Ramsey’s may be the best example in the ranking of a genuine Delaware farm experience.  The Wilmington-area farm combines hayrides with a large pumpkin field, corn maze, barnyard animals, a children’s Spookley trail, pumpkin painting and other activities.  Image courtesy of Ramsey Farm.com.

From cider doughnuts and pumpkin fields to bonfires and serious scares, we ranked eight Delaware-area fall outings — then matched them to the kind of autumn adventure you’re looking for.

MIDDLETOWN, Del. — Not all hayrides are created equal.Some are old-fashioned tractor rides through pumpkin fields. Others come with corn mazes, cider doughnuts, bonfires and enough activities to keep a family busy for most of the day. And a few wait until dark before turning the wagon ride into a rolling Halloween nightmare.

So which one offers the best overall fall experience?

Delaware LIVE compared eight popular fall destinations in Delaware and nearby Pennsylvania, scoring the total experience based on the hayride itself, pumpkins, additional attractions, food and atmosphere, and — where appropriate — scare factor.

The result: Linvilla Orchards in Media, Pennsylvania, takes the No. 1 spot for the best total fall experience, while Delaware’s Ramsey’s Farm, Fifer Orchards, Filasky’s Produce and Frightland each offer reasons to stay closer to home.

The rankings are intended as a guide rather than a scientific rating. A low scare score, for example, can be a big advantage when the passengers are 5 years old. A spectacular haunted hayride can be perfect for a Saturday night with teenagers while being completely wrong for a Sunday afternoon with toddlers.

The real question may not be “What’s the best hayride?” but “What’s the best hayride for me?”

THE DELAWARE LIVE HAYRIDE RANKINGS

1. LINVILLA ORCHARDS — MEDIA, PENNSYLVANIA
Delaware LIVE score: 9.2

Linvilla wins by making the hayride only one part of a much bigger fall outing.

Its roughly 15-minute Harvest Hayride travels through the farm, but families can also explore Pumpkinland, tackle mazes, visit barnyard animals, pick apples, eat at the farm and shop the market and bakery.

There is no general admission charge to enter Pumpkinland; visitors pay for individual activities. Linvilla also offers evening Autumn Moon Hayrides and its family-oriented Hayride to the Witch’s House.

That combination makes Linvilla the strongest choice in the ranking for families looking to turn a hayride into a half-day or full-day fall excursion.

The downside may also be a consequence of its popularity: Expect crowds during prime October weekends, and buying timed hayride tickets in advance is a good idea.

2. RAMSEY’S FARM — WILMINGTON
Delaware LIVE score: 8.9

Ramsey’s may be the best example in the ranking of a genuine Delaware farm experience.

The Wilmington-area farm combines hayrides with a large pumpkin field, corn maze, barnyard animals, a children’s Spookley trail, pumpkin painting and other activities.

It also changes personality after dark.

Friday and Saturday bonfire nights beginning in October include an extended nighttime hayride, flashlight corn maze and bonfire.

Ramsey’s does not try to become a giant amusement park. That may be part of its appeal for families who want pumpkins, a wagon ride and some farm dirt on their shoes.

3.BATES MOTEL &  HAUNTED HAYRIDE — GLEN MILLS, PENNSYLVANIA
Delaware LIVE score: 8.8 — scare-night ranking

Forget the quiet ride through the pumpkin patch.

Bates Motel turns the hayride into a Halloween production built around actors, elaborate sets and special effects.

Located at Arasapha Farms in Glen Mills, Bates combines its Haunted Hayride with other nighttime haunted attractions. By day, however, the same farm becomes a much different destination with family-oriented harvest activities.

For people in northern New Castle County and the Chadds Ford area who want their hayride to be scary, Bates earns one of the highest scores in the comparison.

It is not the choice for small children.4. FRIGHTLAND — MIDDLETOWN
Delaware LIVE score: 8.7 — scare-night ranking

4. Frightland is Delaware’s answer to Bates, but on a larger scream-park scale.

The Horror Hayride is part of a series of haunted attractions visitors encounter during the night, making Frightland less of a simple hayride destination and more of a complete Halloween entertainment complex.

Its advantage is variety. If the goal is to spend an evening being scared rather than picking pumpkins, Frightland delivers multiple attractions at one location.

For New Castle County residents south of Wilmington and for Kent County visitors, it also avoids the drive into Pennsylvania.

5. ARASAPHA FARMS HARVEST HAYRIDE — GLEN MILLS, PENNSYLVANIA
Delaware LIVE score: 8.4

This may be the hayride that looks most like the one people imagine when they hear the word.

The daytime Harvest Hayride takes visitors through the farm to the pumpkin area, combining the ride with the ritual of choosing a pumpkin. Other activities include a corn maze and a collection of outdoor attractions for children.

For Chadds Ford and Brandywine Valley families, it is also one of the most convenient full-scale pumpkin hayrides.

And there is an unusual twist: The same Arasapha Farms property that provides this traditional daytime outing becomes the home of Bates Motel after dark.

6. FIFER ORCHARDS FALL FEST — CAMDEN-WYOMING
Delaware LIVE score: 7.6

Fifer’s strength is the total orchard experience: pumpkin and apple picking, a large corn maze, outdoor play, cider doughnuts, food and additional seasonal activities.

That makes Fifer’s less about the wagon itself and more about spending a fall day on a Kent County orchard.

For families in central and southern Delaware, it can provide much of the big fall-festival experience without making the trip north into New Castle County or Pennsylvania.

7.  FILASKY’S PRODUCE — MIDDLETOWN AREA
Delaware LIVE score: 7.0

Filasky’s is smaller and simpler, which may be exactly what some families want.

The fall season includes pick-your-own pumpkins, a soybean maze designed for children and hayrides through the fields. The farm also offers nighttime hayride and bonfire options, along with pumpkin doughnuts and Woodside Farm Creamery ice cream.

This is less of a destination theme park and more of a local farm outing.

8. DELAWARE STATE PARKS WAGON RIDES
Delaware LIVE score: 6.2

Do not let the lower score fool you.   State park rides lose points in this ranking because there generally isn’t a pumpkin patch, bakery, giant maze or collection of attractions waiting when the wagon stops.

But that is also the point.  Delaware State Parks offers seasonal wagon rides at several parks, providing a different kind of fall outing built around scenery, the outdoors and, at some locations, time around a campfire.

For someone who wants fall colors and a relaxing ride rather than a festival, the state parks could move straight to the top of the personal list.

SO WHICH HAYRIDE IS RIGHT FOR YOU?

Best total fall experience: Linvilla Orchards

Go here if the hayride is just the beginning. Pumpkinland, apples, mazes, animals, food and the bakery make it the easiest place on the list to spend several hours without running out of things to do.

Best traditional hayride: Arasapha Farms

A tractor, wagon, farm fields and pumpkins. For families looking for the classic harvest experience rather than an amusement park, Arasapha gets closest to the picture on the apple cider jug.

Best New Castle County family outing: Ramsey’s Farm

For Wilmington-area families who do not want to cross the state line, Ramsey’s combines the ingredients that matter most: hayride, pumpkins, corn maze, animals and plenty for younger children.

Best Kent County fall day: Fifer Orchards

Come for the pumpkins and maze, stay for the cider doughnuts and orchard atmosphere. Fifer’s is one of the strongest total fall farm experiences in central Delaware.

Best haunted hayride: Bates Motel

If the wagon itself is what you want to be scary, Bates gets the edge. The ride is the attraction rather than simply transportation to something else.

Best full night of Halloween scares: Frightland

If one haunted hayride isn’t enough, Frightland’s collection of attractions makes it a better fit for people looking to devote an evening to Halloween.

Best for little kids: Arasapha or Ramsey’s

Both deliver the farm-and-pumpkin experience without requiring children to navigate a giant Halloween production. Linvilla’s Witch’s House is another option for children ready for something a little spooky without the intensity of a full haunted attraction.

Best quiet ride: Delaware State Parks

No scream park. No giant midway. No need to drag a 25-pound pumpkin back to the car. Just climb aboard and enjoy Delaware in the fall.

Best small-farm experience: Filasky’s

For Middletown-area families who would rather visit a smaller farm than a major regional attraction, Filasky’s offers pumpkins, a children’s maze, hayrides and seasonal treats.

Best food-and-orchard day: Fifer or Linvilla

Fifer gets the Delaware nod for cider doughnuts and a traditional orchard atmosphere. Linvilla offers an even larger combination of bakery, market, food and attractions.

ONE CHADDS FORD TRADITION — BUT NO HAYRIDE

The Great Pumpkin Carve remains one of the Brandywine Valley’s signature October traditions, returning Oct. 15-17 in Chadds Ford.

But visitors should not arrive expecting a hayride.

Organizers have discontinued hayrides because of wet conditions in the meadow. The centerpiece remains the giant pumpkins carved by artists and illuminated after dark.

TO GO BOX

• What: Delaware LIVE’s guide to eight fall hayride, farm and Halloween experiences in Delaware and nearby Pennsylvania.
• Who: Families, couples, teenagers and anyone looking for a fall farm, pumpkin or Halloween outing.
• When: Most attractions operate from September through late October or early November. Days and hours vary considerably.
• Where: Wilmington, Middletown and Camden-Wyoming in Delaware; Glen Mills and Media in nearby Pennsylvania; and participating Delaware State Parks.
• Best overall: Linvilla Orchards for the total fall experience.
• Best Delaware family choice: Ramsey’s Farm in the Wilmington area.
• Best for scares: Bates Motel in Glen Mills for the haunted hayride itself; Frightland in Middletown for a full night of haunted attractions.
• Before you go: Fall farm schedules are particularly dependent on weather and field conditions. Peak October weekends can sell out, and some attractions use timed tickets. Check the farm or attraction’s current schedule, ticket availability and weather policy before leaving home.

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