If Arasapha Farms seems familiar to you, there is good reason for it. It is also the home of the ever-popular Bates Motel Halloween attraction near Media, Pa. But lately they have been taking it to a sweeter, more family-friendly place full of twinkling lights, a reindeer, sheep, donkeys, nativity scene and more. You can grab some popcorn and hot cocoa at the food stand and even kits of S’more packages with wooden sticks to roast by the fire. Mr. and Mrs. Claus await inside to get an annual picture taken before watching the mechanical elves hard at work building toys for all the little girls and little boys. T-shirts and hoodies hang behind the counter for either the holiday hayride or Bates Motel, in case you forgot at Halloween.
The 20-minute hayride has no hay per say but wooden benches on the same flatbed farm tractor and those in the know bring thick blankets to snuggle together for warmth. It’s a smaller, more endearing and quaint version of Longwood Gardens display with this one geared more toward the children, which to me makes Christmas more bright.
These guys loved a good neck scratching after they warmed up to us.The entrance to Arasapha Farms Holiday Hayride.These donkeys were barely moving, but kept an eye on me.A little kid train for the smaller children at Arasapha Farms.The nativity scene at Arasapha Farms.The reindeer with no antlers at Arasapha Farms. The sign says he loses them every season…The Adominable Snowman at Arasapha Farms.Gargoyles still guard the haunted house above the Abominable Snowman at Arasapha Farms.The haunted house all decked out Christmas style at Arasapha Farms.Pitch black lights seen from the road.A choo-choo train starts the holiday hayride.Rudolph has fancy feet and moving legs.Santa on a motorcyle because it’s faster.Elves being mischievous.A gingerbread house.Penguins and an igloo at The North Pole.The Coca-Cola bear fishing for… what else?Iconic Christmas themes all in one.Santa ate too many cookies and can’t fit his fat butt down the chimney!Trippy candy cane lane.The light tunnel was my favorite part.It was perfectly lit against the black as night sky.Music played “Let It Snow” and we were covered with fake snow bubbles.The view from the snow tunnel from the back.Elves sawing.Elves tickling.Elves making toys.A train set was a whimsical touch.One of the trains off its track.And the train goes by choo-chooing all the way.Mr. and Mrs. Claus were very popular that night and got a moment to rest between family portraits.
