Getzloff's Corn Maze: The Basics
Corn Mazes, pumpkin patches and hay rides are all part of fall in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, and
Getzloff's Corn Maze near Escanaba, MI has all that and more.
If you're looking for a fun place to spend a few hours with family or friends while soaking up the best that fall has to offer, Getzloff's Corn Maze is definitely worth checking out. Just a mile off the U.S. 2 in Wilson, MI, it's easy to find and they have a pretty wide range of things to do.
There's the corn maze of course, and the hay ride, but they've also got a hay stack for the kids to play on (and jump from), a "corn sandbox," a tractor made of hay (to climb on), a pumpkin patch, concession stand, a huge slide and, for the younger kids, a "mini-maze" made from hay bales.
My Experience at the Maze
I've wanted to check out Getzloff's maze for the last few years, and finally made time to do it this year. My stepson had a friend over, so my wife and piled a total of four kids into the car and headed to Wilson! (Two nine year olds, a two year old and a baby, oh my…)
The Getzloff farm was easy to find (a big sign right on U.S. 2 told us where to turn) but we probably could have picked a slightly nicer day to go, weather-wise. But, we dressed according to the forecast of high wind and light rain (or so I thought) so we pressed on into the maze. Darci, co-owner of the maze, assured us that it was less windy and warmer once you got into the maze, and she was definitely right.
The boys dashed into the maze as Darci let me know that there were six colored posts hidden throughout the corn and that the goal was to find all six. I smiled and nodded. My goal was to get through the maze without losing any kids.
Eventually, We Found Our Way Out
After about ten or fifteen minutes and only a few wrong turns, we did eventually find our way out of the maze! We were chilly, though, and the kids needed a snack so we huddled in their nice new building/concession stand and got some hot chocolate to warm up. A cold rain was sprinkling down outside and the building made a great shelter! It's outfitted with the "corn sandbox," which our two year old loved.
Next up was the hay ride. Remember how I said I thought we were dressed well for the weather? Well, not so much.
Don't get me wrong, many fall days in the Upper Peninsula are absolutely beautiful. It's often sixty to seventy degrees and sunny in late September and early October. Not this particular day, however. It was windy and rainy, and we should have brought rain jackets and another layer of fleece to wear under them. Windbreakers and a single layer weren't enough to fight the bitter wind. Note to self.
That said a good time was definitely had by all. Before we knew it a couple hours had past and it was time to get home for supper. The hay ride was still pleasant in spite of being a little chilly, and the kids had a blast jumping from the hay bales and generally just paying all around the farm yard.
Next year we'll be back for sure! And next year, no matter what the weather forecast is, we'll be geared up for anything!
More information can be found at Things To Do in The U.P. including hours of operation and more photos.
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