Fall is a great time to be in North Carolina. This year we put together a list of our favorite things to do this fall. From enjoying pumpkin patches and Halloween festivities with your family to driving around with that special someone spotting colorful leaves all around our region, you will find plenty of fall activities to keep you busy throughout our state.
Celebrate America’s pioneer heritage and the Hart Square mission of preserving and sharing while practicing social distancing at the 35th Annual Festival at Hart Square. Some of this year’s highlights include a 1790 grist mill in action, cotton ginning on a pre-civil war Eli Whitney cotton gin, two historic church services with foot-pump organ music, a Native American village brought to life through storytelling, the largest collection of Catawba Valley pottery, an 1840 wood-framed groundhog kiln heating up to 2000 degrees Fahrenheit, Cabin Fever Ale specially made at Hart Square on their 1760 grist mill, a printing press in action, the art of gunsmithing along with a gun collection from pioneer days, metalworking at the farrier, blacksmith or wheelwright’s shop, moonshining at the hidden liquor still, ten different old-time bands spread out on front porches and stages, a rare original slave cabin, actual descendants of the cabins whose histories they will present to visitors attending the festival, civil war era doctors’ tools, home hearth, and open trail cooking and student volunteers reenacting in a one-room schoolhouse. For more info and to purchase a limited number of tickets available this year visit their website.
Over 5,000 pumpkins come to life in this adventurous Halloween experience for the entire family. From the safety and comfort of your own vehicle, journey into a magical hollow where you’ll be swept up in an enchanted adventure as you drive along a breathtaking route of incredible jack-o-lantern displays, stopping along the way for immersive theatrical scenes starring characters from stories and movies that we all know and love. This interactive experience is guaranteed to be safe, spooky, and fun for all ages. We promise you will be dancing in your seats, laughing, gasping with wonder, and screaming “Happy Halloween” at the top of your lungs.
This fall, join the NC Glass Center and the local glass community for their first annual Pumpkin Patch. Stop by to pick out your very own hand-blown glass pumpkin from their carefully curated patch. Then stick around to check out additional handmade fall items and more harvest fun. Every purchase helps support the non-profit North Carolina Glass Center as well as 30+ very talented and skilled local glass artists in North Carolina.
If you are looking to social distance alongside ghosts and goblins, check out this Ghost Walk of Old Wilmington.
Enjoy a number of fall activities at Carrigan Farms, including apple and pumpkin picking and the popular “Scarrigan” haunted trail. Experience this 100-year old family farm that grows local fresh fruits and vegetables and sells them directly to the consumer.
“Raleigh Tot Spots” shared their favorite family farms and corn mazes for those looking to enjoy outdoor social distancing activities with their toddlers. For more information on these various locations in the triangle area visit their website.
Ever wonder when to view leaves at their peak times at different locations and elevations throughout North Carolina? Here is a great guide by High Country of North Caronlina to help you plan your next visit to each location.
If you are visiting the 4-county Hickory Metro Region, you’ll find these 7 best recommended places for viewing the changing colors of leaves while traveling through the NC Foothills this fall season.
Solve the Morganton mystery of the brown mountain lights. Local folklore suggests that the lights are paranormal in nature, including tales of tragedy for early settlers and Native Americans. Scientists have tried to apply a more reasoned approach suggesting something like natural gasses as the cause. Despite multiple theories, no one has been able to bring forward any evidence to solve this mystery.
For a unique and unforgettable experience, reserve your very own private star-watching party with a total of up to (8) people at the Bare Dark Sky Observatory.
Faced with the uncertainty of holding in-person performances during the fall, the Appalachian State University Department of Theatre and Dance has created its own virtual stage and a slate of seven unique performance opportunities for students and the public. By partnering with other organizations to develop new performances and selecting original work from other artists, faculty are offering a line-up that includes the timely COVID Chronicles monologues, a throw-back radio drama of Dracula with WASU-FM, a student dance showcase, and an internationally curated dance film festival. Learn more about these online entertaining performances which are taking place now through November.
If you’re looking to enjoy an outdoor music concert, check out Charlotte Motor Speedway’s October Outdoor Concert Series.
With so many outdoor movie options popping up this year, stop by one of Asheville’s newest locations with upcoming dates of all their outdoor movies and silent cinemas in October:
- THU, OCT 15 – Silent Cinema: Scream 8pm
- MON, OCT 19 – Hocus Pocus 6:30pm
- THU, OCT 22 – Silent Cinema: Rocky Horror Picture Show 8pm
- SUN, OCT 25 – Star Wars IV: A New Hope 5pm
- MON, OCT 26 – The Addams Family 6:30pm
- For more information visit Rabbit Rabbit Outdoor Cinema Series
For a “reel” treat, gather your little ghosts & goblins this Halloween Eve for a special outdoor showing of “Coco” at West Park After Dark Drive-In Movie Theater in Wilksboro.
Check out these additional favorite regional outdoor drive-in movie theaters:
- Hound’s Drive-In Theater
- Raleigh Road Outdoor Theater
- Other Drive-In & Outdoor Theater Options (Scroll down list for October listings)
High Country of North Carolina shared 15 of their favorite 2020 fall bucket list activities.
Asheville has so many things to do and see this fall that we just couldn’t list them all, but you can find everything to see and do right here.
Don’t forget to check out Charlotte’s Ultimate Fall Shopping Guide and all the great things to do in Charlotte at any time of the year at www.charlottesgotalot.com.
VisitNC has the broadest listing of North Carolina fall activities throughout our state and you can even filter activities and attractions by region or city when searching their countless lists of things to do.
Don’t forget to take advantage of wonderful savings at all of our area partner hotels. Whether driving through the region with your family while on vacation this fall or shopping at Hickory Furniture Mart, check out our Shop & Stay packages and furniture shopper discounted rates here. If you are traveling with your family through Hickory on vacation and want to enjoy the area for a few days, contact Tracey Trimble at [email protected] to customize your very own hotel package with area hotels, restaurants, and attractions.