Enjoy a dinosaur-sized outing at Richardson Adventure Farm starting Sept. 9
With 2023 marking the 30th anniversary of the movie "Jurassic Park," the Richardson family landed on an intricate dinosaur design for this fall's corn maze.
Don't tarry too long in the T-rex; there's so much more to explore in the 28-acre maze, from a waterfall and Jeep to a braided adventurer and brachiosaurus.
"We always look for the anniversary of something spectacular, and dinosaurs are forever popular," said George Richardson, who operates the farm along with his wife, Wendy; brother, Robert; Robert's wife, Carol; George's son, Ryan; and Ryan's wife, Kristen.
Shawn Stolworthy of MazePlay.com again designed the maze, which was planted in late June. The "World's Largest Corn Maze" opens Saturday, Sept. 9, and will be open Thursdays to Sundays through Oct. 29, plus Monday, Oct. 9, for Columbus Day. The farm is at 909 English Prairie Road, Spring Grove.
The maze features five games and everything from 10-minute trail options for parents with younger children to hour-and-a-half treks for intrepid corn crawlers.
"There's a left-turns-only route and a right-turns-only route," Wendy Richardson said. "There are bridges to climb to get a view of where you are. Parents with little kids can walk in without worrying about getting lost."
While the maze is amazing, it's far from the only reason to check out the adventure farm. Giant slides, pedal karts, a recently upgraded train ride, a carousel, a 50-foot viewing tower, pig races, a large gift shop with a wine sampling bar, indoor restrooms and, while in season, an additional sunflower maze all await.
There are food trucks, a craft beer tent featuring 9th Hour Brewing varieties and the farm's own freshly made, piping hot doughnuts.
Add to that jumping pillows, air cannons, live music on weekends, Zorbing and a zip line for an unparalleled day of fun in the fresh air.
"We have people come in who have never been here before who tell us 'I thought I was coming to a little pumpkin patch, but holy cow!'" Ryan Richardson said. "We love seeing the smiles on families' faces."
Speaking of pumpkins, those wanting to pick up a few will find 20 varieties and about a dozen varieties of gourds from which to choose.
Sunflower lovers will find about 13 acres to explore, with 10 varieties of the popular fall flower in brilliant yellows, oranges and reds. The sunflower fields will be open until dusk while in season; admission to the sunflower fields is included with regular adventure farm tickets. Check richardsonadventurefarm.com for bloom dates.
Hours are 3-9 p.m. Thursdays, 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays, and noon to 9 p.m. Sundays. Columbus Day hours will be 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. Maze until Midnight festivities will be Fridays and Saturdays, Sept. 29-30 and Oct. 27-28.
Admission is $20 for ages 3-12, $24 for ages 13 and older and free for those 2 and younger from Sept. 9-30. Prices increase in October. Group discounts may apply. Campfire and picnic site rentals also are available. Visit the website for details.
All admissions must be purchased two hours before closing. Dogs that are friendly and leashed are allowed - but watch out for that hungry velociraptor near the main corn maze entrance.