Lemos Farm

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INFORMATION

12320 San Mateo Rd
Half Moon Bay, CA 94019

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Phone

(650) 726-2342

Hours

9 am – 5 pm (Sat - Sun)

Tickets

$5 (Adults)
$17 (Children)

Membership

N/A

Website

lemosfarm.com

PHOTOS

DESCRIPTION FOR Lemos Farm

If you're inspired by a local farmers market, or your kids wonder what it would be like to ride a pony and a tractor, Lemos Farm is the weekend place to go. The goats can't be ridden, but for $1 per cup they can be fed, and so can the ducks and the wishing well – you have to cross its lip with silver. The train has gotten decorated with festive scenes over the years, so you may see Christmas decorations mixed with Western scenes.

Christmas trees and pumpkins can also be chosen here instead of at a local lot. You can come on a weekend, park the kids on ponies and wear them out in laser tag, and then wander around finding the perfect fir that will house all of the kids' art projects and glittery ornaments all through December, or the perfect scary jack-o-lantern.

While Lemos Farm is agriculturally themed, there are some unique offerings besides the Pumpkin Patch and the hay ride. From September through the end of October, kids can be entertained in the haunted house. No reservations are needed for zapping each other in laser tag, though it does cost $10 for 20 minutes. That may be one of the few drawbacks, that there are a few items not covered in the price of admission – laser tag is one, and operating a tractor in the Dig Zone is another. Otherwise, you do have the choice of just paying single tickets for items like Playtown and the hay ride – or you can get unlimited rides on the train and ponies and everything else by getting a day pass. Playtown is not to be missed for its mix of bouncy houses and rocking horses.

This strange blend of activities goes back to the history of Lemos Farm, in which the current owner's city-dwelling grandfather was offered a cow as a debt payment. Since the cow was in the family way, a few more cows were bought and put on a farm to create a working dairy, but all that work required a tractor that still chugs around the grounds today. The pony rides and haunted house came in after the owners started thinking about expanding their Christmas tree side business with pumpkins. Lemos Farm is the place where anything can happen.

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TIPS FOR VISITING Lemos Farm

* Groupon Deal: $25 for day passes for two adults and two children ($40 value). Visit Groupon for more info.

1. Closing days: Weekdays, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

2. Parking is plentiful, but the scenic one-lane San Mateo Road after the Bridge is often clogged on weekends with sight-seers, so be sure to add on an extra half-hour to your arrival time – just in case.

3. Restrooms are very clean, diaper changing tables in both men and women's bathrooms, hot water in the taps, and ceramic toilets.

4. Snacks are basic: nachos with jalapenos, pepperoni pizza, and hot dogs.

5. Goat-feeding and Petting: Tuck in your clothing, because they like to mistake your shirt for a grain offering, and sometimes snatch the cup.

BIRTHDAY PARTY AT Lemos Farm

Party Time at Lemos Farm

Telephone: (650) 726-2342

Time: Varies (Saturday or Sunday)

Party price: $275-$335+

Included: Access to Petting Zoo and Play Area, Air Jumper, Reserved Picnic Tables

Themes: Pony Party, Choo-Choo Party

Website Link: www.lemosfarm.com/parties/birthday-parties

Bring Your Own: Food and Drinks, Decorations, and Tableware (Plates, Cups, Cutlery)

While the themes are limited to ponies or trains, there are a lot of options at this working weekend farm, though is about $50 cheaper for birthdays to fall between November 9 and August 18. You can specify how many kids will be riding the trains or ponies, from 20 to over 40, though the Choo-Choo Party does include 15 pony tickets. Parents can rent four private ponies for a few hours, to make sure that the birthday kids don't have to share space with weekend visitors, or cut down on costs by just getting priority seating on the semi-private ponies during a two-hour time slot. Also, train-lovers will be happy to know that an extra $50 can ensure train access during a pony party, so nobody gets left out. If you want a spot near the pond and you don't mind if the party-goers have to mingle with the commoners, all activities are open to you for $15 per kid and $5 per adult. Let the kids go from the ponies to the train to petting the goats to running through the Play Area, while a few designated adults guard belongings and chat at the private tables. If you can, grab the slot earlier in the morning, which gets you an extra hour and a half of fun time, and bring some extra cash for Laser Tag. All of the choices can be a little overwhelming, but the food choices are made quite simple: pizza. You can either opt for a medium pizza with just cheese or pepperoni for $15, or make it a somewhat healthy snack by paying $18 for all-veggie toppings. On the other hand, there are charcoal barbeque stations at each of the many picnic areas, so you can bring the hot dogs and hamburgers and all the buns and fixings, so long as other parents are willing to help carry in the coolers.

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