There are few things that are more picture-perfect for the fall season than going pumpkin picking at one of the patches near Montreal. If heading out of town isn't an option, the best farmers markets in Montreal always stock pumpkins by the end of September, but this narrow window of the year when the weather's just right, and apple picking near Montreal is at its finest. Get out there, enjoy what little good temperatures we have left, and get prepping for Halloween.
RECOMMENDED:
Full guide to the best things to do in Montreal
Best haunted houses in Montreal to spook you
Complete guide to the best apple picking around Montreal
Travel time: 40 minutes
This orchard near Montreal takes its pumpkin picking to heart. While wandering through its U-pick apple orchards and corn maze labyrinth are both prime reasons to go, the pumpkins and boutique fully-stocked with products—farm-raised chicken, apple jams, baked goods, you name it—give this place a whole new angle as fall begins.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 40 minutes
Open until October 31 every season, few U-pick farms take pumpkins and other such gourds as seriously as this farm. Its fields are accessible rain or shine, and the farm supplies wheelbarrows for visitors looking to stock on more than Halloween decorations. If you don't want to get your hands dirty, these squash specialists also have a shop to wander through—the bonus there is that the owners also run Vignoble & Microbrasserie Les Vents d'Ange, so their superb wines and beers are also for sale.
Travel time: 40 minutes
For more than 20 years, Les Citrouillards holds the self-proclaimed position as the kingdom of pumpkin picking. If the name isn't enough to convince a potential picker, then maybe their suggestion of dressing up in costume while enjoying their walking trails, picnic area, petting zoo and boutique with vegetables and decorative gourds will.
Travel time: 40 minutes
Specializing in corn in the summer and pumpkins in the beginning of the fall season, Ferme Reid offer U-pick pumpkins alongside a picnic in the countryside: Do some farm-fresh groceries before grabbing one of their pies and chowing down (though we can't guarantee they've got forks on site). They've also got a petting zoo for the kiddies, plus a John Deere store for any true farming fans out there.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 40 minutes
While the Dubeault family's place is chiefly known for its apple picking earlier in the year, once it comes time to pick pumpkins, they're ready: Every year they run their own pumpkin festival with tractor rides, fresh apple juice to taste, a donut shop, pumpkin carving and—of course—picking your own squashes and pumpkins from more than 100 varieties. Only serious pumpkin aficianados need apply.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 45 minutes
With four generations of orchard and farming operations under their belt, this Hemmingford, Quebec-based 115-acre place has a major focus on apples, but once the right season rolls around? It's all about picking pumpkins, as well as butternut and spaghetti sqaushes for some hearty eats. Petch makes their pumpkins available from mid-September onwards, and their shop is always stocked with cakes, some "legendary" donuts, pies, muffins, juices and a selection of preserves.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 45 minutes
For a family-oriented experience, this orchard with apple and plum picking (plus a cider house producing an award-winning ice cider since 2011) provides a great place to celebrate Halloween. From mid-October onward, the farm owners dress as witches for entertainment, kids get to select their own pumpkin.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 45 minutes
From September 15 to October 31, pumpkins are available for picking at this orchard and cidermaker, as well as some end-of-season apples, pears and plums. The best time to go is during weekends when their crêpe shop is open, best washed down with some of their sparkling and ice ciders. The selection of booze here is one of the most robust when it comes to U-pick farms, so bring a designated driver if you want to go buck wild this autumn.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 45 minutes
With its location on L'Île-Perrot, Quinn Farm provides a great farm and orchard experience near the city without needing to make a full day of it. A visit there begs otherwise: Apple picking, pumpkin picking, tractor and wagon rides, a petting zoo for the kids with a cedar maze, plus a farm shop filled with baked goods plus jams and preserves of past seasons make a trip more than worth the gas. It is accessible by public transit, but that's a full 3.5 hours of sitting on the metro and the bus.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 45 minutes
With a farm that's been ongoing for four generations, Ferme Roland Cloutier has been providing people with a place to pick their own fruits during the summer season—berries, plums, pears, melons—and pumpkins during the approaching fall. They've also got U-pick vegetables from June to October, and a full range of fresh pies, marinades, jams and locally-produced meats to pick up between July and October.
Travel time: 50 minutes
Picking pumpkins here can begin as early as September 1st, and according to these U-pick pros, that's actually the best month to come through for a visit. If you visit later on, pumpkins are still available until mid-October along with a corn maze to explore, guided tours of the land, product tastings from the farmers and a wood-fired oven for pizza that's burning on the weekends.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 1 hour
A four-generation farm and fruit and vegetable picker's paradise, Potager Mont-Rouge Halte Gourmande in Rougemont has got it all, all year round. There are as many June strawberries as there are August tomatoes and October pumpkins to pick from, as well as tons of freshly prepared food to enjoy all that peak freshness with. Don't skip on the donuts, fresh apple juice, or the farm's sweet potato fritters rolled in maple sugar.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 1 hour
Take a trip out to this farm near L'Assomption that's been run by eight generations of farmers and enjoy picking up squash and pumpkins on your own before picnicking on their remaining crops of veggies and berries, plus baskets packed with sandwiches, pizza, chocolate-pumpkin cake and cheese-filled gallettes. They've also got their own baked bread and jams for the next morning.
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Located to the west of the city, CitrouilleVille in Saint-Zotique is a ticketed spot that's worth the price. Access gets you to a miniature village made of pumpkins where you can walk the fields of pumpkins and squash varieties before checking out the selection of decorative corn and hay bales. They've also got regular weekend events to help you get in the autumnal spirit.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Pumpkin picking and pumpkin products are the main focus of this farm that's been running since 1999, alongside a range of pumpkin-themed activities for the kids. With 20,000 viitors a year, 8 cookbooks under their belts and 300 varities of squash, it isn't just about picking a pumpkin here. Be sure to dig into their boutique's dozens of homemade products on your way out.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
Set on 3 km of walkable trails, this orchard grows something for every season: fruit in summer, squashes and pumpkins in fall, and Christmas trees in winter. It’s also an attraction for the whopping 250 sweet animals it invites its visitors to meet, ranging from goats to llamas, donkeys, deer and peacocks (please note dogs aren’t welcome). Take a break from squash and pumpkin picking at their café, where they serve Québécois classics like tourtière (meat pie) as well as a variety of fruit pies.
View this post on Instagram
Travel time: 1 hour 15 minutes
This pretty farmers’ market with a view on Mont-Yamaska can fill your fridge with the impressive variety of veggies it sells, but the pumpkins are spectacular in their own right. The carefully curated selection includes both decorative varieties and some good for cooking. While you’re there, stock up on their preserves like local fruit jams, pickled veg, maple sugars, honeys, jellies and ciders. It’s also one of the only large-scale growers of juneberry in Québec, which you can get frozen or in baked goodies.
Travel time: 1 hour 40 minutes
The U-pick options for pumpkins come first, but this farm comes with a whole range of things to do while you're there: A cornfield maze, tractor rides, hiking trails, playgrounds for the kids with a petting zoo and a picnic area to dig into the farm's homemade pies and jams help round out spending a day there. Keep this place in mind for warmer months as well when saskatoon berries, blueberries, strawberries and more can be picked by the bucket.
Travel time from Montreal: 1 hour 40 minutes
While located out in Ontario, the charm of Ouimet Farms is a safe bet when it comes to seasonal autumn fun. They have a 7-acre corn maze with an Easter egg hunt component, plus wide trails that are stroller- and wheelchair-friendly. They also offer pumpkin picking in the fall, and have activities set up for kids if you bring them.
Travel time: 2 hours
It’s worth a couple hours’ drive through picturesque Eastern Township vistas to visit Gros Pierre, a popular apple picking destination in warmer months that turns over to over 1,000 pumpkins and squash in fall. For one festive October weekend there’s even La Foire aux citrouilles here, a celebration of all things pumpkinny including pumpkin decorating in a heated tent, taffy tastings, hot apple juice and a giant apple pie to enjoy. Make sure you buy a couple of their apple-chocolate “baluchons” to take home: whole apples encased in glorious pastry.
Travel time: 2 hours
Admittedly far from the city, but we wouldn't include it if it wasn't worth the trip! It's a beautiful locale out by Val-Joli on rolling hills and smooth fields operating from June 23 to October 31 for the summer-to-fall season, supplying a pick-your-own farm throughout the fall for the pumpkin and squash harvest. Just grab a wheelbarrow and spend the day on the, and if you've got little ones to bring along, let them explore the mini labyrinth and haunted houses on site. (A little secret: They have an amazing chalet to rent!)
Travel time: 2 hours 30 minutes
With U-pick berries and apples in the summer, corn in August and pumpkins in later months, La Ferme Genest's distance from the city means making a day trip out of it. Lucky you, they've got enough going on to keep folks busy with field tours, a shop selling ice cider, donuts, apple brioche and jams, and room for family gatherings. In fact, they've got one of the more robust shops, so pack the car with goods before you head home.
Travel time: 3 hours 15 minutes
With dozens of varieties, this spot for autumn visits while driving through the province is promising for its dozens of pumpkin varieties (and squash) to dig into. They've got more than 50 varieties to be exact, as well as a cotton candy and popcorn stand to take advantage of, plus some activities for the kids. Above all, they like to boast about the views from their farm, and that their homemade bread and pumpkin pie are both a must-try.
Discover Time Out original video
