Fall Activities & Fun Ideas in Lansing + Beyond 2021
Changing of the leaves, brisk weather in the mornings with cozy sweaters and warm apple cider – the transition into fall and fall activities helps remind us why we love Michigan’s seasons.
To quote Fraulein Maria in the ‘Sound of Music,’ “then I don’t feel so bad” heading into the colder months. In fact, we can actually get excited about it!
From hayrides, apple, and pumpkin picking, to beach trips, hiking, and fall activities, there are so many things to do during Fall in Lansing.
Fall Activities: Festivals and Events
Go to a Fall Event or Festival
Apple Butter Festivals, hayrides, drinking hot apple cider while the kids enjoy fall activities – that is fall in Lansing, right?!
Here’s a list of festivals and events you’ll want to mark your calendar for.
Fall Events and Festivals listed below:
Fall Festivals and Events in Fowlerville, MI
Annual Fall Festival
Fowlerville Fairgrounds
Crafts for all ages, Village Tours, Bicycle Races, Food Vendors, Wagon Rides, Craft Sales, Kids Games, Train Rides, Model Train Display, Blacksmith Display, Raffle, Live Entertainment and more!
8800 W Grand River Rd
Fowlerville, MI 48836
Map It
Fall Festivals and Events in St Johns, MI
Uncle John's Fall Festival Weekends
Uncle John's Cider Mill
Every Saturday & Sunday, Sept 18-Oct 31. Live music, food trucks, & fall activities!
8614 N US-127
St Johns, MI 48879
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Fall Festivals and Events in Perry, MI
Special Needs Harvest Festival
Graham Church
Annual big party for those with special needs (all ages) and for those who care for them. Fun, Games, Prizes, Horse Rides, Food/drink, Pictures, Hayrides, Bounce houses, etc.
7320 W Beard Rd
Perry, MI 48872
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Fall Festivals and Events in Williamston, MI
Bestmaze Corn Maze Opening
Bestmaze Corn Maze
Open Friday-Sunday, Sept 24-Oct 31. Tickets are $7/person, age 4 & under are free.
3803 Noble Rd
Williamston, MI 48895
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Fall Festivals and Events in Howell, MI
Fall Family Friday: Night Hike & Campfire
Howell Nature Center
Enjoy an evening hike through the woods, learning how our different senses help us navigate in the dark! Then enjoy songs, cider, and donuts by the campfire. $12/person
1005 Triangle Lake Rd
Howell, MI 48843
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Fall Festivals and Events in St Johns, MI
Central Great Lakes Weigh-Off
Andy T's Farm Market
Join us to see who will take home this year's title of the Biggest Pumpkin and Vegetables in the Central Great Lakes Region.
3131 US-127 BUS
St Johns, MI 48879
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Fall Festivals and Events in Marshall, MI
Haunted Adventure
Cornwell's Turkeyville
Every Saturday & Sunday in October. Join us for a day of fun spooky adventures. Ticket includes haunted barn, spooky hay ride and corn maze. Apple cider and homemade donuts are available also.
18935 15 1/2 Mile Rd
Marshall, MI 49068
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Fall Festivals and Events in Mason, MI
Shawhaven Farm Corn Maze Opening
Shawhaven Farm
October 2-31. Enjoy our 8 acre corn maze & over 2 dozen varieties of pumpkins!
1826 Rolfe Rd
Mason, MI 48854
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Fall Festivals and Events in Grand Ledge, MI
Grand Ledge Fall Fest
Jaycee Park, Island Park, Bridge Street Plaza and Fitzgerald Field
Join us for a day of crafters, vendors and fall fun! Free and open to the public.
Grand Ledge, MI
Map It
Fall Activities: Orchards, Hay Rides, & Corn Mazes
Explore a Corn Maze
Here are a few Lansing area pumpkin patch farms with corn mazes: Shawhaven Farm, BestCorn Maze, Uncle John’s Cider Mill. Another right of passage for fall, right!?
» Find more farms with corn mazes
Pick Pumpkins & Apples
Picking out the perfect pumpkin and creating all kinds of apple dishes are highlights for most Lansing families. It’s a real treat going to get them straight from the farm.
» Find pumpkin patches in and around Lansing
» Find u-pick apples and apple tree farms
Support and Shop the Local Farmers Markets
Most Lansing farmer’s markets end their seasons in October and November making this a very fun fall activity plus, a great way to support local. Many include orchards and farms selling lovely fall produce.
*Note: a couple are year-round locations!
» Find a Farmers Market
Fall Activities: Bucket List
It’s time to break out the big knit sweaters, drink hot cups of hot chocolate or coffee on the porch, and take walks in the brisk wind around town.
Take the Cider & Donut Trail
Deliciousness awaits around every corner of Lansing and beyond!
» Cider and donut shops
See The Changing Colors
It’s no secret that we have tons of trails and hiking destinations around Lansing. Many connect to each other and you could hike for days! But the great thing about these places in the fall is the variety of colors that show up on each trail!
Because of the different types of trees present, some are in vibrant yellow, others in magnificent orange, and some in a rainbow of reds galore!
Find fall color tours:
» The Lansing River Trails
» Nature Centers
» Fitzgerald Park Ledges and Trails
» Hawk Island
» Lansing Parks all over town
Visit Uncle John’s Cider Mill
There’s always something fun going on at Uncle John’s Cider Mill, especially during fall.
You can stop by to eat donuts, drink cider, pick pumpkins, jump on the big jumping pillow, watch the cider mill in action, and the list goes on!
They also host epic events through the fall season.
» Uncle John’s Cider Mill
8614 N. US-127,
St Johns, MI 48879
Kayak or Boat to see the Fall Colors
Paddling along the river and lakes while the leaves are changing, you’ll see Lansing in a whole new way.
» Find kayak and boat rentals in Lansing
Bike the trails
Get your bike out! If you need to rent a bike, here are some great places around town:
» Riverfront Cycle
507 E Shiawassee St,
Lansing, MI 48912
» River Town Adventures
305 City Market Dr,
Lansing, MI 48912
» MSU Bike Service Center
Bessey Hall
434 Farm Ln Room B10,
East Lansing, MI 48824
Play at a Park or Playground
We love parks in the fall. Hours of play + less hot sticky weather + brisk breeze = little to no complaining.
» Make your own park bucket list using this guide
Visit the Potter Park Zoo
The big draw to Potter Park in the fall is Boo at the Zoo! Seeing the animals at Potter Park Zoo during any time in the fall though, is what we consider one of the best times to visit!
The cooler weather brings out the fun and playfulness of the animals and their interaction with visitors makes this place a blast.
*FREE admission for Ingham county residents on non-holiday Mondays from 9 am-Noon.
» 21 reasons to visit Potter Park Zoo year-round
1301 S Pennsylvania Ave,
Lansing, MI 48912
Walk the Gardens
Fall is an awesome time to visit garden grounds! Lansing has gardens all over the city, from the community to MSU projects.
The MSU arboretum has several gardens in one, and the children’s garden has interactive play throughout. The other gardens have their own unique flare and in the fall can transport you to what feels like another world.
» Find a map to visit MSU Children’s Garden & Horticulture Gardens
1066 Bogue St,
East Lansing, MI 48823
» Cooley Gardens & Scott Sunken Gardens
125 W Malcolm X St,
Lansing, MI 48933
» LCC Shigematsu Memorial Japanese Garden
598 N Capitol Ave,
Lansing, MI 48933
Explore a Nature Center
Each nature center in our area is fabulous. They each have many year-round interactive opportunities for kids and families.
Fenner Nature Center holds the Apple Butter Festival every year and it’s a fall must-do!
» Find a Nature Center
Fun at Capitol Area BMX
Get out on the bike track at Capitol Area BMX or just watch all of the action and fun from Nip N’ Sip.
» Capitol Area BMX
2809 N East St,
Lansing, MI 48906
Play a Game of Disc Golf
There are courses all around town and this is so much fun! If you haven’t been before here’s all you need to know to get started:
» Find where and how to disc golf in Lansing
Try Mini Golfing at The Falcon’s Epic Course
Mini Golfing at The Falcon is Hawk Hallow’s amazing nine-hole links-style golf course.
p.s. don’t forget the bug spray!
» The Falcon Course at Hawk Hallow
15101 Chandler Rd,
Bath Twp, MI 48808
Feed the Horses
Visit and feed Horses at the MSU horse barns.
Bring the horses apples and whole carrots only and enjoy a peaceful day with these gorgeous animals.
» MSU Horse Barns & Teaching Center
3327 Collins Rd,
Lansing, MI 48910
Relax in Horrocks’ Beer Garden
Go to Horrocks in the fall is like a wonderland of cozy vibes and delicious smells. Their Beer Garden entrance is one of the best ways to spend a fall evening.
There’s room to be socially distanced outside where you can enjoy the relaxing atmosphere with a bevy and food of choice.
Plus shop their seasonal food, plants, and amazing atmosphere.
» Horrocks Farmers Market
7420 W Saginaw Hwy,
Lansing, MI 48917
Try Horseback Riding
Fall is such a nice time to go horseback riding because of the breezy weather and tree color changes.
» Sundance Riding Stables
9250 Nixon Rd,
Grand Ledge, MI 48837
» Northfork Farms and Outback
3637 Morrice Rd,
Webberville, MI 48892
Take the Lansing River Trail and Explore Downtown, Old Town, & REO Town Lansing
Start your stroll near Brenke Fish Ladder then stroll around Old Town. Then continue on the riverfront trail to Downtown and on to REO Town for more fall fun and shops to explore.
» Things to do in Downtown, Old Town, & REO Town
Feed the Fish at Preuss Pets
Feed the Koi Fish in both the outdoor and indoor ponds at Preuss Pets.
Also, we were so excited to hear from a Preuss employee that petting koi is totally a thing! It’s fun for ALL and just $1. While you’re there try petting the fish!
» Visit Animals and feed the fish at Preuss Pets
1127 N Cedar St,
Lansing, MI 48906
Watch a Movie at the Drive-In
Drive-In Movie theatres are all over Michigan. This family favorite has made a comeback as of recent and we hope it never goes away!
» Find a Drive-in movie theatre
Spartan Tailgating
Brisk air and Autumn vibes mean football season has arrived! Who’s ready to scream Go Green! Go, White!?
» Tips on Tailgating with the Family
Go on a boating or Tubing Adventure
You can tube down the Muskegon River with Wisner Rents Canoes and many more that stay open through the fall!
» Find tubing options on this unbeatable list
Take a Fall Road Trip
As the leaves are changing, fall is one of the most entertaining times to take a road trip. Here are some places where the destination is pretty great during this time, as well: »
The Beach
» Find a beach on the West and East Coasts for your fall trip
Detroit
» Find more ideas of epic places to visit in Detroit
Grand Rapids
» Find great fall ideas while you’re there
Kalamazoo
» Use this Fall Fun guide while visiting.
Traverse City area
» Use my free guide for your fall trip.
Fall Activities: Halloween
Celebrate and dress up for Halloween!
Lansing doesn’t play around when it comes to Halloween, find the daily fun listed here.
Halloween Fun in Lansing
There are several ways to celebrate Halloween in Lansing. Trick or Treat activities, Trunk or Treats, Events, and the list goes on.
Here’s the Hub to get you started:
» Halloween in Lansing Hub
Fall Activities: ArtPrize
ArtPrize is in full effect this year from September 16 – October 3, 2021. A trip to downtown Grand Rapids to see ArtPrize in the fall is something our family looks forward to.
Stay tuned for our top pick and must-sees this year!
Stay Connected this Fall with the LFF Newsletter
We’d love to keep you up to date during this Fall season. Stay in the know each week with the twice-monthly LFF newsletter.
This is where you’ll get highlights and fun tidbits. It’s also a great way for us to stay connected as a parent community.
Have a great Fall Season, Lansing!