While it’s not “officially” fall yet, it’s never too early to start planning out your fall festivities. All across Texas, people are planning out their visits to pumpkin patches, corn mazes, festivals, and much more.
In this month’s post, we look at some of the top fall activities across the state that you should consider checking out.
Wurstfest/Oktoberfest
Want to explore a little bit of Texas’ German heritage? Take in either Wurstfest in New Braunfels or Oktoberfest in Fredericksburg to get the full German experience. Celebrate with German food, music, beers and culture while you get out of the major cities for a bit and explore the Hill Country area.
Can’t make it to the Hill Country? Don’t worry – many cities have some variation of these festivals, with one of the biggest “non-Hill Country” Oktoberfest events held annually in Fort Worth.
State Fair of Texas
Unless you’re completely new to Texas, you’re probably familiar with the State Fair of Texas, if for nothing other than Big Tex and the creative ways of frying food that get introduced every year. Oh, and there’s this little thing called the Red River Showdown that happens during the Fair, too. Make your way up to the Dallas area to take in all the sights, sounds, tastes, and smells that the Fair brings!
Austin City Limits
Looking for a little bit more of a musical experience in the fall? Austin City Limits is the go-to for you, then. The annual festival has hosted a myriad of artists, including names like Willie Nelson, George Strait, Eminem, Drake, Radiohead, Lizzo, Billie Eillish, Stevie Nicks, Outkast, The Foo Fighters, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Metallica and Paul McCartney. Get your tickets early, and plan to be out in the sun all day, but for any music fan, ACL is an experience like few others.
Fall Foliage Trips
Who says you can’t get the true fall foliage experience in Texas? There are several places across the state that feature trees that turn beautiful orange, red, and brown shades during the early weeks of fall. Make a trip out to Garner State Park or Lost Maples State Natural Area in the Hill Country, Daingerfield State Park or Lake Bob Sandlin State Park in the Piney Woods, McKinney Falls State Park in the Austin area, or Dinosaur Valley State Park in North Texas for some of the best foliage in the state.
Dia De Los Muertos
Texas just wouldn’t be Texas without our Mexican-inspired cultural aspects. As such, Dia de los Muertos celebrations can be found all across the state. Some of the biggest are found in San Antonio, Corpus Christi, Austin, Denton, and Houston.
Halloween Theme Park Events
Every year, theme parks across the state celebrate Halloween with spook-tacular events during the month of October. Make your way out to SeaWorld, Six Flags Fiesta Texas, Kemah Boardwalk or Great Wolf Lodge to get your thrills and chills all wrapped up in one neat little fall experience!
Corn Maze / Pumpkin Patch
Celebrate the season with some fall fun at some of the local corn mazes and pumpkin patches. They pop up all across the state each year, and this will be no different. Some of the state’s top corn mazes can be found in Hondo, Katy, Bastrop, Canton, and Flower Mound. For pumpkin patches, there are so many available that it’s usually best to do a Google search in your area to find a patch nearby!
Camp Big Bend or Palo Duro Canyon
Love being outdoors but hate the sweltering Texas summer heat? Fall does tend to offer slightly cooler days, crisper evenings and earlier sunsets without the occasional extreme weather that comes in the winter months. If you’ve been putting off a trip to Big Bend or Palo Duro Canyon due to the intense heat, the fall could be a great time to bust out those hiking boots, dust off the old sleeping bags, and pack up the tend and cooler. Camping in these beautiful, natural areas can be a true bucket-list type of experience, and is much more tolerable when the temperatures aren’t in the 105• range.
Take in a Local Fair/Festival
With a state as big as Texas, there’s almost always a plethora of fairs, festivals and events going on all at the same time. Due to the cooler weather and tendency of families to stay home and travel less, fall offers a ton of local events that you can take in. We couldn’t possibly list them all here, so you’d be best to check your local listings to see what’s going on in your area.
However, there area a handful of events that we can strongly recommend checking out if you’re in the area, such as the Cotton and Crude Festival in Levelland, the Possum Fest in Possum Kingdom, the Fall Foliage Festival in Canadian, Grapefest in Grapevine, Pumpkin Nights in Austin or Arlington, Pie Fest in Cisco, Turkeyfest in Cuero, Texas State Forest Festival in Lufkin, Utopiafest in Burnet, or Pumpkinfest in Mesquite.
Haunted Houses
You knew this one had to be on here, right? If you’re a fan of frights and chills, there are haunted houses to be found all across the state. Check out local options online, and be sure to look at reviews to get an idea of the intensity and quality of the experience. You’ll also want to cognizant of taking any children with you, depending on their ages and what feels appropriate for them.