Cox Farms 2012

Today we had the chance to go and visit Cox Farms on their Preview Weekend.  We've been visiting Cox Farms since my son was 11 months old.

He's almost 9 now. 

To say that we're Cox Farms aficionados would be an understatement.  However, that doesn't mean that my kids don't have a great time when we go.  I'm sure that one day they're going to be too cool for the pumpkin patch (which is okay, because Cox Farms also has a scary counterpart to their family-friendly daytime offerings), but I hope that day stays away a little longer.  

Plenty of picnic tables for lunch.  Pack your own or buy at the farm.

Mainly because I'm a big pansy and don't want to go in the Cornightmare.  I have nightmares about the wolf in Neverending Story to this day and I watched that movie when I was 10.  If they start wanting to do that, I'm pulling for a great youth pastor that does trips to scary things, because I'm not going. 

This fun slide includes potato sacks for extra speed.

Cox Farms made some changes this year, though! The hayride has a few new additions, and the route has changed.  There's now a spookier barn-drive through and a town setup.  PS- the Cox Farms Farmer no longer pulls you out of the mud! But don't worry- you'll still get stuck!  I also believe the space ship looked new and improved!

Slides are super fun, but be prepared to wait your turn.

Additionally, Cox Farms has their new "Bunnyville" area where their bunnies are housed, a mechanical bull, new BBQ food items, and a "mine" where you can pan for gems or fossils for an additional fee.  My kids also noticed a "Farm Work" area for the first time (which cracked me up!) and all three of them were literally happy for 30 minutes playing in the cascading corn kernels and pumping up well water.

"milk" a cow, scoop corn feed, and pump water at the "farm chores" area

Still popular with my kids were the corn maze, the animals, and the slides.  Still unpopular with my kids were the intermittent heat, the lines, and the bees buzzing like crazy around the trash cans, apples, and cider station.

Cox Farms admission is by day of the week.  Weekend Prime tickets are $17 per person over the age of 2.  Weekend tickets are $14 per person over the age of two, and weekday admission is $9 per person over the age of 2.  Join the Cox Farms Mailing list to receive discounts and coupons in your email, or you can purchase a Value Card for 7 Weekday afternoon admissions for $45 instead of $63.  You can use all 7 at once, or you can use it on multiple visits.  If you're able to take a half day from work, this can be a great savings! Admission includes 1 free apple and 1 free mini pumpkin. The new mine feature is extra.  We bought one large $8 bag of gems and shared it among three children quite successfully.

Cox Farms is a fun day for the entire family.  Younger children will enjoy hayrides, petting animals, and running around.  Older children will enjoy large slides, the corn maze, and the animal facts. Downsides are the waiting, which isn't terrible, but can be if your child is getting whiney, allergy concerns (hay, feathers, bees) are abundant because it is, after all, a farm, so bring Allegra or Benadryl if your child can be sensitive, and finally, that my arch-nemesis the porta potty is your only bathroom option.  They're reasonably clean for porta potties, and they do have lots of hand sanitizer all over the farm, though.

We enjoy our yearly trips to Cox Farms.  We'd love to hear about your experience in the comments section below! Do you have tips or tricks? Share with us!