What's with all the corn mazes these days?
In the last decade, a new type of fun has sprung up all over the continent: visiting a corn maze, in summer or (especially) fall. The folk at Amazing Maize Maze claim to have created "the first ever cornfield maze" in Annville PA in 1993, and presumably many farmers since have decided they can harvest more dollars if their cornfield is a family "agri-entertainment" zone.
Visiting a corn maze is a great outing for families:
- the cost of visiting a corn maze is modest
- solving the labyrinth is lots of fun: a 5-acre field can have miles of paths
- expect additional fun, such as hay-rides, farm animals for petting, pumpkin patches
- check for night-time hours
- check for special spooky events at Halloween, if the corn maze can last that long!
The fun in a corn maze is three-fold:
- aerial view: the maze might depict the Statue of Liberty, a horse, a sea monster...
- puzzle element: some mazes really play up the puzzle-solving, with treasure maps or other clues.
- extras: - farm animals, hay-rides, pumpkin patches, play zones for little kids.
Corn mazes are fun for teens too, especially at night.
When's the best time to visit a corn maze?
Obviously these cornfield creations are seasonal, with prime-time in September and October, though actual dates vary in different climate zones. Some corn mazes open as early mid-July.
Late-season visits may find the corn maze looking frayed and dry. On the other hand, an October visit offers Halloween theming and pumpkin patch.
Tip: weather is a big issue, in corn maze visits: has it rained recently? Call and find out how muddy the corn maze is! A bit of muck is fine if you bring rubber boots, and a plastic bag to store all the muddied stuff afterward.
continue to p. 2: Find a Corn Maze
*photo © Teresa Plowright
