A Central Jersey farm with a 5+ acre Sesame Street-themed corn maze, 20+ activities, and apple picking in one admission—best for families seeking a complete fall festival on a budget.
General admission includes access to Sesame Street corn maze and unlimited hayrides to pumpkin patch
Von Thun’s Country Farm is not a pick-your-own purist experience. It’s a packaged fall festival designed around the Sesame Street theme and a large roster of activities. If you want a single day that covers maze, hayrides, pumpkin picking, apple picking, and photo opportunities without hunting for a second farm, this is the answer.
The 5+ acre interactive corn maze uses a passport system—children carry a card, find stations within the maze, and collect stamps or confirmations at each. This keeps younger kids engaged and gives them a sense of progress. It’s not hard (you’re not getting lost), but it’s designed to hold attention.
General admission includes maze access, unlimited hayrides to the pumpkin patch, and entry to the apple orchard. The farm market is also included. What you pay separately: apples and pumpkins you pick, any activities outside the core bundle (if there are any), and food/beverages. This bundled approach is transparent and works well for families who want predictable spending: you know the admission cost going in, and produce is charged by weight or count.
If you don’t feel like picking apples (it’s hot, someone is tired), the farm sells pre-picked apples at the market. Same with pumpkins: the field is open for picking, but if weather is bad or you want to grab and go, pre-selected options are available. This flexibility is worth noting if you’re visiting with mixed energy levels in your group.
Von Thun’s operates weekends only (Saturdays and Sundays, 10am–5pm, last ticket sold at 4pm). This is important: you cannot visit on a Wednesday or Friday if you’re hoping for a quieter day. All visits are weekend visits. That said, early September Saturdays are less crowded than mid-October Saturdays. The later you wait into October, the busier it gets.
Last ticket sold at 4pm means you should plan to arrive by 2:30pm at the latest if you want a full afternoon. If you arrive at 4:15pm, you won’t have time to do everything.
If you’re a Monmouth County resident and fall is a big deal for your family, season passes at $45.99 + tax start to make sense if you visit 2–3 times. Call (732) 329-8656 to confirm the pass terms, blackout dates (if any), and whether passes transfer within your family.
Budget 3–4.5 hours for a thorough visit. Budget admission + produce selections + any food for a meal cost estimate. The farm’s allure is that you can check multiple fall-outing boxes in one place: maze, hayride, pumpkin selection, apple picking, photo ops. If you value consolidation and time efficiency over the quiet-farm aesthetic, this farm delivers.
Late September or mid-October on a Saturday morning (gates open at 10am); weekends only, so Saturdays offer better crowd distribution than Sundays.
3 to 4.5 hours
Open weekends only (Saturdays and Sundays, 10am–5pm, last ticket 4pm). Busier on mid-October Saturdays; early September weekends are quieter. Sesame Street theming draws families with young kids.
Farm parking lot; typical for the region, can be muddy after rain.
Call (732) 329-8656 to confirm accessibility for the 5+ acre themed maze and hayride routes.
You need weekday visiting, want just pumpkins, or prefer a quiet farm experience without heavy activity programming.
Von Thun's is 30 minutes south of North Jersey farms and 20 minutes from Happy Day Farm (Manalapan). A Central Jersey weekend itinerary works well.
General admission includes access to the Sesame Street-themed corn maze, 20+ activities, unlimited hayrides to the pumpkin patch, and access to the apple orchard. Produce (apples, pumpkins) picked or sold separately are charged additionally.
Season passes are $45.99 + tax per person. If you plan to visit 2–3 times over the fall season, they pay for themselves versus individual visit admission. Call (732) 329-8656 for specific validity dates.
It's a 5+ acre interactive maze with a passport-navigation system, themed around Sesame Street characters. This is not a difficult maze; it's designed for families with young children to explore and collect passport stamps.
Both options are available. The farm has a farm market where pre-picked apples are sold, plus pick-your-own access. If it's late in the season or weather is bad, the farm-market option is convenient.
September 19 – November 8, 2026. Saturdays and Sundays. Hours: 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Admission pricing was not published when we last checked. General admission includes access to Sesame Street corn maze and unlimited hayrides to pumpkin patch
519 Ridge Road, Monmouth Junction, NJ 08852, in Monmouth County. It is one of 3 patches we track in Central Jersey.
We track 3 patches in Central Jersey. The farm has not published a gate price, so it cannot be compared on cost — call before you budget.
Its season runs about 51 days against a regional average of 48, so it is broadly in line with the rest of the region.
There are 2 other patches we track in Monmouth County. All Central Jersey patches →
vonthunfarms.com · visitnj.org
Checked August 2026.