Family Travel
Destination: A Corn Maze
Book: The Clue in the Corn Maze by Gertrude Chandler
Article by Jennifer Close
The month of October is usually full of costume shopping, camping, and scary stories. It is also when the corn mazes are in full swing. Although some people think corn mazes are kind of creepy (and rightly so), my family loves to visit the different corn mazes in our area each weekend in October.

Before the corn maze visits began this year, we read The Clue in the Corn Maze, created by Gertrude Chandler. The Boxcar Children, the Aldens, are at it again and this time they are solving a mystery in Iowa. The children visit Ken, an old friend of their father’s. Ken owns and runs a corn farm and one of his favorite times of year is when he puts on the King Corn Days Festival. The festival celebrates the amazing corn maze that Ken creates each year but unfortunately someone is trying to force Ken to cancel the festival and close the corn maze. The Alden children decide to help figure out who is trying to ruin the festival.
As you read the book, take note of the information shared about corn mazes. The type of corn, how a maze pattern is created and more are discussed in the book.
If you haven’t been to a corn maze before, you should add that to your list of fall activities. To find a corn maze in many states, a couple of websites can help you:
Don’t just limit yourself to those sites because many corn mazes aren’t listed. Try posting to your newspaper or television news Facebook page or ask a local mom’s group to see if anyone knows of a corn maze nearby.
Will this be the first year you visit a corn maze? There are a few things you should know before you go:

Wear closed-toed shoes. You will be traipsing through a corn field and will want to wear shoes that will protect your feet.
Don’t forget the sunscreen and the bug spray. Though it is October, the bugs are still out in full force (at least they are here on the Gulf Coast). There isn’t a lot of shade in a corn maze so make sure you wear a hat or apply sunscreen.
Be sure to bring cash with you for admission. Many of the farms do not accept credit cards and most are off of the ATM path. Make sure you know what forms of payment are accepted at the farm you will be visiting.
Pack a picnic. Some farms offer concessions and don’t allow outside food. You can still save some money on your outing by packing a cooler and leaving it in the car. When you are finished with your visit to the corn maze, find a picnic spot on the way home or just grab a bottle of water to help cool you off after all that exploring.
Let the children find their way out. My kids can find their way out of a maze like a rat following the scent of the cheese. Many mazes offer maps of the maze with clues to help you get to different checkpoint stations.

Corn mazes usually offer other things to do besides wandering the maze. Our favorite corn maze, Sweet Seasons Farm in Milton, Florida, has a cow train for the kids to ride, pony rides, a corn cannon and more. We normally spend an entire afternoon hanging out on the farm.
Check the schedule before you go. Many corn mazes have a schedule that shares hours of operation, flashlight nights, and other events.
Do you have a favorite corn maze?
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As a kid, my mom had a huge garden and I remember picking corn. I can almost feel the sharp leaves cutting my arms when I think about it.
But you actually made a corn maze sound fun. Maybe I’ll stop in the next time I see one.
They definitely make the maze pathways big enough that you can avoid the corn. Let us know what you think if you stop!
Although I grew up in corn country in Ohio, corn mazes were not yet the hot item that they are now. (When I visit Ohio nowadays I see signs everywhere for corn mazes). The only one I’ve been to, actually, was Chattanooga Tennesee, so I can’t say its a favorite, although it was fun because of a lot of auxillary, Halloween themed activities and food. By the way, I love the helpful list for families planning a trip to a corn maze.
Thank you! I love the extra things that you can do at the corn maze. Our favorite is the corn cannon where you get to shoot cobs of corn across a field from a homemade cannon!
I’ve never done a corn maze but I have done a maze in one of the botanical gardens in Vancouver. I thought it was great fun and if I was a kid I think a corn maze would be awesome.
I think a maze at a botanical garden would be great too! There is a maze in Panama City Beach that is made from plastic panels that we really enjoy too.
Great tips, although I admit they always made me feel claustrophobic!
It may be because of the humid weather, but the corn that makes the corn mazes around here is usually brown and brittle when October rolls around. It makes it easier to see through and run through if you had to get out!
thanks for this entertaining look at corn mazes, Jennifer — though I think I’ll be joining Jessie in listening to others’ tales of adventure through them —
It seems that everyone loves corn mazes! I’ll sit back and wait, perhaps sipping on some fresh apple cider, while my family mazes their way out. 🙂
I do enjoy the corn mazes almost as much as my children but I will only let them lead me around the corn maze in daylight!