The Ultimate Guide to Twin Cities Fall Family Fun!

Welcome to fall in Minnesota! It’s a beautiful time, when the temps drop from warm to just right, the colors are vibrant and there are activities galore. Everywhere you go, you’re not far from something festive, whether indoors or outdoors. This guide has:

Apple Orchards
Corn Mazes
Fall Festivals
Nature Centers
Pizza Farms
Pumpkin Patches
Recipes for fall drinks
Free Printable Fall Bucket List
Free Halloween Printables
Halloween Light Displays
and DISCOUNTS where available!

Apple Orchards

See full list of Apple Orchards!

Corn Mazes

See full list of Corn Mazes!

Pumpkin Patches

See full list of Pumpkin Patches!

Festivals & Special Events

Here are fall festivals happening in the Twin Cities!

Afton Apple Festival – Afton
Harvest Fest – Stillwater (October 10-11)
Minnesota Renaissance Festival – Shakopee
Pinehaven Farm Fall Festival – Wyoming
Severs Fall Festival – Shakopee
Twin Cities Harvest Festival & Corn Maze – Brooklyn Park

Family-Friendly Pumpkin Trails & Events

The Great Pumpkin Trail (pictured above) – Wyoming, MN (Save 10% with my code Frugalmom10)
Magic of Halloween – Mall of America, Bloomington
North Star Pumpkin Town – Chaska (Save 25% on any purple calendar night with my code MOM)
Minnesota Zoo Jack O Lantern Trail – Minnesota Zoo, Apple Valley
Sunny’s Pumpkin Walk – Fall Harvest Orchard, Delano

Spooky Events (these are usually recommended for teens and up)

The Dead End Hayride – Wyoming (September 19 – November 1). Note this is located right next to The Great Pumpkin Trail and Pinehaven.

ValleySCARE – Valleyfair, Shakopee (September 19 – October 31)

Scream Town – Chaska (September 25 – October 31). Note this is located right next to the new North Star Pumpkin Town!

Thompson Terror Trail – Big Lake (Oct 2, 3, 9, & 10). Women-owned.

Twin Cities Fear Fest – Mall of America, Bloomington (September 25 – November 1)

Farms to visit in the Twin Cities area:

Eveland Family Farm – Andover
Anoka County Farm – Ham Lake
Gale Woods Farm – Minnetrista
Historic Eidem Farm – Brooklyn Park (closed for 2026 season)
Oliver Kelley Farm – Elk River
Waldoch Farm – Lino Lakes

Go for a drive to these farms:

Big Springs Farm Pumpkins & Corn Maze – Lanesboro
Windy Willow Farm Adventure – Northfield
A Maze’n Farmyard – Eden Valley
Nelson Farm – Litchfield
Sunrise River Farm – Wyoming
Whistling Well – Hastings
White Pine Berry Farm – River Falls, Wisconsin

Sunflower Fields

Sunflower fields are fun to visit and for photo opportunities. Check with each before you go to make sure they’re open for the season. The season for sunflowers is short and sometimes sunflower fields may be closed early. Also, most have an entrance fee.

NOTE: Most are past sunflower season now.

Afton Apple – Hastings
Fresh Acres Farm – Monticello
Treasured Haven Farm – Rush City
Waldoch Farm – Lino Lakes
White Pine Berry Farm – River Falls, Wisconsin
Green Barn Garden Center – Isanti
Berry and Bloom Farm – Rochester

Nature Centers

Carpenter Nature Center (Hastings)
Dodge Nature Center (West St. Paul)
Eastman Nature Center (Maple Grove)
Eloise Butler Wildflower Garden (Minneapolis)
Harriet Alexander Nature Center (Roseville)
Jay C. Hormel Nature Center (Austin) – read about our visit!
Lee and Rose Warner Nature Center (Marine on St. Croix)
Maplewood Nature Center (Maplewood)
Minnehaha Falls (Minneapolis)
Minnesota Landscape Arboretum (Chaska)
Richardson Nature Center (Bloomington)
Springbrook Nature Center (Fridley)
Tamarack Nature Center (White Bear Lake) – read about our visit here
Theodore Wirth Quaking Bog (Golden Valley)
Westwood Hills Nature Center (St. Louis Park)

Pizza Farms

Alpha and Omega Pizza Farm (Princeton)
Pleasant Grove Pizza Farm (Waseca)
Red Barn (Northfield)

Fall Drink Recipes

Looking for yummy fall drink recipes to make at home? Here are some of my favorites!

Homemade Hot Chocolate Bombs

Make these and melt them in warm milk for a tasty hot chocolate!

Starbucks Iced Apple Crisp Oatmilk Shaken Espresso Copycat Recipe

Starbucks Iced Pumpkin Spice Latte Copycat Recipe

Salted Caramel Pumpkin Latte Recipe Caramel, pumpkin and coffee, all together.

Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino Copycat Recipe Love Starbucks frappuccinos? You’ll love this!

Starbucks Copycat Skinny Mocha Recipe Want a Starbucks mocha, but you don’t want the hefty calories? Try this recipe!

Free Printable Fall Bucket List

This free printable has a list of 32 frugal fun things to do, and a checklist for you to fill out with your plans or your own ideas!

Free Halloween Printables

Free Printable Halloween Bucket List Have a fun Halloween season with these activities! FREE Halloween 3D Coloring Scene Printable Who doesn’t love 3-D crafts? And here you can make a 3-D Haunted House!