Corn mazes in central Long Island
Camila and Jissell Munoz, of Brooklyn, work on a scavenger hunt in the corn maze at Schmitt's Farm in Melville in October. Credit: Morgan Campbell
When Judith Cantor and her family wanted to go to try a corn maze, they didn’t want to drive all the way from their home in Brooklyn to the East End of Long Island — so instead they chose F&W Schmitt's Family Farm in Melville.
"I didn’t even know we had places so close to our home," says Cantor.
While most farms offering corn mazes are east of Yaphank, there are choices to the west.
F&W Schmitt’s Family Farm in Melville
A hayride heads toward the corn maze at Schmitt's Farm in Melville. Credit: Morgan Campbell
F&W Schmitt's Farm offers one of the biggest corn mazes west of Yaphank, at 7 acres, and it has activities along the walk. "We do a new theme every year," says Schmitt’s manager Ferdie Schmitt. This year's maze theme is "Big Top Circus." People who walk the maze get paper and pencil and at each station, they can make rubbings of circus-related items.
You really can’t get too lost in the maze, Schmitt promises. "It is designed to lead you to the exit," he says. Ribbons line the corn maze, and they change color as people progress through so people know they are moving toward the end, he says.
The maze is best for children 6 and older; it can take one to two hours to complete, Schmitt says. However, a stroller can be wheeled through, he says. The maze isn’t scary, he says; there are no animatronics or live actors inside.
New this year (included with admission) are a mega-slide, mechanical pig races and basketball hoops, Schmitt says.
The farm also offers a playground, duck races, a straw pyramid with a slide, wagon rides, an animal farm area with sheep, llama, turkeys, goats and rabbits, pony rides, photo opportunities and a pumpkin field.
WHEN | WHERE Noon to 5 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and school holidays, weather permitting. 26 Pinelawn Rd., Melville. The farm will be open weekends in Sept. and daily beginning Oct. 1.
COST Admission will be between $20 and $25 per person and include playground, wagon ride, straw pyramid, duck races, mega-slide, mechanical pig races and basketball hoops; corn maze will be an additional $5 to $10 per person. An animal farm is $6 to enter, $5 to buy food to feed the animals; pony rides are $11. Pumpkins were 80 cents per pound last year.
INFO 631-271-3276, schmittsfarm.com
Elwood Pumpkin and Christmas Tree Farm in Huntington
The Elwood maze is simple and straightforward, says owner Lee Itzler. "It’s meant to be a child corn maze. It’s not challenging for adults," he says.
There’s also a wagon ride through the Christmas tree section of the farm. In addition to the maze and wagon ride, there’s "lots and lots of pumpkins," Itzler says.
WHEN | WHERE 3 to 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends and Columbus Day. 1500 E. Jericho Tpke., Huntington.
COST $10 ages 5 and older to enter pumpkin patch, child corn maze included; $8 per person for wagon ride; pumpkin cost varies according to size. Cash only.
INFO 631-368-8626, elwoodpumpkinfarm.com
BB and GG Farm & Nursery in St. James
The corn maze is 10 acres and takes about 30 minutes to wind through, says owner Bill Borella. "It’s kind of no frills," he says; there’s no theme or story attached to the maze.
WHEN | WHERE 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekends. 625 N. Country Rd., St. James.
COST 2023 prices were $10, which included corn maze and tractor-pulled hayride. There was no fee to enter the pumpkin patch, but pumpkins cost 79 cents per pound.
INFO 631-862-9182
Beth Whitehouse writes about families, parenting and great things to do with the kids on Long Island. She’s been a Newsday editor and shared a 1997 Newsday staff Pulitzer Prize for coverage of the crash of TWA Flight 800.