Pumpkin patches and coastal themed mural at Farmer John's Pumpkin Farm.

The small coastal town of Half Moon Bay is my hometown, I grew up here until I moved away for college. It’s located 45 minutes south from San Francisco and it’s a popular place for city dwellers to escape the concrete jungle.

Half Moon Bay is known as both a beach town and a cute farming community that comes alive in the autumn season. There are several family farms that convert into festive pumpkin patches for the public to enjoy.

The coast is one of the perfect places to take some time to capture special moments on camera. There’s so many beautiful backdrops for both families and Instagrammers.

Most Photogenic Fall Themed Locations in Half Moon Bay

Bay Area Pumpkin Festival

Every October the city of Half Moon Bay hosts the famous Pumpkin Festival. For a small town this festival is very large, it essentially takes over the entire downtown area.

At Pumpkin Festival you’ll find a parade, Halloween costume contest, many booths of artisans selling handmade goods, music, games for children, etc. My personal favorite part of Pumpkin Festival is all the pumpkin-flavored food available - pumpkin spice ice cream is the best!

Lemos Farm

Growing up in Half Moon Bay, Lemos Farm was the popular spot for hosting children’s birthday parties. This farm is especially designed for family fun with young children. They have pony rides, a petting zoo, pumpkin patches, train rides and more.

For the adults, they host Goat Yoga which is essentially a yoga class in a barn with free-roaming goats.

Andreotti Family Farms Pumpkin Patch

The Andreotti’s are 3-generations of Half Moon Bay farmers and they have multiple farms and produce stands open to the public. In September they open up their pumpkin patches and u-pick sunflower fields for harvest season fans.

The Andreotti Barn and Pumpkin Patch on Kelly Ave is very close to the beach, so picking up a couple pumpkins on the way home from a beach day is fun. The u-pick sunflowers are right off the main Highway 1 (exact location is 800 Cabrillo HWY North).

San Mateo Road / Highway 92

If you want to take a scenic drive and explore the countryside, many of the large pumpkin patches are along the side of the road on Highway 92. You can opt to take this route into Half Moon Bay from both San Francisco (North) or the Peninsula (South).

Fair warning, during pumpkin season the traffic can really build-up on the weekends on Highway 92. On warm weekends many visitors also frequent the beaches which can also cause traffic.

Farmer John’s Pumpkin Farm

All the photos in this blog post were taken during our visit to Farmer John’s Pumpkin Farm. This is one of may favorite fall places to visit in Half Moon Bay because I love how they set-up the farm. It’s spacious with plenty of space to walk, and they provide free red wagons so you can haul your pumpkins and children around the farm. In my opinion it’s one of the most Insta-worthy pumpkin patches on the coast.

Pastorino Farms

During the spring and summer months Pastorino Farms is a working nursery with flower fields and green houses open to the public. Seasonally in the fall they convert into another pumpkin land and offer hay rides, train rides, pony rides, a petting zoo, giant slides, a haunted house, pumpkin patches and face painting.

Arata's Pumpkin Farm

Arata’s is the oldest established pumpkin farm in Half Moon Bay, and is also probably the biggest in terms of size. They are most known for their giant Minotaur's Labyrinth Hay Maze and haunted barn. This farm is better for older kids who like to run around and explore. They also have a train ride and farm animals.

Arata’s is located in the outskirts of Half Moon Bay, driving south along Highway 1. There’s a lot of beaches to explore in the area close to the farm.

Bob's Vegetable Stand & Pumpkin Farm

Another pumpkin farm located along the southern stretch of Highway 1 is Bob’s. This farm is in the rural countryside and especially spacious. Visitors like their festive orange wheel barrows and it’s also dog-friendly.

4C's Christmas Tree Farm

In the autumn season 4C’s Farm is a pumpkin patch, and during the holidays it’s a u-cut and pre-cut Christmas tree farm. They don’t have as many bells and whistles as they other farms, they keep it simple with the produce. They allow dogs on leash at the farm.