Overview
Bob's Vegetable Stand and Pumpkin Farm on Cabrillo Highway South (Highway 1) is the low-key, uncrowded alternative to the Half Moon Bay pumpkin patch scene — no corn maze, no ticketed hay rides, no festival crowds. What it has is a large open field of pumpkins in a wide range of sizes and shapes, wheelbarrows to haul them in, ocean views from the field, a small petting zoo with goats, pigs, and chickens, and both admission and parking that are free. The coastal fog keeps October temperatures in the 55 to 65°F range, which makes this genuinely comfortable outdoor time rather than a sweaty October afternoon. Pumpkin prices run $1 for minis up to around $15 for the largest specimens, and the farm is known for carrying unusually shaped and extra-large varieties that are hard to find elsewhere.
How to Do It
The farm is on Cabrillo Highway South (Highway 1), roughly 5 miles south of the downtown Half Moon Bay area. Coming from the Bay Area, take I-280 south to Highway 92 west over the mountain to Half Moon Bay, then turn south on Highway 1 and continue past town. The farm will be on your right. This route avoids the worst of the festival-weekend backup, which concentrates on Highway 92 itself from the east. If you're coming during the Art and Pumpkin Festival weekend in October (third weekend of the month), come via Highway 1 from the north through Pacifica, or from the south via Highway 84 through Woodside and La Honda — both bypass the Highway 92 bottleneck.
Parking is free and ample directly at the farm. Grab a wheelbarrow at the entrance and work through the field systematically — the large and unusual-shaped pumpkins tend to be in the rows furthest from the entrance, where fewer people bother to walk.
Tips & Tricks
The pumpkin festival weekend is the busiest time in Half Moon Bay all year — Highway 92 can back up for an hour or more on that Saturday and Sunday. If you're going to Bob's specifically, the farm's location south of town and off the main festival corridor means you'll hit less gridlock than visitors going to the downtown festival, but the roads still slow. Going on a weekday in early-to-mid October is the cleanest solution. The field is open through October and the selection is good all month, not just the final weekend.
Arrive early if you want the best pumpkin selection on a weekend — the most distinctive shapes and the true jumbos go first. By noon on a busy Saturday, you're working with what's left. An 8am to 10am window gives you the pick of the field and zero wait.
The petting zoo animals are genuine farm animals, not a sanitized setup. Kids who haven't been around goats before will get the full experience — they push, they beg, and they sometimes eat things they shouldn't. Bring wipes. The staff is reportedly quick and friendly with line management, so even on busy days the flow moves.
Bob's does not have a corn maze or hay rides — if those are the priority, combine with one of the farms closer to the Pumpkin Festival grounds (Arata's on Verde Road, a few miles north). Bob's is the right call when the goal is a relaxed field experience and an actual good pumpkin selection at fair prices, not a full production day.
The fog and coastal air make this feel cold to kids who aren't dressed for it. October on the San Mateo coast runs 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the Bay flatlands. Pack layers, closed-toe shoes for the muddy field rows, and a change of socks if the ground is wet from recent rain.
Planning
Admission is free. Parking is free. Pumpkins are priced individually — $1 for small decorative gourds, scaling up to around $15 for the largest field pumpkins. No reservations needed.
Hours run approximately 9am to 6pm daily in September and October. Confirm hours at bobspumpkinfarm.com or by calling (650) 726-4567 before visiting, especially in early September or after mid-October when hours may shift. The farm is open through the end of October and sometimes into the first week of November depending on supply.
What to bring: layers and closed-toe shoes (field can be muddy), wipes for after the petting zoo, a tarp or old blanket in the car trunk to protect it from muddy pumpkins on the way home, and cash if you want to move fast — though the farm reportedly accepts cards. Best age range is 1 through 8; toddlers handle the wheelbarrow push and petting zoo extremely well. Strollers work on the farm's packed-dirt paths but may struggle in wet field conditions between rows.
