Get Lost! in 6 Incredible Mazes
Good morning, and welcome!
My first experience in a maze was the pinnacle of mediocrity: back in grade school, a group of my friends took me inside a local farmer’s corn maze. We escaped in minutes and spent the next few hours of our time there wandering around aimlessly for something else to do. It was underwhelming, especially to a kid who had been dreaming of Theseus and the minotaur, the Labyrinth of Egypt, and the Parisian catacombs. I always thought being a lost thing would be so romantic, but my daydream served only to disappoint that windy autumn day at the farm. At least they had apple-flavored slushies to ease my pain. (I drank three.)
Since then, I’ve wondered why getting lost is such a tantalizing ordeal for many of us. Does it awaken some inner thirst for adventure, allow for the reward of thinking one’s way out of a problem, or simply embody the joy of finding oneself again after an emotionally disorienting experience? Too bad I’ll never know - to this day, I’ve still never been enough of a lost thing to discover the truth. Nonetheless, my anticlimactic maze excursion got me thinking. Somewhere in the world, there’s got to be a maze worthy of all those childhood fantasies. Is there anything better out there?
In a word, yes. It took me a few days of searching, but thanks to a lot of hardworking architects, gardeners and romantics, I was able to find six epic mazes that test the brainpower of visitors and the manpower of staff. If any of these had been on that farm that day, my view of these modern-day labyrinths might have been very, very different. And, frankly, I might have still been roaming through all these years later in my odyssey to find the elusive exit.
This hedge maze, located just outside of Venice in Stra, Italy, is rich in both historical significance and bewildering twists and turns. The maze was first commissioned three hundred years ago by the 114th Doge of Venice as a part of the famed Villa Pisani’s extensive gardens. Architect Girolamo Frigimelica was given the responsibility of the project, and his design makes for a perplexing and breathtaking puzzle. Though its countless layers of tediously conditioned boxwood hedge are certainly intimidating, those who have entered the maze report that its most challenging aspect is its hedges: they’re too tall to see over! If you manage to find your way to the center of the maze, you are greeted by a turret with a double helical staircase you can climb for a stunning view of the whole maze. At the top of the tower, you’ll find a statue of the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, and the official watchman that offers directions to those who get a little too turned around. I suppose Venetians have learned from the mistakes of Napoleon, who famously got lost in the maze after buying the estate as a gift for his stepson Eugene de Beauharnais. Luckily, these days help is a mere shout away for the most nonplussed of Villa Pisani guests, as the turret can be seen from any area in the maze. You might want to be careful who you ask, though: many who have completed the maze enjoy giving false directions under the pretense of being on staff!
Thinking of seeing it for yourself? Here’s a TravelMuse user’s thoughts on the Villa Pisani maze: https://www.travelmuse.com/articles/venice/villa-pisani-gardens
Where better to build the world’s largest plant maze than in the pineapple capital of the world? When James Drummond Dole harvested his first pineapple crop in 1901, he had no idea that the pineapple canning business he was running out of his garage would grow to become a world-famous plantation in the middle of Oahu, Hawaii. The pineapple-shaped puzzle at the heart of the property first opened in 1998, and claimed the Guiness World Record for the largest plant maze only a decade later with over 14,000 plants across its sprawling 2 acres. Instead of wandering aimlessly hoping to solve the puzzle, this maze’s unique goal is to locate eight informational checkpoints: one representing each island of Hawaii. In this way, the Dole maze is somewhat of a learning experience for those new to Hawaii and its culture. While visitors are initially challenged to speed through the maze and beat the record completion time of seven minutes, there’s something to be said for experiencing things at your own pace. Those who take time, quite literally, to “stop and smell the roses” are treated to a breathtaking assortment of local flora, including bright and beautiful hibiscus flowers, leafy croton, colorful heliconia, and, of course, pineapple plants. The best part? The plantation also serves delicious Dole Whip for hot and sweaty finishers!
Feel free to meander through the maze, and get some helpful travel tips, on this OnlyInYourState page: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/hawaii/worlds-largest-plant-maze-hi/
As J.K. Rowling’s 25 billion dollar fantasyland adventure came to a close in 2011 with its final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, York native Tom Pearcy celebrated by designing a Wizarding World themed maze the size of three football fields. Though we Indiana natives would call Pearcy’s creation a corn maze, that term might confuse a few from Pearcy’s home of York, England. There, it is known by the infinitely catchier “maize maze”, since “corn” is actually used to identify the crop that we call “wheat” . Back on Pearcy’s farm, the maize maze doubled as a stunning work of art, depicting two bespectacled, almost-but-not quite identical Daniel Radcliffes. Pearcy challenged viewers of the maze to name all the subtle differences between the detailed 50-meter portraits, making the maze the world’s largest “spot the difference” puzzle to boot. Mazes like this one serve as a way to attract more people to the farm, resulting in an educational experience for many as well as an increase in produce sales. So in Pearcy’s case, everyone benefited: his farm got some extra cash and Harry Potter fans were able to follow their hero in a maze reminiscent of the one Harry muddled through in the Triwizard Tournament. Sadly, the maize maize didn’t last past harvest season, so it’s been nine years gone. For the next portrait maze, can I nominate Hermione?
Click here to read The Week’s reaction to Tom Pearcy’s maize maze back in 2011: https://theweek.com/articles/483346/amazing-harry-potter-corn-maze
Victoria, Australia’s entrancing haven for maze lovers everywhere features a variety of flowers and vines climbing over frames arranged in a complex one-acre puzzle. Although owners Jeff and Rosemary Green also boast mini golf courses, a synthetic ice rink, laser tag, concessions, and additional gardens, the real star of the show is the exquisite and overgrown assortment of plants that form the maze. Honeysuckle blossoms, diverse varieties of clematis flowers, patches of perennial plants, and distinctive, fiery Chilean glory vines create a rainbow of colorful and sweet-smelling flora. The honeysuckle takes center stage once you delve into this garden wonderland, creating an alluring aroma that relaxes and intrigues those wandering throughout the maze’s corridors. According to reviews, the maze takes about forty five minutes to solve, and due to the numerous alternative attractions, the maze is a popular destination for local families seeking a day out in the sun. The Greens’ sensational gardening feat is the perfect way to do that, providing visitors an opportunity to get lost in style as they take in the wild walls that nudge them to the puzzle’s solution. Interestingly, the Tangled Maze is not the only maze that calls Victoria, Australia home: the famed Ashcombe hedge maze is also located here.
Check out this Weekend Notes family’s Tangled Maze experience here: https://www.weekendnotes.com/the-tangled-maze/
Reading about this Dixon, California maze was what piqued my interest about the remarkable labyrinths of the world: visitors got so lost that some actually called 911 from inside! Although the Cool Patch Pumpkins maze is recreated each year, I’d like to focus on the 63 acre maze that caught Guiness’s attention again in 2014 as the largest temporary corn maze in history. Creators, farmers and brothers Matt and Mark Cooley seem obsessed with outdoing themselves: they would have kept the record 20 acres ago even if they didn’t expand every year! Since 2003, the brothers have designed and hand-cut a detailed blueprint of their maze each Halloween. Though the duo claimed that their 63-acre maze took about 2 hours, visitors reported that the maze is so challenging that it could take 4 hours to… well… let’s just say that on this maze’s opening night, there were some very, very sleepy and irritated emergency dispatchers. No wonder the 2019 maze theme made an effort to thank local first responders! Other precautions include a requirement that all underage individuals enter the maze with an adult over 18. Thanks to the Cooley brothers’ efforts to keep maze goers safe and happy as they get hopelessly lost, the maze remains available to the public each year, and will be up and running again this fall as far as I know. If you ask me, this is absolutely worth a road trip… who’s in?
Here’s the Business Insider article about the Cool Patch maze that caught my attention: https://www.businessinsider.com/people-calling-911-from-worlds-biggest-corn-maze-2014-11
I’d recommend packing a tent into this maze. At over 380,000 square feet in area and including almost 6 miles worth of pathways, you don’t “explore” the Yancheng Dafeng Dream Maze - you commit to it. It’s so huge that there are even hotels built nearby for the express purpose of offering tourists easy access! Naturally, it’s the Guinness World Records for “largest permanent hedge maze” and the more generalized “largest permanent maze” since 2018.Within a giant hedge maze fence, the Dream Maze encloses several smaller puzzles, such as the star-shaped glass maze or the heart-shaped water maze, as well as a special children’s maze. However, the real heart of the maze is a multileveled observation tower you can climb for a phenomenal view of the Dream Maze’s main attraction: the monumental image of an elk formed out of bright green hedge. Its long antlers and detailed rendition makes for an interesting puzzle to solve. Why an elk?This majestic mammal has been an integral part of the history and environment in China’s Dafeng district in Yancheng, where you can find the largest elk reserve in the world. Modeling a maze after these creatures serves as a way to raise awareness for the protection of the country’s mere 50 wild elk as researchers and environmentalists work to reintroduce the animals to their natural habitat in China. What’s better than a fun day out with your loved ones for a good cause?
Visit one of the Dream Maze’s many Guinness pages here: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2018/7/video-look-round-the-largest-maze-which-features-a-path-more-than-9-km-long-531779/
Are you aMAZEd yet? (Come on, you knew that pun was inevitable.) Between gigantic Daniel Radcliffe portraits, impossible puzzles that have discombobulated visitors for centuries, gigantic mazes that bog down the phone lines with pleas for help, and stunning flora that allows maze goers to revel in nature in the quiet of the corridors, it’s hard not to be impressed. However, all of these mazes and their owners had one thing in common: each went above and beyond to encourage risk-taking and teamwork in a fun, safe, and yet challenging environment.
Maybe that’s the true magic of the maze: encouraging friends, families or even strangers to work together in what feels like a risky situation. It’s the experience of stepping off the ledge, knowing there’s someone waiting below to catch you. The reward of solving this kind of puzzle isn’t bragging rights, but the furthering of a relationship as you and your cadre work together to accomplish a common goal.
In the corn maze at that local farm way back when, I remember my friends cheering when they made it out, running faster as they neared the exit. It may have been an easy maze, but it’s possible I would have enjoyed it just as much if I hadn’t lost sight of what was important. All of the extraordinary mazes listed above must have understood this, as each appealed to families as they encouraged tourists and locals alike to give the puzzle a try. There is no more enjoyable experience than finding yourself with a team by your side. Therefore, today I challenge you to reach out to your crew. If things are rough, lift them up, and if they’re going good, lift them up anyway. After all, we’re in this together, and like it or not, that’s the way it’s going to be for life. Why not make the best of it?
My first experience in a maze was the pinnacle of mediocrity: back in grade school, a group of my friends took me inside a local farmer’s corn maze. We escaped in minutes and spent the next few hours of our time there wandering around aimlessly for something else to do. It was underwhelming, especially to a kid who had been dreaming of Theseus and the minotaur, the Labyrinth of Egypt, and the Parisian catacombs. I always thought being a lost thing would be so romantic, but my daydream served only to disappoint that windy autumn day at the farm. At least they had apple-flavored slushies to ease my pain. (I drank three.)
Since then, I’ve wondered why getting lost is such a tantalizing ordeal for many of us. Does it awaken some inner thirst for adventure, allow for the reward of thinking one’s way out of a problem, or simply embody the joy of finding oneself again after an emotionally disorienting experience? Too bad I’ll never know - to this day, I’ve still never been enough of a lost thing to discover the truth. Nonetheless, my anticlimactic maze excursion got me thinking. Somewhere in the world, there’s got to be a maze worthy of all those childhood fantasies. Is there anything better out there?
In a word, yes. It took me a few days of searching, but thanks to a lot of hardworking architects, gardeners and romantics, I was able to find six epic mazes that test the brainpower of visitors and the manpower of staff. If any of these had been on that farm that day, my view of these modern-day labyrinths might have been very, very different. And, frankly, I might have still been roaming through all these years later in my odyssey to find the elusive exit.
******
A-maze-ment #1: Villa Pisani Labirinto
(Photo "Piove di Sacco, Brenta Canal and Castello del Catajo" by dvdbramhall is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 2.0 )
This hedge maze, located just outside of Venice in Stra, Italy, is rich in both historical significance and bewildering twists and turns. The maze was first commissioned three hundred years ago by the 114th Doge of Venice as a part of the famed Villa Pisani’s extensive gardens. Architect Girolamo Frigimelica was given the responsibility of the project, and his design makes for a perplexing and breathtaking puzzle. Though its countless layers of tediously conditioned boxwood hedge are certainly intimidating, those who have entered the maze report that its most challenging aspect is its hedges: they’re too tall to see over! If you manage to find your way to the center of the maze, you are greeted by a turret with a double helical staircase you can climb for a stunning view of the whole maze. At the top of the tower, you’ll find a statue of the Roman goddess of wisdom, Minerva, and the official watchman that offers directions to those who get a little too turned around. I suppose Venetians have learned from the mistakes of Napoleon, who famously got lost in the maze after buying the estate as a gift for his stepson Eugene de Beauharnais. Luckily, these days help is a mere shout away for the most nonplussed of Villa Pisani guests, as the turret can be seen from any area in the maze. You might want to be careful who you ask, though: many who have completed the maze enjoy giving false directions under the pretense of being on staff!
Thinking of seeing it for yourself? Here’s a TravelMuse user’s thoughts on the Villa Pisani maze: https://www.travelmuse.com/articles/venice/villa-pisani-gardens
A-maze-ment #2: Dole Pineapple Maze
(Photo "Dole Pineapple Maze" by Edmund Garman is licensed under CC BY 2.0 )
Where better to build the world’s largest plant maze than in the pineapple capital of the world? When James Drummond Dole harvested his first pineapple crop in 1901, he had no idea that the pineapple canning business he was running out of his garage would grow to become a world-famous plantation in the middle of Oahu, Hawaii. The pineapple-shaped puzzle at the heart of the property first opened in 1998, and claimed the Guiness World Record for the largest plant maze only a decade later with over 14,000 plants across its sprawling 2 acres. Instead of wandering aimlessly hoping to solve the puzzle, this maze’s unique goal is to locate eight informational checkpoints: one representing each island of Hawaii. In this way, the Dole maze is somewhat of a learning experience for those new to Hawaii and its culture. While visitors are initially challenged to speed through the maze and beat the record completion time of seven minutes, there’s something to be said for experiencing things at your own pace. Those who take time, quite literally, to “stop and smell the roses” are treated to a breathtaking assortment of local flora, including bright and beautiful hibiscus flowers, leafy croton, colorful heliconia, and, of course, pineapple plants. The best part? The plantation also serves delicious Dole Whip for hot and sweaty finishers!
Feel free to meander through the maze, and get some helpful travel tips, on this OnlyInYourState page: https://www.onlyinyourstate.com/hawaii/worlds-largest-plant-maze-hi/
A-maze-ment #3: Harry Potter Maize Maze
(Photo "Harry Potter Goodies" by Sunaina Agarwal, Pranjal Kulshrestha is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 )
As J.K. Rowling’s 25 billion dollar fantasyland adventure came to a close in 2011 with its final movie, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, York native Tom Pearcy celebrated by designing a Wizarding World themed maze the size of three football fields. Though we Indiana natives would call Pearcy’s creation a corn maze, that term might confuse a few from Pearcy’s home of York, England. There, it is known by the infinitely catchier “maize maze”, since “corn” is actually used to identify the crop that we call “wheat” . Back on Pearcy’s farm, the maize maze doubled as a stunning work of art, depicting two bespectacled, almost-but-not quite identical Daniel Radcliffes. Pearcy challenged viewers of the maze to name all the subtle differences between the detailed 50-meter portraits, making the maze the world’s largest “spot the difference” puzzle to boot. Mazes like this one serve as a way to attract more people to the farm, resulting in an educational experience for many as well as an increase in produce sales. So in Pearcy’s case, everyone benefited: his farm got some extra cash and Harry Potter fans were able to follow their hero in a maze reminiscent of the one Harry muddled through in the Triwizard Tournament. Sadly, the maize maize didn’t last past harvest season, so it’s been nine years gone. For the next portrait maze, can I nominate Hermione?
Click here to read The Week’s reaction to Tom Pearcy’s maize maze back in 2011: https://theweek.com/articles/483346/amazing-harry-potter-corn-maze
A-maze-ment #4: The Tangled Maze
(Photo "150320 557 Annie's Annuals - Eccremocarpus scaber 'Pink Lemonade' Chilean Glory Vine" by cultivar413 is licensed under CC BY 2.0 )
Victoria, Australia’s entrancing haven for maze lovers everywhere features a variety of flowers and vines climbing over frames arranged in a complex one-acre puzzle. Although owners Jeff and Rosemary Green also boast mini golf courses, a synthetic ice rink, laser tag, concessions, and additional gardens, the real star of the show is the exquisite and overgrown assortment of plants that form the maze. Honeysuckle blossoms, diverse varieties of clematis flowers, patches of perennial plants, and distinctive, fiery Chilean glory vines create a rainbow of colorful and sweet-smelling flora. The honeysuckle takes center stage once you delve into this garden wonderland, creating an alluring aroma that relaxes and intrigues those wandering throughout the maze’s corridors. According to reviews, the maze takes about forty five minutes to solve, and due to the numerous alternative attractions, the maze is a popular destination for local families seeking a day out in the sun. The Greens’ sensational gardening feat is the perfect way to do that, providing visitors an opportunity to get lost in style as they take in the wild walls that nudge them to the puzzle’s solution. Interestingly, the Tangled Maze is not the only maze that calls Victoria, Australia home: the famed Ashcombe hedge maze is also located here.
Check out this Weekend Notes family’s Tangled Maze experience here: https://www.weekendnotes.com/the-tangled-maze/
A-maze-ment #5: Cool Patch Pumpkins Corn Maze
(Photo Image by andrusdevelopment is licensed under CC BY 2.0 )
Reading about this Dixon, California maze was what piqued my interest about the remarkable labyrinths of the world: visitors got so lost that some actually called 911 from inside! Although the Cool Patch Pumpkins maze is recreated each year, I’d like to focus on the 63 acre maze that caught Guiness’s attention again in 2014 as the largest temporary corn maze in history. Creators, farmers and brothers Matt and Mark Cooley seem obsessed with outdoing themselves: they would have kept the record 20 acres ago even if they didn’t expand every year! Since 2003, the brothers have designed and hand-cut a detailed blueprint of their maze each Halloween. Though the duo claimed that their 63-acre maze took about 2 hours, visitors reported that the maze is so challenging that it could take 4 hours to… well… let’s just say that on this maze’s opening night, there were some very, very sleepy and irritated emergency dispatchers. No wonder the 2019 maze theme made an effort to thank local first responders! Other precautions include a requirement that all underage individuals enter the maze with an adult over 18. Thanks to the Cooley brothers’ efforts to keep maze goers safe and happy as they get hopelessly lost, the maze remains available to the public each year, and will be up and running again this fall as far as I know. If you ask me, this is absolutely worth a road trip… who’s in?
Here’s the Business Insider article about the Cool Patch maze that caught my attention: https://www.businessinsider.com/people-calling-911-from-worlds-biggest-corn-maze-2014-11
A-maze-ment #6: Yancheng Dafeng Dream Maze
(Photo "Elaphurus davidianus" by Blake Matheson is licensed under CC BY-NC 2.0 )
I’d recommend packing a tent into this maze. At over 380,000 square feet in area and including almost 6 miles worth of pathways, you don’t “explore” the Yancheng Dafeng Dream Maze - you commit to it. It’s so huge that there are even hotels built nearby for the express purpose of offering tourists easy access! Naturally, it’s the Guinness World Records for “largest permanent hedge maze” and the more generalized “largest permanent maze” since 2018.Within a giant hedge maze fence, the Dream Maze encloses several smaller puzzles, such as the star-shaped glass maze or the heart-shaped water maze, as well as a special children’s maze. However, the real heart of the maze is a multileveled observation tower you can climb for a phenomenal view of the Dream Maze’s main attraction: the monumental image of an elk formed out of bright green hedge. Its long antlers and detailed rendition makes for an interesting puzzle to solve. Why an elk?This majestic mammal has been an integral part of the history and environment in China’s Dafeng district in Yancheng, where you can find the largest elk reserve in the world. Modeling a maze after these creatures serves as a way to raise awareness for the protection of the country’s mere 50 wild elk as researchers and environmentalists work to reintroduce the animals to their natural habitat in China. What’s better than a fun day out with your loved ones for a good cause?
Visit one of the Dream Maze’s many Guinness pages here: https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/news/commercial/2018/7/video-look-round-the-largest-maze-which-features-a-path-more-than-9-km-long-531779/
******
Are you aMAZEd yet? (Come on, you knew that pun was inevitable.) Between gigantic Daniel Radcliffe portraits, impossible puzzles that have discombobulated visitors for centuries, gigantic mazes that bog down the phone lines with pleas for help, and stunning flora that allows maze goers to revel in nature in the quiet of the corridors, it’s hard not to be impressed. However, all of these mazes and their owners had one thing in common: each went above and beyond to encourage risk-taking and teamwork in a fun, safe, and yet challenging environment.
Maybe that’s the true magic of the maze: encouraging friends, families or even strangers to work together in what feels like a risky situation. It’s the experience of stepping off the ledge, knowing there’s someone waiting below to catch you. The reward of solving this kind of puzzle isn’t bragging rights, but the furthering of a relationship as you and your cadre work together to accomplish a common goal.
In the corn maze at that local farm way back when, I remember my friends cheering when they made it out, running faster as they neared the exit. It may have been an easy maze, but it’s possible I would have enjoyed it just as much if I hadn’t lost sight of what was important. All of the extraordinary mazes listed above must have understood this, as each appealed to families as they encouraged tourists and locals alike to give the puzzle a try. There is no more enjoyable experience than finding yourself with a team by your side. Therefore, today I challenge you to reach out to your crew. If things are rough, lift them up, and if they’re going good, lift them up anyway. After all, we’re in this together, and like it or not, that’s the way it’s going to be for life. Why not make the best of it?
Loved this post! I didn't realize how many great mazes there were to be discovered. You have definitely broadened my horizons, before reading this article, I only thought of corn mazes...that's what we Hoosiers and Michiganders are used to, right? Thank you for the enlightenment!
ReplyDelete