Sorry to be corny but there’s something a-maze-ing at The Farm at Swan’s Trail (near Seattle, Wa)

Last year we went to the Farm at Swan’s trail because I saw it in my instagram feed and it looked like the most idyllic place ever to pick apples.  And then this year a friend and her family wanted us to go because she knew they had the most amazing corn maze.  Now things like corn mazes terrify me.  I’ve heard of people getting stuck in them and calling 9-1-1 and I never want to make the news for something like that.  But she and I have been on many brave adventures together, so I always know I’m in good hands and off we went.

For fellow corn-maze-a-phobics, there is a map you can get when you pay your entrance fee at Swan’s Trail,(some things are free but you pay for the jumping pillow area and the corn maze) and it is very helpful.  You can spend hours in the maze if you want, but you can finish it in 20-30 minutes if you really want to too and the kids enjoyed the tractor-pulled hay-ride that brought us out to where the corn maze began.

The maze is totally set up like the state of Washington, and the kids recognized places like Chelan and North Bend, Bellevue and the Space Needle and we definitely learned many new places too.  The kids were all kind of at the pre-reading stage so they tried to sound out words or look for places they knew.  The boys also really liked that all the paths through the maze were the same as Washington highways and this time THEY had a chance to control where we went along the road. (Again, thankfully with the map, there is practically no way we could actually get lost.)

The bridges were a big hit because they were lookouts high above all the giant stalks.  (These helped make the whole thing less claustrophobic.  I also carried a backpack full of snacks, water and supplies just in case we ended up camped in the corn maze over night.  You can never be too prepared…)

When we finished we checked out some animals.

Some of us jumped on a pillow.  (This is also terrifying for me.  Notice how the things that scare me also bring my kids the most glee!)

And watched a few pig races from a vantage point in a hay barn.  The kids had a great time playing in the hay for a while too.

We had an afternoon appointment and ran out of time to even pick out pumpkins, or do any of the other activities we tried when we visited last year for apple picking.  I didn’t realize how much time we would want to spend here when we planned out our day.This is definitely a magical place for kids.

Mine didn’t want to leave, so I know we’ll be back again.  (I wonder how old they will be when they are TOO old for this?  I hope never.  Please tell me kids never get too old for this.)

And have you been pumpkin or apple picking yet this fall?  Even if it’s outside of Washington, I’d love to hear where you go!

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)