The Playful Parent

Visiting Belvedere Plantation has been an annual family tradition for over four years now. Heading out to Belvedere is a must for our family. My dad loves finding the biggest pumpkin possible and Belvedere is definitely a good spot to find a plump pumpkin. While their biggest attractions are the pumpkin patch and maze, there are over 30 amazing activities and events that make this farm a great option for fall family fun. I hope this guide is helpful in showcasing the activities at the farm and assisting with planning your next visit. I have updated the guide to help with information for fall 2020.

WHERE TO START

This may come as a surprise but the first place to start is from your own home. Be sure to purchase your tickets in advance online. Due to COVID Belvedere has moved all payment methods to contactless and to stay with safety guidelines for capacity only a certain number of tickets are sold in advanced. You cannot purchase tickets it the gate this year.

I usually like to start at the back of the farm and make our way back to the front. This way we end the day with picking a pumpkin and don’t have to lug it around all day or make extra trips to the car. Another activity to consider planning out is the paint your pumpkin station. I usually have the kids do this activity early in the day since it takes an hour or so to dry. Besides these few tips you can’t go wrong with exploring the farm your own way. There really is so much to see and do that you will be entertained for hours.

ACTIVITIES

Activities included with admission:

• Barrel Train
• Big Slide
• Candy Cannon Show
• Extreme Petal Carts
• Face Painting
• Fun Barn
• Junior Jumping Pillow
• Jumping Pillow
• Kiddie Maze
• Kiddie Swing
• Kiddie Playground
• Little Farmers Corral
• Pig Racing
• Pumpkin Mountain
• Olde Barnyard
• Maize Maze
• Trike Ride
• Wagon Ride
• Zippity Do

(Some activities have been canceled due to COVID this year such as Colonel’s Corn Box and spider web.)

Activities that have an additional fee:

• Barnyard Blasters
• Camp Fire
• Flower Picking
• Paint The Pest
• Pick Your Own Pumpkin to take home
• Pumpkin Painting
• Pumpkin Plunkin’ Paintball
• Tasty Treats (Fresh popped Kettle Corn and Fresh Squeezed Lemonade!!!)

I want to highlight a few of our favorites:

One of the first things that caught my son’s eye was the giant race track set up for Tractor and Extreme Pedal Cart racing. I love that there are different sized pedal carts/tractors for different ages, so that everyone including adults can get in on the fun. One person per ride so grab a cart and start your engines… well, pedaling!

Grab a burlap sack and race to the top of the hill to slide down one of two thrilling slides; The Pumpkin Mountain or Big Slide. I love that the path up the side of the hill is made of concrete with grips paved in; perfect for traction so little legs can make the trek up the steep hill. There is also a friendly staff member at the top to help little ones get in position to slide down safely.

My boy’s favorite section was the Zippity Do and Kiddie swing area. My four year old was thrilled to pretend he was Superman as he glided on the zip line. All while his little brother watched happily bouncing and zipping around on the kiddie swings.

Don’t miss out on exploring the Fun Barn; where you will find the swing ropes. Have fun swinging and falling into a pile of hay. This is one of the farm’s original attractions. Also in the Fun Barn is the Pumpkin Plunking Challenge. I’m convinced my oldest son is a natural marksman; every shot he took he’d hit the bulls-eye dead on.

The Jumping Pillow is the perfect place for the kiddos to let their energy out. Kids ages toddler to adult can bounce and jump until they are all tuckered out. We went on a day when it wasn’t over crowded, but on days when it gets busy a staff member will assist kids with taking rounds to jump and making sure everyone is safe.

TIPS & TRICKS

• This is a wagon friendly farm. If you have a little one that is too big to be carried around all day comfortably, you can bring or rent a wagon.
• The restrooms have family stalls and areas to change diapers. No need to stress about bringing a little one who’s potty training or in diapers still.
• Be on the lookout for events and discount days by visiting Belvedere Plantations website.
• Come during off peak hours to avoid crowds. A great time to go is on a weekday.

INFORMATION

Address:
1410 Belvedere Drive
Fredericksburg, VA 22408

Phone: 540-373-4478

Website: http://belvedereplantation.com

Cost: Price ranges from $13.95-$19.95 for general admission (Kids ages 2 and under are FREE)

COVID SAFETY

We felt very safe when visiting the farm. Measures have been put in place to keep families safe. Employees clean and swipe down activity stations frequently, hand sanitizer is located through out the farm, masks are required in structures and when 6 six feet distancing cant be kept. They also have gone cashless to reduce contact. Tickets can only be purchased online. There are also time slots for each day either day slot 10am-2pm or evening slot 6pm-10pm. This is done to shut the farm off to public in order to sanitize and reduce number of guests.

*Thank you Belvedere Plantation for inviting us out to celebrate your Fall Festival. The Playful Parent is not paid to endorse this farm, all information is my own non-bias opinion. This guide was created to help families plan their fall fun. All content and photos are intellectual property of The Playful Parent***