11+ Reasons You Absolutely Must Visit Cherry Crest Adventure Farm This Fall!
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster County, PA is perfect for fall family fun with over 60 attractions for kids and parents to enjoy!
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm in Lancaster County, PA really knows how to pack in the fun. For real.
You could show up when they open at 10AM and still have numerous attractions to try out when the sun goes down! We visited recently and had such a fantastic time. Every activity thoroughly delighted my daughter and her friend and I think everyone would have loved to go back the next day!
This fall festival is absolutely worth a drive from outside the area because of the sheer scale of the fun activities offered here. So, do yourself a favor and make plans to celebrate fall festival season at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm this year!
One of the things I love about Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is that they give you a quick look at the attractions by height, so parents can make informed decisions before sending their kids hurtling down the wrong slide or bouncing on the wrong jumping pillow.
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1. Baby Chicks (and other animals)
How can you argue with baby chicks. They are so adorable and fuzzy.. and did I mention they are cute?
I am just dying of cuteness over here. When you go through the main gate, veer to the right and head straight to the Discovery Barn. There is a line for the chicks and you and your kids can hold them and everything. Adorable!
But baby chicks are not the only animal encounters your kids will enjoy! Pick up some animal feed and feed the goats and sheep. You can also get close to pigs, turkeys, and ducks.
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2. Pumpkins and Sunflowers
You really can spend all day and more at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. Be sure to carve out some time to pick your favorite pumpkins! Also, starting in 2019 sunflower fields coincide with the beginning of Fall Festival season. How cool is that? Pumpkin and sunflower picking? Sign me up!
3. Low Ropes Obstacle Course
This low ropes obstacle course is really awesome. It is basically set up like a square and each side has oodles of places to climb… climbing walls, nets, tunnels, and other balance beam type features.
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4. Strasburg Rail Road
Check this out! The Strasburg Rail Road runs right through the middle of Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. You can actually purchase tickets at Cherry Crest, ride the train to the main rail road terminal, get out and have some train fun, and then hitch a ride back to the farm! This is such a cool perk!
5. Tiny Town
Imagine a kid-sized village with an ice cream shoppe, schoolhouse, post office, vet clinic, auto repair shop, and barn. Then imagine that each of these buildings are stocked with imaginative play features.
There is a reason there are so many rockers for parents. Your kids will get completely absorbed with playing in this miniature village!
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6. Bounce and Slide
A Fall Festival just wouldn’t be legit without a little bouncing and sliding fun. I love how controlled the entry is for the jumping pillow. First of all, they have it segregated by size. Then, the attendant does timed entry (like 5 minutes each wave) so they can limit the number of bouncers.
There is shade over the jumping pillow so the bouncing doesn’t get too hot. And check it out… you can bounce while the train ambles by. I love it!ย
There are two main mountain slides. The hay chute slide is great for kids and adults of all sizes. If your kids are up for a thrill though, next door is a true mountain slide. And it is sooo fast. My daughter and her friend were hollering with glee the entire ride down!
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7. All the smaller fun attractions
There are soooo many attractions at Cherry Crest Adventure Farm. Honestly, if you did everything you probably would need a second day. There are over 60 individual attractions at the fall festival. Here are some of the ones we tried.
A super fun hay bale maze with a small hay bale mountain.
Or brush a horse’s tail and maybe even braid it!
Test your strength! This has 3 different heights so younger kids, older kids, and adults can all be challenged.
Try your hand (or feet) at pedal karts!
Rolling around inside these rollers was a huge hit too.
These swings are so incredibly relaxing and fun!
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8. The Corn Maze!
Definitely make time to get lost in the corn maze. There are three levels of corn maze fun. We opted for the easy peasy chicken breezy level.. which takes about 20 minutes and is perfect for younger kids. Basically, they follow the yellow poles to find the way out.
The moderately hard level offers clues that you have to figure out.. and it takes about 45 minutes to an hour to complete.
The difficult level basically sets you loose on your own to figure it out. Apparently this version takes about 2-3 hours. Yeah.. that wasn’t happening for us. Ha!
The entire corn maze is very organized. Entry is timed and starts with a quick orientation. Participants are given an activity sheet that can be turned into a souvenir at the end of the maze. Also, you can try and make it through this maze at night too. Spooky!
The maze in 2023 is totally awesome. Bee A-Maized!
Check out this view… perfect!
9. Corn Crib
Speaking of corn, the corn crib at this fall festival is pretty huge too. Like the farm took a barn and then dumped a dozen dump trucks full of corn on the floor.
Your kids will literally get lost in fun here!
10. Extra Cost Fun
Should you pay extra for some of the extra activities?
Well– you don’t need to.. at all. For real. You could spend the entire day doing the activities that are included in the admission without batting an eye.
But the activities that cost extra are pretty fantastic too.
The activities that cost extra include apple blasters (yes!), paintball target shooting (probably better for older kids), nerf battle (fun for everyone.. including parents!), and gem mining (which my daughter and her friends really loved).
You can pay for the extra activities at the main ticket window or on an ad hoc basis at each of the attractions.
11. Great Eats!
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm has tons of great food options and they are strategically located literally all over the farm. The main meal options include hamburgers, hot dogs, mac n cheese, chicken strips, and even chicken on a stick.ย
But who cares about healthy food (lol) when you can indulge of the super delicious tastes of the season! We loved making s’mores with extra large marshmallows. The Kettle Korn is amazing and yes.. the hot cider donuts are an absolute must! I am drooling just thinking of them!
You might want to dip into the Sweet Shop for tons of options that will tickle your taste buds, including homemade fudge.
12. Shows!
There are some great shows and entertainment on the farm. Pig races happen multiple times a day and you can’t miss the singing chickens!
Also, the farm offers a special line-up of performers– singers, circus performers, etc.. throughout the season.
FAQ
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is located at 150 Cherry Hill Rd, Ronks, PA 17572. Google Map Directions here.
For Fall Season, Cherry Crest Adventure Farm is open 15 September-4 November Thursday-Saturday plus Columbus Day. Thursday hours are 10am-5pm and weekend hours are 10am-10pm.
Ticket prices start at $20.95 up to $30.95 (weekends) for the basic price. You can pay in advance for add-ons.
There are regular restrooms throughout the farm.
It is a farm so it’s not paved. That being said, the pathways are wide and even though there are hills, they are largely gentle.
Check Out More Ideas For Fall Fun!
- Summers Farm Pumpkin Festival in Frederick, MD is off the hook fun!
- The mountain slides at Butler’s Orchard can’t be beat!
- Gaver Farm is a beautiful fall festival and farm with apple picking and pumpkin picking!
- There are so many fun fall events. Here is the ultimate guide to all of them!