While I love a New Jersey summer, fall may be my favorite time of year! The crisp chill in the air, cozy sweaters, vibrant fall foliage, and fun seasonal activities… it really is unmatched. Whether you’re looking to visit local farms to go pumpkin or apple picking, wander through a corn maze, or enjoy some leaf peeping, my Ultimate New Jersey Fall Bucket List 2026 has you covered! Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and TikTok for even more fun things to do throughout the season.
1. Go Pumpkin Picking
Here is a list of some of the many local New Jersey farms that offer pumpkin picking:
- BATTLEVIEW ORCHARDS – FREEHOLD
- RED WAGON FARM – MANALAPAN
- HAPPY DAY FARM – MANALAPAN
- SECOR FARMS – MAHWAH
- EASTMONT ORCHARDS – COLTS NECK
- WIGHTMAN FARMS – MORRISTOWN
- JOHNSON’S CORNER FARM – MEDFORD
- RIAMEDE FARM – CHESTER
- VON THUN FARMS – WASHINGTON & SOUTH BRUNSWICK
- ABMA’S FARM – WYCKOFF
- HEAVEN HILL FARM – VERNON
- CONKLIN FARM – MONTVILLE
- DUFFIELD’S FARM MARKET – SEWELL
- + MORE LOCATIONS
2. Go Apple Picking
Here is a list of some of the many local New Jersey orchards that offer apple picking:
- Riamede Farm – CHESTER
- Alstede Farms – CHESTER
- Melick’s Town Farm – Califon
- Windy Brow Farms – FREDON TOWNSHIP
- Ort Farms – LONG VALLEY
- Demarest Farms – HILLSDALE
- Wightman Farms – MORRISTOWN
- Tranquillity Farms – ALLAMUCHY
- + moRE LOCATIONS
3. Visit a Corn Maze
Here is a list of some of the many local New Jersey farms that have a corn maze:
- RED WAGON FARM – MONROE
- SECOR FARMS – MAHWAH
- TRANQUILLITY FARMS – ALLAMUCHY
- HAPPY DAY FARM – MANALAPAN
- ETSCH FARMS – MONROE
- STONE TAVERN ORCHARDS – CREAM RIDGE
- STONY HILL FARMS – CHESTER
- R & J FARM – EGG HARBOR CITY
- ALSTEDE FARMS – CHESTER
- DALTON FARMS – SWEDESBORO
- LENTINI FARMS – NEWTON
- + MORE LOCATIONS
4. Spend a Day or Weekend in Cape May
Cape May is my favorite town in New Jersey to visit year-round! October is a fantastic time to visit, as the town gets decorated for fall and Halloween. If you’re able to visit for a weekend, I highly recommend it, but a day trip works perfectly as well! I recommend checking out the Washington Street Mall, Congress Hall, the Victorian homes lining the streets, Revolution Rail Co. rail biking tours, Cape May Point State Park, Beach Plum Farm, and Sunset Beach.
5. Enjoy Fall Foliage Hikes at Palisades Interstate Park
Palisades Insterstate Park is an expansive outdoorsy area offering approximately 30 miles of hiking trails. It spans roughly 12 miles long and sits parallel to the Hudson River. The park starts in Fort Lee and makes it way up to the NY border right above Alpine. The top half of the below photo collage is from Fort Lee Historic Park, which offers picturesque views of the George Washington Bridge and city. The bottom half of the collage shows me enjoying the Peanut Leap Cascade Loop trail last October, which leads to a beautiful waterfall.
6. Hike VanCampens Glen Falls Trailhead
VanCampens Glen Falls Trailhead is a beautiful and relatively short hiking trail located within the Delaware Water Gap. The trail, nestled in Hardwick Township, is a little over 2 miles out-and-back, and leads to a waterfall. The hike is easy-to-moderate and makes for a perfect fall foliage outing!
7. Visit a Local County Park
New Jersey is home to the best county park systems! The parks are typically free to visit and can offer beautiful walking trails and fall foliage in October or early November. Check your preferred maps app to see which parks are closest to you! Some stand-out parks that I have visited include: Van Saun County Park (Paramus), Hartshorne Woods Park (Highlands), Saddle River County Park (Bergen County), and Thompson Park (Lincroft).
8. Visit The Historic Allaire Village
Allaire Village, located in Allaire State Park in Wall Township, is one of my favorite places to explore in the fall! The restored 19th century village is filled with charming historic buildings, some with active workshops and viewings, like a blacksmith. The village usually gets decorated nicely for the fall and Halloween, so I recommend spending an afternoon here this season.
9. Hike at High Point State Park
High Point State Park is truly beautiful with the fall foliage in October! Enjoy panoramic views and peaceful wooded trails.
10. Spend A Fall Day in Lambertville, NJ & New Hope, PA
Lambertville and New Hope are two very picturesque towns perfect for a fall day trip! Aside from walking around and shopping in downtown New Hope, you can absolutely include other Bucks County spots on your day trip, such as the charming Peddler’s Village. I would plan for a full day exploring the area!
11. Fall Festival at Happy Day Farm
Happy Day Farm in Manalapan is one of my favorite farms to visit in New Jersey! They do a wonderful fall festival that features a corn maze (this year’s maze is Dolly Parton themed), pumpkin picking, u-pick flower fields, photo-ops, and family-friendly games/activities. The Fall Festival kicks off on September 19th this year! Visit their website for more info and tickets.
12. Hike the Stairway to Heaven/Appalachian Trail Boardwalk
This is another fantastic hike to do in North Jersey! The Stairway to Heaven, located in Vernon, is a moderate-to-challenging trail featuring a steeper incline and some rocky terrain. The views are beautiful from the top, and the trail is also conveniently located by Heaven Hill Farm, which offers a bunch of fall festivities. For an easier trail, check out the Appalachian Trail Boardwalk, also located right by the farm. Note that free parking is very limited here, but there is sometimes a paid lot by the start of the trails across from the farm.
13. Visit NJ’s Largest U-Pick Sunflower Field
New Jersey’s largest U-Pick Sunflower Field is Holland Ridge Farms in Cream Ridge, NJ. This western Monmouth County farm is one of my go-to spots to visit every year! The flower fields span many acres and include a variety of blooms in addition to the sunflowers. The Fall Festival this year kicks off on September 10th. Visit their website for more info and tickets.
14. Get an Apple Cider Slush at Delicious Orchards
Delicious Orchards in Colts Neck, NJ is such an iconic local spot to check out. I’ve been going since I was a kid, and I just love to get fresh pies, cakes, produce, and more at this market store. They have a little café attached to the store that sells seasonal treats, such as an Apple Cider Slush in the fall… I recommend grabbing one if you’re in the area! They post consistently on Instagram, so check their page for updates on what will be available this year and when.
15. Do the Sky Ride & Mountain Coaster at Mountain Creek
Mountain Creek in Vernon, NJ is a great place to visit in the fall if you’re looking for vibrant fall foliage! They offer a thrilling mountain coaster plus a sky ride offering panoramic vistas. You can even go zip lining here, which I did back in 2023… so fun!
16. Nearby Day Trip: Untermyer Gardens
I wanted to shoutout Untermyer Gardens in Yonkers, NY on this list as it is a easy day trip from New Jersey, particularly Bergen County. It is free to visit this stunning garden, and you can easily spend 2-3 hours here enjoying the ambiance and walking trails. I visited last year and took the most beautiful fall photos! Donations appreciated.
17. Nearby Day Trip: Sleepy Hollow & Tarrytown
If you live in the Tri-State area, you are probably very familiar with the popularity of visiting Sleepy Hollow in the fall. Westchester County, NY is a very doable day trip from New Jersey, and it’s very festive and will give you all the fall/halloween vibes!
There are endless activities to do this fall in New Jersey! I hope my Ultimate New Jersey Fall Bucket List 2026 gives you some inspo. Leave a comment with your favorite fall activities to do. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and TikTok to see the best things to do in New Jersey this fall!
Leave a Reply