BY JANA BEAUCHAMP
As the air turns crisp and the scenery bursts with vibrant foliage, it is enough inspiration to take the family out for an adventure.
And you don’t need to go even leave the city at all. Prepare to feel miles away from New York City when you arrive at The Queens County Farm Museum for The Fall Escape and weekends at the farm.
Start your day at The Fall Escape and then plan to make a day of it at the farm. The Fall Escape is this season’s must-do, socially distant (timed entry, maintain 6’, wear face masks, etc.), fun and festive fall experience. Kids and their grown-ups alike will “oooh” and “aaah” at more than a dozen of the vibrant, seasonal, custom floral installations (from floral tractors to oversized pumpkin spiced lattes). It is certainly “grammable!”
As you enter, prepare to fall in love with the floral foliage. The sunflowers beautifully perched on a tractor are the perfect way to say hello to the experience. The Fall Escape’s custom floral installations are pleasing to the eyes, heart, and mind. It is breathtaking and fun to go from one creation to the next while daydreaming and imaging fall floral adventures along the way. Take a seat on “Cornfession Chair” surrounded by a rainbow of flowers or steal a selfie taking a sip out of the life-size Pumpkin Spice latte cup topped with a floral swirl. Kids love spreading their wings and transforming into a giant, floral butterfly, being a floral farmer in front of the red barn surrounded by fantastic fall hued flowers, and escaping into the pretty in purple Blooming Enchanted Fall Forest. Frolicking around and under lush arrangements of florals, you’ll channel all the fall feels. Be sure to stop and smell the roses!
Next, make your way to the entrance and see why families have loved The Queens County Farm Museum since 1697. Its expansive 47 aces, occupies NYC’s largest remaining tract of undisturbed farmland. Executive Director Jennifer Walden Weprin is passionate about the farm and her enthusiasm is infectious. She shares that enthusiasm with everyone who visits and opens every day to provide families educational and natural experiences in this big city in these wild times. When speaking from the heart about the best ways to describe the farm, she says, “welcoming, connecting, beautiful, and bountiful!” And we couldn’t agree more.
First, head to the Amazing Maize Maze (be sure to make an advance reservation and plan to spend up to 45 minutes to complete) to get lost in NYC’s one and only corn maze! And is truly a-maze-ing! This year’s maze entry is staggered in order to maintain event capacity and face masks are required to be worn in the maze. The Amazing Maize Maze adventure is Van Gogh themed this year and is an art adventure. Begin with a Stalk Talk (safely viewed on YouTube for social distancing) to prepare you for the 3-acre challenge of finding clues on your way to Victory Bridge. Families can try to find all nine pieces of the puzzle map in mailboxes throughout the maze and solve a corn maze master crossword from clues scattered throughout to take you to the finish where the full vista of Van Gogh’s ‘Sunflowers’ masterpiece is revealed.
Families can also take a hayride, pick their perfect pumpkin from the patch, visit the animals, stock up on apples, apple cider, apple cider donuts and other seasonal specialties at the farm stand and farmers market. There’s also a food alley and beer garden for families to grab and go to enjoy a picnic on the farm. It’s a perfect way to spend a fall day right here in the heart of the city and families are sure to fall in love with fall at the farm!
The Floral Escape will be available until November 29, 2020 at The Queens County Farm Museum. For more information, activity dates and times, visit queensfarm.org/events.html
This story originally appeared on newyorkfamily.com.
