If you’re planning a trip to Canton, Texas, two must-visit spots are the historic town itself and YesterLand Farm. Both offer unique experiences that blend Texas charm with nostalgia and adventure.
First Monday Trade Days: A Canton Tradition
Canton is home to the largest and oldest flea market in the U.S., the famous First Monday Trade Days. Held the first weekend of the month and is a shopper’s paradise with everything from antiques and handcrafted goods to clothing and home decor. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes, wear sun protection and bring a collapsible wagon to prepare for a full day of exploring the many booths.
Parking– There are several places around the market to park. There is a fee associated with parking. 5.00 for cash and 5.50 if using a credit card.
Map- The place is huge! I believe they advertise 450 acres of vendor space. They have an app to help you navigate the various areas. It is called Trade Day Navigator. It’s helpful with locating the restrooms, food and vendors.
Pricing– The items the vendors offer vary. You can find items for a few dollars to a couple thousand. Most vendors accept some type of card along with cash. The food is priced like fair food. A corn dog was 12.00 and a cup of lemonade 5.000. I purchased fried pies from an independent vendor and paid 28.00 for 6 pies. They were delicious and Jerrod bought some street tacos for 17.00.
Overall, we enjoyed getting out and walking around. The available seating was limited, we managed to find a bench under a covered bridge. I think visiting in the summer would be miserable in the Texas heat. My son spent his money on a 3D printed item on our way out of the market. We only lasted a couple of hours and they were ready to get home, plus Jerrod had a dumpster to deliver.
YesterLand Farm: A Fun Family Adventure
Located just outside of Canton and about 8 minutes from First Monday you’ll find YesterLand Farm. A seasonal family attraction that offers a variety of activities throughout the year. In the fall, you can enjoy their Pumpkin Patch, corn maze, and spooky trails for Halloween. During the winter, they offer Christmas tree cutting and holiday-themed attractions. If you visit in spring, you’ll find plenty of outdoor games, a petting zoo, and carnival rides for kids of all ages.
Parking– free to park, you’re essentially in a moved field or large gravel parking lot. It is close to the entrance but might be challenging to navigate with a small wheel stroller.
Map– They don’t have a map to easily find the attractions, or at least I didn’t see one in the park. I also didn’t see one online.
Pricing– if you get your tickets online there is a small discount on the price. It was just Stella and I who visited. We paid 74.27 for entry. Which allowed us to ride unlimited rides. We met our friends up there and they paid for tokens and shared 2 with Stella so she could ride a pony. The food is a bit pricey. Water is 3.00 and a souvenir cup is something like 10.00 and 4.00 for refills. They do offer some adult beverages- I got some kind of wine frozen drink that was 14.00. It’s essentially fair food with churros and corn dogs. Our friend let me use her cup to buy a lemon cream soda that was super delicious.
Cons– If you have younger kids, I don’t think they would get the benefit of the rides as you need to be 38” or 42” for most rides. BATHROOMS are porta potties… They’re clean but they are portable and not air conditioned or heated.
Visiting the park on the same day as Canton wasn’t bad at all. The girls were able to ride everything they wanted multiple times. I would recommend a sun visor, bringing your own wagon or stroller to carry your items and bringing your own water. We passed on doing the pumpkin patch or picking our own flowers. I think even my older boys would enjoy going but we’ll wait to see what the Christmas experience is like.
My overall thoughts- are we enjoyed our time outside the house and with the kids. I would recommend visiting both and making a weekend out of it. We didn’t explore all First Monday had to offer as each pavilion had about the same selection as the one prior. A vendor selling clothing, a vendor selling 3D designs, a vendor selling jewelry etc. To get your full money worth at YesterLand it would be better to go when they offer evening activities like on a Friday or Saturday. We went Sunday afternoon, and they close earlier.
The Gosdin Group 