Located in Hampton, ON, Pingle's Farm Market is a year-round market showcasing various produce as well as a number of family friendly activities. This in-depth review will tell you everything you need to know to help decide whether you'd like to visit Pingle's Farm.
Established in 1987 and open seven days a week, Pingle's Farm is a popular market less than an hour's drive away from Toronto. We visited in the fall and were able to experience both their apple and pumpkin picking seasons.
This non-sponsored Pingle's Farm Market review aims to let you know what there is to do at the market, how well it's organized, as well give you a few tips to make the most of your time there.
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TLDR - Is Pingle's Farm worth visiting
The short of it is, yes. Pingle's Farm Market is a fun place to visit if you're in the Toronto area. It's family friendly, and while the pricing isn't prohibitive, it does add up if you're visiting as a family or want to purchase any of the add-ons.
The location is somewhat difficult to reach if you don't have a car.
What is Pingle's Farm Market
Pingle's Farm Market is a paid-entry marketplace operated by Pingle's Farm since 1987. The market is open seven days a week from 10am-6pm. Visitors are able to walk around the market, enjoy some activities and food, as well as participate in picking crops (such as apple picking or pumpkin picking), depending on seasonal availability. Add-on costs apply, depending on the activity.
Location
Pingle's Farm Market is located at 1805 Taunton Road, Hampton Ontario L0B 1J0. Depending on where you start from, it's less than an hour drive from Toronto. The farm is a short drive from the town of Hampton, however it is a very long walk (approximately 5 kilometres/3 miles) so it's recommended to get to everything you need in the town before heading over.
Pricing
The price of entry has increased over the years. Make sure to check online to see what the most recent prices are.
At the time of our visit (October 2024), each weekend ticket cost $23 (online) and $28 (in-person). In order to pick apples, you need to purchase a picking bag, starting at an additional $24 for a 10lb bag.
Weekends: $23 (online)
Cheap Tuesdays: $5 (online)
Weekdays: $12 (online)
Entry is free for children under 2 years old.
Things to do in Pingle's Farm Market
Pick your own crops. The highlight of the market is to be able to walk through designated parts of the farm and pick your own produce. There is an added cost to this.
Corn mazes. There are two corn mazes available. A shorter one taking 15-20 minutes to finish. And a longer one that will take up to an hour (I think I can do it in 40 minutes).
Straw pyramid. The straw pyramid is fun! It's a very quick climb, and a fun little photo op.
Hill slides. There are a couple of hill slides (of different lengths). Don't forget to grab a burlap sack to protect your trousers from any dirt!
Games. There are several games throughout the location. From giant jenga to giant checkers to mini putt.
Visit the animals. Ducks, rabbits, and alpacas are available to see!
Wagon rides. A fun way to get to the further parts of the farm to just to get a little ride. There are two different wagon rides, and both provide very different experiences (one is chill...the other is not).
Food. There are plenty of food options around the market as well as in the main store.
Store. In true theme park and attraction fashion, you have to exit through Pingle's souvenir and produce store. The items here are what you'd expect from a farmer's market, with produce from the farm as well as freshly baked pies and tarts. There are some kitchen supplies, decorative items and confectionaries too.
Food
The primary market area has several food stalls. You'll be able to find snacks, meals (burgers, sandwiches, poutine, and pizza), as well as coffee and drinks. While there's a good selection available, the line-ups can be quite long.
If you're getting a burger from the main stall, they'll take your name and call it out once the food is ready. The call-outs aren't always the loudest, and there are several others there, so do your best to stay close and keep your ears open.
The quality of the food is good. It's all freshly made, but it is expensive for what it is (think: $21 for chicken fingers and fries).
The coffee line was incredibly long and moved quite slowly during our visit. Was it worth it? Not really. The quality of the drinks is not great, and the prices are a bit high for what it is (simple black coffee, hot chocolate, or a pumpkin spice latte). It is however the only option in the area, and since I live off coffee, I'd still get it again.
Staff
Although I've read about rude staff online, we had no issues with the staff during our visit. On the contrary, every staff member was exceedingly friendly and happy to go out of their way to help us with information and suggestions (including tips on the best time to visit!).
Bathrooms
There are two sets of bathrooms at Pingle's Farm Market. One just outside the entrance and exit, and another inside the primary food area. Both are quite small and can accommodate up to three people at a time (though it will be a squeeze for most).
Tips
When to visit
As the market starts to become quite busy in the afternoons, we recommend visiting earlier in the day (10am) when the market is still relatively quiet. That said, Pingle's Farm Market is so large that unless you're there at the peak points of the year, there won't be long waits for most things. Your biggest wait times will likely be at the food and coffee stalls.
Buy your tickets online
It's slightly cheaper to buy your tickets online. The small discount is especially helpful for large groups or families visiting. The online ticket purchase does ask you what day and time you're visiting, but after checking with the team at Pingle's Farm Market, it's been confirmed that this only needs to be an estimate.
Parking
There is a large and free parking lot available at Pingle's Farm Market. It does get busier past noon and during the weekends. Arrive early for the best spots!
Pets
While your dog is technically allowed to enter the Pingle's Farm premises (i.e. the entrance patio), they're not allowed inside the actual market. It's no fun tying you buddy up outside, so I'd recommend visiting without your furry friend, if possible.
Pick your own crops
Depending on the season, there are various picking options. During our recent visit, apples and pumpkins were available. But raspberries, corn, green beans, tomatoes and more are available depending on the exact time of year you visit.
If you're looking to pick produce, I recommend going a little earlier in the season. If you wait till later in the season, a lot of the produce may already be picked. (This was the case with apples when we visited. Thankfully, the staff were very helpful and directed us to exactly where apples were still available for picking.)
If you intend on taking produce home, we recommend picking it yourself (as opposed to buying it pre-picked from the Pingle's Farm store). Not only is it fun, but it's a little cheaper too. (We compared 10lbs of apples on our visit, and found we'd save $5 by picking the apples ourselves.)
Don't lug things around
Upon entry to Pingle's Farm Market, you'll be given a wristband. This means you can exit and reenter as much as you'd like. Leave most of your heavy things in your vehicle, as you can go and get it whenever you need to.
Similarly, if you've picked a lot of produce, feel free to take it to store in your car instead of carrying it around for the day.
Season pass
The season pass becomes worth it if you intend to visit Pingle's Farm at least three times per year. Any less than that, and it's cheaper for you to buy your tickets online each time you visit.
If you enjoy picking your own fruit, and don't live too far away, this may be a good option for you. The market does host different festivals based on the season, and this can make for a fun seasonal activity.
Personally, I don't see us visiting more than once or twice a year as there are plenty of similar alternatives that I'd also want to check out (especially since they're a similar distance from Toronto).
Alternatives
Pingle's Farm Market is certainly not the only farm market that allows apple picking or has pumpkin patches to walk through. There are actually quite a few other options not too far from Toronto including, Chudleigh's, Springridge, and Dixie Orchards.
Would I visit again
I'd absolutely visit Pingle's Farm Market again. The entry price is fair (though the food prices are a little high for my liking), and there's plenty to do and see as you walk around. I doubt I'd ever go enough to warrant their Season Pass, but I'd definitely love to check it out again next year.
What do you think? Have you been to Pingle's Farm? Is there anything I've left out of this Pingle's Farm Market review? Let me know in the comments below.
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