This Upstate New York Family Farm’s Christmas Hayride Is Straight out of a Hallmark Movie

There’s something special about places that hold generations of love, laughter, and hard work. Simmons Acres in Berkshire is one of those places. After 80 years, this family farm has been reborn, not just as a working farm, but as a celebration of everything we love most about the holiday season: family, memories, and magic.

A Family Legacy Rooted in Love and the Land

The story of Simmons Acres begins in the mid-1940s, when William A. Simmons bought a stretch of farmland on Jewett Hill Road for his son, William G., and his soon-to-be wife, Shirley. Together, they built a thriving dairy farm that endured through good times and hard ones, powered by determination and love for the land. Their son, William J., inherited not just the acres, but the same devotion to farming. He and his wife, Cheryl, carried the torch through the 1970s and 80s, until the era of small family dairies began to fade. Though the cows eventually left the barn, the Simmons family’s connection to their land never did.

A Loving Tribute That Sparked a New Holiday Tradition

In 2013, another generation, William E. and his wife, Paula, took over the family homestead. Together they raised their five children there, filling the house with laughter, 4-H projects, and dreams for the future. When Paula passed away in 2023 after a brave fight with cancer, her love of home, family, and the holidays became the guiding light for what would come next. To honor her memory and breathe new life into the family’s legacy, William envisioned something joyful, something that could bring people together the way Paula always did. That dream became Simmons Acres Holiday Hayride, a one-of-a-kind Christmas adventure built from love, faith, and family teamwork.

READ MORE: Upstate NY Tree Chosen for Rockefeller Center Magic

A Sparkling Journey Through Holiday Magic

When you visit Simmons Acres, your evening begins at the South Pole, where the scent of hot chocolate and cookies fills the air. You can grab a warm drink, enjoy live entertainment, and feel the excitement building before you even board the hayride. Then comes the moment everyone’s been waiting for, climbing aboard for a three-quarters-mile ride through a twinkling wonderland of lights. Every turn reveals something new, from glowing displays to little surprises that make kids gasp and parents smile. At the end of your journey, the North Pole awaits with a souvenir and treat shop that’s brimming with sweetness and nostalgia. It’s the kind of place where you can’t help but feel like a kid again.

A Family’s Heart Brings Holiday Magic to Life

The Simmons family, William E., his girlfriend Irene, his five children, and his parents, have poured their hearts into building every bit of this magical experience. What began as a farm has now become something even more beautiful: a living tribute to family, resilience, and the joy of the holidays.

Get our free mobile app

Experience the Magic of Christmas at Simmons Acres

Simmons Acres will open select dates from November 22 through January 4, with ticket sales beginning at 4:30 p.m. and the last entry at 9:30 p.m. Rides begin after sunset when the lights come alive. So bundle up, bring your loved ones, and come experience the warmth and wonder waiting at 381 Jewett Hill Road in Berkshire. Because some places aren’t just farms, they’re part of the story of Christmas itself.