Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch

The privately owned pumpkin patch and farm is a short drive east from Fargo-Moorhead, right near the Buffalo River State Park. In September and October, the pumpkin patch is open -- and it is so much more than a simple pumpkin patch!

For $15, we had a great family day of fun at the Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch. The admission price of $4 per person (less $1 if you print a coupon on their website) covers some of the rides and games, and then you can purchase tickets for the children's barrel cars, petting zoo, and horse-drawn carriage rides. There is also a gift shop, snack stand, cowboy campsite, straw maze, and pumpkins and corn stalks for sale.

The setting is wonderful! So much fun for little kids and their parents! There were so many photo opportunities that I nearly filled my camera's memory card!



Toddlers and preschoolers, as well as their parents, will enjoy the Lil Monsters Game Area, and not just because there is a sandbox full of corn. (Okay, mostly because there is a sandbox full of corn.) There's also Norwegian golf, hoop throw, horseshoes, a straw maze, cardboard cutouts (for you to stick your face in the missing face and get a photo as your favorite cartoon character), and a shed made of magnets and chalkboard. YOU CAN DRAW ON THE WALLS. Also, did I mention there is a sandbox full of corn?

There are two horse-drawn carriage rides, and they each cost $3 per person (children under 2 are free). We took the wagon ride through the Not So Scary Haunted Forest. Michelle, Bucky, and our driver took us through the forest along the Buffalo River. We were greeted by many ghouls and goblins, but they were Not So Scary.


Check the website's schedule, because many weekends offer various extra attractions, such as musical performances and face painting.

Allow for at least a couple of hours at the Buffalo River Pumpkin Patch. If you have a toddler, allow for a little longer -- they will want to spend as much time in the corn-filled sandbox as possible. ;)

Red River Zoo

The Red River Zoo of Fargo calls itself a "world-class, state of the art wildlife habitat." This might be a bit of a stretch. It's a small, regional zoo, with most of the animals native to the surrounding area. Still, it is wonderful to have a zoo in our town, even if it looks out onto the interstate.

Some great features of the Red River Zoo include:

• Lots of shaded, sheltered areas to escape the "heat" (heat being completely relative compared to many other places).
• Reasonable prices; adult admission is $7, children under 14 are $4, and kids under 2 are free. Animal feed still costs a quarter, and a carousel ride is $1. Even the concessions are quite fair; I paid $5 for a soft pretzel, ice cream, and bottled water.
• Oh, yes, the carousel! They give you a nice, long ride on a tremendous pony-filled carousel.
• When I was there, they had free face painting for the kiddies.
  
• Educational offerings for children, including overnight adventures.
• The Barnyard is a hands-on area; in some places you can get right in the pen with the animals.
• Very nice animal habitats and exhibits. My daughter enjoyed watching the meerkats most of all.
  
• The staff and volunteers are incredibly friendly, helpful, and knowledgeable. I cannot say enough about that!

The downsides:

• The zoo is hard to find, if you are not yet familiar with that part of town. We took quite a few wrong turns before we ended up on a curvy road that eventually went by some camels. A-ha!
• The zoo is not stroller friendly. I found this to be a real hassle, as my daughter isn't walking yet and the stroller is how she gets around. In fact, they even rent out wagons so you can pull your kids along. But with quite a few pavilions with double doors (i.e., you have to go through two sets of doors to get inside), it was a struggle with the stroller. If there was a staff member around, they were quick to hold the door. But with tons of people pushing strollers, it would be nice to have electronic doors or handicap accessible buttons.

The Red River Zoo is not the only place to see exotic (and regional) animals. There are some other zoos in the region, all offering different attractions and exhibits.

• Paul Bunyan's Animal Land. The only one on this list that I've been to, and it is outstanding for getting close up to the animals. Located in Bemidji, Minnesota, it's more like being in a small forest amid gentle deer and goats than watching the animals from behind a pane of glass. Except for the tigers. They stay behind the glass. ; )
• Chahinkapa Zoo. This zoo is about an hour south of Fargo in Wahpeton, North Dakota.
• The Dakota Zoo is a few hours west of Fargo in the capitol city of Bismarck, North Dakota.
• The Minnesota Zoo is east four to five hours in the Twin Cities. They have a tremendous variety of animals and exhibits.

The Red River Zoo is associated with several blogs. They have one devoted to their porcupines, red pandas, red squirrel, and wolves. Lots of cute pictures; check them out!