Swank Farms, The Experience — Attraction in Hollister

I just wrote a full, long, detailed review and Google crashed! Oh well! This was our third or fourth visit to Swank Farms and we have loved it every time. This time we visited for their Hoptoberfest event, which added a beerfest to the event! With a ticket upgrade, one receives a collectible 5oz glass, unlimited tastings, and 6 full pours. Add the corn maze, live music, goat feeding, and so many other things for the kids and you can spend all day on a family outing for a reasonable price! And did I mention the huge metal dinosaurs? I’m not going to rewrite my detailed review. I’m going to let GROK give you the details.

Swank Farms, often branded as “Swank Farms, The Experience,” is a family-run working farm and seasonal entertainment hotspot in Hollister, California, just a short drive from Casa de Fruta along Pacheco Pass Highway (SR 152). Located at 4751 Pacheco Pass Hwy, it’s about 10 miles west of Casa de Fruta and draws crowds for its authentic farm vibes mixed with high-energy fall festivities. Founded in 1928, it’s grown from a traditional orchard into a beloved Bay Area tradition, emphasizing fresh produce, community events, and immersive family fun—think of it as the spooky, adventure-packed counterpart to Casa de Fruta’s fruity roadside charm.

The farm’s story begins in the late 1920s as a modest ranch in the Pacheco Valley. In 1964, after the original owner’s passing, the land was taken over by the Swank family—Dick and Bonnie Swank moved from Calistoga, CA, to manage it. Dick expanded into diverse crops like tomatoes, sweet corn, and ornamental pumpkins, supplying 15+ farmers’ markets across the Bay Area and top San Francisco restaurants. The big pivot came in 2000 when Dick, inspired by a friend, introduced the county’s first corn maze and pumpkin patch, turning the farm into a family entertainment destination. By 2018, they relocated the maze to their home ranch for a more integrated experience. Today, third-generation stewards keep it operational year-round, with a focus on sustainability (including 47 organic acres) and innovation, like their 2021 addition of an 8,500 sq ft event barn.

Swank Farms shines brightest in fall, but offers year-round appeal through markets, camps, and events. The “Experience” tagline captures its blend of education, thrills, and farm-fresh goodness—it’s not just a visit; it’s an interactive adventure. Highlights include: • Fall Festival (October Highlight): Bay Area’s top family fall spot for 25+ years, running weekends in October (e.g., 2024 dates: Oct 4–Nov 1, with extended Halloween hours). Tickets start around $20–$30 (daytime vs. nighttime options). Attractions include: ◦ A massive 7-acre Corn Maze Treasure Hunt (themed annually, like kid-designed mazes from past camps). ◦ Pumpkin Patch for pick-your-own gourds. ◦ Thrilling nighttime haunts: Terror in the Corn, Field of Frights, Trail of Lights, and Spookley Maze (available Oct 31 sunset–10 PM). ◦ Kid-friendly fun: Jumping pillows, slide mountain, petting zoo, sunflower fields, pumpkin slingshot, and unlimited farm rides. ◦ Food and vibes: Farm-to-table carnival eats, a full bar, and pop-up shopping from 40+ artisanal vendors (Fri–Sun + Halloween). • The Gorechard (Haunted Attraction): A separate evening scare-fest in October, featuring immersive horror through cornfields—perfect for thrill-seekers 12+. • Farmers’ Markets and Produce: Fresh, organic veggies, heirloom tomato salsa, and seasonal goodies at markets from Hollister to San Francisco. It’s a go-to for bulk compost or farm-direct buys. • Events and Weddings: The stunning Swank Farms Barn hosts up to 400 guests for weddings, corporate events, or celebrations, with rustic farmland views and customizable packages. They also run summer farm camps for kids 5+ (June 2025 sessions upcoming), teaching planting, animal care, arts, and competitions. • Swank Farms Beer Co.: A microbrewery on-site, offering craft beers made with farm ingredients—pair one with a sunset over the...

First time visit to Swank Farms. We went later in the evening (arrived around 7pm) as we specifically wanted to do the Trail of Lights which is primarily what this review is on. Before entering, they had security personnel checking bags and using metal detector wands. Always better to be safe than sorry!

To get to the Trail of Lights, you take a pathway through the cornfield. You are on a farm in the middle of a field, so keep in mind the walkways are all loose dirt and very dusty. Once you’ve made it through the cornfield, this is where there is the tunnel of lighted trees that are decorated with twinkle lights and some Halloween blow up decorations. This was very pretty BUT if you’re there specifically to see or have photo-ops under these lights it was hard to really enjoy them as it is crowded with a long line of people waiting to enter the Trail of Frights. It would have been better if they had the line on the pathway outside of the trees where there was still plenty of space. The entrances for both the Trail of Frights and the Trail of Lights are right next to each other so be aware that if you or you have young kids that scare easily you will hear all the screams and loud sounds of chainsaws. For the Trail of Lights, there was no line and is a short walk through a small corn patch. It’s an easy, non-scary stroll for young kids, but for adults it can be a bit underwhelming with a single strand of twinkle lights strung along the winding pathway. There are a few areas hidden in the corn where there are dolls, skeletons, and spiders with spotlights on them. Some of the light strands towards the end were very dimmed or burnt out. The lights on the trees were more eye catching and wish we could have looked at those more.

The highlight of our visit was the giant jump pads. It took our toddler a few moments before she would jump on, but once she got started, we couldn’t pull her away! I also had tons of fun on there with her!

The Trail of Frights did sound like it was a good time if that’s your thing, but for us, a day trip may have been more worth the ticket price and to take in more of everything else they had to offer.

Side Note: the porta-potties were a gross mess. Everything was wet inside, checked at least 3 of them before finding one that had still had seat covers and toilet paper. The pump sinks outside were empty or the water barely trickled enough to wet your hands. No soap or...

Oh What An Experience! I held my daughter’s Quinciañera at Swank Farms! Here are the pros & cons of this venue:

Pros: Beautiful Indoor/Outdoor Venue with plenty of parking I was able to bring my own caterer I had access to space from 8am to 11:30pm

Cons: Venue Manager/Owner was looking over mine & my guests shoulder all the time. She even asked my caterer to clean up the sink when dinner had not even been served yet (this was stressful) I paid for 2 bartenders (neither of which appeared to have bartending experience I selected only beer for my guests (made 4 different beer selections one month in advance). The beers I selected were not provided to my guests. No one ever mentioned my guests would be offered a full bar. I had drink tickets for my guests; when they went to the bar they were under the impression the tickets were good for any drink, bartenders had to tell my guests they were only good for beer, the lines backed up, there was confusion. Did I mention guests were charged $15 for margaritas that were made with the cheapest tequila (Jose Cuervo.) Two weeks before event my music sound tech wanted to confirm the venue had sufficient electricity/power capacity. I asked the manager/owner & she was unable to confirm for me. I had my sound tech call her directly since I’m not a sound engineer & I wanted to make sure they had the electrical power needed for the day of the event. The venue manager/owner was rude to him & hung up on him. The day of the event sure enough; we are about to dance the most important song (mother/daughter dance) and power goes out! Frustrating! The venue has security cameras in every single angle of the barn, except the bathrooms & upstairs middle dressing room. Oh but the manager/owner made sure to personally do a check-in of yes the women’s bathroom & the upstairs areas. So unnecessary & intruding on privacy. I paid one security guard which venue hired. Guy appeared to have been picked up off the street (no uniform or badge) Once event was over at 11:30pm, I had to make sure venue was clean, owner/manager kept on calling me because I was going over the 30 minutes allotted otherwise she would have to pay her staff over time. I found dead mice inside the venue a few days before our event.

If I’m following my obligations contractually why are you micromanaging the event. This was so stressful & dont think I would ever use this...