Goodbye bathing suits, "Hello" pumpkin spice everything!
The kids are back in school, and in between homework, playdates, and practices, we're also doing fun Fall festivities and Halloween activities. Keep the season FUN and find everything you need to fill your weekends in one easy place:
Apple Orchards + Pumpkin Patches
Fall Festivals
Autumn Day Trips + Weekend Getaways
Halloween Events and more!
For more seasonal ideas + daily inspiration, visit www.littleguidedetroit.com.
Here's to a FUN Fall ahead, KerryDoman+CarrieBudzinski
Pumpkins, Apples, and Carnivals - OH MY!
Let the Fall festivals + festivities begin.
SEPT 08-10
SEPT 08-10
SEPT 14 -17
SEPT 15 -17
SEPT 22 - 24
SEPT 30 - OCT 1
OCT 7 & 8
OCT 7
OCT 21 & 22
Plymouth Fall Festival
Art & Apples Festival Rochester
Troy Family Daze
Pumpkin Festival
Romulus
Victorian Festival Norville
Pumpkinfest South Lyon
Detroit Harvest Fest
Detroit Riverfront
Ford House Harvest Day
Macomb County HarvestFest
Corn mazes, petting zoos, and pumpkin patches – oh my! The golden leaves won’t last long, so bring your kids out for some family-friendly Fall fun!
Blake Farms (Armada + South Lyon)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
U-Pick Orchard
Wagon and Train Rides
Haunted Village
Zombie Paintball Safari
DeBuck’s Corn Maze and Pumpkin Patch (Belleville)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
Giant Slide and Jump Pad
The Blast Corn Maze (Dexter)
Corn Maze
Pumpkins
Cow Train
Wagon and Barrel Train Rides
Farm Animals
Cider and Donuts
Farm Animals
Cider and Donuts
Pedal Car Track
Cider and Donuts
Spicer's Orchard (Fenton)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
U-Pick Apple Orchard
Bonadeo Farms (Highland)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
Hayrides
Kackleberry Farm (Monroe)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
Farm Animals
Hayrides and Train Rides
Farm Animals and Pony Rides
Cider and Donuts
Haunted Houses
Cider and Donuts
Wagon and Barrel Train Rides
Rubber Duck Races
Cider and Donuts
Three Cedars Farm (Plymouth)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
Farm Animals
Wiard's Orchard (Ypsilanti)
Corn Maze
Pumpkin Patch
U-Pick Apples
Hay and Train Rides
Barn Yard Play Land
Cider and Donuts
Farm Animals
Wagon and Fire Engine Rides
Inflatables
Mini Golf
Pedal Tractor Races
Cider and Donuts
Three
Stony Creek Orchard (Romeo)
Westview Orchards (Washington
Wiard's Orchard (Ypsilanti)
Get your costumes ready for a season full of ghosts, goblins, and of course - lots of goodies this Halloween!
Brick or Treat (Auburn Hills)
Fall Fun Fest (Macomb)
Hallowe'en (Dearborn)
Harvestfest (Detroit)
Zoo Boo (Royal Oak)
Ghosts & Goodies Train (Flint)
Trek or Treat (Ypsilanti)
Friendly Forest (Clarkston)
Trick or Treat (Livonia)
Halloween Walk (Plymouth)
Fall Fest & Panther Hunt (Wixom)
Trick-Or-Treat Trail (Milford)
Halloween Town (Centerline)
Spook-tacular (Northville)
Shadows From the Past (Livonia)
Tots Halloween (Harrison Twp)
Trick-Or-Treat (Rochester)
Trick-or-Treat Trail (White Lake)
Little Goblins (Grosse Pointe)
Trick or Treat (Canton)
Treats at the Beach (Harrison Twp)
Spooktacular (Royal Oak)
Pumpkin Palooza (Plymouth)
Trick or Treat Trail (Clinton Twp)
ARARENightmare(Roseville)
Trick-or-TreatFarm(Ray)
HalloweenHoot(BeverlyHills)
StreetsofTreats(Northville)
TrickorTreatStroll(Berkley)
ThrillsattheMills(Dexter)
DSO'sYouthSpooktacular(Detroit)
TheLegendofSleepyHowell
TrickorTreat(Dearborn)
BooBashHayride(Farmington)
HalloweenFestivities(Birmingham)
Trick-or-Treat(WestBloomfield)
Set
We’re teaming up with Southeast Michigan Ford Dealers to share the top playgrounds that are well worth the drive.
Ella Mae
Power Park, Novi
Innovation Hills, Rochester Hills
Macomb Corners, Macomb
Brandenburg Park, New Baltimore
Stony Creek Metropark, Shelby Township
Traumatic brain injuries happen suddenly and without warning. They are serious injuries that need urgent medical attention because they could leave individuals with irreversible disabilities or worse – death Fortunately, Traumatic Brain Injuries can be preventable, here is how you can keep you and your family safe.
Always wear a helmet (kids AND adults)
Make sure your helmet has no cracks (inside or out) and that the pads are still inside
Check the expiration date, helmets expire after 5 years
Parker Mill County Park (1 mile) –
Ann Arbor
Island Lake Trail (4 miles) –Brighton
Hines Drive (19.5 miles) –Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Westland, Livonia & Northville
Dequindre Cut (2 miles) – Detroit
Detroit Riverwalk (3.5 miles)
Kensington Metropark Trail (8.5 miles) – Milford
Polly Ann Trail (14.2 miles) – Orion
Township, Oxford Township, Village of Oxford, Addison
Township, & Village of Leonard
Clinton River Trail (16 miles) –
Rochester Hills, Sylvan Lake, Pontiac, Auburn Hills
West Bloomfield Trail (7 miles) –
West Bloomfield, Orchard Lake, Keego Harbor & Sylvan Lake
with Ford and find festive fun in different cities across metro Detroit!
Plymouth starts the season with its annual Fall Festival (September 8-11) and in October Scarecrows in The Park take over the Kellogg Park for fun photo-ops
Visit with animals, go on a wagon ride and pick up sweet treats at Plymouth Orchards. You can also find seasonal treats at Dairy-Go-Round Get tickets early for Halloween events at The Art Attic and Plymouth Historical Museum.
Each year thousands flock to Romeo for the spooktacular decorations put up by residents on Tillson Street. Visit day or night throughout October for a frighteningly good time. Downtown Romeo is also getting into the fun, with special events throughout October for Screechfest Round out the trip with the best BBQ at Jayell Smoke House.
Photocredit:NancyRudnik
Take a picture perfect stroll down Pumpkin Lane (Boxford St) Downriver. The neighbors have come together for a magical Fall experience. Afterwards, visit the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge for a walk to admire the changing leaves.
Stock up on cider and donuts at Parmenters and then stroll through downtown for Skeletons Are Alive, a city street takeover of boney characters.
Find train and tractor rides, corn mazes, pumpkin patches and more at Three Cedars Farm and Maybury Farm. Northville is the place to check off all your Fall bucket list activities.
Plan a donut crawl through Rochester this fall. Home to four cider mills, you can make memories checking out the popular hot spots and picking out your family's family.
Goodison Cider Mill
Paint Creek Cider Mill
Rochester Cider Mill
Yates Cider Mill
Art Prize in Grand Rapids, changing leaves at Dow Gardens in Midland and Oktoberfest in Frankenmuth. You don't have to go far to find Fall fun. The sweet escape can feel especailly nice before the hustle and bustle of the holidays.
The world’s most attended art event takes place all over downtown Grand Rapids every fall – and kids love it!
With 650 works of art spread over three square miles, ArtPrize is basically a big scavenger hunt to find pieces that speak to you. Kids tend to gravitate to the biggest, most colorful and whimsical pieces, but ArtPrize is also a great opportunity to expose them to a wide range of creative expression – from paintings and sculpture to music and performance art.
One of the coolest things about ArtPrize is that visitor votes determine the winners of $200,000 in prize money. You have to be at least 13 years of age to vote but you can certainly ask your younger kids’ opinions before you cast your smartphone ballot. Get them started on the road to art appreciation by asking them why they like or dislike the things they’ve seen and how the art makes them feel. You’ll also want to keep your smartphone handy for the endless photo ops of your kids with art.
Much of the art on display is outdoors and easily accessible by strollers. Free, stroller-friendly DASH buses circulate throughout the ArtPrize area to save time and conserve your family’s energy. When it’s time for a break, head to the ArtPrize Oasis, an outdoor riverfront space featuring relaxing seating, awesome art installations and yard games. Refuel with a snack or meal at any of 140+ downtown restaurants, many of which host ArtPrize entries. Or visit the weekend of Sept. 15-17 for the Art of Food Festival and enjoy delicious selections from 30+ of the area’s best food trucks.
Some of downtown’s kid-friendly museums are also ArtPrize venues. Come for the art, stay to explore the fascinating exhibits at the Grand Rapids Art Museum, Grand Rapids Children’s Museum, Grand Rapids Public Museum and Grand Rapids African Museum & Archives. The Children’s Museum opens a new exhibit, Xavier Riddle and the Secret Museum, based on the popular PBS KIDS series, on Sept. 16.
Downtown is also the site of the Hot Wheels Monster Trucks Live Glow Party Sept. 15 & 16, and Brickworld Grand Rapids, featuring amazing LEGO displays and interactive play stations, from Sept. 22-24. The Broadway musical Funny Girl, appropriate for ages 10 and up, comes to town from Sept. 19-24. Disney’s Encanto: The Sing Along Film Concert, suitable for all ages, will be presented Sept. 25.
ArtPrize kicks off the evening of Sept. 14 with a family-friendly party in downtown’s Ah-Nab-Awen Park, on the banks of the Grand River. The event will feature games, art installations, food trucks and a performance of Squonk’s Brouhaha, an immersive outdoor spectacle bursting with rollicking music, dazzling imagery and the thrill of audience participation. The evening closes with a sensational fireworks show over the river.
It's just the start of 18 days of fun for the whole family – plan your visit now!
Let the kids bounce off the walls, just not your own at an indoor play place. Here are the best indoor amusement centers for all different ages to enjoy.
Launch (Ann Arbor)
242 Community Center (Ann Arbor)
Peppa Pig World of Play (Auburn Hills)
Legoland Discovery Center (Auburn Hills)
Fascination Factory (Brimingham)
Airborne (Brighton + Taylor)
SkyZone (Canton)
Fairytale Fun Place (Clarkston)
DEFY Detroit (Commerce)
Kidcadia (Dearborn)
Jungle Java (Farmington Hills)
Castaway Play (Howell)
Bounce It Up (Livonia)
Urban Air (Livonia + Sterling Heights)
Dinoland (Madison Heights)
Kids Gotta Play (New Hudson)
Stemville (Northville)
Ward Playscape (Northville)
Fun-Zonez (Redford)
Baxter's Cafe (Riverview)
Rochester Play (Rochester)
Airtime (Sterling Heights + Westland)
Troy Gymnastics (Troy)
Yoyo's Fun Center (Westland)
Rev'd Up Fun (Woodhaven)
WENJOY ENDLESS FUN + FAMILY FIELD TRIPS ALL YEAR LONG WITH A MUSEUM MEMBERSHIP
Discover the wonder of the natural world and develop a better understanding of the ways in which science impacts our lives each day at Cranbrook Institute of Science.
$13 GA / $75 membership
A can’t miss hands-on museum Explore history, check out the automotive gallery, and test your senses at science exhibits that will keep you entertained for HOURS!
$14 GA /$99 membership
Check out over 220+ interactive permentant exhibits that allow kids to explore space, learn about engineering, watch physics in action on the Science Stage and more!
$18 GA / $99 membership
The best part of being with kids is that they don't need much to have fun. What looks like a tractor ride in a field to a grown up, is an exciting adventure for littles who haven't fully grasped the concept of time or distance. Keep it simple and have a good time on a hayride this fall. Here are venues that offer tractor rides:
Bowers School Farm (Bloomfield Hills)
Corn Fun (Casco)
Heritage Park (Farmington Hills)
Kensington Farm Center (Milford)
Maybury Farm (Northville)
Stony Creek Metropark (Shelby Township)
Marshbank Park (West Bloomfield)
Wiard's Orchard (Ypsilanti)
Step away from the screens and take your kids to a stage show for in-person excitment they won't soon forget - get your tickets today!
Disney On Ice: Sept. 21 - 24
Discover the hero inside us all when Disney On Ice returns with the magical adventures of our favorite Disney stars brought to life like never before. Little Caesars Arena, Detroit
Cinderella: Oct. 6
An enchanting story for all ages with a wonderful dose of humor, majesty of classical ballet and the promise of “happily ever after”. Music Hall, Detroit
Disney Junior Live: Oct. 20
Dress up and join the party with Spidey friends, Doc McStuffins, Puppy Dog Pals, SuperKitties and more in “Disney Junior Live On Tour: Costume Palooza” Fox Theatre, Detroit
Peppa Pig's Sing-A-Long : Nov. 5
Join Peppa on an exciting camping trip in the woods with George and her school friends, including Pedro Pony, Suzy Sheep, and Gerald Giraffe. Fox Theatre, Detroit
Mrs. Doubtfire: Nov. 14 - 26
Everyone’s favorite Scottish nanny is headed to Detroit in a new hit musical that brings the movie classic to the stage. Fisher Theatre, Detroit
Frozen: Nov. 29 - Dec. 17
Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, and Olaf are taking to the stage and telling the tale of Arendelle to a Detroit audience. Fisher Theatre, Detroit
The best thing about Fall in Michigan is the changing colors. So pack up the kids for a road trip on the most beautiful drives (and weekend getaways) in Michigan!
Take M-25 from Port Huron, past Lexington and all the way around the thumb, through Port Austin to Bay City for a drive full of fall colors and picturesque views of Lake Huron.
Take a drive along Lake Michigan to explore quaint coastal villages, such as Union Pier and St. Joseph. This area is known for its agriculture with plenty of U-pick farms, like Nye’s Apple Barn, that is the perfect pit stop for pie, cider, and more fresh treats!
Travel through dense forests and quaint towns to Copper Harbor to take in the stunning view of Michigan’s fall colors and Lake Superior. From Copper Harbor, enjoy the 9.5 mile Brockway Mountain Drive around Lake Superior, the highest above sea-level drive between the Rockies and Alleghenies and an official Michigan Wildlife Viewing Area.
CR 513 leads from the small town of Bessemer to the Lake Superior shore. Once a wagon supply route to the area’s iron mines, the 15-mile route is surrounded by one million acres of the Ottawa National Forest and it is an explosion of color in the Fall.
This famed stretch offers 116 miles of Lake Michigan’s picturesque coast - from Manistee to Traverse City. Road trippers can make a pit stop at must-see Michigan destinations, including Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Inspiration Point, and Point Betsie Lighthouse.
DeBuck's Corn Maze
(Belleville)
Corn Fun (Casco)
Blast Corn Maze (Dexter)
Spicer Orchards (Fenton)
Porter's Orchard (Goodrich)
Bonadeo Farms (Highland)
Kackleberry Farm (Monroe)
Maybury Farm
(Northville)
Blake Farms
(South Lyon)
Best Maze (Williamston)
Blake Farms (Armada + South Lyon)
Hy's Cider Mill (Bruce)
Kapernick Orchards (Britton)
Long Family Orchard (Commerce)
Spicer Orchard (Fenton)
Wasem Fruit Farm (Milan)
Stony Creek Orchard (Romeo)
Westview Orchards (Washington)
Wiard's Orchard (Ypsilanti)
School is back in session, the weather is cooling down, and there's a brief break before the yearend holiday festivities. Take it slow and don't miss out on these seasonal favorites.
eat
plan a road trip
relax next to a bonfire at home or at a special event
get 'lost' in a corn maze
go to a pumpkin patch
U-pick apples