Please note the date of publication of this post. All information is current as of the posting date. We strongly encourage you to check the venue’s website and social media pages for the most up-to-date information before planning your visit as unanticipated changes can occur.
We love visiting Lyman Orchards and we always find ourselves headed there at least a few times a year–whether it’s for fruit picking, gingerbread house decorating or just enjoying lunch and some shopping at the Apple Barrel. (And yes, we have even made the trip out there just to get a pie. They are that good.)
But one event we hadn’t checked off our Lyman Orchards list was their famous fall corn maze! Mandy wrote about this activity waaaaaay back in the early blogging days when our adventures were mainly confined to those destinations where we could bring a stroller. So I thought maybe it was time to get a new perspective on this old favorite now that I have three pretty grown kiddos…and no stroller in sight!!
Lyman Orchards is located in Middlefield, CT, which is south of Hartford.
The corn maze is located in the same spot as the Apple Barrel Farm Market, a place we know well. Although, when we arrived, the parking lot had more cars than I’d ever seen there in all our years of visiting! But there was plenty of additional parking behind the Apple Barrel and friendly staff members were directing the traffic flow so it was no problem to park.
Our first stop was the Apple Barrel Deli for our favorite sandwiches. The deli was pretty busy that day and we did have to wait in a bit of a line to order lunch. There were also food trucks there the day we visited, and that would definitely be a faster (and equally delicious!) option.
As we headed out from lunch, I happened to notice this handy map of the property hanging on an outdoor wall of the Apple Barrel. It gives you a good overview of where things are situated.
We had come for the corn maze, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that there was a fall festival vibe going on around the grounds, with activities like a petting zoo, face painting and horse-drawn wagon rides. There is no admission to enter the Apple Barrel or the surrounding grounds, but each activity does have its own fee. I can’t say for sure that every activity and vendor we saw on our visit will be there every week, but I have been checking their Facebook page for the past few weeks and I see that several of them at least seem to be regular fixtures.
After lunch (and a stop at the petting zoo and the face painting tent), we headed over to the corn maze, which is just beyond all the other activity. You’ll see it in the distance.
You can pay the admission fee for the maze right out there. They accept credit cards and other forms of electronic payment.
Before entering the maze, grab a map and also select a trivia sheet (there are nearly a dozen different themes!) that will help give you direction clues (the correct answer will tell you whether to head left or right at each numbered post). We were happy that we’d all chosen different trivia sheets because then if someone didn’t know the answer to their question, there was a chance another one of us did!
We actually made great time in the maze, and we finished in about 30 minutes. But we didn’t stop to read all the fun facts along the way (I would have liked to, but the kids were not interested in the delay LOL), so that may have something to do with why we were so speedy. My family has navigated many corn mazes over the years though, and we’ve kind of got it down to a science. So if you’re new to this quintessential fall “sport,” maybe plan on a longer maze stay 😉
After the maze, we headed back up to the Apple Barrel Farm Store to grab some of our favorite goodies (did I mention the pie??). We also stopped for a bag of kettle corn on our way back to the car–a little treat for the ride home 🙂
As usual, we had a wonderful time at Lyman Orchards. Whatever the season, there is always something fun going on there. I’m sure we’ll be back soon–even if just for a yummy lunch and some pie. Have I mentioned the pie? 🙂
Lyman Orchards
32 Reeds Gap Road, Middlefield, CT 06455
Phone: 860-349-6000
Find them on Facebook and Instagram!
Hours (2024):
Corn Maze:
Open from August 31st until November 3rd.
The maze is open 1pm-5:30pm Monday-Friday and 10am-5:30pm on Weekends and Holidays.
Last maze entry is 5:30pm.
Apple Barrel: OPEN YEAR ROUND
Farm Store:
Monday-Sunday: 9:00AM-6:00PM
Apple Barrel Deli:
Open Daily: 9:00AM-4:00PM
Pick Your Own: OPEN DAILY
9:00AM – 4:30PM
Pricing (2024):
Corn Maze: $11 ages 13+; $6 ages 4-12; free ages 3 and under.
Details (2024):
Stroller Friendly: YES, strollers are allowed in all areas.
Coffee Mug Friendly: YES
Restroom: Restrooms inside the Apple Barrel; Porta Potties outside.
Baby Changing Station: YES (inside restrooms)
Parking: YES
Food for Sale: YES; Apple Barrel market & deli (and possibly food trucks & kettle corn).
Outside Food Allowed: I did not notice any restrictions on food in the outdoor spaces.
Cash Required: Maybe. The petting zoo takes cash at the entrance or you can pay by credit card up at the Apple Barrel. The horse drawn wagon rides were cash or Venmo. All other vendors we saw took credit cards. You can also pay your corn maze admission by credit card at the maze entrance. At events like this there is always a chance you might encounter someone who can’t accept cards so we recommend bringing a little cash with you just in case.
Age Recommendation: All ages!
Dress Code: You’ll want to wear closed toed shoes that you don’t mind getting a little dirty/dusty in the corn maze. If it’s rained recently, you might want to wear rubber boots (dirt + rain = mud).
Evening/Weekend Hours: YES
Birthday Party Venue: N/A
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