We enjoyed the day at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm in Lockport at their fall festival and had such a great time! There is so much to do there that you can easily spend hours walking around, doing all the activities, having a meal or snack, and picking out some pumpkins and treats to bring home.
In fact, there is so much to do, we can’t wait to go back. Keep reading for a full overview of everything you will find at the farm, including tips and inside info. This article is sponsored by Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm, but all opinions are my own.
Features of Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm
Overall, we were really impressed with the balance of activities for all ages. With a 10-, 8-and nearly 5-year-old, it’s important for me to find a wide range of activities that they all will enjoy.
At Siegel’s, there are tons of activities and games for everyone. They separate out age groups on the jumping pillow so little kids don’t have to worry about the bigger ones. The rest of the activities either appeal to only one age group, or naturally space out the kids.
Almost everything is included with general admission. The only activities we found to have an extra fee are the paintball shooting range, gem mining, and the Cottonwood Railroad. Otherwise, you can roam around and participate in everything without having to worry about added cost.
The paths are gravel with large rocks at times, so if you are using a stroller, bring one with durable wheels. Also, while some of the areas are fenced in, many are not. Siegel’s recommends writing your cell phone number on your child’s wristband just in case. I thought that was a great idea in general!
If you have all day, we highly recommend wandering around Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm and stopping at each activity and game. You can easily fill the day and have fun the whole time. If you only have a few hours, scroll through all of the activities and figure out what you want to do most!
Cottonwood Railroad
For $5 per person, you can ride this tracked train through the cornfields. It’s a smooth, peaceful ride that takes about 10 minutes. The train runs on weekends and Columbus Day.
More Rides Through the Cornfields
While we are talking about rides, we will mention that there are other options for rides around the farm, including a wagon ride pulled by a tractor and an army truck ride outfitted with American flags. You can take either of these rides to the corn maze, or just continue on the loop for the ride. All of the wagon and army truck rides are included with admission.
Kids Train Ride
The Ghost Town Railroad is a great ride for little ones. It’s open daily. Adults can ride with their kids or kids can ride by themselves around the track. There is another small children’s train nearby, which has a weight limit of 50 pounds per seat. Perfect for your littlest riders!
Jumping Pillows and Zipline
There are two jumping pillows right next to a zip line. You store your shoes in the cubbies, then jump away!
There are multiple zip lines, so we didn’t have to wait much at all to be able to glide down. While the jumping pillows are available every day, the zip lines are only open on the weekends and Columbus Day.
Mountain Slide
The mountain slide is a giant mega slide set up on a large hill. It doesn’t go super fast, but it’s fun and has a great view! My son wanted to go again and again. There are also goats on the side of the mountain that roam around. Don’t miss the goats!
Farm Animals
There are so many animals to check out and feed. You’ll find a pot belly pig, horse, mule, llama, sheep, goats, and baby chicks at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm. The feed by the goats is 50 cents for a handful, so bring quarters.
Corn Crib
They have a corn box for kids under 10 years old with bowls and colanders to play with the kernels. The corn gets dusty, but it’s tons of fun.
Dino Barn
I was nervous walking into the haunted barn because I had no idea what to expect! Turns out you don’t have to worry about jump scares or live characters in this one. There are spooky dinosaur scenes, dark hallways, and warning signs, but we found this haunted barn to be pretty tame.
Scrap Yard Shoot Out: Paintball Shooting Range
Aim paintballs at zombies, signs, and hanging bowls at the Scrap Yard Shoot Out. This attractions is open on weekends and Columbus Day for an additional fee of $5 for 15 shots and $8 for 30.
Corn Mazes
The theme for the corn maze is Super Mario Bros. this year! This 12-acre maze is open on weekends and Columbus Day starting at 10am. Last entry is at 4:30pm. Don’t forget to scan the QR code before entering so you have the map on your phone just in case!
There are checkpoints throughout with trivia. Guss the answer correctly, and it will tell you if you should turn left or right.
There is also a smaller, 2-acre maze, Spookley the Square Pumpkin, open daily and located next to the corn box. They did a great job combining a corn maze with a storybook trail. With either corn maze, be prepared for muddy conditions.
Playgrounds and Play Houses
There are even more playgrounds and playhouses throughout the farm this year, as well as climbing webs, tunnel slides, and rope bridges.
Games
The Wall Ball of Fun is one of my kids’ favorites. You use two strings to move the ball up to the top, without it slipping through the holes along the way. Kids and adults alike were playing when we were there.
My kids also really enjoyed the games along the paths. In Roller Bowler, you try to roll the bowling ball so it stays on top of the hump (or between the two hills, as they like to play.) In the sports zone, you try your hand at all kinds of targets set up for football, baseball, basketball, golf, and more.
Straw Mountain
It’s fun to climb around the enormous straw mountain (and take photos too!).
Free Photo Opportunities
There are several selfie stations with ring lights and cute fall scenes so you can sit with your family or group and get a free picture with everyone! Get everyone in position, tap the screen, and you have three seconds before the camera takes the photo. You can then have the photo emailed or texted to you.
You can also take your own photos around the farm of course. There are plenty of fun spots to discover and they upgraded their photo op game this year.
…And So Much More!
We also enjoyed pumpkin checkers, duck races, climbing the tire mountain, and more. There is so much at Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm that it’s easy to walk by and not notice everything! Make sure you check out their attractions page so you don’t miss anything.
Pumpkins for Purchase
If you are looking for pumpkins, they are everywhere! You can pick up any pumpkin around the farm, by the store, or in the field off the vine. They charge by the pound.
Food
Outside food is not allowed, but there are plenty of opportunities to get lunch, dinner, snacks, and treats. There are burgers, pulled pork, chicken, fries, and more. We went to the chicken hut this year. Check out the food and drink page if you’d like to see all of the options for where to eat.
There are several areas with picnic tables throughout the farm. The tables are large and spread out across a few different fields. Siegel’s has a big barn with tables where you can eat as well, along with two bars. One even has adult swings while you enjoy your beverage.
We enjoyed the dozen apple cider donuts we bought at the store before we left. Pop them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds and enjoy! They also sell warm donuts while you are out on the farm.
Bathrooms
There is a changing area, as well as many outdoor bathrooms designed to look like outhouses across the grounds. We appreciated that we never seemed too far from a bathroom.
Hours
Siegel’s is open daily from 10:00am – 6:00pm. Please note that last entry for the corn maze is at 4:30 pm.
Pumpkin Fest runs until October 29, 2023. Please note that the following attractions are only open on the weekends and Columbus Day:
- Cottonwood Railroad
- 12-acre corn maze
- Fly’n Farmer’s Trolley Lines (zip line)
- John Deere Grain Train (tractor ride through the fields)
- Mia & Miley’s Mountain Slide
- Pumpkin Mine Kiddie Train (train ride where kids ride solo)
- Photo op with the Pumpkin Princess
- Scrap Yard Shoot Out (paintball shooting range)
- The Wizzer
However, there are still over 30 other attractions, rides, and games to enjoy during the week.
Prices
General admission is $24.95 per person on the weekends (and Columbus Day) and $19.95 per person during the week.
Those with special needs are $10, children 2 and under are free, and other discounts are available, such as an after-school special, which is $11.95 after 3pm during the week.
Combo and all-inclusive passes can also be purchased. Click here to buy tickets online before you go.
Children under 2 years old are free. Parking is also free.
Keep in mind that it’s cheaper to use cash once you are at the farm. Siegel’s charges a fee for every credit card transaction. If you follow them on social media and sign up for their emails, you can find discounts there, too.
Updated in October 2023 and pricing is subject to change.
Recommended Ages
Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm is truly for all ages. There are plenty of activities for little ones, such as the kiddie train, tractor rides, several different themed playgrounds, animatronic pumpkin show, petting barn, baby chicks, and more.
Elementary school-aged kids will love the jumping pillow, climbing web, roller bowler, straw mountain, mega slide, duck races, tire mountain, train ride, etc.
There is plenty for older kids, including paintball target shooting, jumping pillow dedicated for ages 12+, Wizzer and Saddle Up carnival rides, zip line, sports zone, enormous corn maze, and more.
Best Days/Times To Go
In past years, we have gone on a Friday afternoon in early October and Saturday opening weekend. This year we went on the Sunday in early October. We have never found any of those days crowded, and we have never had to wait in line more than a couple minutes. Siegel’s says that the most crowded weekends are the third and fourth weekends in October.
We’d recommend checking their events page for special activities. It was a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Meet and Greet day when we went, but there are special musicians, foam parties, and more meet and greet pop-up events, too.
Special Needs Accommodations
Siegel’s offers discounted rates for those with special needs over opening weekend, their final weekend, and every Monday including Columbus Day. Immediate family up to six people are only $10 per person with identification. When you are on the farm, you’ll notice plenty of areas to find a quiet place if your child is over-stimulated and most areas are wheelchair accessible.
Discounts for Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm
We recommend following them on social media and signing up for their emails to find out about exclusive discounts.
You can save money by bundling the extra activities if you are interested in those. The Weekend and Columbus Day All Inclusive Pass is $36.95 and includes general admission, gem mining, paintball, and the Cottonwood railroad. The Weekend and Columbus Day Combo Pass is $27.95, which includes general admission and the Cottonwood railroad.
They offer Military, Veterans, Police, and Firefighters free admission any date they visit when you bring your ID.
Grandparents are free Monday-Friday (except Columbus Day) with a paid grandchild entry, so every child can bring one grandparent for free!
Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm
17250 S Weber Road
Lockport, IL 60441
(815) 741-2693
You can also find Siegel’s Cottonwood Farm in our Guide to Pumpkin Patches.
