There are many Fall activities in and around the Orange County area to enjoy with the whole family. From apple picking and pumpkin patches to haunted houses and hay rides, here are some of the highlights you won’t want to miss this fall.
Please visit our Halloween Events and Fairs & Festivals pages for a full list of fall festivals and Halloween events and check out this list of Fall Activities and fun things to do.
Fall Bucket List
Anaheim Fall Festival & Halloween Parade
Downtown Anaheim
Broadway & Clementine, Anaheim, CA
For 100 years, Anaheim has celebrated the season with the Fall Festival and Halloween Parade. Guests 12 and under are invited to dress up in their Halloween best for the Kiddie Costume Contest and the best-dressed pets can join in the Halloween Pooch Pawrade. The parade travels along Center Street Promenade through Downtown ending at the Anaheim Packing House. The first Anaheim Halloween Parade was in 1924, led by baseball legends Babe Ruth and Walter Johnson. At the peak of popularity, the Anaheim parade drew nearly 150,000 spectators into the streets, and the event was televised in Los Angeles and Orange County.
Apple Picking in Oak Glen
12201 S. Oak Glen Road, Yucaipa, CA 92399
Labor Day – Thanksgiving Weekend
Saturday 11:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. & Sunday 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Weekdays by appointment only
Not in Orange County, but so close you can almost smell the cider. About an hour’s drive takes you to Oak Glen where you can enjoy one of the best fall traditions – apple picking. Riley’s Apple Farm is the original SoCal destination for this outing and they have more than just apples. Visitors can participate in a variety of activities (for a fee) including tomahawk and knife throwing, cider pressing, and archery. Enjoy a delicious lunch on weekends at the snack bar with BBQ chicken apple sausage, apple pie, sub sandwiches, cider floats, and raspberry shakes. Riley’s also features a gift shop and native wood for sale so you can stock up on logs for cozy fall evenings by the fireplace. There are several other ranches, orchards, and restaurants in the area to explore including Riley’s at Los Rios Rancho with picnic grounds and nature trails to explore.
Find more U-Pick fun at these SoCal U-Pick Farms, Orchards, and Tours.
Discovery Cube OC’s Annual Pumpkin Launch
Cal State Fullerton – 800 N. State College Blvd, Fullerton, CA
TBD
10:00 a.m. – 2:00 p.m.
Every year, Discovery Cube OC teams up with Cal State Fullerton for a smashing STEM event. Pumpkin Launch contestants use their engineering skills to build trebuchet machines that send the pumpkins sky-bound at the Cal State Fullerton Athletic Field. In addition to watching pumpkins launch and smash into targets, spectators will enjoy a variety of fun challenges and hands-on activities. Food trucks will be on site for visitors to purchase food and drinks at this fun annual event suitable for the whole family.
Fall Mini-Fests & Markets
Celebrate fall with seasonal activities, crafts, food, shopping, and music!
- Union Market Mission Viejo
- Bella Terra Huntington Beach
- City Of Westminster Fall Festival
Great Park Balloon Jack-O-Lantern
6950 Marine Way, Irvine, CA 92618
Guests are invited to the Orange County Great Park to see the big orange balloon transformed into a giant jack-o-lantern. Every year a large crane lifts balloon pilots up into the air to attach the black vinyl tarp to the side of the balloon. “Jack,” as the Great Park Pumpkin is affectionately known as, will remain in the park until November 1st.
Irvine Nights: Fall Fest
Orange County Great Park
Palm Court, Carousel Plaza & Hangar 244
8000 Great Park Blvd, Irvine, CA
Irvine Nights celebrates the best of Irvine. The event features vendors selling local & international gourmet snacks & foods, live music and entertainment, shopping, a kids zone with activities and inflatables, costume contests, dance parties, lawn games, and wine and beer. Attend the Fall Fest, or come to one of the other seasonal Irvine Nights events.
Irvine Global Village Festival
Orange County Great Park
6950 Marine Way, Irvine, CA
An annual tradition celebrating community diversity for 20 years, The Irvine Global Village Festival incorporates the best of Irvine and includes kids and family activities, local and global cuisine, art exhibits and an artisan’s marketplace, music, and more.
Turkey Trots and Fun Runs
There are many 5Ks, 10K, marathons, and fun runs happening during the fall season. See our list of events that are lined up this year.
Tanaka Farms Pumpkin Patch
5380 3/4 University Drive, Irvine, CA
Parking Passes are required. They are free Monday through Thursday, and Friday until 11:30 a.m. From 12PM Friday, and all day Saturday and Sunday, parking is $10.
Admission $10 per person
At Tanaka Farms, families can wander through the fields of one of Orange County’s largest pumpkin patches and choose their very own unique pumpkin. Get a full farm experience by adding on wagon hayrides; a petting zoo with goats, sheep, and an alpaca; a corn maze; and a u-pick vegetable patch.
More Pumpkin Patches
There are lots of fun pumpkin patches in and around Orange County to explore, play games, enjoy fall festivities, and pick your perfect pumpkin. Here’s a list of some of the best pumpkin patches OC has to offer.
Underwood Family Farms
Moorpark Farm Center
3370 Sunset Valley Road, Moorpark, CA
Somis Farm Center
5696 E. Los Angeles Ave, Somis, CA
Both farms are open year round
Located about ninety minutes from Orange County these farms offer a variety of activities year round including a Fall Harvest with many activities lined up. The Animal Centers have baby pigs, bunnies, ducks, sheep, alpacas, chickens, and numerous other animals. The Farm Markets carry the includes many types of pickled vegetables, honey, nuts, juices, dried beans, farm fresh eggs and much more. You can even Pick Your Own (PYO) roma tomatoes, oranges and a variety of berries. Wagon rides are available on a first come, first served basis plus farm tours and camps.
More Farm Fun
Looking for more farm fun? Here’s a list of family friendly farms open to the public in and around Orange County.
Want to have some down home farm experiences? Check out these places to hitch a hay ride.
If you like to take the kids to see the animals, check out these local Petting Zoos.
Haunted Orange County
Did you know Orange County has many many haunted locations? This fall go on a historical ghost walk and explore the paranormal. Ghost walks are available through Old Town Orange, Santa Ana, San Juan Capistrano, Black Star Canyon, Fairhaven Cemetery and the historic Kellogg House.
More Haunted Locations
Check out these places in Orange County with haunted histories including Los Rios Street, The Anaheim White House, the Red Cross House, and even Disneyland!
If you’re up for a drive, head out to Calico Ghost Town. During the month of October, they have two weekends of Calico Ghost Haunt with trick or treating, costume contests, pumpkin carving, a carnival area, live entertainment, and haunted attractions.
Oktoberfest
Biergarten at Old World Huntington Beach
7561 Center Avenue #49, Huntington Beach, CA 92647
This Oktoberfest is one of the oldest running Oktoberfest events in California and is held in a real Bavarian village. The Oktoberfest includes chicken dancing, amazing German food (voted “Best Bratwurst” in California), over 60 beers on tap, Oom pah pah bands, DJs, Dachshund races, The Biergarten Shotzie Girls, competitions, craft cocktails all in a 10,000 square foot open air Biergarten and ginormous Fest Hall. There are activities for both adults, families and kids including family nights and kinderfest.
The Phoenix Club in Anaheim also hosts a great Oktoberfest.
There are several other Oktoberfest events throughout the Orange County area during September and October. See our list of Oktoberfest celebrations for details.
Get Into The Halloween Spirit
Here are a few ways to make the most of spooky (and not so spooky) season:
- 50 Halloween Activities & Fun Things To Do
- Dia De Los Muertos Events
- Doll In The Hall (Takes Elf on the Shelf to a new level!)
- Halloween Games for Kids
- Halloween Time At Disneyland
- Knott’s Scary Farm and Camp Spooky
Embrace The Fall Season
- 50 Fun Fall Things To Do
- Go On A Fall Camping Trip
- Fall Programs with OC Parks
- Thanksgiving Volunteer Opportunities
- Volunteer Opportunities in OC
Related Articles
| Halloween Events In Orange County | Halloween Time at Disneyland & California Adventure |
| Knott’s Scary Farm | Best Places To Go Apple Picking |
| Oktoberfests in Orange County | Orange County 5Ks and Fun Runs |
