Go on a hayride

A hayride is one of the simplest ideas on the list: you sit on a hay bale, a tractor pulls the wagon slowly across the farm, and you watch the fields go by. It takes an evening, with the ride itself usually fairly short. Most of the rest is the farm around it, and the cost is usually well under $20.

When to go

Hayrides run through the autumn, mostly on weekends, and often with a pumpkin patch or a corn maze on the same site. Late afternoon is best. The light is soft, the wagon is less crowded, and you can watch the sun go down over the fields.

Check ahead for times. Some farms run the wagon on a schedule, and some stop when the weather is bad. A few run it only after dark, sometimes as a themed ride with scares, so find out which kind you are buying.

What to wear

Dress for being outdoors and sitting still, because you will be cold sooner than you expect. A tractor wagon is open on all sides.

• Jeans or thick trousers. Hay is scratchy and pokes through thin leggings.
• Layers. A sweater under a coat, so you can adjust.
• A hat and scarf. Wind is what makes it cold.
• Closed shoes. You will be walking on dirt and grass to get to the wagon.
• Gloves, if the evening is cold.

The blanket from your list is the best thing you can bring. Share it with the people next to you, and use it again on the way back, when it is colder.

How the ride works

1. Line up at the wagon, or find out when the next one leaves.
2. Climb up carefully when the driver says it is time, and take a seat on a bale. Move to the middle so others can sit.
3. Sit down and stay down while the wagon is moving.
4. Keep your arms and legs inside, and do not hang off the sides or back.
5. Wait for the wagon to stop completely before you stand or get off.

The ride is slow, bumpy and loud. That is the point.

What goes wrong

• You get cold. This is the most common thing. A blanket, a hot drink beforehand and an extra layer fix it.
• Hay gets everywhere. It will be in your hair, your pockets and your car. Wear a hat and expect it.
• You get itchy or sneezy. Hay and dust can set off allergies. If you are prone to them, take antihistamines if your doctor has told you to, and sit towards the edge where there is more air.
• It is too crowded. A busy weekend means a full wagon. Go earlier or on a weekday.
• Motion makes you queasy. Look at the horizon, not at the bales.

Safety matters more than usual here, because it is a moving vehicle with open sides. Follow the driver’s instructions, and keep children seated and close to an adult.

Getting there

Farms are often a drive from town, so plan the trip as part of the evening. Roads to rural farms can be unlit and narrow, and a busy farm may have a field for parking with uneven ground. Allow a little extra time to park and wait in line, and if you are planning to be out after dark, check the way back before you set off. If a friend is driving, agree on who is taking the wheel and keep it that way.

Some farms ask you to book a time slot, and the wagon only leaves when it is full or on the hour. Arrive a little early so you are not left watching it go.

Things to do around it

A hayride is rarely the only thing on the farm. You can combine it with:

• A corn maze on the same site.
• A walk through the pumpkin patch, picking a pumpkin to take home.
• A warm cider donut from the stand.
• Photos of the fields in the late light.

Make it a fall evening

Book a late-afternoon ride, wear the thickest jeans you own, and bring the blanket. Ride out as the sun is going down, and on the way back sit close and watch the farm lights come on. Stop for something warm on the way home.