Stingy Jack's Pumpkin Patch

After our meet-up in Tennessee, we headed back to North Carolina... and yep, you guessed it... Asheville.  Not only because we love it there, but because we scheduled a mini-vacation from vacation for ourselves in Charlotte, and we couldn't think of a better place to hang out and "kill time".

As soon as we arrived we checked the "things to do" calendar, and found Stingy Jack's Pumpkin Patch which looked pretty fantastic.  We were all in a pretty festive fall mood, and our whole family loves Halloween - so off we went.

Jonah was interested in the paintball range, where you had the opportunity to shoot down "Bigfoot", who was running around the side of the hill and trying to hide (mostly in vain) behind large wooden cut-outs of trees and other woodland creatures.

We learned that our Jonah is pretty decent shot.

Of course our kids couldn't stay away from the empty stage with DJ music blaring Kids Bop.  The stage was open in between acts for kids of all ages to jitter, jiggle, and shake.

Each kid was allowed to make one purchase while we were at Stingy Jack's.  Jonah got "Boo", this interesting balloon creation.  Maeryn bought herself a ride in a human-sized hamster-wheel.

One of the hi-lights at Stingy Jacks is the Twilight Trail, featuring pumpkins carved by local artists.  These sunflowers are carved from seven pumpkins and lit from inside.  The trail also featured pumpkin sculptures of birds, fish, deer, bears, pirates, famous historical figures, and all manner of creatures great and small.  I went on the Twilight Trail alone, while Michael took the kids on the Spooky Trail.  Maeryn was disappointed because "it wasn't really that spooky!"

If you ever get the chance to venture into Spooky Jack's, be sure to check out the fire-eaters and fire-dancers in the big field.  Be present for at least one pumpkin chunkin' cannon firin', grab some yummy cheese fries, and think about skipping the hayride, which has a 45 minute wait in line for a 5 minute ride up and down a little hill.  We'd absolutely go back, but with those things in mind.  Oh - and dress warmly, it's getting cold up here!