Your Family’s Guide to Local Fall Fun

Crisp mornings, colorful leaves, and fresh apple treats—fall brings plenty of reasons to spend time together outdoors. One of the best things about living in the Twin Cities area is having so many family-friendly destinations just a short drive away. 🍎

From pumpkin patches to harvest festivals, here are some favorite seasonal outings near Capstone Homes communities in Elk River, Ramsey, St. Michael, East Bethel, Cottage Grove, Forest Lake, Delano, and Somerset, Wisconsin. 🍁

🎃 1. Dehn’s Fall Festival — Dayton 

For a day filled with classic fall fun, head to Dehn’s Pumpkin Patch in Dayton. Families can explore the corn maze, take a scenic hayride, play in the corn pit, and choose pumpkins to bring home. Slides and other attractions give kids plenty of ways to burn off energy between stops. 

Make the outing part of your fall decorating tradition: let everyone choose a pumpkin, then arrange them together on your front porch. Dehn’s fall season runs from September 19 through October 31, 2026. 🎃

Plan your visit to Dehn’s 

🍁 2. Eveland Family Farm — Andover 

If your family enjoys farm animals and a simpler seasonal outing, put Eveland Family Farm on your list. This Andover farm offers pumpkins, farm animals, wagon rides, and a selection of gourds, squash, and other fall decorations. 

It’s an opportunity to spend time outside, introduce little ones to farm life, and gather a few things to make home feel ready for autumn. 🍁

Find Eveland Family Farm details

🍎 3. Apple Jack Orchards — Delano 

A visit to Apple Jack Orchards combines seasonal treats with family fun. Explore the pumpkin patch, enjoy children’s activities and the maze, and stop at the bakery before heading home. 

For fall 2026, Apple Jack’s pick-your-own apples have finished for the season, but bagged apples are available to purchase and the bakery continues serving fall favorites. Bring home a pie or crisp to keep the orchard experience going around your own table. 🍎

Explore Apple Jack Orchards 

🍎 4. Fall Harvest Orchard — Just West of Delano 

For families who want to turn a fall outing into a full afternoon, Fall Harvest Orchard offers more than 60 attractions and things to do. Pumpkins, apples, weekend food trucks, and live music help bring the season together in one place. 

Parking and general admission are free, with activity purchases separate. Check the orchard’s weekly updates to see what’s available and plan a visit that fits your family’s interests. 🍎

Plan a day at Fall Harvest Orchard 

🍎 5. Afton Apple Festival — Hastings Area 

Afton Apple Orchard’s Apple Festival offers the ingredients for a memorable autumn afternoon: hayrides, a playground, a petting farm, seasonal concessions, and extra festival entertainment. 

The remaining 2026 festival weekend is October 10–11. Gather the family, pull on your sweatshirts, and enjoy a day of outdoor play and harvest-season fun near Cottage Grove. 🍎

Check Afton Apple’s event information 

🎃 6. Pinehaven Farm — Wyoming 

Located in Wyoming, Pinehaven Farm gives Forest Lake-area families a nearby destination for pumpkin-patch fun. With more than 35 attractions, it’s a place where families can spend time exploring and playing together. 

Let the kids help plan the afternoon, leave time for a seasonal snack, and take a family photo before choosing a pumpkin to bring home. 🎃

Explore Pinehaven Farm 

🍁 7. Stillwater Harvest Fest — Stillwater

Just across the St. Croix River from the Somerset area, Stillwater Harvest Fest brings a playful twist to the harvest season. The October 10–11, 2026, celebration includes giant pumpkins, live music, children’s activities, and a vendor market. 

Watch the giant pumpkin weigh-off, see the pumpkin drop, or catch the pumpkin regatta, where paddlers take enormous pumpkins onto the river. Admission is free, with select activities requiring tickets. 🍁

View Stillwater Harvest Fest details 

🍁 Make Fall Memories Close to Home 

You don’t need to travel across the metro to enjoy the season. A nearby farm, orchard, or community festival can become the tradition your family looks forward to every year. 🍁

Before heading out, check each destination’s website for current hours, tickets, weather updates, and activity availability. 

At Capstone Homes, we know that loving where you live includes enjoying what’s around you. From everyday neighborhood connections to weekend adventures, there are plenty of ways to make memories close to home. 

Explore Capstone Homes communities and find a place for your family’s next chapter. 

🍁 Bonus: Fall Fun for Our Sioux Falls Neighbors 

🍎 Country Apple Orchard Fall Festival — Harrisburg 

Sioux Falls-area families can find plenty of harvest-season fun at Country Apple Orchard in nearby Harrisburg. Its Fall Festival runs Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays during September and October, with family attractions, seasonal entertainment, and a pumpkin patch. 

Make an afternoon of it, enjoy the fresh air, and bring home apples or pumpkins to add a little autumn to your home. 🍎

Plan your Country Apple Orchard visit 

🎃 Riverview Pumpkin Festival — Near Sioux Falls 

Riverview Christmas Tree Farm also welcomes families for its seasonal Pumpkin Festival. It’s another option for a fall day outdoors, with pumpkins and children’s activities such as inflatables, a tire mountain, a slide, and a sandbox. 

Check the 2026 festival schedule before visiting, then gather the family for an afternoon of harvest-season fun. 🍁

Explore Riverview’s Pumpkin Festival