Guides / Seasonal
Gentry Farm with a toddler: 2026 hours, prices and what to know
Short answer
Gentry Farm, at 1974 New Highway 96 West in Franklin, is open September 26 to November 1, 2026. Hours are Saturdays 9am to 5pm, Sundays 1 to 5pm and Mondays 9am to 1pm, plus Fall Break mornings on October 12, 15 and 16. Admission is $13 a person at the gate, free for kids under 2 and adults 65 and up, and they take cash, cards and Apple Pay. Plan on one to two hours. The pumpkins are already picked and priced separately, usually $2 to $12.
Gentry Farm is about three miles west of downtown Franklin on Highway 96, across from Westhaven. It's a working family farm that opens to the public in the fall, and the farm says its activities are designed for toddlers through elementary school.
If you're comparing farms, my pumpkin patch guide has the others side by side. This one is everything I'd want to know about Gentry before loading up the car.
Hours and dates for 2026
Open September 26 to November 1, 2026.
- Saturdays, 9am to 5pm
- Sundays, 1 to 5pm
- Mondays, 9am to 1pm
- Fall Break: also open Monday October 12, Thursday October 15 and Friday October 16, 9am to 1pm
Admission to the activity area stops 45 minutes before closing, so the last entry on a Monday is 12:15. The rest of the week is booked with school field trips.
Tickets and prices
$13 a person, tax included. Kids under 2 and adults 65 and up are free. An active military ID gets two free admissions per family, the ID holder plus one guest.
Tickets are sold at the gate only, with no online sales. They take cash, cards and Apple Pay, and parking is free.
What's there for a toddler
Admission covers everything in the activity area. With a toddler, I'd head for the tractor playground, the tire swings, the kids' play areas, the farm animals and the wagon ride through the working farm. The indoor maze and the grain barn are good stops too.
The bigger-kid pieces are the five-acre corn maze, the sorghum labyrinth, the nature trail, mini-farm putt-putt and the farm arcade. This year's corn maze theme is "Celebrating 250 Years of America."
It's farm play. The farm is clear that there aren't carnival rides or a petting zoo.
The pumpkins
The pumpkins here are already picked and set out to choose from, priced one by one, usually $2 to $12. Gentry grows about 20 acres of heirlooms, ornamentals and winter squash, and brings in more pumpkins to sell, jack-o'-lanterns included. The best selection is early in the season.
Planning around little kids
Restrooms: portable toilets, with diaper changing stations.
Strollers: bring your own stroller or wagon. The paths are gravel, grass and dirt, so an all-terrain stroller handles it best.
Food: a concession stand run by the Fourth Avenue Church of Christ youth group, which has been doing it for over 20 years. Think popcorn, pumpkin bread, cookies, Capri Sun, hot cider and hot chocolate. You can bring a picnic to the tables by the Pumpkin Barn, but not into the activity area.
Pets: no pets in the activity area. Service animals are welcome.
Rain: the farm usually stays open in light rain and posts any closings on its Facebook and Instagram.
Plan on one to two hours, which is what the farm suggests.
When to go
The farm says the first and last weekends and Monday mornings are its quietest times. Sunday doesn't open until 1pm, so with a napper I'd pick Saturday morning or a Monday right at 9.
The last weekend this year is October 31 and November 1. Halloween falls on that Saturday, and the farm doesn't allow full face coverings with costumes, so pick a costume that leaves the face showing.
About the farm
The family has owned this land since 1848, when Samuel Fielding Glass Jr. started buying it. The Gentrys moved back to the farm in 1975, and today Allen and Jase Gentry run what the farm calls a seventh-generation family farm. It's almost 400 acres, with beef cattle and about 100 acres of hay. The family also hosts a summer day camp there, which has been going for almost 50 years. Fall is the only season it opens to the public.
Gentry Farm, 1974 New Highway 96 West, Franklin. (615) 794-4368.
Questions I get
Is Gentry Farm a pick-your-own pumpkin patch?
No. The pumpkins are already picked and set out to choose from, usually priced $2 to $12 each. The farm grows about 20 acres of them, including heirloom and ornamental varieties.
How much is Gentry Farm, and are babies free?
Admission is $13 a person, tax included. Kids under 2 and adults 65 and up get in free, and an active military ID covers two free admissions per family, the ID holder plus one guest.
What days is Gentry Farm open?
Saturdays 9am to 5pm, Sundays 1 to 5pm and Mondays 9am to 1pm, from September 26 to November 1, 2026. It's also open 9am to 1pm on Fall Break days October 12, 15 and 16. Other weekdays are for school field trips.
Can you buy Gentry Farm tickets online?
No. Tickets are sold at the admission gate only, and they take cash, cards and Apple Pay. Parking is free.
Can you bring a stroller, wagon or dog to Gentry Farm?
Strollers and wagons are fine, and the farm says all-terrain ones handle the gravel, grass and dirt best. Pets aren't allowed in the activity area, though service animals are welcome.
Is Gentry Farm good for toddlers?
Yes. The farm says it's designed for toddlers through elementary-age kids, and the tractor playground, tire swings, wagon ride and play areas are a good size for little ones. A visit takes about one to two hours.
Get this week’s lineup
Guides like this cover the things that stay put. The weekly email covers what’s on this weekend. It goes out Thursday morning.