Long Island is often overlooked as a fall destination, which really makes it a hidden gem. With tons of places to catch fall foliage and enjoy festivals, you will be spoiled with a plethora of activities to enjoy on Long Island, New York. As a local, I am covering some of the best fall activities and festivals to add to your Long Island Bucket List!
The list includes fall activities for adults along with kid-friendly activities as well!
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Go Apple Picking
One of the best fall activities to do on Long Island is undoubtedly apple picking. Most apple-picking farms are located on the North Fork, and there are dozens to choose from. Some popular places include Lewin Farms, Harbes Family Farm and Apple Orchard, and Hank’s Pumpkin Town.
If you do U-pick apples at Lewin Farms, make sure to check out their farm stand and get their roasted corn!
You can learn more about apple orchards here!
Take Photos in the Sunflowers
Fall on Long Island can still feel somewhat summer-ish with sunflower fields generally still having some blooms. Many farms may even include pumpkin picking with their sunflowers. The sunflowers are always dependent on weather, but it is not out of the question that you can find sunflowers in October.
There are tons of sunflower farms you can check out here. One of my favorites is The Waterdrinker, which also has a brewery. During the fall, they have a fall festival as well!
Sip on Wine at the Vineyards
The summer crowds have gone, but the vineyards are still a great place to enjoy during the weekends. Fall is the start of some grape harvesting, which can be cool to watch as well. I just love the idea of sipping wine out in a vineyard on a crisp fall day, and there are just so many vineyards to choose from.
Furthermore, since many of the vineyards are located out on the North Fork, you can really make it a full day filled with fall festivities since many of the farms are also nearby. This means you can likely do apple picking, pumpkin picking, and vineyard sipping all in one day if you want to! Most vineyards also have live music on the weekends.
So, if hanging out at a vineyard sounds like it’s right up your alley, be sure to check out these top vineyards and wineries.
Go Leaf Peeping at the Planting Fields Arboretum
Many people think about experiencing fall in NYC, however, Long Island is really where it’s at. The island has tons of stunning parks and gardens, making leaf-peeping a one-of-a-kind experience. One of my favorite leaf-peeping spots is the Planting Fields Arboretum, located in Oyster Bay.
The Planting Fields is an Old Gold Coast Estate with exquisite gardens. While you should certainly come to see the fall colors, don’t miss out on the greenhouses or even a tour of Coe Hall.
The Planting Fields also has some events during the fall, including Tai Chi in the Garden, Yoga in the Garden, and the Planting Fields Fall 5k. You can see the events the Planting Field is planning here.
Enjoy a Fall Hike on Long Island
The fall is a great time to hike on Long Island. Although there are no mountains, there are still a plethora of trails to choose from. Some of the top places to go hiking include:
- Sunken Meadow State Park
- Massapequa Preserve
- Caleb Smith State Park
- Connetquot State Park
- Hempstead Lake Park
- The Long Island Greenbelt Trail (Heckscher State Park and ends in Sunken Meadow State Park: 32 miles)
Be sure to download the All Trails app so you can stay on the trail. Additionally, Long Island does have a deer population which means being wary of ticks is important.
Staying on the trail, wearing more tight-fitting clothing that covers all your skin, and tucking pants into socks help. Always make sure to do a full body tick check after hiking and wash your hiking clothes when you get home. If you do encounter a tick bite, check this NY Park Guide.
Hang out at the Pumpkin Patch
Thanks to all the farms across the island, visiting a pumpkin patch is a must. You can even personally pick your very own pumpkin from the vine. Hanks Pumpkintown, F&W Schmitt’s Family Farm, and Lewin Farms (U-pick) are some of the best places to check out.
Many of these pumpkin patches hold fall festivals as well, including petting zoos, corn mazes, and have food making it a perfect family-friendly fall activity!
Find pumpkin patches here!
Visit a Haunted House
The fall season is also spooky season, so if you dare to visit a haunted house, keep reading! Besides the fact that Long Island has real haunted houses, including the Amityville Horror House and Kings Park, we also have fun haunted popup attractions. Some haunted houses to include on your Long Island fall activities bucket list include:
- F&W Schmitt’s Family Farm Melville
- Chambers Of Hell Hauppauge
- Bayville Scream Park Bayville
- Darkness Rising Haunted House on Long Island Copiague
- The Milleridge Halloween Village
If I am missing any of your favorite haunted houses, please let me know in the comments so I can add them!
Experience Rise of the Jack O’Lantern
Rise of the Jack O’Lantern will have the longest Jack O’Lantern trail with over 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins. They are on their 10th annual season and will have the festival at Usdan Summer Camp for the Arts in Wheatley Heights, Long Island, New York. In previous years, the Rise was located at the Westbury Gardens.
Tickets are required to be purchased in advance, and dates sell out fast, so find your Rise tickets here.
See the Jack O’Lantern Blaze
One of the most popular fall activities on Long Island is easily the Jack O’Lantern Blaze. The event happens at the Old Bethpage Village Restoration, and you can expect to find over 7,000 hand-carved pumpkins lit up in fun designs. This event is great for people of all ages, just make sure to get your tickets in advance because it is very popular!
This year the event will run from October 4th – November 3, 2024.
Find tickets to the Blaze here!
Visit One of Long Islands Gardens
Keeping with the fall vibes, adding a Long Island garden to your list will offer you additional leaf-peeping, picnic options, and checking out the fall blooms. Who doesn’t love seeing rows of mums, am I right? I feel like gardens do not always come to mind, but we have some great ones, including the Bayard Cutting Arboretum and the Westbury Garden.
Get into the Halloween Spirit at The Witches Brew
If you love all things spooky season, here is a local gem for you! If you are from the Franklin Square area, you have most likely been to the Witches Brew for some coffee or treats, but if you’re not, you should totally add the Witches Brew to your list.
The decor alone gives you all the “Witch” vibes, and they have some really good pastries. Add it to the list!
Celebrate Oktoberfest at Plattduetsche Park Biergarten
If you really want to feel like a local to the Franklin Square area (Nassau County), you can even celebrate Oktoberfest at the Plattduetsche. The space is huge, and it gets very popular on the weekends. They also tend to have live music on the weekends as well.
Even if you miss Oktoberfest, which is October 4th through the 13th, you can still stop in for a drink. They are located super close to the Witches Brew!
Take Part in Long Island’s Restaurant Week
Where my foodies at? With prices being so high on Long Island, Restaurant Week is certainly welcome. It will be running from October 27th through November 3rd with Prix-Fixe menus.
The restaurants are spread across the Island from Nassau to Suffolk County. You can see a map and a list of participating Long Island restaurants here.
Visit the Fire Island Lighthouse on its Birthday
Coincidently, I visited the Fire Island Lighthouse on its birthday twice. Each time, they served free cake, and that cake was good. While I can’t promise cake during your visit, I can tell you that if you have never been to the Fire Island Lighthouse, you should definitely check it out!
Every time we visit, we see deer! The walk to the lighthouse is also really nice, and on a clear day, the views from the top of the lighthouse are beautiful!
If you visit from late September to early October, you can even catch the Fall Monarch Butterfly Migration!
The Fire Island Lighthouse Birthday is on November 2nd, so I suggest dressing warm since it is usually colder by the water. I recommend heading into field 5 and driving all the way to the left.
Catch the Fall Foliage at The Adventure Park
Want to swing around in all the fall foliage? Then, head over to Wheatley Heights to enjoy their ziplines! At The Adventure Park at Long Island, you can enjoy climbing and Ziplining across their 14 treetop trails.
This is also the perfect activity for families and they are located right in Wheatly Heights! For something a little different and unique, they even have Glow in the Park. Learn more on The Adventure Park website.
Oyster Festival in Oyster Bay, Long Island
Ok, sucking down Oysters doesn’t exactly scream fall, but it is one of the largest festivals on Long Island. In fact, the event sees around 150,000 people each year! The Oyster Bay Festival is known as one of the largest East Coast Waterfront festivals.
You can expect to find tons of street vendors, live music, carnival games, and of course, lots of Oyster shucking and seafood.
The festival is family-friendly, but make sure to wear your comfortable walking shoes and try to get there early! This year, the festival will happen on October 19th and 20th, 2024.
Eat at The Haunted House of Hamburgers (HHH)
Are you the kind of person who wants it to be Halloween all year round? Well, then head to Haunted House of Hamburgers in Farmingdale. They go all out with its decorations while still serving up some really good hamburgers.
I am not going to lie, they are a little on the pricey side, but it is an experience within itself! During the spooky season, it’s best to call and make a reservation.
Phone Number: (516) 777-1031
Craft Beer Fest at the Tanger Outlets
When the fall hits, Oktoberfest is upon us. So, if knowing there are 150 styles of beer sounds like your ultimate fall activity on Long Island, you should head to the Deer Park Tanger Outlets.
This year, the festival is happening on Saturday, October 14, 2023, from 1 PM – 4:30 PM! You can find more information and tickets here. Prost!
Haunted Candlelight Concerts on Long Island
In honor of Spooky Season, there will also be a handful of haunted Candle Light Concerts located out in the Hamptons. These concerts play classics that you will be sure to love including Thriller, Halloween theme song, and Ghostbusters.
Address: Canoe Place Inn & Cottages 239 East Montauk Highway, Hampton Bays, 11946-1601
Fall Activities Wrap-up
This concludes some of the best fall festivals and activities to add to your Long Island bucket list this season! Think I missed one? Let me know below!
If you found these activities helpful, I’d appreciate it if you could share it below!