10 Outdoor Fall Activities

The chilly weather is finally rolling in and there are plenty of seasonal fall activities worth indulging this year.  

Trick-or-treating, dressing up and decorating pumpkins are definitely a must for kids, but you can also try activities like corn mazes, cider mills and haunted houses. Plus, more unique fall fun like moonlit wagon rides or horror-ible Halloween displays.

Whether you have spooky preferences or want something a little cuter, there is an activity for everyone (even the romantics). Check out this list of our favorite outdoor fall activities and get to planning your fall fun this year.

Watch the leaves change colors on Belle Isle

• Address: Belle Isle, 99 Pleasure Drive, Detroit 
• Cost: $12/recreation passport 

Who doesn’t love a good fall color tour? Detroit’s urban island offers spectacular views of the leaves changing colors along the banks of the Detroit river. Bring the kids and check it out.  

Take a Full Moon Hike with your family

• Address: Lake Erie Metropark, 32481 W. Jefferson Ave., Brownstown 
• Cost: $3-$5/person, $10/parking 

Take a moonlit hike through the woods to learn about the different phases of the moon. Select days only. Advanced registration required.

Enjoy Maybury Farm’s corn maze & hayrides

• Address: Maybury Farm, 50165 Eight Mile Road, Northville
• Cost: $13/person, free/kids 2 and under 

Enjoy a one-acre corn maze, scavenger hunt, and hayrides. Cider, donuts, and other festive snacks will also be available to add a little more magic into the season. Open Sept. 9-Oct. 30, 2022. Preregistration is required. Don’t miss out on the Great Fall Festival Oct. 1-2.

Visit Wilson Barn in Livonia

• Address: Wilson Barn, 29350 W. Chicago, Livonia
• Cost: Varies by attraction

This historical barn celebrates the Halloween season with hayrides, pony rides, a petting zoo, bounces houses and a haunted barn. Find pumpkins, gourds and cornstalks for sale, too.

Get spooked in the Terrorfied Forest

• Address: Terrorfied Forest, 145 Swarthout Road, Pinckney 
• Cost: $25/general admission, $35/VIP pass

Grown-ups and kids over the age of 13 take a 45-minute walk through a forest infested with blood-thirsty monsters and other creepy critters.

Take an Evening Lantern Tour

• Address: Oakwoods Metropark, 32911 Willow Road, New Boston
• Cost: $10/person, $10/parking

This lantern tour is unique in execution and story. A lantern guide takes you through a pumpkin-lit trail where you get to see characters in odd situations. Not a haunted tour, or even a scary one. this tour offers a fun take on Michigan’s legends and history. Preregistration is required a day in advance. This event is geared at children 8 years and older. 

Get Lost in Debuck’s corn maze

• Address: DeBuck’s Corn Maze, 50240 Martz Road, Belleville
• Cost: $14.95-$22.95/depending on the day 

This 15-acre corn maze is a cute place to let your kids roam and maybe even get some Instagram pictures. With a 20-acre pumpkin patch to boot, there are slides, swings, jump boxes and more to get out all of your kid’s pent up energy. 

Take in the Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo

• Address: Detroit Zoo, 8450 W. 10 Mile Road, Royal Oak
• Cost: Contact for 2022 details   

Looking to get into the spirit of Christmas? Wild Lights at the Detroit Zoo is the best place to get your fix before the holidays. With stunning light displays in countless shapes and patterns, you’ll be starstruck on entry. 

Visit the historic Yates Cider Mill

• Address: Yates Cider Mill, 1990 E. Avon Road, Rochester Hills
• Cost: Free/admission; fees apply for some activities 

What’s more fall than cider? A cider mill! This unique atmosphere is a piece of history where your kids can relax while taking a look into the process behind the drink you crave the most in cold weather.

Check out Crane Orchard and Corn Maze

• Address: 6054 124th Ave., Fennville
• Cost: $7/ages 11-plus, $5/ages 6-10, free/five and under 

This 20-acre corn maze is meticulously thought-out and cleverly designed. A competition for those looking to get lost for a while, the family will be racing to see who can make it to the end first.

Do you love any other outdoor fall activities? Share them with us in the comments. 

This post was originally published in 2021 and is updated regularly. 

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