Just in case you’re not spending the entirety of your October and November weekends praying to the baseball deities or the football spirits, there are myriad ways for Marylanders of all ages to get outside and into the swing of autumn.
Our state has so many farms, mild weather this time of year, and such a wide range of topography from mountains to rivers and ocean, there are activities for nearly everyone to enjoy. Here’s a round-up of a small sampling around Baltimore and beyond for everyone to be able to plan a day trip whether you’re traveling solo, with a friend, or a group.
Summers Farm is in Frederick County, and their Fall Festival runs through October 31. Tickets include admissions to over 45 activities, including a Pumpkin Train, wagon rides to the pumpkin patch, and an Apple Blaster. Weekends include fireworks, pig races, clown shows, and more. Campfire reservations are also available.
The Maryland Corn Maze in Gambrills, Maryland has been confounding people for over a decade. This year’s theme is Super Heros! It’s over eight acres, has a game you can play on your phone as you go through, and you can be timed. They promise the corn maze is never haunted, though they recommend you bring a flashlight if you want to go through in the dark! If you get lost, they have a staff member in a tower watching at all times. You can give a yell or wave your flag (that they provide) and one of the Super Hero staff members will help you find your way! Lots of other activities are included in your admission, like ziplines, corn pits, tractor riding, a petting farm, and more.
At Butler’s Orchard Pumpkin Festival in Germantown, Maryland, you can learn about the history of farming, including the life-cycle of the pumpkin and how food is grown and harvested. Weekend reservations are STRONGLY recommended, as they sell out most weekend days. Admission includes picking your own pumpkin, hayrides, visits with “Barnyard Buddies,” a corn maze, a straw maze, live music, a spiderweb, cornhole, and more. Other activities like pony rides, face painting, and more are available at an additional cost.
Ladew Gardens in Monkton, Maryland hosts Garden Glow, a unique celebration of fall featuring illuminated sculptures, glowing jack o’ lanterns, music, food, and drinks. This event is traditionally sold out, and takes place Wednesday, Oct. 18 through Saturday, Oct. 21, 2023. The jack o’ lanterns are carved by artists, celebrities, local dignitaries, local businesses, and more. There are strolling musicians, family friendly educational activities, and local food, beer, wine, and spirits vendors.
Ever want to see an owl up close? In Davidson, Maryland, during Homestead Harvest Weekends you can experience a close-up visit with owls, hawks, falcons, and more with Liz Owens during Raptor’s Eye Live Birds of Prey on Oct. 7 and Oct. 14. Harvest Weekends run Saturdays and Sundays until Oct. 22, and include live music, baby goats, antique farm equipment displays, face painting, pony rides, pumpkin carving demos, and more.
Clark’s Elioak Farm Pumpkin Patch is open in Ellicott City from September through November for lots of fall fun. Their petting farm, hayrides, pony rides, cow train ride, Enchanted Express Train, Enchanted Forest attractions, and play areas are open daily. On the weekends, enjoy treats from Kettle Krazed, Pizza Krust, and Benji’s Ice Cream and Donuts. During the last weekend of October there will be Halloween costume parades.
In Parkville, Maryland, Weber’s Cider Mill Farm has daily activities that run through November. Admission includes hayrides, a Boo Barn, hillside slides, duck races, Tire Mountain, and more. On the weekends, there is live music, food trucks, caramel apples, face painting, balloon creations and more. Delectable goodies include freshly pressed apple cider and donuts. All tickets must be purchased in advance.
Knightongale Farm in Harwood, Maryland holds its Fall Festival, where you can pick a pumpkin as small as two pounds to as large as 50 pounds! There’s a corn maze, petting zoo, milking cow, moon bounce, and two 40-foot barrel slides. There’s Barnyard Basketball, a haybale roller, and food and drinks, all included with admission. There is discounted admission if you purchase your tickets online, and also for first responders, military, and seniors 65 and up.
Last, but certainly not least, if you’re in the mood to raise the hair on the back of your neck, pick a Friday or Saturday night in October or November to visit Old Ellicott City. They have haunted tours exploring history and tales of ghosts that inhabit the 250-year-old buildings in the former county seat. The Mount Misery tour takes people through the hills north of town, to the former circuit courthouse, the Patapsco Female Institute, a building that used to be an old jail, and more. The Haunted Main Street tour focuses on Main Street, which used to be home to four funeral homes, and is still home to the original B&O train station/museum. The tours last approximately 60-90 minutes, and are recommended for people ages 12 and above.
As each event location has its own rain, weather, and ticketing policies, please visit each website to determine those policies. You can find an even larger list of fall activities happening around Maryland by visiting the Maryland Office of Tourism.
