Fall is one of our favorite times of the year because the weather is perfect for spending the day outdoors! If you’re looking for a place to make the most out of a beautiful Fall day with your family then look no further than Richardson Adventure Farm.
Richardson Adventure Farm is located in Spring Grove, Illinois about one hour from Rockford, Illinois. The farm has been run by the Richardson family for more than four generations. Truly, the name says it all, it’s an adventure farm! There are so many things to do here that you should plan on spending most of the day, if not the whole day, here to try them all. Our family of four (kids ages 8 and 5) had so much fun during our visit. There were a bunch of things for both kids to do and activities that the adults enjoyed as well!
Richardson Adventure Farm is open from September 10 – October 30, 2022. Their hours are Thursdays from 3 pm – 9 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 10 am – 11 pm, and Sundays from 12 pm – 9 pm. They are also open on Columbus Day from 10 am – 9 pm. The last admission for each day is two hours before closing time.
Admission to Richardson Adventure Farm ranges from $18-24 per adult and $16-18 per kid ages 3-12 depending on the day you go. Kids ages 2 and under are always free. See the chart below for admission prices and times.
Admission to Richardson Adventure Farm includes access to over 30 attractions on the farm. You can enjoy these attractions as many times as you want during your visit. You can also go out to your car and come back as long as you’re wearing your wristband!
Attractions that are covered by your admission wristband include:
The World’s Largest, Most Intricate Corn Maze – This corn maze is over 33 acres and 10 miles long, with twists and turns that will have you guessing for hours! This year’s theme is celebrating 60 years of the James Bond franchise! You can try to solve the quiz maze or play any of the five maze games for an extra challenge. If you want the corn maze experience, but have little kids who can’t walk for hours, there are also several shorter maze routes that you can do in 10-15 minutes! We tried one of the shorter corn mazes and my kids enjoyed the stops where you could chalk your fingers a bright color to show you’d been through the maze.
Pumpkin Patch – You can pick your own pumpkins from the field or grab one conveniently located near the exit on your way out of the farm. Currently, the fields are nearly empty, but you can take a free wagon ride out to see them.
Wagon Ride – The wagon ride is one-of-a-kind with comfortable bus seats so you can enjoy your ride around the farm.
50 Foot Observation Tower – Climb to the top of this super tall observation tower to get a birds eye view of the entire farm and the maze before you enter!
Train Ride – The train ride is a quick, fun tour of the farm that goes past the children’s area, pig races, under the bridge and through a tunnel. We loved the train ride and didn’t have to wait more than a few minutes to ride as it continuously circles the farm all day. Tip: Make the train one of your first activities, so you can check out the rest of the farm and make plans for what you want to do next!
Farm Carousel – Right in the middle of the farm is a beautiful old-fashioned carousel with 30 horses and a couple of benches that families can enjoy riding on together. Each ride is about five minutes long.
150’ Tube Slide – Grab an inflated tube and climb to the top of a platform to check out the 150’ tube slide! It’s a quick drop, but not an overly fast ride and both of my kids really enjoyed it! We also saw plenty of adults riding on the slide too!
Giant 100’ Slide – You can’t miss this giant white slide! Climb to the top of the massive hill and enjoy a fast ride to the bottom then do it all over again! Both of my kids loved this ride and I had a blast trying it too! Watch out for mud at the bottom!
Pig Race – Enjoy an entertaining and fun pig race during your visit! Take a seat in the grandstand and watch standard pigs race for the title. The pigs were born in August and will race until the end of the season, getting bigger each week! When we went at the beginning of October, the pigs were about 10-20 lbs. each. The show is free to watch and kids are allowed to sit in the grass close to the track for a better view. After the race, you have the opportunity to pet the pigs as they run around the course.
Pumpkin Jump Pillow – Near the carousel, check out the Jack-O-Lantern themed jump pillow! This jump pillow is at least 30 feet wide and can accommodate many kids at once. The pillow is less bouncy and closer to the ground than the other jump pillows at the farm so it may be a good fit for kids who are scared of heights or don’t want to bounce high in the air.
Kiddie Play Area – The kiddie play area includes a smaller scale slide, corn bin, grain bin rock climbing wall, pedal trikes with a track, wooden train, mini spider web, and jump pillow. The area is designed for kids under 48 inches and their siblings. The area is mostly fenced in and a great place for kids 10 and under to run around and have fun. We spend at least an hour in this area alone. Be sure to get your kids’ yearly photo at the sign before you leave the area!
Petting Zoo, Bunnyville, and Goat Feeding Area – Visit the farm animals, some of which you can pet and others you can feed! There are chickens, bunnies, goats, pigs and more! The petting zoo is both indoors and outdoors so make sure to walk around the building after you walk through.
Cluck-tastic Chicken Show – Enjoy an animatronic chicken show every 30 minutes complete with songs and jokes!
Jumping Pillows – There are three jumping pillows located throughout the farm. Two are for kids of all ages and one, located in the kiddie area, is for younger kids. The pillows are quite large and kids are able to get some serious air jumping on them!
Pedal Kart Tracks – Pedal around a figure eight loop on pedal karts. There are two smaller pedal karts and two larger pedal karts that kids 10 and up and adults can use. The track is well-maintained and a lot of fun!
Kids’ Mini Zip Line – Kids can enjoy a ride on the two mini 40’ zip lines and a seated zip line.
Spider Web – Climb around the mini spider web located in the kiddie area or try the bigger version near the 100’ slide.
Air Cannons – Shoot a tennis ball at a target with an air cannon!
Hook and Ring Game – Try your hand at a hook and ring game. We played this for at least 10 minutes and it was quite tough!
Sunflower Field – The sunflower field spans 13 acres and has several trails to walk throughout it. It is great for photo ops! The sunflower field typically runs from September to early October. It is now closed for the 2022 season.
Community Campfire – As it gets dark, you can sit by a community campfire to warm up and enjoy each other’s company.
Other attractions that are offered for an additional cost include:
Zipline – Climb to the top of the 50’ observation tower to ride the 750’ zipline across the farm. You must be 70 lbs to participate and 18 years old or have a parent’s signature. You must sign this waiver before participating. Cost is $16 per rider.
Zorbing – Strap into this 11’ foot squishy ball and go rolling down a huge hill! Richardson’s is one of the only places in the US that offers this experience. You must be 48 inches to ride. You must sign this waiver before participating. Cost is $20 per roll for a single rider, $35 per roll for 2 riders.
Extreme Air – Strap your kid into this trampoline meets bungee jump where they can bounce high in the air! You must be 36 inches in height to ride. You must sign this waiver before participating. Cost is $13 per ride.
Paintball Shooting Gallery – Test out your paintball skills by shooting in this paintball gallery. Cost is $10 for 100 shots.
Gem Stone Mining – Sift through a bag of sand to find gemstones! Bags of gemstones run from $6-12 and can be purchased in the Dairy Depot.
If you spend the day at the farm, you’ll want to get some lunch or dinner while you’re there. You’re in luck, you don’t need to leave the farm to find delicious food!
There are up to four food trucks on-site Friday through Sunday. The food trucks are MJ’s which serves sandwiches, chips, and drinks; Fork N Fry Poutine which serves poutine; Your Sister’s Tomato which serves woodfire pizza and Lemon Shake-Ups; and Jammin Concessions which serves sandwiches and fries. There’s also a large beer and wine tent for those 21 and up.
We picked up some lunch from MJ’s and enjoyed it with Lemon Shake-Ups from Your Sister’s Tomato. Wait times were short for both trucks and there was plenty of picnic table seating available.
There are also a few options for treats. The Donut Bin serves up cider donuts, funnel cakes, and other delicious desserts. The Fudge Bin and Gift Shop have homemade fudge. There is popcorn, kettlecorn, and caramel corn available. You can get hot chocolate and spiced cider in the Pumpkin Shed, Dairy Depot, or Fudge Bin. There is also soft-serve ice cream at the Dairy Depot.
Richardson Adventure Farm isn’t just the place to be in the Fall, they have things to do throughout the year including a Christmas Tree Farm in the Winter, Sunflower Fields in Summer, and a Tulip Festival in the Spring! They also host a craft beer festival in June.
Before the season is over, head to Richardson Adventure Farm for a day enjoying everything autumn has to offer!
Watch this video of our experience at Richarson Adventure Farm!
