1. Apple Orchards/Pumpkin Patches
Indiana is full of orchards and patches from which to gain plenty of apples, pumpkins, gourds, and more. You can't beat fresh apples for eating or baking, and pumpkins are fun if carved, used as a decoration, or eaten! My last blog post is solely dedicated to some of the best orchards in the state. Even though it's late October, there are still certain apple types becoming ripe for picking.
2. Corn Mazes
Corn mazes are a lot of fun if you have a group of friends or family who want to get together and problem solve. Corn mazes can get pretty intricate, such as Exploration Acres in the Lafayette area, which has a Stranger Things themed corn maze this year., What's nice about corn maze places is that they frequently have other things to do at the location as well, such as playgrounds, hay mazes, corn boxes, food trucks, fire pits, hay mountains (some with slides!), and other fun things to keep kids occupied. Amazing Fall Fun, which is just north of Fort Wayne, does a good job of having plenty of activities to enjoy at the location besides just the maze. I recommend going at night as well because it adds a whole different element to it!
3. Haunted Houses/Forests/Rides
I personally hate getting scared and would never go to any of these places, but I know that a lot of people get a kick out of going to haunted houses. Once October arrives, plenty of venues begin prepping locations to be as scary as possible. Indy Scream Park in Anderson is probably one of the most well known, but there are other places worth a visit too, such as Indiana Fear Farm in Jamestown, Hanna Haunted Acres in Indy, Reaper's Realm in Hammond, Nightmare on Edgewood in Indy, Edge of Insanity in Kokomo, and Haunted Castle/Black Forest in Fort Wayne. I'm not sure for all of these which ones have age limits or which ones are allowed to touch you, but I do know that at Fear Fair in Seymour they are allowed to touch you.
4. Bike Trails
There are miles of bike trails around Indiana that are awesome ways to enjoy beautiful fall scenery. They offer exercise and great views, so it's a win-win. With the weather cooling down in fall, you won't get as overheated while riding, which makes for a much more comfortable ride. The Cardinal Greenway and Monon Trail are both great options for bike trails.
5. Mississinewa 1812
I unfortunately wasn't able to get this entry out before the festival, but 1812 is a fun event that ran October 12-14 this year. It not only involves plenty of historical value in reenactments, but it also brings plenty of people in to try the food. One of the biggest sellers for food here are the giant turkey legs. Admission to 1812 is $9 for adults at the gate. I personally have never been, but I have plenty of friends who have either gone or worked at the event who have had a fun experience.
6. Bonfires
Fall is the perfect season for bonfires because the nights actually cool off to the point where you want to get close to the fire. Summer bonfires are nice, but it's normally still in the 70's at night and fires aren't as appealing. Having a fall bonfire makes you actually need the heat from the fire! Pass around some hot drinks, have smores, tell stories...the list goes on. If you don't have access to a fire pit of any kind to have a fire, try finding a business or restaurant that has them, such as Abbey Coffee in Marion.
7. Hiking
As I said in previous seasonal entries, I will be promoting hiking each season because it offers a totally different feel to it every season! Hiking, like biking, offers a great way to get immersed into the scenery of fall. With hiking, you actually get to go through forests to see all of the different colors changing and see all of the leaves falling with style. I have two previous entries that discuss different places to hike in Indiana, one free and one about state parks. However, the general consensus on many different websites say that Brown County State Park offers the best views of fall colors due to the rolling hills and great vantage points.
8. Ziplining
Why hike/ride through fall scenery when you can fly over/through it? Ziplining provides a great adrenaline rush and gives people a chance to battle their fear of heights. Flying from tree to tree at high velocities provides such a thrill, and luckily there are multiple places in Indiana where you can do this. There are plenty of ziplining locations the further south you go in Indiana, but around me there are three outstanding options: Go Ape! in Eagle Creek Park in Indy, White River Ziplining in Anderson, and Zip Timber Lake in Roanoke. Certain locations, like Go Ape!, also feature different obstacles from tree to tree, such as swaying wood steps, wood bridges, tunnels, and nets that you zip into and crawl up.
9. South Bend Chocolate Company
This company has multiple locations in Indiana, but they are concentrated more up in the South Bend/Mishawaka area. Like many great chocolate stores, they offer a wide variety of chocolates and seasonal items too! They have several different candies that they cover in an orange pumpkin icing (including Oreos!) There are also seasonal popcorn mixes, like caramel apple, candy corn, or pumpkin. They also serve coffee and some amazing hot chocolate!
10. Colts and Pacers games
Fall is a great time to take a trip down to Indianapolis and take in a professional basketball or football game. I highly recommend taking a look at each team's schedule so you can determine when a good time to go would be. Some people like games where tickets are cheaper, which are normally against teams that don't offer as much excitement as others. Other people enjoy the games where the teams will be tested, and those tickets are usually more expensive. Also, be on the lookout for discount or family nights. What's nice about both venues is that they are indoors, so you don't need to be scared away by cold temperatures.
Honorable Mention: Halloween Events
There are a lot of well-known places like zoos and museums that offer festivities geared towards kids around Halloween. Even conservatories get in on the fall fun and change their decor for the season.
