For me, fall is about getting out and about, taking every opportunity to see the beautiful changing leaves both from the car and by spending as much time in that cool weather as I can. To that end, this list is as much about the journey as it is the destination. These five outings will give you beautiful scenery on the way and at your end goal!
Fall wouldn’t be fall without a trip to an apple orchard. And Millstone Creek won’t disappoint! With a general store selling preserves, cider…and slushies in case the weather isn’t cooperating with the season, Millstone offers the quintessential autumn experience. You can check their harvest and activity schedule here athttps://millstonecreekorchards.com/
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If you’re up to the 3.5 hour drive to Staunton, Va it is worth the trip! This small town has a vibrant downtown full of privately owned shops and restaurants. The Blue Ridge Mountain setting is stunning. And what better reason to visit than the annual Harry Potter Festival? Check out the details here. And if that’s not enough reason to get you traveling, Staunton is also home to the world’s first Blackfriars Playhouse reproduction Shakespeare theatre. The artsy Staunton community attracts bards from all over to perform in this year round theatre.
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I enjoy the drive to Lake Wheeler just as much as I do the park! If you’re coming from the north side of the Triangle, make sure you take Lake Wheeler Road south for the full glory of red and gold leafy bliss. (Rather than Fayettville…too much traffic and a lot more buildings so the view isn’t as pretty) The boat rental station closes for the season September 30th, so you won’t likely get much leaf color if you go for the boating. However, a nice picnic on the deck overlooking the water later into October will get you a beautiful autumn view.
If you enjoy a good hike, Yates Mill is one of my favorite places to do it, especially in the fall. There are several beautiful overlooks of the lake and the leaf color backdrop against the stone of the mill will take your breath away. When you’re done, check out the on-site museum. And don’t miss the Yates Mill Annual Fall Festival Saturday, September 16th!
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While there are plenty of places in the Triangle proper with pumpkins and games, I love driving out west at this time of year. It’s not a far drive to Huckleberry Trail Farm, only about 45 minutes from my location in Raleigh and 30 from Chapel Hill, but when I cross over Jordan Lake I feel like my soul breathes a deep sigh of relief! It’s a beautiful drive and Huckleberry Trail has all the amenities you expect from a pumpkin patch, including: small hay maze & huge corn maze, corn hole, duck races, corn boxes (like a sand box, but with corn…much less messy!), hay rides and many bonus games and activities such as pumpkin checkers and vintage games like paddleboard. Bonus: a great view of a big red barn.
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