The Best Fall Activities in New England

Fall is the best time to take day trips or weekend trips in New England – the weather is perfect, the foliage is gorgeous and many of the best fruit and vegetables come into season. But what should you do? Have no fear, here’s my list of the best fall activities in New England for you to take advantage of this great season.

Fruit Picking

Of course the most stereotypical thing to do in New England in autumn is fruit picking.

The most common is apple picking, but you can also pick pumpkins, pears, raspberries, corn, tomatoes and much more. It’s a fun group activity that will get you interacting with nature and taking home some fresh produce.

Here’s a few farms that come highly recommended:

• Honey Pot Hill Orchards in Stow, MA
• Nashoba Valley Winery in Bolton, MA
• Tougas Family Farm in Nothboro, MA
• Brooksby Farm in Peabody, MA

Haunted Happenings

Halloween season means Salem. Throughout the entire month of October, the city of Salem turns into Halloween town. There are a ton of events going on like a carnival, haunted tours, live music, haunted houses, magic shows and more. With a whole month full of spooky activities, Salem definitely tops my list of best fall activities in New England.

Speaking of spooky happenings, the Providence Ghost Tour in Providence, RI is a fun time, I enjoyed it and it was relatively short which gave us some time to check out some other events around the city.

Spooky World in Litchfield, NH and Cranston, RI are also popular attractions this time of year.

Hiking and Exploring

Autumn is an excellent time to get reacquainted with nature, the heat and humidity of summer are gone and the trees turn the most beautiful shades of red and yellow.

Mount Auburn Cemetery in Cambridge, MA is a beautifully landscaped historical site that just happens to also be a cemetery. It’s free and open daily to the public. There’s also a visitor’s center if you want to grab some brochures or guide pamphlets. The crown jewel of this site is the Washington Tower. From the top of the tower you can get amazing views of Boston and Cambridge.

Davis Farmland Mega Maze in Sterling, MA is a fun activity for the whole family. They have fun themes, lots of games and music and even a snack stand in the middle. Each year they change the maze so you have reason to come back time and time again.

Another great hiking adventure is to trek up the Skyline Trail at Blue Hills Reservation in Milton, MA. During the fall, the entire reservation turns red, yellow and purple. From the observation tower at the top of the trail, you get great views of the city and of the rest of the reservation.

Fests, Fairs and Museums

Out in Topsfield, MA during the first half of October is the Topsfield Fair. It’s a great celebration with carnival rides, live entertainment, exhibition booths and lots of great foods.

Up in Damariscotta, ME is Pumpkinfest! Not only will you see amazingly carved pumpkins, but you’ll also see a huge pumpkin catapult launch pumpkins into a lake, a crane drop a 1000 lb pumpkin onto a car and destroy it and, the coolest part, giant hollowed out pumpkins converted into boats for a race!

The deCordova Sculpture Park and Museum features both indoor and outdoor art displays that look stunning against the backdrop of an autumn day.

So what do you think are the best fall activities in New England?

Comment below and let me know!