We, of course, love Michigan in all its seasons, but fall is really a chance to get outside without the fear of sunburns, bugs, and humidity.
Fall in Michigan means crisp air, cozy sweatshirts, football games, and leaves changing colors—plus, the sights and sounds of the season are a welcome respite from the summer heat and a chance to catch our breath before the holidays.
If you’re in the Lansing area, here is a list of all the ways you can take full advantage of fall in the Mitten. We have everything from apple cider (homemade, of course) to pumpkin patches and corn mazes to get you in the festive fall mood.
The full fall fun day: Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, and hayrides
First up: Make a day of it at the local pumpkin patch, where you can pick the perfect pumpkin to carve, roast, or simply adorn your porch. Then, head to the corn maze to see who can finish first and end the day with pumpkin and donuts! Get the full fall experience with these one-stop-shop fall fun destinations in Lansing.
Uncle John’s Cider Mill
8614 N US 127, St. Johns
With more than 30 acres of pumpkins, a fully operational cider mill, wagon rides, a corn maze, cider, and donuts, Uncle John’s Cider Mill offers the full fall package. The cider mill resides in a renovated 100-year-old former cattle barn that now makes fresh cider all week long. Visitors can even stop in to see the cider being made (please note: cider isn’t made every day, so if you really want to catch a glimpse of the cider-making process, you may want to call ahead!) and sample some delicious caramel apples.
We’re also huge fans of the cider slushies you can find in the Pie Barn and the festive spirits in the Taproom. Plus, with a busy calendar of events and daily activities like a jumping balloon, gem mining, a play area for kids, and live music, there is always plenty to do and explore for a full day of fall fun.
Choice Farm Market
4212 E Holt Road, Webberville
Like the rest of us, Choice Farm Market in Webberville looks forward to fall in Michigan every year, and they do know how to celebrate in style. They run a “Fall Adventure” experience every weekend, complete with a giant and intricate corn maze themed for the United States’ 250th birthday celebration, cow train, pumpkin house, slide, and other activities.
You can catch the adventure every Saturday and Sunday through November 1 by purchasing online or in person (last admission is at 5 p.m.). You can also get started on your holiday shopping and catch some good eats at the farm market.
Country Mill Farms
4648 Otto Road, Charlotte
Country Mill Farms is 213 acres of fall fun. Here, you can pick your own pumpkins, plus other fall seasonal goodies like apples, fall blueberries, peaches (as available), and even sunflowers. The whole family can catch a wagon ride, stroll around the farm, check out the scenes at the pond, and explore the farm market stocked with seasonal goodies and homemade treats like apple butter, apple chips, and of course, cider.
All of the donuts (oh, did we forget to mention the donuts?) are handmade daily, so you know you’re getting the best taste of fall in Lansing! Some of the farm is also certified organic—the farmers are working on converting the whole farm—so call to reserve your spot for organic blueberry and apple picking.
Barkham Creek Farms
181 Haslett Rd., Haslett
Barkham Creek Farms is a family-run operation that offers everything you need: pumpkins, cider, donuts, and a corn maze, just on a smaller scale for a more low-key experience. While you can buy pumpkins here, there isn’t a U-Pick pumpkin patch. The farm also sells farm decor, so it’s a great spot to stop and get all your front-porch fall fixings.
Grab-and-go pumpkin express shopping
If you’re looking for an in-and-out pumpkin shopping experience (my fellow working parents who need a quick, last-minute pumpkin: I see you), here are a few farms that offer fast grab-and-go options.
Brimley’s Pumpkin Farm
294 South Every Road, Mason
Brimley’s Pumpkin Farm is a self-serve express option that lets families choose between pre-picked pumpkins at the farm stand or a more leisurely experience out in the patch. Either way, shopping is simple: Pick your pumpkin, then pay via Venmo, check, or cash (the stand is unattended, so there is no change, sorry!).
Reese Farms
14633 Wood Rd., Lansing
Keep your eyes peeled for the Reese Farms pumpkin wagon parked on the corner of the south drive with a variety of pre-picked pumpkins in all shapes, sizes, and colors. You can even contact them ahead of time if you have a larger order that you’d like them to pick and have waiting for you. What service!
Revolution Farms Farmstand
5408 W. Grand River Ave., Lansing
Pick up your pumpkins without the fuss of the pumpkin patch at Revolution Farms Farmstand. The farm stand is open Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
All about the apples: U-pick apples
Move aside pumpkins, because fall is also apple season. We are equal opportunity when it comes to seasonal pickings, of course, but if your heart is set on exploring an apple orchard or picking up some pre-picked fruit for fresh apple pie, here are the best spots to find apples in Lansing.
Clearview Orchards
1051 Barry Rd., Haslett
Apple picking is still alive and well at the family-owned Clearview Orchards farm. They have 10 varieties, including Northern Spy, Mutsu, Jonagold, Golden, Red Delicious, Empire, McIntosh, Jonathon, Golden Supreme, and Honeycrisp, all available for U-pick. As a bonus, you can also shop for pumpkins while you’re there (and feel free to bring a wagon to haul all your fresh goodies in). The farm is closed on Mondays.
Cottage Creek Orchard
2300 Harper Rd, Mason
Another family-owned and operated establishment, Cottage Creek Orchard is a beautiful establishment to visit year-round (the barn! The lighting! The ambiance!), but it makes for a great apple pit stop in the fall. The orchard is also an operating winery and sells cider and pumpkins, so it’s the perfect fall destination.
Phillips Orchard
1174 W Gratiot County Line Rd., St. Johns
I love hearing about historical farms in Michigan, and Phillips Orchard has a rich, 170-year-old history of making farm-fresh pressed apple cider. You just can’t recreate that kind of historic flavor!
There are a few ways to experience Phillips Orchard: visit the Lansing Cider Market for hard cider and other apple-themed market finds, or drive a bit to the St. John’s location for the full cider mill and orchard experience.
If you have time, we definitely recommend the full experience, which includes U-Pick apples and pumpkins and even horse-and-wagon rides.
Markillie Orchard
5200 North Latson, Howell
Markillie Orchard is a somewhat newer apple orchard destination in Michigan, with apple trees dating back to the late 1990s. Once a traveling apple farm that sold to farmers’ markets, the orchard built a barn in 2006, allowing the farm to expand into making cider.
Apples are available pre-picked, and popular apple cider slushies are also for sale. Plus, there is a play area for kids.
Family-friendly fall events
Fall fun is not limited to farms, of course. Lansing has plenty of seasonal fall fun happening in and around town. Check out these family-friendly events and attractions to enjoy before the weather turns!
Boo at the Zoo
1301 S. Pennsylvania Ave, Lansing
The Boo at the Potter Park Zoo is something I’ve always wanted to take my kids to because it sounds so seasonally festive and fun. (Maybe this year will be the year!) Taking place every weekend in October from noon to 5 p.m., families can enjoy the zoo while donning costumes of their choice and encountering both animals and a few “spooky” surprises along the way. (The spookiness is all family-friendly, of course.)
One ticket price gives you access to treat stations throughout the zoo, the straw maze, a pumpkin scavenger hunt, and character meet-and-greets. You can also buy additional “boo” treats, like a hayride, inflatables, and cider and donuts. Oh, and if you have (or are!) a college student, mark your calendars for Oct. 4, when college students get in free to the zoo with a valid college ID.
Jack O’ Lanterns Unleashed
Ingham County Fairgrounds, 700 East Ash Street, Mason
Running from October 8 through November 1, Jack O’ Lanterns Unleashed is a family-friendly pumpkin festival that celebrates all things gourd. Ticket admission lets you enter the pumpkin walk, which features incredible hand-carved and illuminated pumpkins on display, and take part in other family-friendly activities.
According to the event page, the festival isn’t scary and welcomes everyone. Plus, tickets are free for kids 12 and under, so the organizers really are encouraging kids to attend.
Families are encouraged to arrive early to enjoy free kids’ activities like glow golf and straw bale grand prix, or opt for paid recreation like the bounce houses. If you attend on Halloween, your ticket also includes free trick-or-treating for ages 12 and under.
Carillon Halloween Concert
Beaumont Tower, MSU Campus
Bring the whole family out to Michigan State University on Oct. 29 at 8 p.m. for a free outdoor Halloween concert at Beaumont Tower. The event features spooky musical favorites from the university’s resident carillonist Jon Lehrer as well as imagery from theater professor Alison Dobbins.
The tower will be lit up with large visuals to bring the music to life in an eerily extra way.
Lansing Ghost Tour
100 N Capitol Ave., Lansing
Technically speaking, Lansing’s famous ghost tours run year-round, but what better time to stroll through the past than in the fall?
The tour takes participants through the haunted stories and history of sites such as the state capitol, the Masonic Temple, the city cemetery, and the steam clock said to be a beacon for restless souls lost in the Lansing fire of 1934.
The event is technically open to all ages, but parents should use their own judgment, as the tours can definitely get spooky!
This article first appeared on Good Info News Wire and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.
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