Stasht's Guide to Fall Days Out

Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick, New York lists apple picking through November 8, subject to weather and harvest, and sells a half bushel. Demarest Farms' apple picking is closed for the season, as checked October 23. Happy Day and Terhune add mazes and farm activities to a pumpkin outing.

3 outing choices at a glance

Region	Outing	Date constraint
RegionWarwick NY	OutingApple picking	Date constraintWarwick lists September 5 to November 8; recheck conditions. Demarest in Hillsdale NJ is closed for apple picking.
RegionManalapan or Princeton NJ	OutingPumpkin festivals	Date constraintHappy Day selected dates to November 8; Terhune encore weekend November 6–8
RegionVermont and New Hampshire	OutingFoliage road trip	Date constraintAllow for the drive, stops and changing conditions; no guaranteed peak date

2026 dates checked September 21; Brooklyn festival details rechecked October 5; San Francisco's October 9 date reviewed as past on October 12; Brooklyn's October 17 date reviewed as past on October 19; Warwick, Happy Day, Terhune, Kew and Battersea dates rechecked November 4. Recheck the operator's page before booking or leaving.

Farm days: apples or pumpkins

Demarest Farms says apple picking is closed for the season, as checked October 23, 2026. Its market hours are not evidence that picking is available. The apple-picking guide below keeps the earlier prices and booking terms for reference.

Warwick Valley Winery lists pick-your-own from September 5 to November 8, 2026. Varieties shift with weather, harvest and frost, so no specific apple is guaranteed on any given weekend. Warwick listed a per-car admission through November 1 and sells a half bushel of apples; check the car charge for later dates. Our guide to apple picking near NYC covers Warwick's listed costs and keeps Demarest's earlier prices and booking terms as historical reference.

Happy Day Farm in Manalapan runs on selected dates from September 19 to November 8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4 p.m. Festival admission covers activities; pumpkins cost extra, and purchases in the fields are cash only. The farm states that its uneven terrain is not wheelchair accessible.

Terhune Orchards in Princeton scheduled Fall Family Fun Weekends from September 12 to November 1 and has added an encore weekend, Friday through Sunday, November 6–8, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Corn and hay mazes, wagon rides and the barnyard are included in admission; pumpkins cost extra. A package with one small pumpkin was sold earlier in the season but wasn't on the ticket page on November 4. Terhune has no pick-your-own apples in 2026 after an April freeze. You can buy apples there, but you cannot pick them.

For ticket ages, what's included and what pumpkins cost, see New Jersey pumpkin farms: admission and pumpkin costs.

Planning from the Bay Area instead? Half Moon Bay pumpkin patches covers two farms on the San Mateo County coast: Lemos Farm, which sells timed passes for rides and a petting zoo, and Farmer John's, which charges no entry or parking fee.

In Austin, our guide to fall pumpkin outings and Halloween nights compares the 2026 schedules for Uhland Fall Fest's weekend farm day and Pumpkin Nights' evening trail at Pioneer Farms; both were listed through November 1, and those dates have passed.

City events: Brooklyn and San Francisco dates passed

Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival was scheduled for October 17, 2026, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pier 6. That date has passed.

In San Francisco, both dates we covered have passed: German Day in Golden Gate Park, a free German cultural celebration, was scheduled for September 27, 2026, and Park Chalet's 21-and-over Oktoberfest evening for October 9, 2026. Our San Francisco Oktoberfest events guide keeps what the organizers listed, for reference.

Vermont and New Hampshire: leave room for a road trip

If one day isn't enough, our one-way route links Woodstock, Waterbury and Stowe, Franconia and Lincoln, the Kancamagus, and Conway — about 201 miles and five model-estimated driving hours. That estimate covers moving time only: no stops, traffic, weather, or the trip from home and back. There's no fixed number of days, so stretch it to suit you. Check the Vermont and New Hampshire foliage reports for changing conditions rather than a guaranteed peak.

Read the Vermont and New Hampshire fall foliage road trip guide.

In London instead

It's a separate plan for anyone spending the autumn in London. Halloween at Kew's 2026 dates, October 16 to November 1, have passed; Kew cancelled the October 23 evening because of severe weather. Battersea Park Fireworks (November 7–8) sells tickets in advance only, with none at the gate. Check Electric Cinema Portobello's screenings and book a seat once you've picked a film. Richmond Park, Regent's Park and Dalston Eastern Curve Garden don't need a fixed date. Autumn in London compares all six.

Before you book

Budget the round trip, not just the drive out. Check the selected date's admission, what your ticket includes and whether picking requires a separate purchase.

Recheck weather and the operator's listing before you go. If mobility is a factor, ask about the route you would actually be walking, not just whether the venue is described as family-friendly. Happy Day explicitly says its terrain is not wheelchair accessible; do not assume another farm's paths will work for your group without checking.

Our comparison of Bay Area Halloween events after dark with kids covers the 2026 schedules for Nightfall at Filoli in Woodside and the Great Big BOO! at Gilroy Gardens; both were listed through November 1, and those dates have passed.

Creators and sources

Original outing leads came from @allseasonsplaytime, @njmom and @bayareawilson. Current details come from the operators linked above; Brooklyn Bridge Park's festival date came from the park's own calendar.

Related Stasht guides

• Stasht's Guide to Fall: Days Out and Halloween
• Apple picking near NYC
• New Jersey pumpkin farms: admission and pumpkin costs
• San Francisco Oktoberfest events
• How to stop missing events saved on Instagram
• Turn social media travel saves into a trip plan

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