(This post was originally posted in 2021, but I’ve recently updated it for 2022!)
I know there are a ton of memes/Internet jokes about women that love fall, but fall truly has been my favorite season for as long as I can remember. The weather, the beautiful colors, Halloween, the food … (Though I actually DON’T drink coffee, so no PSL over here. Gasp!) To help you make the most of the season, I’ve put together a giant list of activities to do over the next month or so. And if you like to have something visual to remind you to get out and have fun, scroll to the bottom of this post for the free printable! You can probably check off any of these bucket list items wherever you live, but I’m including some info for places by me in the Bucks County, PA area. I will likely continue to add to this list throughout the season, so you might want to bookmark this page to check back for more.
Go Apple Picking
I already wrote a whole Guide to Apple Picking on the blog, so go check that post for a list of places to go, apple picking tips, etc.
Hunt for a Square-Shaped Pumpkin
Do your kids love Spookley as much as we do?! Well, even if you just want a regular round pumpkin, you’ll probably visit a pumpkin patch this fall. Last year, I wrote a big Guide to Pumpkin Picking for The Philadelphia Inquirer, which gives all the details and Insider Tips for 24 places in the Philadelphia area (Bucks, Montco, Chester … even out to Lancaster.) You can read that at THIS LINK, AND I’m currently waiting for my 2022 version to be published with the Inquirer. But here’s an abbreviated version with some favorite local spots.
Shady Brook Farm
When: Wed. – Sunday, opens at 11 a.m., closing time varies depending on the date
Where: 931 Stony Hill Road, Yardley
If you follow me on Facebook or Instagram, you KNOW that I love Shady Brook. We’ve been going here since my niece (15) was a baby. Last year, we got Fall Season passes and loved it so much that we got them again this year. (TIP: Grab these passes when Shady Brook does a flash sale, usually in August!) There’s enough to do that you can spend an entire day there. And once you have your bracelet for the day, you can even go earlier, go home for a bit, and then go back at night! They have wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, apples and sunflowers. There’s live music on the weekends. There are food vendors – Henry’s fave chicken fingers, Best Darn Kettlecorn and Uncle Dave’s ice cream are musts for us! You can even get adult beverages for the grownups at the silo and an additional stand in the back of Festival Field. There are pedal go-karts, bounce houses, giant jumping pillow, paint ball, a sports zone, playgrounds, and more. (Fingers crossed the brand new giant slides will be open soon, too!) Shady Brook is also one of my very favorite places to take pictures of the kids because there are so many great spots for it.
After dusk, you can experience their Eerie Illuminations wagon ride light show. It’s a mashup of Shady Brook’s famous Holiday light show and a family-friendly version of the old haunted wagon ride. If you have a season pass, it’s free for you. Otherwise, it’s $5 extra.
Tickets are $15 for weekdays, $20 on weekends. Peak Saturdays in October go up to $25. Purchase online. (They’re more if you buy in person.) If you want to just shop pumpkins, you can skip the patch/FallFest and shop at the Shady Brook Market. There’s also a smaller playground, Uncle Dave’s Ice Cream and live music on the weekends out there. No cover/admission.
Styer Orchard
When: Closed Mondays until October, then open daily from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m.
Where: 97 Styers Lane, Langhorne
Styer is another great option for those that just want to pick some pumpkins without the extras. Take a free hayride, pay for what you pick. The market was completely redone this past year, so stop in on your way out for ice cream, a sandwich, donuts, pies and more.
Froehlich’s Farm & Garden Center
When: October 1 – October 30, Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 3143 York Road, Furlong
Froehlich’s annual Fall Festival includes access to the pumpkin patch, live music, inflatables, pumpkin shoot out, a monster slide, and more. There are plenty of food options. Plus, you can enjoy an adult beverage from The Proper Brewing Company or Bishop Estate Vineyard and Winery. General Admission is $15 per guest and includes access to festival grounds and pumpkin patch. To participate in festival activities, you’ll want the $25 Activity Pass. Children 24 months and under are free.
Tip: Use code FALL22 at checkout to save $3 off each ticket.
Hellerick’s Family Farm
When: Daily Sept. 15 – Nov. 6 from 10 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.
Where: 5500 N. Easton Road, Doylestown
We’ve gone to Hellerick’s several times now, both in the fall and summer, and the kids always love it. They don’t have patch pumpkin picking, but there are lots of pumpkins of all shapes and sizes on display. Plus, there’s a ton of other activities on their Adventure Farm. General admission includes corn mazes, a hayride, farm animals, playgrounds, hay bale slides, sack slides, a corn barn (Charlotte’s favorite), and a lot more. If you have older kids, you’ll also want to check out tickets for the Aerial Adventure Park.
Tip: Grab lunch at Station Taphouse afterwards. The food and drinks are good, and there’s a huge outdoor seating area where you can watch Septa trains arrive and depart.
Snipes Farm & Education Center
When: Oct. 2 – Oct. 31, Sat. from 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: 890 W. Bridge Street, Morrisville
Pack a picnic lunch and head to Snipes for a day on the farm. (And be sure to get a seasonal treat in the barn!) Pick a pumpkin from the patch, play on the playgrounds, meet animals, see the scarecrows, and more. Admission is $10 for anyone 3 and over. We visited Snipes for the first time in 2021! It was a cute low-key option that is a good balance between having more activities than just pumpkins, but not as much as some of the other spots nearby. What was nice about Snipes is that the kids got to actually touch and learn a bit about the animals. They saw and touched chickens, bunnies and goats. New in 2022, there will also be horse-drawn wagon rides!
Charlann Farms
When: Festival weekends run through Oct. 31 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Farmstand open daily, 10 a.m.-6 p.m.
Where: 586 Stony Hill Road, Yardley
Surprisingly, we’ve never been to Charlann Farms. But now that we drive past it multiple times a week on the way to our beloved My Gym, the kids are adamant that we need to go soon! During Fall Festival Weekends at Charlann Farms, your kids can play in a sandbox filled with loose corn, paint a sugar pumpkin (included with your ticket), and enjoy activities such as bounce pillows, pumpkin bowling, pumpkin ring toss, a straw maze, straw mountain (with slides), live animals, and more. They have a diffrent food truck each day, so check the schedule on Facebook if that’s important to you. Instead of picking pumpkins from the vine yourself, choose yours from the many pumpkins laid out in the “patch” in front of the farmstand. Tickets are $9.99 per person and must be purchased in advance. (Children under 2 are free.) Pony rides are an extra $5.
Tip: A corn maze is new to the festivities this year. You can purchase tickets for the corn maze only for $4.99 or get a ticket for everything listed above plus the corn maze for $12.99.
Terhune Orchards
When: Weekdays from 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., Family Farm Weekends Sat. and Sun. from 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: 330 Cold Soil Road, Princeton
We “discovered” Terhune in September 2021 when our usual apple picking places were closed the day we had planned to go. It ended up working out great, because we loved it there and went back throughout the year! If you just want to pick pumpkins, visit on a weekday and pay for what you pick. For a day of fun with live music, pumpkin painting and other activities, visit on a weekend. Tickets are $11 if bought online. Children under 3 are free.
Cherry Crest Adventure Farm
When: Sept. 16-Nov. 5, Thu. 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 10 a.m.-10 p.m., Wed., Oct. 5 (Yom Kippur) and Mon., Oct. 10 (Columbus Day) 10 a.m.-5 p.m.
Where: 150 Cherry Hill Road, Ronks
This one is a hike from Bucks County since it’s out in the Lancaster area, but if you have a free day, it’s well worth it. We went to Cherry Crest Adventure Farm last October on Henry’s birthday as our big outing just the 4 of us. If you only have ONE day to do a pumpkin patch/big fall experience, I’d go with Cherry Crest because it has SO many of the activities that kids love all in one place. There’s a pumpkin patch, corn maze, corn barn, farm animals, pig races, pedal carts, bounce pillows, obstacle courses, a miniature kids’ village, wagon rides, etc etc. My husband and I personally loved the giant sack races slides. It’s the closest I’ve felt to that child-like thrill/joy in a long time. Tickets start at $21.95 but vary depending on day of the week, date and package options. Children 2 and under are free.
Get Lost in a Corn Maze
Corn mazes typically go along with pumpkin patches, but here’s a list of some spots that I know have corn mazes.
Shady Brook Farm, Charlann Farms, Merrymead Farm, Linvilla Orchards, Winding Brook Farm, Hellerick’s Farm, Bountiful Acres Garden Center, Cherry Crest Adventure Farm.
Make (or Go See Scarecrows)
Make a scarecrow at home, sign up for a workshop, or just go see the creations other people have come up with this year.
Scarecrows in the Village
When: Now through October 31
Where: Peddler’s Village, Routes 202 and 263, Lahaska
Fall is always a great time to visit Peddler’s Village! While you’re shopping and partaking in seasonal treats, you can also view over 100 scarecrows on display.
Spooky Scarecrow Walk at Morris Arboretum
When: Oct. 2 – Oct. 31
Where: 100 E. Northwestern Avenue, Philadelphia
This year’s theme of the Scarecrow Design Contest is Spooky Scarecrows. (Photo above is from 2021. I’ll update if we make it over this year!) Walk around the beautiful grounds, vote for your favorite scarecrow, and if you’re there before October 10, you can also see the Harvest Trains in the Garden Railway. My kids also love to play in the Fairy Woods area, where there are baskets of natural items for kids to make little fairy homes that you leave behind for the fairies. I have a whole post about Morris Arboretum (some is summer specific but not all) HERE.
Snipes in Morrisville
Another shoutout to Snipes with their Land of Scarecrows! (More info above.)
Falls Township Scarecrow Contest/Display
When: October 15 – October 31
Where: Falls Township Community Park, Levittown
If you’d like to enter the contest, visit the Falls Township Parks and Rec Facebook page for details.
Go to a Festival
Fall is a great time of year for local festivals! Here are some that are coming up:
Warrington Community Day
When/Where: Saturday, September 24 at Lower (noon to 5:30) and Upper (starting at 6:30 p.m.) Nike Park, 300 Folly Road
Enjoy an afternoon of bounce houses, food, rock wall, EMS displays and K9 demonstrations. Then at night, there will be a live band, food and fireworks.
Northampton Day Festival
When: Sunday, September 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: At the former Richboro Middle School, 98 Upper Holland Road, Richboro
Bumper cars, puppet show, music, magic show, inflatables, food trucks, vendors, and more. Free admission!
Touch-A-Truck/Car Show
When: Sunday, September 25 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: Lower Bucks Masonic Hall, Heacock Road, Yardley
Trucks for kids to explore plus a car show. Moon bounce, face painting, vendors and raffles. All proceeds go toward diabetes research.
Bristol Township Fall Festival
When: Saturday, October 1 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. UPDATE: Rescheduled to October 22
Where: Bristol Township Municipal Park
Face painting, balloon art, bounce attractions, 9-hole mini golf, hayrides, DJ, vendors, food trucks and more!
Playwicki Farm Oktoberfest
When: Saturday, October 1 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. UPDATE: This event has been cancelled because of the rain forecasted.
Where: 2350 Bridgetown Pike, Feasterville
Live music, DJ, 12 food trucks, beer/cocktail garden, children’s activities, vendors/crafters, and more!
Bensalem Family Fall Festival
When: Saturday, October 1 at 3 p.m UPDATE: This event has been moved to Sunday, October 9
Where: 2400 Byberry Road, Bensalem
There will be a variety of family entertainment including a petting zoo, pony rides, mini circus, mini golf, roaming jugglers and stilt walkers, and more. There will be music throughout the afternoon and a free concert featuring Back to the Eighties with Jessie’s Girl at the Amphitheater starting at 6:30 p.m. The night ends with fireworks!
Perkasie Fall Festival
When: Sunday, October 2 from noon to 4 p.m. UPDATE: This event has been cancelled because of the rain forecasted.
Where: Town Center and Menlo Park, Perkasie
The theme of this year’s event is “All Things Corn.” Think corn cobs, corn stalks, corn muffins, street corn, corn maze, cornhole, etc. There will be music, food trucks, huge vendor fair, pumpkin decorating, scarecrow making, games, petting zoo, pony rides, face painting, crafts, tractor rides, and much more. Almost everything is FREE!
Historic Fallsington Day 2022
When: Saturday, October 8 from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Where: 4 Yardley Avenue, Fallsington
Free community event with live music, historical demonstrations, artists, crafters, and more.
Head Over Hooves Fall Festival
When: Saturday and Sunday, October 8 and 9 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 1405 State Road, Coopersburg
Visit the farm and interact with and learn about the animals. Take a pony ride and check out the vendors. Tickets are $15 per person. Children under 2 are free.
Historic Bristol Day
When: Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Bristol Borough Waterfront
Now in its 46th year, Historic Bristol Day is a community favorite with vendors, crafters, a car show, food, house and walking tours, boat show, music, and more.
Upper Gwynedd Fall Fest
When: Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Parkside Place Park
Come out for a day of family games, hayrides, food, vendors, crafts and more.
Montgomery Township Autumn Festival
When: Saturday, October 15 from noon to 5 p.m.
Where: William F. Maule Park at Windlestrae, 1147 Kenas Road, North Wales
Activities include amusements, beer and wine garden, bubble fun, vendors, EMS displays, face painting, live music, petting zoo and pony rides, pumpkin decorating and scarecrow making (while supplies last), and more. Come back for fireworks at 7 p.m.
Upper Southampton Pumpkin Mash at Tamanend Park
When: Saturday, October 15 at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Tamanend Park, 1255 Second Street Pike, Southampton
This free event includes a pumpkin hunt, pumpkin decorating, costume contest, music, face painting, food, hayrides, and more! At dusk, there will be a free showing of Hocus Pocus.
Olde Langhorne Harvest Day
When: Saturday, October 29 from 10 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Where: 114 E. Maple Avenue, Langhorne
Craft fair, live music, kid activities, food, a costume parade and more.
Peddler’s Village Apple Festival
When: November 5 and November 6 from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 2400 Street Road, New Hope
Live music, food trucks, pony rides, petting zoo, inflatables, and more. Free admission. Acitivites and food are pay as you go.
Read a Fall-Themed Book
Here are just a few suggestions.
The Spooky Express Pennsylvania
The Biggest Pumpkin Surprise Ever
Mickey Mouse Clubhouse Mickey’s Halloween Lift-the-Flap
(These are Amazon Affiliate links. I may earn from purchases.)
Picnic at a Playground
Fall is actually one of my favorite times to visit the local playgrounds. It’s not as hot, and if you’re able to visit during the week, they’re not as crowded as during the summer.
Here’s a link to my Playground Guide.
Make Soup
I’m sure I’ll be adding more recipes to the blog. But to get you started, check out THIS recipe for Southwest Pumpkin Soup. And if you’d rather buy it, Soup King in Bensalem has my favorite pumpkin soup!
Take Fall Pics
Hire a pro, or just take some yourself. Fall colors make incredible backdrops for photos. My mom and I take picture of the kids in the leaves every year, typically on Election Day.
TIP: Check off 2 Bucket List items and take pics of the kids jumping in leaves! The smiles will be genuine!
This can also be a great time to take your Christmas card photos. I’ve had pretty good luck just using my tripod and the timer on my camera!
Bake Something Tasty
More recipes to come, but you can start with:
Baked Apple Cider Donut Muffins
4 Healthy Apple Breakfast Recipes
Walk (or Drive) to See Decorations
I know it’s always popular to drive around looking at Christmas decorations, but we probably have just as much fun checking out Halloween decor. The Blinking House is always a favorite for us. Plus, we’re in a new neighborhood this year, so I’m looking forward to seeing how Yardley celebrates! To make it feel special, blast some Halloween music and bring a festive snack.
If you’re in Lower Bucks, be sure to check out the Facebook page The Lower Bucks Holiday Tour. Families sign up to be part of a list of houses that will be decorated, and the pages shares maps to help make your driving around easier!
Dance to Thriller
These days, you can play Halloween songs from a device whenever you want. But I keep it old school and play this CD in my car during October.
Trick or Treat
We’re looking forward to trick or treating in our new neighborhood this year. But before the main event, we’ve typically already gone trick or treating a few times! If you like to get more wear out of your costume, here are a few other ways to trick or treat in Bucks County and nearby.
The Count’s Halloween Spooktacular At Sesame Place
When: Sept. 17 – Nov. 6
Where: Sesame Place, 100 Sesame Road, Langhorne
Trick or treat around the park, enjoy Halloween-themed shows, and go on a scarecrow scavenger hunt. The characters are dressed in costume, and there’s a special parade, too.
Franklin Fright at the Franklin Institute
When: Weekends in October
Where: Franklin Institute, Philadelphia
Trick-or-treat your way through the museum, and experience classic live science shows performed alongside special guest Gourd’n the Giant Pumpkin Robot in an immersive Halloween-inspired environment.
Boo at the Zoo: Elmwood Park Zoo
When: Saturdays and Sundays from Oct. 8 – Oct. 30 from noon to 3 p.m.
Where: 1661 Harding Blvd., Norristown
Come in costume and bring your trick or treat bag. There will be activity and treat stations throughout the zoo. There will also be a costume parade at the bison stage every weekend at 2:30 p.m.
Boo at Bolton: Food Truck Fest & Trick or Treat
When: Saturday, October 15 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: Historic Bolton Mansion, 85 Holly Drive, Levittown
Trick or treat from noon to 2 p.m. (or while supplies last). There will also be vendors, food trucks, moon bounces, face painting and more.
Boo at the Zoo: Philadelphia Zoo
When: Sat. Oct. 15, Sun. Oct 16, Sat. Oct. 22, Sun. Oct. 23, Sat. Oct. 29 and Sun. Oct. 30 from 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Where: 3400 Girard Avenue, Philadelphia
Visit the animals while you trick or treat around the zoo.
Trunk or Treat presented by Action Karate Newtown
When: Saturday, October 15 from noon to 1:30 p.m.
Where: Crossing Community Church parking lot, 80 Lower Silver Lake Road, Newtown
This fun event is open to the public, but if you pre-register, you’ll receive a free Action Karate goodie bag with a shark tattoo and shark candy. Get more info HERE.
Doylestown Spooktacular Costume Contest and Parade
When: Saturday, October 22 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Where: 55 E. Court Street, Doylestown
Meet at the lawn of the Bucks County Admin Building to parade down Pine Street onto E. State STreet. After the costume contest, there will be trick or treating at stores and restaurants throughout town. (They’ll have orange and black balloons outside.)
Trunk or Treat at Green Parrot
When: Saturday, October 22 from noon to 3 p.m.
Where: 240 N. Sycamore Street, Newtown
Call 215-504-7277 if you’d like to reserve a parking space to participate as a candy trunk. There will be prizes for costumes and the best decorated trunk.
Trunk or Treat at Willow Grove Baptist Church
When: Saturday, October 22 from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. and 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 3600 Welsh Road, Willow Grove
Registration coming soon.
Drive Thru Trunk or Treat Presented by Lower Moreland Township
When: Saturday, October 22 from 6 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.
Where: Lower Moreland Township Public Works Site, 3901 Heaton Road, Huntingdon Valley
Trick or treat from the comfort of your car. Participants must stay in their car as they stop at the various trunk stations. Enter on Heaton Road (instead of Byberry.) If you can, bring a food donation to support Philabundance.
Halloween Party at We Rock the Spectrum NE Philly
When: Sunday, October 23 from 10 a.m. to noon, noon to 2 p.m. or 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 12357 Academy Road, Philadelphia
Register by calling 215-904-6280 for one of 3 sessions. Come in costume for playtime, activities and trick or treating with local vendors and businesses. $25 per child and $20 per sibling.
Tricks and Treats at Pennsbury Manor
When: Sunday, October 23 from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: 400 Pennsbury Memorial Road, Morrisville
Kids can trick or treat around the site. Watch a recreation of the 1683 with trial. Help press cider, enjoy fall crafts, and more. This is a free event.
Bristol Borough Trick or Treat on Mill Street
When: Likely Friday before Halloween but waiting on details.
Where: Mill Street, Bristol Borough
Bristol Township Trunk or Treat at Lower Bucks Hospital
When: Friday, Oct. 28 from 4 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Where: Lower Bucks Hospital Parking Lot, 501 Bath Road, Bristol
Dress up in your costume for an afternoon of fun. Trunk or treat from decorated vehicles. There will be games, prizes, music and more. Free admission.
HatOber Fest: Hatboro’s Annual Halloween Stroll
When: Sat. Oct. 29 from 2 p.m. – 4 p.m.
Where: York Road from Summit Avenue to Horsham Road
Take a stroll while trick or treating at participating stores. (There will be a sign in the store’s window.)
Trunk or Treat at Restoration Church
When: Saturday, October 29 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 401 Pinewood Drive, Levittown
Check Facebook for more details.
Trunk or Treat at Calvary Bristol
When: Sunday, October 30 from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Where: 250 Green Lane, Bristol
Come in costume for trick or treating.
Spooky Fun Halloween Party at Playpad Bucks
When: Monday, October 31 from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Where: 860 Town Center Drive, Langhorne
Decorate trick or treat bags and then trick or treat around Playpad. There will also be a costume parade, snack and drink, 2 hours open play and a visit from Marshall from Paw Patrol. This event is $35 per child ($30 for sibling) and you must register in advance. Attendance is limited.
Read more about Playpad in my blog post.
Free Printable Bucket List
I’m sure I’ll continue to add to this Fall Bucket List post or link to additional posts on the site, but I hope this gives you a good head start in your plans for the season.
If you’d like to print out my Fall Bucket List to inspire some seasonal fun, click HERE.
Sweet Mini Moments 
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