Demarest Farms in Hillsdale, New Jersey runs apple picking on timed online slots. Warwick Valley Winery in Warwick, New York sells a half bushel. Happy Day and Terhune add mazes and farm activities to a pumpkin outing. If you want a city plan instead, Brooklyn Bridge Park and San Francisco's Golden Gate Park each have a free fall festival on a specific date.
5 outing choices at a glance
| Region | Outing | Date constraint |
|---|---|---|
| Hillsdale NJ or Warwick NY | Apple picking | Demarest's booking calendar; Warwick September 5 to November 1 |
| Manalapan or Princeton NJ | Pumpkin festivals | Happy Day selected dates to November 8; Terhune weekends to November 1 |
| Brooklyn NY | Free Harvest Festival | October 17, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Eastern |
| San Francisco CA | Free German Day | September 27, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific |
| Vermont and New Hampshire | Foliage road trip | Allow for the drive, stops and changing conditions; no guaranteed peak date |
2026 dates checked September 21. Recheck the operator's page before booking or leaving.
Farm days: apples or pumpkins
Demarest Farms opened pick-your-own for the 2026 season on August 29. It requires a timed online slot and an apple-bag purchase with the booking. Use the linked booking calendar rather than the farm market's general hours.
Warwick Valley Winery lists pick-your-own from September 5 to November 1, 2026. Varieties shift with weather, harvest and frost, so no specific apple is guaranteed on any given weekend. Warwick charges admission per car and sells a half bushel of apples. Our guide to apple picking near NYC compares the bag sizes, admission and booking rules.
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 runs Fall Family Fun Weekends from September 12 to November 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Corn and hay mazes, wagon rides and the barnyard are included in admission; pumpkins cost extra unless you buy a package that includes one. 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.
2 free city festivals, one date each
Brooklyn Bridge Park's Harvest Festival is on October 17, 2026, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Pier 6. It is free, with music, crafts, storytelling and lawn games. Program details are still developing and the event is subject to weather changes, so check the park's listing again before you go.
German Day in Golden Gate Park is on September 27, 2026, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Pacific at the Band Shell and Music Concourse. It is free, no registration is needed, and there are activities for children. Food and drink are sold separately. This is a German cultural celebration with music and family activities. For a separate 21-and-over evening at Park Chalet on October 9, our San Francisco Oktoberfest events guide has the details.
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.
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.
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 is an additional plan from the park's own calendar.
Related Stasht guides
- Apple picking near NYC
- New Jersey pumpkin farms: admission and pumpkin costs
- San Francisco Oktoberfest events
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- Turn social media travel saves into a trip plan
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