U-Pick apples at County Line Orchard, pumpkins at Hidden Creek Farm, corn mazes in LaPorte County, and sunflower fields at Harvest Tyme — your complete guide to the 219 harvest season.
By mid-August in Northwest Indiana, you can feel the season shifting. The air gets a little crisper. The light turns golden earlier. And the farms across Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties start rolling out their harvest season offerings — U-pick apples, pumpkin patches, corn mazes, hayrides, and sunflower fields that turn the 219 into a patchwork of autumn color. After 30+ years here, I can tell you that harvest season is when Northwest Indiana is at its absolute best. Here is your guide to every farm, orchard, and fall destination worth the drive.
Lake County's agricultural heritage runs deep, and a surprising number of working farms still dot the landscape between suburban developments. These are the places where families have been coming for generations — and where new traditions are born every fall.
The flagship agritourism destination of Northwest Indiana. County Line Orchard grows over 30 varieties of apples for U-pick, plus an 8-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, bakery with famous apple cider donuts, a restaurant, and a market overflowing with seasonal goods. It is the kind of place where families return every year, year after year. On a perfect fall weekend, the parking lot fills with cars from Indiana and Illinois alike — everyone chasing that perfect harvest experience.
Over 400 acres of U-pick fruits and vegetables including strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, apples, pumpkins, tomatoes, and more. Open June through October, Garwood Orchard offers one of the most diverse U-pick experiences in the entire region. The sheer variety means you can visit multiple times in a season and find something different to pick each time.
A full fall experience with U-pick pumpkins through late October, a corn maze, and over 30 family-friendly activities. Johnson's Farm is the kind of place where you plan to spend an hour and end up staying half the day. Hayrides, farm animals, and seasonal treats round out the experience.
A working farm and produce market on Cline Avenue in Highland where you can pick up farm-fresh fruits, vegetables, and seasonal specialties straight from the source. Scheeringa Farms is a throwback to when Lake County was still largely agricultural — proof that some of that heritage is still alive and thriving.
Visit WebsiteA family farm market on Colorado Street with fresh produce, baked goods, and that authentic farm stand experience. The kind of place where you taste the tomato and know exactly why farmers markets exist.
Visit WebsiteA Dyer institution offering a hayride through a haunted forest, pumpkin patch, and greenhouse with seasonal plants and flowers. Elzinga Farm has been part of the Dyer community for years — the kind of family-run operation that makes small-town Lake County special.
Visit WebsiteA family-friendly farm in Crown Point with pumpkins, fall activities, and a welcoming farm atmosphere. Hidden Creek is one of those places that feels like it belongs on a postcard — red barn, open fields, and the kind of quiet you only find in the country.
Visit WebsiteU-pick pumpkins, gourds, mums, haystacks, plus fresh apple-cinnamon and pumpkin-spice donuts and kettle corn. Big Johns in Lowell captures that small-town Lake County feel — a farm market where the donuts are warm and the pumpkins are piled high.
The harvest scene extends well beyond Lake County. Porter and LaPorte counties have their own excellent farms and orchards — many of them worth combining with a trip to the Indiana Dunes or a drive through the countryside.
A charming orchard in Porter County offering U-pick apples and pumpkins. Close enough to the Indiana Dunes for a combined beach-and-orchard day trip.
Over 20 varieties of pumpkins available for U-pick at this Porter County farm. A great stop if you are picky about your pumpkin selection.
Hayrides to the pumpkin patch where you pick your own and pay by weight. Kids' corn maze, pony rides, face painting, and food make this a full afternoon destination in LaPorte County.
A massive corn maze, pumpkins, gourds, Indian corn, and fresh-picked corn daily. Fischer Farm in LaPorte is proof that the 219 harvest scene extends well beyond Lake County.
Beyond the U-pick farms and orchards, a handful of regional destinations offer full-day fall experiences — corn mazes big enough to get lost in, sunflower fields made for photos, pumpkin cannons, and farm-to-table markets that celebrate the season in style.
A fourth-generation farm with 35+ attractions on 40 acres including a corn maze, U-pick pumpkin field, animal barn with 200 farm animals, and a kiddie train. Worth the short drive.
Full-day farm adventureFamous for their donuts, sunflower U-pick fields, and pumpkins. Harvest Tyme has become a regional destination for families looking for that picture-perfect farm day.
Sunflowers, donuts, pumpkinsFree hayrides, straw maze, tube slide, pumpkin cannon, corn maze, apples, and apple cider. The pumpkin cannon alone is worth the trip.
Pumpkin cannon, hayrides, applesU-pick vegetables including asparagus, strawberries, blueberries, sweet corn, tomatoes, and fall pumpkins, Indian corn, and mums. Annual Sweet Corn Fest is a local highlight.
U-pick vegetables, sweet corn festivalYou can visit a farm in an afternoon, but the best harvest experiences happen when you pair a few stops together into a full fall day. Here are three curated routes that combine apple picking, pumpkin patches, farm markets, and good food into perfect autumn itineraries.
Start at County Line Orchard for apple picking and the corn maze. Lunch at the orchard's restaurant. Afternoon at nearby Merrillville Farms for fresh produce and baked goods. End the day with a walk around Lake George at Festival Park in Hobart.
Morning at Hidden Creek Family Farm in Crown Point for pumpkins. Drive to Scheeringa Farms in Highland for fresh produce. Lunch at Teibel's in Schererville. Afternoon at Elzinga Farm in Dyer for the haunted forest hayride. A perfect fall Saturday.
Start at Garwood Orchard in LaPorte for U-pick apples and pumpkins. Lunch in downtown LaPorte. Afternoon at Fischer Farm for the corn maze. Stop at Coulter's Produce in Westville on the way home for fresh-picked corn and cider.
Love exploring the 219 harvest season? These farms and orchards are just the beginning. Every autumn brings new opportunities to enjoy the best of Northwest Indiana — from apple cider donuts to pumpkin patches to sunset hayrides. Let's talk about finding you a home in the middle of it all.
Common questions about U-pick farms, apple orchards, and fall attractions in Northwest Indiana.
County Line Orchard in Hobart is the standout destination — over 30 apple varieties for U-pick, an 8-acre corn maze, pumpkin patch, bakery, and restaurant. It is the closest major orchard to Chicago and a beloved 219 tradition. Garwood Orchard in LaPorte is also excellent with over 400 acres of U-pick fruits and vegetables.
Most pumpkin patches and fall attractions in Lake County open by mid-September. County Line Orchard, Siegel's Cottonwood Farm, and Johnson's Farm Produce all start their fall festivals in September. October is peak season for pumpkins, corn mazes, and hayrides.
Yes — County Line Orchard in Hobart has an 8-acre corn maze that is a fall highlight. Johnson's Farm Produce in Lake County has a corn maze plus over 30 activities. Fischer Farm in LaPorte has a massive corn maze. Coulter's Produce in Westville has a kids' corn maze perfect for younger children.
County Line Orchard in Hobart (apples, pumpkins), Garwood Orchard in LaPorte (apples, berries, pumpkins, produce), Scheeringa Farms in Highland (fresh produce), Elzinga Farm in Dyer (pumpkins, hayrides), and Merrillville Farms in Hobart (produce, baked goods) are all excellent options.
Yes — Harvest Tyme Family Farm in Lake County offers sunflower U-pick fields during late summer and early fall. It is one of the most photogenic farm experiences in the 219, with rows of sunflowers stretching toward the horizon.
The 219's farm country is part of what makes this region special. Ready to put down roots?