Updated September 21, 2026 · Seattle-area day trips
Which outing fits your family?
| Farm | Best reason to go | September catch |
|---|---|---|
| Lora Lee’s · Duvall | Sunflower maze and flower photos | Bloom-dependent; closed Tuesday and Wednesday |
| Remlinger · Carnation | Rides plus the corn maze | Fall festival opens September 26 |
| Thomasson · Enumclaw | Pumpkins, a junior maze and play areas | Season starts September 26; weekend extras differ |
Lora Lee’s, Duvall: the late-season sunflower choice
Address: 17651 W Snoqualmie River Road NE, Duvall. The farm expects its 2026 sunflower season to last through late September, but weather and bloom condition can shorten that window. Call 206-910-3964 before making flowers the sole purpose of your trip.
Published hours are Monday, Thursday and Friday 11 a.m.–7 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday 10 a.m.–7 p.m. It is closed Tuesday and Wednesday. Entry costs $16 for ages 13+, $10 for ages 5–12, and nothing for ages four and under, before tax. Buy admission at the barn; the farm does not sell advance online tickets. Cash avoids the listed 3% card fee. Cut flowers cost extra and may be cut only in designated areas.
Current sunflower conditions and admission ↗
Budget example: two adults and two children ages 5–12 pay $52 before tax, any card charge and flowers. Set a separate bouquet budget before handing over the clippers. A flower-field ticket and a take-home bouquet are different purchases.
Our recommendation: make this the main stop for a photo-focused afternoon. Check current field photos rather than judging late-September color from a summer reel. If the blooms have faded, switch to a pumpkin outing instead of paying for an experience that no longer matches your reason for going.
Remlinger, Carnation: choose it for a full activity day
The Fall Harvest Pumpkin Festival opens September 26–27, running 10 a.m.–6 p.m., with last admission at 5 p.m. Friday openings begin in October; do not show up on Friday, September 25 expecting the festival. The season continues through November 1 on its published operating days.
Festival admission includes more than 30 rides and attractions and the corn maze. Check the current ride list and height requirements before buying for a child whose main goal is one particular ride. A current ticket price was not verified for this guide: use your actual date and party ages in checkout, and check taxes and fees before committing. Festival calendar, ride requirements and tickets ↗
Worth it when: your group will use several attractions and stay long enough to enjoy them. If you only want to choose a pumpkin and take a few photos, compare the total admission bill with a simpler patch. “Included rides” have little value if a toddler is too small or your family only has an hour.
Thomasson, Enumclaw: pumpkins and play, with a rain fallback
The 2026 pumpkin season runs September 26–October 30, daily 9:30 a.m.–5:30 p.m. Attractions include a corn maze, junior maze, animals, tractor train and wagon rides. Rainy Day Alley adds an indoor play option, although that does not make the entire farm an indoor attraction. Some offerings vary between weekdays and weekends.
Check the ticket category for your date and the separate pumpkin charges. The early-purchase promotion that expired September 13 is not a current discount. Thomasson’s season details and admission options ↗
Our recommendation: start with the junior maze if you are unsure how your child will handle the larger one. Choose the pumpkin near the end so you are not carrying it through every activity. Keep the return route toward Enumclaw in mind instead of adding a distant Snoqualmie Valley farm just to tick another box.
A realistic September 26–27 plan
- Pick one main farm. Duvall and Carnation are in the Snoqualmie Valley; Enumclaw is a different outing. Check travel time from your own neighborhood rather than trusting a single “minutes from Seattle” estimate.
- Use the first part of the visit for the priority activity. At a sunflower farm, that means the field. At a ride-heavy festival, it means the attractions your children can actually use.
- Build in a break. Toddlers may enjoy watching animals or choosing one pumpkin more than a long attraction checklist. A higher-priced all-day ticket does not obligate you to stay through a meltdown.
- Pack for the walk back to the car. Bring shoes that can get muddy, spare socks, a child’s change of clothes and a washable bag for dirty items. Check the forecast the same morning; a sunny promotional photo says nothing about that day’s ground conditions.
What about apple picking?
Seattle Farm’s Apples & Ponies event was on September 13 and is over. Its listed October pumpkin dates do not provide a September substitute. This shortlist does not claim a verified ongoing late-September apple-picking event near Seattle. If apples are essential, confirm a specific orchard’s current picking notice before planning a longer drive; farm-market apples are not automatically pick-your-own apples.
Adding a stay without adding unnecessary driving
These can be day trips. An overnight stay is more useful when you are already visiting the region or have a second day planned. Choose lodging after choosing the farm: an Eastside base and an Enumclaw-area base serve different routes. Compare parking and the final room total, not just the headline rate.
Sources and visitor context
Operating information checked September 21, 2026 against the farm pages linked above. Expired dates were checked against Seattle Farm and Rutledge Family Farm. A September 2026 parent discussion informed the toddler-versus-ticket-value advice; individual experiences are not guarantees of crowd levels or current policies.