30+ Fall Fun Activities in Ohio
This blog post is sponsored by Ohio. Find It Here. All opinions and recommendations are my own.
From the changing colors of the leaves to the warm smell of cinnamon apple in your local bakery, Fall tends to throw subtle hints at its soon-to-be arrival, and many (if not most) of us are not disappointed.
And when the season starts to change, I tend to feel a push to slow down, unwind, and recover myself from the busyness of summer. This fall, I plan to get outdoors and enjoy these 30+ activities with my daughter and family, and I hope you do too.
As you make your Fall bucket list, remember to leave days and weekends to have rest. Happy Fallidays, Ohio!
1. Visit a pumpkin patch: Although this may seem obvious, it’s obvious for a good reason. Spending the day at a pumpkin patch is one of the best ways to bring in the Fall season. Plus, it gives you the perfect excuse to host a pumpkin carving party with friends, which I highly recommend. Here’s a list of the best pumpkin patches in the state.
2. Attend Boo at the Zoo: Hosted at the Columbus Zoo, this unique event offers light-hearted Halloween fun, without the fright. It’s encouraged for those 13 and under to dress up in costume, and for their accompanying adults to do the same.
3. Go apple picking: Personally, the Fall season is all about the apples for me. Some say it’s the pumpkin spice lattes, but I love apple everything – candles, ciders, butter, you name it. Every year, my friends and I go apple picking at Lynd Fruit Farm and it’s one of my favorite seasonal traditions.
4. Visit a brewery to taste pumpkin beer: Autumn is when many breweries unveil their seasonal offerings. Spend a leisurely day tasting these Fall beers in Columbus, Oktoberfest-style beer, pumpkin ales, and more—just be sure to take a Lyft or Uber home.
5. Get scared at King’s Island Halloween Haunt: The fully transformed amusement park features bone-chilling scare mazes and scare zones, live entertainment and hundreds of horrifying creatures lurking in the fog and hiding in every corner of the park waiting for you. Halloween Haunt is intended for mature audiences and is not recommended for children under 13.
6. Host or attend a bonfire with friends: Sometimes the best kind of fun can be found right in your backyard. Entertain friends and family with a basket of chocolate and graham crackers, and the smell of cackling firewood. Whether you’re visiting a friend in Ohio, or you live in the state yourself, there’s nothing better than cozying up in a warm blanket and roasting marshmallows and smothering a piece of Hershey’s chocolate in between two graham crackers. It’s the best Fall feeling.
7. Visit a local winery or coffeeshop: And grab a smortado [a smore and cortado combined] from Roosevelt Coffeehouse or a red wine flight from Powell Village Winery.
8. Rent a cabin or treehouse with family or friends: If you’re looking to take advantage of the most beautiful hiking trails during the best time of the year – then you’re in luck. The changing of seasons from summer to fall is the best time to visit Hocking Hills, the Mohicans, or Amish country. Read my experience at a treehouse in the Mohicans.
9. Experience Ohio’s Fall foliage: If you’re looking to experience all four seasons, you’re in the right state. Check out the full color report, courtesy of the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, and see stunning views from Ohio's best fall foliage spots.
10. Attend a college or national football game: From The Ohio State Buckeyes to the Cleveland Browns or Cincinnati Bengals, there are plenty of local sport teams to view and watch an exciting game, whether that’s inside the stadium, at a local bar, or outside the area tailgating with friends.
11. Explore Ohio’s beautiful hiking trails: Whether you’re looking for an escape from the city, or need a change of scenery, Ohio has some of the most beautiful hiking trails. You can check them out here.
12. Grab a bike and explore the city or the countryside: When temperatures begin to drop, this can be the perfect time to push the pedals full throttle and break sweat on your bike, all while enjoying a scenic view.
13. Visit a local farmer’s market: Though it may seem like a summer activity, the fall season can provide some of the best produce, along with sweet treats, like apple cider doughnuts, sweet potato pie and more.
14. Enjoy a delicious caramel, candied apple: You can find these at your local pumpkin patch or apple orchard, and I highly recommend grabbing a 4-pack and sharing with family and friends. The apple does make a difference, so choose wisely.
15. Reserve a room at a romantic bed and breakfast: Whether you want to cozy up by the fire, spend an entire weekend hiking, or lounging in a quilted blanket, soaking up the smells of oak wood in your cabin, spending quality time with your significant other, in a secluded location, can be the best way to rejuvenate and reconnect.
16. Take a scenic train ride: Looking to enjoy a relaxing breakfast by train? Check out Breakfast with Nick’s experience on the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railway. They offer a variety of itineraries throughout the year, including themed family rides, trips focused on different destinations within the park, and other specialized nights featuring cocktail or beer tastings, romantic dinners, even murder mystery nights.
17. Tour The Ohio State Reformatory in Mansfield, where Shawshank Redemption was filmed: And experience part of the ever-spooky Haunted Mansfield Trail.
18. Run a fall 5K: Autumn's cooler weather makes it an ideal time for a fun run. Sign up for a fall 5K or a Turkey Trot—the perfect way to get moving before that big Thanksgiving dinner.
19. Buy glass pumpkin art: Glass Axis's Annual Pumpkin Patch will be filling the Glass Axis gallery and studio with fall-themed glass art and blown glass pumpkins from local Columbus artists. This year, they’ve extended this sale over two weekends!
20. Get dressed up for Halloween HighBall: As the nation's most elaborate costume party, located on High Street (in Columbus, Ohio), you will be amazed with the level of costume design you’ll see at this event. This yearly event for the Halloween season bridges runway style with the culture of the Short North Arts District.
21. Trick-or-treat, or experience the Pumpkin Aglow, at Franklin Park Conservatory: Fall evenings during Pumpkins Aglow offer bewitching scenes and spooky surprises. These family-friendly events occur from 5-9pm on select dates: October 12–16, 19–23 & 26-30. Trick-or-treat only happened on Oct. 29-30.
22. Go for a hayride: If you’re looking for a fall activity for the whole family, but need a moment to relax, a hayride may be your best bet.
23. Make your own fall candles: If you’re looking for the apple pie smell, without baking the apple pie, try making your own candle, but make it Fall, only using the season’s most popular scents: cinnamon, bonfire, pumpkin, and vanilla. Businesses that offer this service include the Cleveland Candle Co. and Penn & Beech Candle.
24. Host a murder mystery party or reserve a room for an escape room: Go with the spirit of the season and gather your friends for a murder mystery party or try to break out of a room with a spooky theme in 45 minutes. Are you up for the challenge?
25. Attend the 33rd Ohio Renaissance Festival: Your fairytale comes to life in our 16th century village filled with thrilling shows, food & drink, unique shops, and a fantasy adventure like no other. Dates for the event are from September 3 – October 30.
26. Check off the Circleville Pumpkin Show from your Fall bucket list: This has been on my must-do list forever and hoping to cross it off this year. The iconic event (Oct. 19-22) is one of the nation's largest pumpkin festivals, and full of your favorite pumpkin delicacies.
27. Fly with the trolls at Aullwood Audubon near Dayton: These natural art structures will enlighten you with their whimsy and charm. Aullwood offers both children and adults the opportunity to encounter and appreciate the world through experience-based education.
28. Get prehistoric with the dinosaur display at the Columbus Library: This exhibit will be available from now till October 31. Plus, there are all kinds of dino-themed activities and dinosaur books on display!
29. Visit Young’s Dairy Fall Farm Pumpkin Fun: Rebranded from its annual Fall Farm Pumpkin Festival, this experience is more than one weekend. You can visit the farm and enjoy all kinds of pumpkins and fall family fun. Everyday they’ll have their famous, delicious cinnamon, sugar pumpkin donut holes, homemade pumpkin bread, pumpkin pies, and pumpkins!
30. Celebrate Schmidt’s Ocktoberfest: This community festival has been brewing up and serving smiles for 50+ years. There truly is something for everyone.
31. Make buckeyes (the chocolate and peanut butter kind) or stop by The Buckeye Lady: During the fall season, these are the best treats to pair with a nice warm coffee, whether it’s spiced with pumpkin or your regular, these sweet treats will keep you grabbing for another one.
32. Looking for a rooftop and a warm fire? Located in the Short North, Lincoln Social provides a great indoor/outdoor dining experience with a stunning view of the city. I highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun fall activity for a friend’s night out.
With all that listed, I must ask – are you hungry? Ready to explore? Or looking to get away with your partner? I hope you do that, plus more, and have the best fall ever! For more #FallInOhio fun, check out #OhioFindItHere at Ohio.org.