With the leaves changing and the weather dropping in temperature, it’s finally that time of year when we can wear our best fall jackets, sip on pumpkin spice beverages, and munch on apple cider donuts. The fall season is brimming with activities to do in Boston, from sunflower fields to apple picking to fall foliage hikes. Here’s our ultimate bucket list for the best time of the year:
1. Enjoy a spine-chilling Candlelight Concert
Get goosebumps from the spine-chilling serenade of a Candlelight Concert. Listen to your favorite cozy season tunes in the warm glow of thousands of candles. These are some of our favorite concerts happening this autumn:
- Candlelight: A Haunted Evening of Halloween Classics at First Church
- Candlelight: A Tribute to Adele at First Church
2. Explore Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel: The Exhibition
Admire the masterpiece that is Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel with vivid detail! Guest will have the opportunity to explore his work up close and personal with a life-size version of his work. Learn more about each brushstroke with guided audio and enhanced viewings of the artwork that is normally over 60 feet away from visitors! Get your tickets here!
3. Wander through vibrant sunflower fields
The best way to say goodbye to summer and hello to autumn is to stop by a sunflower field in full bloom. These flowers will look their best in early to mid September, so it’s the perfect seasonal activity to drive outside the city and have some fun in the gorgeous sunflowers! Our favorite fields include:
- Verrill Farm – Concord, MA
- Colby Farm – Newbury, MA
- Lyman Orchards – Middlefield, CT
4. Enjoy a delicious apple cider donut from a local bakery
It’s that time of year when local orchards and bakeries start serving those steaming hot, cinnamon-dusted delicacies we call apple cider donuts. When you’re craving a fresh-baked donut, you don’t have to travel too far to satisfy your cravings. Check out our list of the best places in in the city to get one (or a dozen), including:
- Blackbird Doughnuts
- Red Apple Farm
- Kane’s Donuts
5. Go apple picking at an tranquil orchard
Apple picking is the quintessential fall activity in New England. What’s better than exploring picturesque apple orchards, picking your own, and taking a bag home to enjoy in a homemade apple pie or just by themselves? Our list of the ten best orchards will definitely get you motivated to plan a weekend excursion outside the city.
6. Live out your Gilmore Girls fantasy at the inn that inspired the pilot episode
Stars Hollow might be a fictional town, but the town that inspired it is very real. The Mayflower Inn located in Washington, Connecticut is where the show’s creator, Amy Sherman Palladino, was staying when the inspiration struck. The small Connecticut town and quaint inn a very similar to those depicted on the show!
7. Get lost in a corn maze
Before escape rooms were all the rage, corn mazes were (and still are!) the best places to have fun and solve a massive outdoor puzzle with your friends. Bring family and friends for a day of trial and error as you navigate your way through fields of corn as far as the eye can see at a corn maze close to Boston.
8. Catch the fall foliage at the best rated spot in Massachusetts
Planning a trip to the countryside to catch the leaves changing colors this fall? Lenox, MA should be on your itinerary. According to Reader’s Digest, this Berkshires town has some of the most vibrant fall foliage in the country. Starting in late September, the area’s landscapes are ablaze with reds, yellows, and greens.
9. Or explore a hidden waterfall in Vermont, surrounded by changing trees
Tucked away in Warren, VT, these falls are the perfect natural spot to escape the leaf-peeping crowds. A wild swimming spot may not sound like the most appealing fall destination, but hear us out. If you’re looking to escape the throngs of leaf-peepers currently exploring the New England wilderness but still want to bask in the glorious fall foliage of the area, this is the place for you this fall.
10. Go on a beautifully haunting hike through an abandoned ghost town
A spookier alternative to the classic autumn nature walk is exploring one of Massachusetts’ ghost towns. As our state is home to some of the first settlements in the United States, it’s no surprise that there are plenty of ghost towns around. Whether the original inhabitants abandoned the villages over decades or were forced to leave, there’s plenty of interesting history remaining for you to explore on a hike through ages past.
11. Or take a scenic hike to admire the fall foliage
Get your steps in while overlooking a miraculous family of oak and maple trees changing to orange, yellow, and red hues this autumn! Boston is filled with great local hiking options-many of which are only a couple of miles away!
If you crave a more ambitious hike, The Beehive Loop is one of the most challenging but most rewarding in New England.
12. Go glamping in the great outdoors
Fall weather can be unpredictable, but you can bet that a glamping experience is sure to be a comfortable getaway in nature this fall. Glamping (glamorous camping!) provides all the beautiful scenery of the outdoors without sacrificing modern amenities. Luckily there are tons of glampsites around New England. While some require long car rides away from the city, the trek will absolutely be worth it. Check out our top picks for glamping outside of Boston for a lovely fall getaway.
13. Take a trip to Salem
Massachusetts’ witch town is the perfect spooky season excursion. At the height of Halloween crowds can be overwhelming, but the Salem charm is there all season long. So head to town pre or post Halloween and enjoy the spooky sweets, costumes galore, cobblestone streets, and seaside views.
14. Get a new PSL fix at a local coffee shop
Discover your new favorite spot to get your pumpkin spice latte! Spice things up by trying a new coffee shop. We’ve rounded up some of the best in Boston, and they’re all bound to hit the craving!
15. Cheer on the rowers at Head of the Charles
Head of the Charles returns October 13-15! The annual regatta brings in some of the best rowers from around the globe to compete in 3-days of non stop racing!
16. Attend a giant Jack-O-Lantern festival
Over 1,500 carved and glowing pumpkins will be on display at this farm 30 minutes from Boston! The autumnal display is perfect for a crispy autumn walk or a lovely backdrop for a photoshoot!
17. Go pumpkin picking and carve them yourself
If you prefer to DIY your pumpkin carving, you can pick pumpkins at one of these local farms. Pick from 60-pound giant orange pumpkins to abstract gourds and little white pumpkins!
18. Enjoy the annual Halloween high-tea at this local inn
The Inn at Hastings Park in Lexington, MA is only about 20 minutes from the city. Each year they host a hauntingly spectacular high-tea complete with tiny sandwiches and sinister sweets!
19. Celebrate Halloweekend in the city
From ghost tours to costume parties, these are so many fun Halloween events happening in Boston. Learn more about the festivities here!
20. Enjoy an amazing Thanksgiving takeout meal from a local restaurant
Autumn brings many holidays, with Thanksgiving being one of them! We’ve scoped out some of our favorite Boston purveyors making some delicious takeout meals from spots like Sofra and Flour!