Written by Ali Dillingham & Angie Teed
Fall in Indiana is a great time to plan an adventure, take a trip to a local festival, or stay indoors and enjoy time with the family. We have helped with the planning, making a list of 100 of our favorite activities around the state. From high jumps at Urban Air to picking pumpkins, and apple orchards to archery, we hope you find some fun things to do in fall in Indianapolis!
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Adventures
Urban Air
Featuring activities from dodgeball to a ropes course to battle beams and trampolines, Urban Air Adventure Park is a fun indoor playground for the entire family. Offering year-round activities, Urban Air also has special hours for little ones and those with sensory needs. They have locations in Franklin and Noblesville. Check out the Urban Air Adventure Park website for details on hours and admission.
Archery
Try your hand at archery at the Koteewei Range: Sport & Target Archery Center. No experience or equipment is necessary, but you do need to make reservations 24 hours in advance, so plan ahead if you are interested in heading to the range. The Strawtown Koteewei Park also offers trails, a natural history museum, and zip lines if you want to make an afternoon out of your adventure.
Rock Climbing
Do your kids love climbing? Introduce them to rock climbing at Columbus Rock Gym, Hoosier Heights, or Climb Time Indy.
Horseback Riding
Enjoy gorgeous fall views through wooded trails on a guided horseback ride. Travel through 100 acres of wooded trails at Crown Haven Center, located an hour north of Indy. Options for guided horseback riding closer to Indy are available at Koteewi Equine Experience, Nature Valley Ranch, and Fort Harrison State Park.
Ziplining
Admire fall leaves from a different angle, ziplining through Eagle Creek Park or Koteewi Aerial Adventures. If you have a child under the age of 7 years, be sure to check the website before you visit, as each park has different minimum age and weight requirements.
Train Ride
Take a train ride on the Nickel Plate Express. Revel in all the fall colors north of Indy on the Fall Foliage Express or pretend you’re off to school on the Wizard Express. Train rides depart from Noblesville.
Golf with the Whole Crew
Everyone can try golfing at venues like TopGolf in Fishers or Back 9 Golf and Entertainment in downtown Indy. If you haven’t experienced these high-tech golf games with your family yet, maybe fall break is your chance. Weather isn’t an issue here – all the bays are covered and temperature-controlled, so you can play no matter what the fall weather throws at you.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Fall Classics
The Children’s Museum Haunted House
Lights on or off? You choose at The Children’s Museum’s Guild Haunted House, Welcome to BOOville. Celebrating 59 years, the Children’s Museum Guild Haunted House is a fall classic. This year, visitors should prepare for a spooky visit to BOOville, where Halloween villains reside during their time off. Additional fall activities at the Children’s Museum include Sports Spooktacular, Friendly Feast with the Witches, and an adults-only ‘Halloween After Dark.’
Conner Prairie Headless Horseman
Stay wary on the Prairie while looking for the headless horseman on a haunted hayride through Conner Prairie. The festival includes scary storytelling, midway games, a corn maze, magic shows, and more. Do you have a Conner Prairie membership? Your festival admission is free!
Zoo Boo at the Indianapolis Zoo
Dress up and head to ZooBoo to enjoy your favorite animals, Halloween activities, and festive decorations. Wander the trick-or-treat trail, take a ride on the Spooktacular Train Ride, or opt for adult-only fun during an Adult Trick or Treat Trail. Refer to the Zoo website for details.
Haunted Happenings
Choose from a variety of spooktacular events around the state hosted by the Indiana State Museum. From Night at the Boo Bash at the State Museum to Ghost Stories under the October Sky at the T.C. Steelle site in Nashville, Indiana, there are offerings for all ages and locations.
Football Game
Get dressed in your spirit wear and attend a local school’s football game. Enjoy the atmosphere, competition, cheers, halftime show, and treats.
Trunk-or-Treat
Dress up in your Halloween costume before the big day and collect some treats. There are plenty of dates and locations all across the city to attend several Trunk-or-Treats this season.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Farm Fun
Local Honey
Tour the honey barn, take a hayride, and learn about all things honey at Hunter’s Honey Farm. Try the different flavored honey sticks for a fun treat to take home.
Apple Orchards
Pick apples at one of the orchards around town including Tuttle Orchards in Greenfield, Stuckey Farms in Sheridan, or Anderson Orchard in Mooresville. We have included a link to some more of our favorite picks.
Hayrides
Take a hayride, pick pumpkins, climb the straw mountain, visit farm animals, and have fun at the kid zone at Piney Acres Farm. Several Indianapolis parks even offer public hayrides for groups or individuals throughout the fall season, including Southeastway Park and Eagle Creek Park.
Pumpkin Patches
Featuring pumpkins, miniature golf, a petting zoo, pedal carts, and a huge inflatable slide, you can make a day of your visit to Russell Farms. Admission to the farm includes all attractions.
Dig in Corn
Visit Kelsay Farms and dig in a barn full of corn kernels. You can also jump on the jump pad, visit the animals, challenge yourself with a corn maze, climb a straw bale mountain, or ride the Moo Choo Express.
Fire a Corn Cannon
Check out Lark Ranch to launch ears of corn at over 60 miles per hour. With your ticket, you can also enjoy rides, a corn maze, a slide mountain, pedal go-karts, and a pumpkin patch.
Fishers Agripark
Visit this 33-acre park that is actually a farm. At the Fishers Agripark, you can talk to the animals, play on the playground complete with a mud kitchen, walk the nature trail, and more.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Festivals
Artspark Fall Festival
Attend the ARTSPARK Locally Made: Fall Festival, featuring pumpkin carving, beaded bracelets, printmaking, and wool pumpkin bouncy balls. The Artspark Fall Fest is held at the Indianapolis Art Center.
Dog Daze
Dress up your pup and bring them to Dog Daze at the Maze at Beasley’s Orchards. Beasley’s Orchard also has a pumpkin patch, corn maze, apple cannons, and a barnyard bonanza.
Let’s Can Hunger
Visit Stuckey Farm during their Cider Fest, Pumpkin Fest, or Let’s Can Hunger! food drive. See the Stucky Farm website for dates and details.
Pumpkin Harvest
Check out the wide range of family activities found at Dull’s Tree Farm Pumpkin Harvest. It features a corn maze, pumpkin patch, and over 40 activities, all included with admission.
Scarecrow Madness
Drive around Johnson County to support a good cause and find 100+ scarecrows decorated by residents and businesses. There is a map and FB page with pinned locations of the scarecrows. You can also purchase your own kit to design a scarecrow and join the tour.
Waterman’s Fall Harvest Festival
Take a trip to Waterman’s Farm either in Greenwood or at their Raymond Street location, and you’ll find hayrides, straw mountains, a human hamster wheel, and more. Tyranny, the pumpkin-chomping dinosaur, is a fan favorite and only at the Raymond Street location.
Hoosier Fall Festival
Visit the Johnson County Fairgrounds on October 21 and 22 for the Hoosier Fall Festival. Explore vendor booths, animals, and bounce houses. Sit down with a meal from the food trucks and enjoy live music.
Harvest Nights
Wander the paths on the Newfields grounds and find thousands of glowing pumpkins. You’ll also see an eerie Ghost Train and Mischief Manor at the Lilly House mansion. Purchase tickets before you go.
Sullivan Express to PumpkinTown
Ride the Sullivan Express through the Enchanted Forest to Pumpkintown. Enjoy exploring Pumpkintown, seeing the local magician, trick or treating, and photo opportunities before re-boarding the train. Purchase tickets in advance.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Sweet Treats
Apple Cider Slushies at Anderson Orchard
Visit Anderson Orchard in Mooresville and enjoy an apple cider slushie. You can also pick your own apples, find a pumpkin, and play on the playground while you’re there.
Apple Donuts at Apple Works
Apple pies, apple bars, and apple dumplings are all popular treats at Apple Works. Try the apple donuts for an extra special treat, but be sure to check that they’re in stock before you go.
Chocolate Tasting
Enjoy four distinct chocolate flavors crafted at SoChatti. Located at the Circle City Industrial Center, this chocolate shop features a tasting room where you can try their signature chocolates, make drop candies, or sign up for a kids’ class.
Caramel Apple Dip
Gather cream cheese, toffee bits, caramel, and sugar to make this sweet treat with your kids. Enjoy it for a snack or dessert, or share it with neighbors.
Trail Mix
Follow a recipe or make up your own for a fun fall trail mix. Use candy corn, candy pumpkins, peanuts, raisins, pretzels, chocolate candy, and more.
Pumpkin Dip
Kids love this simple recipe using pumpkin, cool whip, cinnamon, sugar, and cream cheese. Mix it all together and serve with graham crackers, apples, or snacks of your choice.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Get Outside
Corn Mazes
Try to find your way through the three corn mazes at Conner Prairie. They have a kids’ maze for the little ones, a puzzle maze for family-friendly fun, and a haunted maze inspired by local ghost stories and legends. After you conquer the mazes, visit the Conner Prairie Apple Store for a sweet treat.
Outdoor Art
Explore The Virginia B. Fairbanks Art & Nature Park: 100 Acres at Newfields. The park includes woodlands, wetlands, a 35-acre lake, and amazing outdoor art. 
Hikes
Hike at a local park. Use the time outside to talk about the animals in the woods, weather, and safety. If you have preschoolers or elementary-aged kids, print out a scavenger hunt list and put it on a clipboard so they can find items on your nature walk. Don’t want to bother with a paper? ‘‘I Spy’ makes for an easy on-the-go game to keep kids engaged and walking.
Creek Stomp
Put on some boots, pack a towel, and head to one of these parks to have fun stomping in the water. We asked parents for their list of favorite places to take their kids to go creek stomping.
Scavenger Hunt
Go on a colorful leaf scavenger hunt. Read We’re Going On a Leaf Hunt by Steve Metzger, then grab a bag and head outdoors to find some leaves of your own. Depending on your child’s age, you can challenge them to find a specific number, color, size, or type of leaf. When you are finished, you can glue the leaves on paper and decorate to remember your adventure. The Arboretum at Crown Hill Cemetery is a unique place for a leaf hunt. You’ll find a huge variety and learn some history on the way!
Pumpkins
Carve pumpkins or break out paints and let your kids paint. However you choose to decorate your pumpkins, the kids are sure to have fun. If you choose to carve, you can save the seeds and roast them.
Bike Ride
Take a family bike ride around your neighborhood or take a trek on one of the great trails around town. If you opt to ride in a park or neighborhood, you could play ‘Follow the Leader,’ or ‘Turtle Race.’ To play ‘Turtle Race,’ decide on a spot and see who can ride the slowest to it without placing down a foot.
S’mores
Have the kids help find sticks to gather to make a fire. If you are feeling adventurous, add Reese’s cups or Nutella to the usual marshmallow, chocolate bar, and graham cracker s’more combination.
Leaf Pile
If your kids are old enough, they can help rake a pile big enough for an epic jump. If you have little ones, you can spread the leaves into a maze or make smaller piles leading to one big pile. If you have a pup, everyone can pitch in to make one big pile for the dog to enjoy.
Mini Golf
Enjoy the cooler weather and play a round of putt-putt with the family. Check out some of our favorite courses around town.
Take a StoryWalk®
Many local parks, including parks in Fishers, Plainfield, and Greenwood have a StoryWalk® along the walking trails. Read a page with your kids, then do the activities it suggests as you walk to the next page. It’s exercise and a story at the same time.
Disc Golf
Grab some discs, or simple frisbees, and visit a nearby disc golf course. Modify the distance to the holes for younger players.
Pumpkin STEM
Using small candy pumpkins or pumpkin jellies and toothpicks, see who can build the tallest structure. You could also cut open pumpkins to examine the parts and count the seeds.
Plant Flowers
Visit a local greenhouse and plant some fall flowers in your yard. Plant bulbs such as tulips and daffodils now and reap the benefits in the spring.
Fishing
Pick up some bait, grab your fishing poles, and spend some time fishing. There are plenty of local parks that make great fishing spots.
Chalk the Walk
Make fall drawings in your driveway with chalk. You could even make chalk paint by mixing 1 cup of water and 1 cup of cornstarch, then pouring it into a muffin pan. Color each cup with food coloring colors of your choice and paint away.
Constellations
Download a star-gazing app such as SkyView Lite and take your kids outside when it gets dark. You’ll be able to point out the Big Dipper, Orion, and maybe even a planet or two.
Foursquare
Gather four or more players and a soft ball. Use four squares already imprinted into the concrete of your driveway, or draw your own with chalk. Rank the squares one through four, and take turns bouncing the ball in your opponents’ squares. Don’t let the ball bounce more than once!
Marian University Ecolab
Visit this 75-acre nature area on Marian’s campus where you can walk paths and look for birds, flowers, and beavers. Check out their website for information on upcoming events such as bird walks and hikes.
Outdoor Movie
The fall temperatures and early sunsets make fall a perfect time for outdoor movies. Find one at a local park or make your own spooky movie party at home.
Foot Golf
Substitute a golf ball with a soccer ball, use your legs instead of clubs, and you have foot golf. Try it at Woodside Golf in Greenwood.
Pickleball
Find two pickleball paddles, a ball, and two to four people, and play pickleball, a game similar to tennis. There are courts, both inside and outside, throughout central Indiana.
Watch a Sunset
Fall sunset colors are some of the best. How often do you get to just sit and watch it? Spread out a picnic blanket and enjoy.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Indoor Fun
Applesauce
Make homemade applesauce. If you have apples from the orchard (or store), try some of these 20+ apple recipes.
Taste Test
Get a variety of apples and have an apple taste test. Encourage your kids to describe each one before selecting a favorite.
Tea Party
Find some fancy cups and saucers and throw an apple cider ‘tea’ party. Dress up in fancy clothes or bring out stuffed animals and dolls if you want a few more guests.
Cider Stand
If you have entrepreneurs, they can try their hand at running a cider stand. Swap out the lemonade sign for cider and let the kids do the work.
Read a Book
Head to your local library and check out their selection of fall-themed books. Some good fall titles include When the Leaf Blew In by Steve Metzger and I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed Some Leaves by Lucille Colandro.
Pajama Day
Nowhere to go for the day? Wear pajamas all day long. Kids love avoiding the chore of getting dressed.
Indoor Picnic
Avoid the pesky bees and bring your picnic indoors. Spread out a blanket and feast on your favorite picnic food.
Family Campout
Bring out the tent or even just the sleeping bags and have a campout! Sleep in your backyard, on the porch, or even in your living room. Make a real or pretend campfire for extra fun.
Decorate for Halloween
Fall break is the perfect time to put the kids to work and get out all those Halloween decorations. Have your kids find the perfect spot for all those pumpkins, spider webs, candy corn lights, and other items you’ve collected over the years.
Van Gogh Experience at Newfields
Visit Newfields The Lume Van Gogh Experience through the end of November and find an interactive gallery filled with Van Gogh’s art. There are even snacks inspired by the works of Van Gogh.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Get Crafty
Leaf Rubbings
Break out the crayons, grab some leaves from the backyard, put the leaves between two pieces of paper, and make some leaf rubbings. Plain white copy paper works best, as it is thin enough to show details of the leaf. Place the veins of the leaf up, and cover it with a piece of paper. Use the side of an unwrapped crayon to apply pressure on top of the paper, to allow the detail of the leaf to appear.
Googly Eyes
Want to see your kids giggle? Surprise them by putting some sticky googly eyes on apples, pumpkins, leaves, etc. It makes for a fun craft and lots of laughs.
Acorn Creations
Collect acorns, heat up the hot glue gun (adult part), and make acorn animals/people. You can add paint, sticks, pinecones, and paper to make arms, feet, or wings.
Yarn Spider Webs
Give kids a ball of yarn. Let them wrap around door knobs, furniture, banisters, and other items in the house to make spiders’ webs. Can they manage to stay out of their own webs?
Door Décor
Let the kids help decorate the front door. With trick-or-treaters coming in a couple of weeks, their hard work and creative spirit will be appreciated by those coming to your door.
Pumpkin Pie Play-Dough
Make your own play dough. It smells as delicious as pie. Older children can help with measuring and mixing while little ones can help stir and play.
Ingredients:
- 15 oz can of pumpkin
- 3 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 ½ cups of cornstarch (adjust as needed)
Directions:
Mix the pumpkin and pumpkin pie spice. Slowly add the cornstarch, stirring as you add. Once the dough reaches the desired consistency, knead it with your hands. You can use pie pans, cookie cutters, plates, and more during pretend play. Have fun playing!
Tie Dye
If the weather is nice, head outside with buckets, plastic bags, gloves, rubber bands, bottles of dye, and whatever you want to tie-dye. Natural fibers hold dye best, and it is recommended you wash items before dyeing. Prefer to make your own tie-dye creations without the mess? Then we recommend visiting the Tye Dye Lab in Avon.
Cardboard Fun
Give your kids some cardboard boxes and let them get to work. They could make garages for hot wheel cars, a library drop box, a rocketship, a house, or whatever their imaginations desire.
Apple Stamping
Cut a couple of apples in half and gather some washable paint and cardstock paper. Have your kids dip the apple in the paint and use it as a stamper. They can even brush the paint on the apples to make different patterns.
Pine Cone Bird Feeders
Tie some string on the top of the pine cone to make a loop. Then, spread peanut butter all over the pinecone and dip it in birdseed. Hang it on a tree where your kids can see birds eating it.
Suncatcher Leaf
Cut a leaf outline from black construction paper and lay it on a piece of contact paper. Cut up several squares of colorful tissue paper and have your kids put them on the contact paper. Press another piece of contact paper on top and cut the leaf around the edges. Hang it in the window and enjoy the colors!
Face Painting
Let your kids’ creativity shine with face painting. Water-based paints make for easy cleanup. Have a variety of brushes and colors available, as well as water, stencils, towels, and a mirror. If you are looking for inspiration, there are ideas on YouTube and Pinterest, as well as face-painting kits.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Hidden Gems
Make Music
Temporarily closed due to flood damage and relocation.
Make some music at the Rhythm! Discovery Center. Located in downtown Indianapolis, the Rhythm! Discovery Center is the world’s only interactive drum and percussion museum. Explore the museum, learn about percussion instruments, and let your kids make some noise!
Drive-In Movie
Watch a movie at the Tibbs Drive-In. Earlier shows typically cater to the younger crowd.
Mini-Bowling
Try a round of mini-bowling at 10 Pins located in Franklin. If you are looking for more to do on your trip to Franklin, check out the Wild Geese Bookshop and Toodleydoo Toys.
Independent Bookstores
Visit your local kid-friendly independent bookstore and snuggle up with a good book. Check out some of our favorite kid-friendly bookstores.
Garfield Park Conservatory and Sunken Gardens
Originally constructed during the early 1900s, you can walk through the Garfield Park Conservatory and see several plant species or walk through the gardens and see them as they were designed in 1910. Visit their website to learn more about programs being offered such as Fall Break Scavenger Hunt, Critter Chat, and the Haunted Conservatory.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Road Trips
Mural Scavenger Hunt
Drive around town to discover the 18 murals by local artists and complete the Jiffy Lube Mural Scavenger Hunt. The Arts Council of Indianapolis partnered with Jiffy Lube to commission the murals and bring art to the community.
Brown County
Take a day trip and explore Brown County. Watch the leaf cam to plan the perfect time to visit. Or, drive around and look at the changing leaves around Central Indiana.
Indiana Caverns
Ride on an underground river and explore the longest cave in the state at Indiana Caverns. Southern Indiana has several caves with public tours for beginning spelunkers!
Fort Wayne
Drive to Fort Wayne to visit the amazing Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo (open through October). Some of our favorite things to do at the zoo are feeding the giraffes, riding the Z.O. & O. railroad, and the Crocodile Creek Adventure Ride.
Big Things in a Small Town
Check out some huge finds and take some fun photos in Casey, IL. It is well worth the hour-and-a-half drive to check out the ‘big things in a small town.’
Fair Oaks
Take a trip north of Indianapolis to Fair Oaks, Indiana. Go on the crop, dairy, or pig adventure or visit their apple orchard or pumpkin patch. They even have a hotel on-site if you’d like to stay longer. Be sure to try the grilled cheese or milkshakes.
Drive-Thru Animal Safari at Wilstem Ranch
Roll down your windows and drive through Wilstem Ranch near French Lick, Indiana, where you’ll find buffalo, ostriches, zebras, and alpacas. Buy the feed if you’d like the animals to come close up. You can even walk the ranch and find giraffes, kangaroos, lizards, and more.
Louisville Jack O Lantern Spectacular
Take a walk on the path of Iroquois Park illuminated by over 5,000 pumpkins. Over 100 pumpkins are carved into works of art. Open daily at dusk. Be sure to buy tickets before you go.
Fun Things to Do in Fall: Good Eats
Conner Prairie Apple Store
Stock up on caramel apples, apple slushies, doughnuts, and everything apple at the Conner Prairie Apple Store.
Drive-In
Grab lunch at Mug’n’Bun and watch your kids’ faces light up as it is served on a tray on your car window. On Indianapolis’s westside for over 50 years, try the hand-dipped onion rings or homemade root beer for a special treat.
Chili Cookoff
Try a couple of recipes and let your kids be the judge. If you have picky eaters, you can encourage them to try the ingredients separately (e.g. beans, tomatoes, shredded cheese, crackers). Bonus – leftovers for the next night’s dinner.
Food Hall
Try something new at The Garage Food Hall at the new Bottleworks District. They have every type of cuisine you can imagine, from ice cream, coffee, and hamburgers to Greek, Brazilian, and Mexican favorites. The whole family will find something to enjoy.
Cupcakes
Decorate cupcakes without the clean-up at Cake Kreations! Several colors of icing, sprinkles, and candy decorations are all provided.
Candy Kitchen
Watch how candy is made at the Martinsville Candy Kitchen. Be sure to try their famous candy canes.
Whether you’re up for an adventure outdoors or would rather stay home, we think you’ll be able to keep your kids busy every day of fall break. Keep it simple or go all out with the planning as you choose fun things to do in fall with your kids. Either way, they’ll enjoy the extra dose of fun!
Plan the best fall break ever with our Midwest road trip guide.
Think ahead to the holidays! Find places to volunteer with your kids.
