Every fall, my family of five packs up and heads on a 14-hour road trip to rural Virginia. Halloween is one of my favorite holidays, and there is something magical about taking my children trick-or-treating at the same houses I did growing up. Each year I chuckle because even though the houses have changed hands, the same homes either participate or don’t. It’s almost like each house attracts a certain vibe.

Visiting the South is extra special for my family. My children do not have any first cousins, so we try to meet up with my cousins (and their children) while we’re in town. It’s amazing to see how the family has grown. My MeMau had four children, which resulted in eight cousins. Now, between us we have thirteen kiddos. Needless to say, it’s a fun day when we get together. Because my cousins live across the state (Virginia is huge!), we try to meet up at a midway point. Last year, we decided to descend upon Blue Ridge Mountain Maze. Read on to find out why it was such a laid-back experience, as well as everything you need to know to prepare for a visit!

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN MAZE FAST FACTS

Address	462 Winery Lane, Roseland, VA 22967
Hours of Operation	Varies
Admission: Kids*/Adults/Seniors	$13/$14/$14
Parking	Lot, crushed gravel
Water Bottle Filler	No
Picnic Friendly	Yes
Clean Bathrooms / Changing Areas	Yes / No
Stroller Friendly	Yes
Gear Recommendation	Stroller or Wagon
Apparel Recommendation	One layer less
Sunscreen / Bug Spray?	Yes!! / Yes
Breastfeeding Friendliness	Benches are available, but there isn’t a private area
Best Ages	Toddler +
Best Season to Visit	Fall

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN MAZE LAYOUT

Blue Ridge Mountain Maze is located behind Blue Toad Hard Cider. When you pull into the drive, the crushed gravel parking lot is on the left and the mountain maze area is on the right. You can see everything from the entrance, even though the activities are well spaced across a large field. The corn maze is up on the hill behind all the obstacle courses and climbing structures.

BLUE RIDGE MOUNTAIN MAZE ACTIVITES

Blue Ridge Mountain Maze offers a variety of activities, sure to keep kids of all ages busy for an afternoon. Besides the corn maze, you can expect pumpkins, pony rides, a farm store, corn hole, apple sling shots, an obstacle course, climbing structures and slides, roll tubes, corn tires and face painting. Our party of 16 tried almost all of what was offered (except the farm store), and there were some obvious favorites!

KID’S FAVORITE

MOM’S FAVORITE

If I have to pick an activity, I’d say the corn maze. While Liberty Ridge Farms is still the best corn maze I’ve ever experienced, the corn maze here was lovely. I liked that it was large enough to get a little lost, but small enough that we didn’t lose sight of the main bridge to the exit. I didn’t experience the obstacle course, and I’m quite certain that would’ve been my vote had I ventured that way.

DAD’S FAVORITE

My husband was a big fan of the ambiance. (I was too, but I couldn’t make it both of our favorites.) It’s a great place to have a drink, a picnic and enjoy being outside. He spent most of this particular day sitting in the car with our melty four-year-old, so it’s hard to tell what he might have liked if she had been in a different mood.

BIOLOGICAL FUNCTIONS

BATHROOMS

I didn’t notice a changing station of any variety, so if you have a diaper-wearer in tow, plan to change them in the car or on the lawn. Pro tip: if the car option interests you, crack all your windows upon arrival. This way, the car will have a nice cross breeze and won’t be sweltering when you need it to freshen up thy booty. There’s nothing worse than a hot, cranky baby fighting a diaper change.

FOOD

There’s a picnic tent with ample seating to the right of the field, across from the food trucks. Inside the tent, they have some activities to keep kids busy while the adults finish up their meals. I’m not sure what it is about dried corn kernels, but it it’s been the sensory activity of the year in my house.

BREASTFEEDING

I wouldn’t call Blue Ridge Mountain Maze breastfeeding “friendly,” per se. There are plenty of places to sit and nurse in the shade, but if you have a distractable toddler or a baby that needs a dark, quiet space, it’s going to be hard to come by. That said, it wasn’t a place I felt uncomfortable nursing out in the open. Even though I’ve been nursing for seven years straight, there are some people or places that make me feel like I shouldn’t be nursing in public (I do it anyway). This wasn’t one of them, however.

WAYS TO SAVE

Blue Ridge Mountain Maze offers a $2 discount on all ticket prices on Fridays between 12 and 5 PM. Food trucks aren’t available during this time, so plan accordingly. There’s no official group rate listed, but I feel like if you called ahead with a guaranteed group, they’d cut you a deal.

WORTH THE DRIVE?

Listed as one of the best corn mazes in Virginia, Blue Ridge Mountain Maze certainly measures up to expectations – in a very laid-back, understated way. It’s clean, simple, and has phenomenal views. With enough food, drinks and activities to keep the children entertained for hours, I truly didn’t want to leave. For me, Blue Ridge Mountain Maze was the perfect day out with my family. Our day there didn’t feel overwhelming in the slightest, and truly recharged me for the week ahead. As mentioned before, the layout of the venue is such that I felt completely comfortable there. I was able to see everything from the picnic area (except the corn maze).

If you’re considering a visit to the Blue Ridge Mountain Maze, I highly recommend it. As a tip, the corn maze can be very hot midday. The website says to prepare for one additional layer, but I’d say dress light and bring layers – period. If you’re a native Virginian, you’re probably going to do that anyway. If you aren’t, you should be aware that Virginia goes through a funky time in both shoulder seasons where you can experience all four seasons in a day. And by “funky time” I mean there’s no rhyme or reason for the weather and it can happen even when the forecast says otherwise. The day we went was also very dusty and dry (a wildfire broke out the following week). I recommend shoes that are easy to clean or that you don’t mind getting absolutely filthy. Additionally, I’d highly recommend sunscreen for the face as there is no shade whatsoever outside the goat area, picnic tent and few sporadic umbrellas.