Black Island Farms, Syracuse

In addition to harvesting 300 acres of vegetables, the family behind Black Island Farms strives to succeed in the "agri-tainment" business. To this end, they host field trips and autumnal visits, proving that rural living is far from monotonous. Their courtyard houses more than 20 attractions for families—there's a mountain of straw, a bounce house, and even pig races. Four tractors rumble as they tow hay wagons around the estate and cross into the pumpkin patch. There, passengers disembark and pick out a complimentary pumpkin, choosing by touch or by noting which one moves when they shout "Here, boy!"

Carrots, onions, cabbage, and squash all grow on the farm, but corn often takes the spotlight. That's because in the fall, 26 acres of cornfield transform into multiple mazes called Cornfield MAiZE. The mazes have twists and turns that are appropriate for a wide range of age groups, and when Halloween rolls around, a haunted variant also appears as part of Nightmare Acres.