A working university farm patch with a solid selection and straightforward pricing—good for families seeking a genuine agricultural setting without resort-level attractions.
All pumpkins $5 regardless of size
Rough cost for a family of four: about $20.00 in admission alone at the posted starting rate, before pumpkins, food, parking or any add-on listed above. Most families end up well north of that once they are through the gate.
Cal Poly Pomona operates one of Southern California’s largest working pumpkin patches on its own campus farm—10 acres packed with over 70,000 pumpkins that students and staff manage as part of the university’s agriculture program. It’s the real thing, not a traveling carnival operation, which means the experience centers on a genuine harvest rather than themed attractions.
The flat $5-per-pumpkin pricing is the headline here. You select from thousands of options—large field pumpkins suitable for carving, smaller pie pumpkins, odd-shaped decorative gourds—and every single one rings up at $5. This makes Cal Poly a rare exception in the Southern California premium-patch market: a family with four kids can walk out with a truck full of pumpkins for $20. The only catch is that you’re selecting from a working farm’s harvest, so late October means slim pickings, and you’ll be competing with 70,000 other visitors over a 3-week window.
The farm operates Wednesday through Sunday for the entire month of October, opening 3–7:30pm on weekday evenings and 10am–7:30pm on weekends. This split-schedule setup matters: it’s designed to catch working parents on weeknights and families on weekends. Early weekday visits (say, Thursday or Friday after school) typically draw lighter crowds than Saturday afternoons.
Beyond pumpkin picking, Cal Poly includes a corn maze, a petting farm (goats, sheep, typical barnyard animals), and hayrides. These are packaged as part of the festival experience. The research notes don’t specify whether there are add-on charges for individual activities or whether they roll into the general farm admission, so call (909) 869-6722 before you go if you’re planning a specific activity itinerary.
Inland Pomona in October is warm—typically 75–85°F at midday, cooling to the mid-60s after sunset. “Crisp fall day” is not part of the Southern California playbook here. Bring sunscreen, a hat, and plenty of water; the farm offers limited shade, and you’re walking open pumpkin fields. Early morning (before 11am) or late afternoon (after 4pm on weekends) means cooler conditions and better light for photo hunts.
The farm does have parking on campus, but October weekends draw heavy traffic, especially 10am–2pm and 4–6pm on Saturdays. Mid-week visits avoid the gridlock entirely.
Cal Poly’s main selling point—affordable pumpkins, genuine agricultural setting, straightforward operations—is also its ceiling. If your family thrives on carnival games, elaborate mazes, face-painting, or high-energy sideshows, this isn’t the farm for you. The experience is deliberately farm-focused, not entertainment-focused. That’s a strength if you want authenticity and reasonable prices; it’s a limitation if you want a full-day activity complex.
Southern California’s largest patches (Live Oak Canyon, for comparison) run to 70+ attractions on a single property and charge accordingly. Cal Poly is smaller in scope and significantly cheaper, which makes it ideal for families prioritizing pumpkin selection and a low-commitment farm visit over a resort-style experience.
Families with young kids (ages 2–8) who want a genuine farm experience, straightforward pricing, and weekday accessibility. Visitors on a budget who want to stock up on pumpkins for Halloween decorating or cooking without breaking the bank. First-time pumpkin-patch goers seeking a low-pressure introduction to the tradition.
Weekends in October; early October to avoid crowds, late October if your main goal is pumpkin hunting rather than activity enjoyment.
2-3 hours
This is a university operation drawing from Inland Empire families and LA metro visitors. Weekday afternoon crowds are light; weekends (especially October 15-31) tend toward moderate-to-heavy.
Campus lot parking available; expect standard university lot congestion on peak weekends.
Campus location suggests accessible parking and facilities; call (909) 869-6722 to confirm ADA considerations for farm-ground areas.
You want extensive carnival attractions or themed entertainment—this is primarily a pumpkin farm, not a festival grounds.
Pomona is inland and warm in October; combine with lunch in Old Town Pomona (2 miles south) or a visit to Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden (3 miles west) if you want a full-day outing.
Yes. All pumpkins are priced at $5 regardless of size, which means a family of four can walk out with a full truck for $20 if you find large specimens.
Yes: corn maze, petting farm, and hayrides are all included. But the emphasis is clearly on the pumpkin selection and farm experience, not amusement-park scale attractions.
Weekdays are 3–7:30pm (after-school/work window); weekends are 10am–7:30pm. Early weekend arrival often yields easier parking and less wait.
October 10 – October 31, 2026. Wed-Sun (Thurs-Fri 3-7:30pm, Sat-Sun 10am-7:30pm). Hours: Thu-Fri 3:00pm-7:30pm, Sat-Sun 10:00am-7:30pm.
Admission starts at $5 per person. All pumpkins $5 regardless of size
4102 S. University Dr., Pomona, CA 91768, in Los Angeles County. It is one of 12 patches we track in Southern California.
We track 12 patches in Southern California, 2 of which are free to walk into. At $5 a head this one sits right on the regional median of $5, undercutting 1 of the 3 paid patches we track here.
Its season runs about 22 days against a regional average of 35, so it is a shorter window than most of its neighbours — miss it and the nearest alternatives will still be open.
What sets it apart locally: it has a corn or crop maze, hayrides, which most Southern California patches on our list do not.
There is 1 other patch we track in Los Angeles County. All Southern California patches →
cpp.edu
Checked August 2026.