Near
An ear for fun
Strolling twisting trails among towering stalks of corn, it’s easy to get lost. But that’s the fun of navigating the 15-acre DeBuck’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch.
This Belleville attraction features three sections for everyone in the family to enjoy. Small adventurers opt for the 0.4-mile long starter maze. Then try the moderate option, which is 1.6 miles. And die-hard fans can tackle 3.5 miles.
Don’t worry if you get too turned around – “corn cops” can help. “All of the activities here are geared so that parents and grandparents and their kids can do them together,” says manager Angelique Whitt. “No one is just watching.”
For newcomers, she adds, try the doughnuts. “You can smell them from the parking lot. They’re amazing and you can watch them being made.”
Another favorite? Corn cannons. Visitors use compression air devices to launch dried corn ears or tennis balls at one of two targets – a logo for the University of Michigan or Michigan State University. “U of M is quite a bit closer,” Whitt says, but “all of the DeBucks are MSU graduates.”
Far
Corn stalking
It takes careful planning, expert design and hours of planting to create Jacob’s Corn Maze in Traverse City. “We double plant so that the corn stalks are extra thick,” says Mike Witkop, whose great-grandfather is the maze’s namesake. “To ensure we have nice corn, we don’t have typical irrigation watering. Ours is underground so you don’t see anything in the field.” This year’s theme is a Coast Guard salute, complete with in-maze activities that bring the topic to life. For the full experience, tackle these 10 acres with flashlights after dark. Top it off with a doughnut that’s fried up on site.
Farther
The granddaddy
From a 50-foot observation tower, survey Richardson Adventure Farm – it’s a little over an hour from Chicago and packed with 30-plus activities. Little ones can try train rides, a carousel or three gigantic jumping pillows. For thrill-seekers, dive off that tower on a 750-foot zip line or try zorbing: You’re strapped into an 11-foot translucent ball and rolled down a hill. Oh yeah, and they also have one of the world’s largest corn mazes.
