Of the endless fall-themed activities around the city and suburbs, Jack’s Pumpkin Pop-Up gets quite a lot of attention. Whether it’s people posting pictures on social media or the advertising exposure, the place seems like a lot of fun on the outside. Here’s everything you need to know before you plan your visit.
For starters, it is easiest to look at tickets and packages online in advance. They offer different bundles with time slots to try and limit congestion, allowing for an easy customer experience. The package I chose was about $44 after taxes and fees. It included entry, the free corn maze, photo ops, two drinks, and three axe throws.
The cheapest package is $31 before tax and includes the entry along with an apple cider donut. Note: prices will change depending on the day you choose. This is for a Saturday; the cheapest ticket would cost $27 before tax on a weekday. Other packages combine a different variation of beverage amount, donuts, axe throwing, and having a pumpkin to bring home.
Regardless of the package you choose, Jack’s has add-ons throughout the areas as well. These include carnival games, gem mining, fortune tellers, more axe throwing, pumpkins to purchase, and spots to grab a bite to eat or drink.
When I visited, I paid about $15 with tax for the gem mining, which was a unique experience. They provided a bag of gems inside of what appeared to be sand or smaller rocks. With that, we used a tool to take the mixture and use water to uncover a range of colorful gems.
My experience with axe throwing was also quite pleasant. It was my first time trying it, and it was a lot simpler than I thought it would be. They had a fun little setup and three throws was a good amount. For every three additional throws, it is $10 extra before tax. Note you have to be 18+ to participate in this activity.
What was unfortunate was the fortune tellers not being there. I would have been curious to try that and see how they would have done it. I have heard they use tarot cards, but I am not entirely sure. I was there on a Wednesday, so keep in mind this might be a weekend-only activity.
Moving onto the food and drinks, they offered a nice variety that matched the vibe of the place. I tried the elote with hot Cheetos. The snack came in a small cup and was pretty good. As far as drinks go, there are plenty to choose from. Getting one of the packages including a donut or drink would be the best option to make the most of your money.
Of the free activities, let’s start with the corn maze. This event is located in Chicago, therefore limiting the space and corn stalks present. Yet they still pulled through and put together a maze with fall decor spread out and various exits in case of emergency. It was a beginner’s maze for sure, but I enjoyed this because it eliminated the stress of getting lost or separated from the outside of the maze.
You cannot pass up all of the photo ops present throughout the place. It is lined with dozens of different ones. These include flowers, butterflies, swings, quotes, a Barbie box, and more. Let’s not forget the iconic Ghostface mask op right outside the corn maze. Anyone looking to dress cute and get some autumn pictures would love this part of Jack’s.
The overall atmosphere walking around definitely put me in the Halloween spirit. I got there when it was still light out, which made the place seem smaller and less fun. As the night went on, there were a lot of lights everywhere and more people showed up. I would highly recommend seeing Jack’s at night, as you get a completely different experience than you would just going during the day. My only complaint was the music. The whole night, pop hits played rather than anything spooky or Halloween-related.
All in all, Jack’s is definitely worth the trip if you want the perfect way to celebrate fall. The packages are worth the money too, depending on what you are looking for. For more information on ticketing and location, click here.