Boo at the Zoo, Terhune's farm weekends and Warwick's apple picking all run through November 1, and Halloween falls on a Saturday this year. Start here for a farm outing, a foliage road trip or Halloween at home.
A farm outing
Stasht's Guide to Fall Days Out compares apple picking, pumpkin farms, free city festivals and a foliage route. It covers dates, booking rules and what admission includes.
In New Jersey, Terhune Orchards has no pick-your-own apples in 2026, but its Fall Family Fun Weekends run through November 1. Happy Day Farm in Manalapan has festival days on selected dates through November 8. New Jersey pumpkin farms: admission and pumpkin costs compares the two.
On the California coast, our guide to Half Moon Bay pumpkin patches compares Lemos Farm's timed ride passes with Farmer John's, where entry and parking are free and pumpkins are purchased separately.
In Texas, fall in Austin compares Uhland's weekend farm festival with an evening pumpkin trail at Pioneer Farms and a separate 21+ Halloween bar on South Lamar.
A foliage road trip
A Vermont and New Hampshire fall foliage road trip maps a one-way drive from Woodstock to Conway through Stowe, Franconia Notch and the Kancamagus Highway. The drive is about 201 miles, with roughly five hours of estimated driving before stops. Getting to Woodstock and getting home from Conway aren't included. The Kancamagus has no gas or services, so fill up in Lincoln. Before you pick a weekend, check the state foliage reports linked in that guide.
Halloween at home: a craft and a party dish
Stasht's Halloween guide compares four plans: the Village Halloween Parade, Boo at the Zoo, a paper craft at home and a make-ahead party dish. The guide also includes Halloween costume ideas from creators. For outings with children, Halloween with kids in NYC compares Boo at the Zoo, MCNY's Halloween day and a pumpkin evening in Croton-on-Hudson.
For a craft afternoon, ABCDee Learning's Halloween suncatchers are tissue paper pressed onto contact paper inside a cardstock outline, with no glue. 3 Halloween crafts for kids with paper and cardboard compares them with a paper-roll mummy and a paper witch.
For a party, Meg Quinn's pumpkin cheese ball needs at least four hours in the fridge, so you can make it ahead and keep it cold until guests arrive. Halloween party food compares it with crescent mummy dogs and marshmallow cheesecake cookies.
Hosting a football game instead? Game-day snacks compares a cheese-stuffed pull-apart football bread with a no-oven board of wings, chorizo and two cheeses.
For a Saturday at a bar, where to watch college football in NYC lists 12 Manhattan bars with addresses, including the five on Michigan's alumni watch party calendar and the two where Georgia's New York City chapter lists its watch parties.
Fall cooking
If a recipe left you with part of a can of pumpkin puree, our guide to leftover pumpkin puree breakfast recipes compares a French toast bake that takes 1/3 cup, pancakes that take 1/2 cup and mini muffins that take 3/4 cup, and gives USDA and Libby's storage times for the rest of the can.
These two savory pumpkin recipes for dinner each use 1 cup of canned purée: a pumpkin pasta Alfredo and a pumpkin black bean soup.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving food ideas: sides, desserts and leftovers compares sides to bring, pumpkin desserts beyond pie, six uses for leftovers and Melissa Clark's five-recipe menu for two.
Thanksgiving side dishes to bring compares a Honeycrisp apple and feta salad, garlic-chili green beans and olive oil mashed potatoes by what each needs from the host's kitchen.
Our comparison of Thanksgiving desserts that aren't pie covers pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, a roulade and a layer cake, with recipe yields and make-ahead notes.
For the days after Thanksgiving, Thanksgiving leftover recipes groups six ideas by ingredient, including turkey, mashed potatoes and cranberry sauce.
Fall dates to know
- Weekends, September 26–November 1, plus Monday, October 12: Boo at the Zoo at the Bronx Zoo, included with zoo admission or membership.
- Through Sunday, November 1: Warwick Valley Winery lists pick-your-own apples through this date, but frost can end some varieties sooner. Terhune Orchards Fall Family Fun Weekends also end that day.
- Saturday, October 31, 7 p.m.: The Village Halloween Parade in Manhattan. Anyone can watch, and anyone in costume can march.
- Selected dates through November 8: Festival days at Happy Day Farm in Manalapan.
New York and New Jersey dates checked September 25, 2026. Confirm on the organizer's page before you book or leave.
In London, Halloween at Kew runs October 16 to November 1 and Battersea Park Fireworks is November 7–8; both need tickets bought in advance. Autumn in London sets those two against parks, a garden and a cinema you can decide on nearer the time. London dates checked September 29, 2026.
Creators and sources
- New Jersey farms: @njmom's fall roundup
- Foliage route: @laxtoluxury on Instagram
- Suncatchers: @abcdeelearning on Instagram, full tutorial at ABCDee Learning
- Pumpkin cheese ball: @ainttooproudtomeg on Instagram, full recipe at Ain't Too Proud to Meg
- Current dates: the organizer pages linked above.
Related Stasht guides
- Stasht's Guide to Fall Days Out
- A Vermont and New Hampshire Fall Foliage Road Trip
- Halloween With Kids in NYC: Two Daytime Plans and a Pumpkin Night Nearby
- 3 Halloween Crafts for Kids With Paper and Cardboard
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