The end of September brought in the crisp, cold air of Fall, and you know what that means. It’s the time of year for pumpkin patches, baking, Halloween, and so much more. To get the most out of the Fall season, here are 5 Fall events and activities happening in San Luis Obispo that you don’t want to miss out on!
Pumpkin Patches
Starting with the timeless, classic fall activity: the pumpkin patch. Pick yourself up a pumpkin, grab a treat and browse the corn mazes, snap a few insta worthy pics and take in the beauty of this beautiful season. Here are two close-to-campus pumpkin patches that will satisfy your need for a classic fall pumpkin patch:
Brookshire Farms Pumpkin Patch, a 10-minute drive from the Cal Poly campus, has a multitude of activities to choose from: hayrides, inflatable slides, rubber duck races, a corn maze, and so many pumpkins to browse!
Avila Valley Barn, also a 10-minute drive from campus, is the perfect place to pick up a tasty treat. They have fresh-baked pies and pastries, a sweet shop, and a smoke shack! The classic hayride and maze are also present, as well as pony rides for the children.
Apple Picking
Apple orchards and fruit stands are great places to try the many different kinds of apples growing this time of year (or even some fresh apple cider). But why stop at just tasting when you could pick them yourself!
SLO Creek Farms, yet again a 10-minute drive from campus, is a U-pick apple stand along with herbs and flowers available to be rounded up as well. This cute farm has an array of lawn games as well; this is one you don’t want to miss!
See Canyon Fruit Ranch, 12 minutes out from campus, is the place to go for apple tasting. This family-owned-and-operated orchard has fresh jams, cider and apples to be tasted and hauled away back home to be used for snacking or baking. This is the perfect place to get seasonal snacks.
Downtown Farmers Market
The farmers market in downtown SLO never fails to bring on a night full of music, food, and shopping, but during the fall season, things manage to get even better. Two things to be on the lookout for this season are:
Seasonal Foods and Goodies, signature fall fruits and pastries are readily made available by vendors! Don’t forget to keep an eye out for pumpkin pie and other baked goods!
Halloween at the Farmers Market: kick off the Halloween weekend with costumes, trick or treating and much more. This event is on October 27th and starts at 5 pm– you don’t want to miss this classic!
Cambria Scarecrow Festival
About a 30-minute drive past Morro Bay, this is one of the farther activities, yet worth the drive if you can spare the day. The Cambria Scarecrow Festival takes place from October 1st to October 31st and is packed with things to do– just be prepared to be on your feet all day!
The Scarecrows: the stars of the event are none other than the hundreds of scarecrows in different poses, costumes and mediums all handmade! Vote on your favorite scarecrow after taking a gander at them and share some laughs at the funny poses and styles.
Shopping: local vendors and businesses set up shop right by the scarecrows. Pop into a booth or shop and see what they have to offer, take home some souvenirs and support small businesses!
Halloween Carnival and Haunted Maze
There are so many other events to see and do throughout fall here in SLO; the list could go on and on. I’ll end this Fall-tastic list with one more event you won’t want to miss. The City of Arroyo Grande Recreation Services Department is putting on a Halloween Carnival on Saturday, October 29 @ 4:30 pm (about a 20-minute drive from campus!) Fun for all ages, there will be an assortment of fun activities such as carnival games, cookie decorating, a haunted maze, a costume contest and a pumpkin decorating contest!
The Fall season brings in loads of fun events and activities to do with friends, family, loved ones or by yourself! SLO and its surrounding cities have many fun things to offer, so put on a coat and your favorite boots and get to exploring!