What's with all the corn mazes these days?
Corn mazes (maize mazes) are a new type of fall fun that's appeared all over the continent in the last decade. The folk at Amazing Maize Maze claim to have "created and produced the first ever cornfield maze" in Annville PA in 1993, and presumably more and more farmers since have decided they can harvest more dollars if their cornfield is a family entertainment zone.
Visiting a corn maze is a great fall outing for families:
- the cost of visiting a corn maze is modest
- exploring the labyrinth itself is lots of fun: a 7-acre corn field can have miles of paths
- expect additional fun also, such as pumpkin patches
- check for night-time "moonlight maze" hours
- check for special spooky events at Halloween, if the corn maze can last that long!
The creativity in corn mazes is three-fold:
- aerial view: the maze might depict the Statue of Liberty, a horse, a sea monster...
- the puzzle element: some corn mazes really play up the puzzle-solving, i.e. visitors might find their way through the maze with treasure maps, or other clues.
- add-on activities such as play zones, farm animals, hay-rides, etc.
One corn maze my family visited was not only a 7-acre cornfield labyrinth, it also had a playground, farm animals that kids could pet, and a game based on bales of hay. Little kids were jumping around and having a terrific time.
Corn mazes are fun for older kids too: who wouldn't like a puzzle big enough to walk (or run) through? Especially at night.
When's the best time to visit corn mazes?
Obviously corn mazes are seasonal, with prime-time in September and October, though actual dates vary in different climate zones. Some corn mazes open as early mid-July.
Late-season visits may find the corn maze looking frayed and dry. On the other hand, an October visit may bring the benefits of Halloween theming and pumpkin patch.
Tip: weather is a big issue, in corn maze visits: has it rained recently? Call and find out how muddy the corn maze is! A bit of muck is fine if you bring rubber boots and a bin or bag to store all the muddied stuff.
continue to p. 2: find a corn maze
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