What would Texas be without its history of cattle drives, stockyards and cowboys? Maybe your tot isn’t pretending to be a gunslinging vigilante (yet), but a visit to a local farm or ranch is practically a rite of passage! Most of these offer more in the way of cuddling chickens and feeding goats, but you can get some first-hand experience horseback riding and cattle roping, too. Read on for some of our favorite farm destinations near HTX.
Best fall attraction: Dewberry Farm
Dewberry Farm
Where: 7705 Farm to Market 362, Brookshire, TX
For old-school fun, no one does it better than Dewberry Farm right outside of Katy. This farm hosts seasonal attractions like a Trail of Lights at the holidays, and a pumpkin patch in the fall. Plus, there are dozens of attractions that are fun to visit no matter the holiday like a giant jumping pillow, train ride, slide mountain and carousel. Dewberry opens to the public for weekends in the fall, but also hosts field trips and birthday parties.
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Best for little farmers: Blessington Farms
Flickr/Josh Grenier
Where: 510 Chisolm Trail, Simonton, TX
Open year round, Houstonians flock here for the fresh pick-your-own berries you can gather in spring and summer. But Blessington Farm also hosts farm-themed events like Easter egg hunts and pumpkin patches, plus attractions like hayrides, a rope maze, gem mining, jumping pads, a big slide and climbing web. And you can get your animal snuggles with chickens, goats, lambs and some of the farm’s resident pups.
Best for animal lovers: Old MacDonald’s Farm
Where: 3203 Farm to Market 1960 E, Humble, TX
You’ll find this farm in Humble, and it’s an especially great option for summer since they have a swimming pool on site. Wooden playgrounds, a duck pond, train ride, sand mountain and petting zoo offer plenty to keep kids entertained. Animals like llamas, ponies (available for riding!), deer, goats, peacocks and donkeys call this farm home, so your little can definitely practice her animal sounds. And visit in fall to take advantage of the great pumpkin patch and fall festivities. And did we mention all activities are included in the $12 admission ticket? Steal!
Best for history buffs: George Ranch
Flickr/Roy Luck
Where: 10215 FM 762 Road, Richmond, TX
This historic spot is a real life working ranch in Fort Bend County, and while it has some of the traditional farm and ranch attractions, it’s great for history lovers and educational outings. During your visit, you’ll follow four generations of a single ranching family over 100 years through life in frontier Texas to World War II. There are four historic houses on site, with people dressed up to play historical figures and roles. You can ask them questions, watch them work with trades like blacksmithing, and learn about what life was like during the time period. You might even see some real cattle roping!
Best for berry picking: P-6 Farms
Where: 9963 Pooles Road, Montgomery, TX
This farm in Montgomery is all about the fresh produce. In spring, head to Blooms and Berries for tons of kid-friendly attractions (train rides, farm animals and a tire mountain!) along with u-pick strawberries and blackberries and to shop a colorful farmer’s market. In fall, you won’t want to miss the corn maze and pumpkin patch and the “Field of Screams” if you’re brave enough! Summer farm camp gives you the chance to enroll your littles in a full week (or more) of hands-on, dirty farm fun.
Best for an immersive cowboy weekend: A visit to Bandera, Texas
Flickr/Joseph King
The Cowboy Capital of the World, as it’s known, is perfect if you’re looking for a rustic getaway that’s longer than a few hours. Just west of San Antonio, you’ll find this little town full of dude ranches where you can go horseback riding, hiking, enjoy cookouts, two-stepping and more. Family favorites include Silver Spur Guest Ranch or Flying L Hill Country Resort, both of which promise some trail riding and open-fire cookin’ to make you feel like a real cowboy.
