchandise on the upper level. Also consider paying a visit to the sweets shack for some excellent fudge, cookies, and candy.
Sonny Acres – Concessions
The minute you get out of your car the aroma of fried foods will approach you. The farm has several concessions located in the center of the farm that serve up all sorts of carnival food whether it be elephant ears, corn dogs, and buttered corn on the cob. It is a challenge to get through the farm without paying a visit to one of these booths.
A trip to Sonny Acres will be ideal for a family looking to spend a few fun hours on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon taking in the autumn experience. A visit can be very expensive to very cheap depending on what you plan on doing and eating.
