Looking for the best-of-the-best things to do in the fall in Atlanta? We’ve got ’em!
Whether you want to stay in a treehouse, go for a hike, see the beautiful fall foliage, visit a festival, take a train ride, or pick out a pumpkin — Atlanta has plenty of things to do to celebrate this wonderful season.
Here are 45+ fabulous ways to enjoy fall in Atlanta, Georgia.
FALL IN ATLANTA: MUST-DOS
- Apple Picking. Apple cider, apple pies, apple butter and APPLES! Apple picking in the north Georgia mountains is a must-do fall activity that you and your whole family will love!
- Blue Ridge Scenic Railway. The fall foliage tour on the Blue Ridge Scenic Railway during the month of October is the most popular excursion, with two trips running most every day.
- CNC Halloween Hikes. Wear your costumes for a short hike around Chattahoochee Nature Center, and experience the mystery of a guided night hike! The annual Halloween Hike takes you through the forest to meet woodland creatures and hear about how they live. Take part in world music, crafts, campfire, and other festival fun. NEW IN 2024: In addition to their traditional hike, visitors can now experience The Haunted Quest: An immersive scavenger hunt to test your mystery-solving skills on the Homestead Trail.
- College Football Hall of Fame. Fall equals football in this household. This interactive museum in downtown Atlanta includes art, science, history, music, and just plain fun for everyone, from fanatic fan to casual observer. They even have a trick-or-treat weekend for kids!
- Corn Maze. My oldest loves a great corn maze. Head there in the afternoon for younger kids, or try a haunted corn maze at night for the older ones.
- Fall Festivals. Fall Festivals in Georgia fill September, October, and November with events galore. Whether you enjoy time in the city at Chastain or Piedmont Park, or you prefer to head into the mountains and watch the leaves change, there’s a festival for you.
- Fernbank Museum. Enjoy evening hikes and family nature walks through Fernbank Museum’s WildWoods and Fernbank Forest. You’ll love the beauty of the fall leaves!
- Fright Fest at Six Flags. Fright Fest at Six Flags Over Georgia features family-friendly shows and attractions during the day, and thrilling rides and scary haunted houses at night. Dress up your kiddos and come ride the rides, and try trick-or-treating in the children’s area, too. NEW IN 2024: Stranger Things & SAW Coming to Fright Fest at Six Flags!
- Haunted Houses. If you have older kids who are dying for a walk through a haunted house, Atlanta has a lot of great options!
- Georgia State Parks for Fall Color. What is a fall weekend without a drive to see the colors changing? Georgia State Parks has lots of great options for fall color!
- Oakland Cemetery. Participate in the wildly popular Capturing the Spirit Halloween Tour at Oakland Cemetery this fall. The beautiful cemetery is the perfect backdrop for a slightly spooky night out. This year, they’re even offering a special VIP Tour one night.
- Pumpkin Picking. Don’t forget to pick out the perfect pumpkin for your fall porch display! You can pick your own, take a hay ride, and participate in fun activities at one of the many pumpkin patches in Georgia.
- Scarecrows in the Garden at Atlanta Botanical Garden. This is THE reason I started buying a season pass to Atlanta Botanical Gardens. The scarecrows will blow your mind. Goblins in the Garden (for kiddos) is held one Saturday in October, and you can enjoy tons of family fun with kid-friendly programming on October weekends.
ENJOY THE OUTDOORS
- Arabia Mountain. The yellow daisy is a rare flower that only grows within a 60-mile radius of Arabia Mountain. You’d never guess they’re rare though, because of how prolifically they grow here in fall. Participate in Arabia Mountain’s annual Daisy Days to get the most out of hiking among these beautiful flowers.
- Bike the BeltLine. Enjoy the cooler weather by going on a weekend bike ride along the BeltLine. Enjoy the public art, stop at one of the local shops or eateries along the way, and enjoy the amazing views.
- Build a bonfire. Build a fire outdoors, tell stories, roast marshmallows, turn off the cell phones, and enjoy one another. Be sure to follow burn regulations!
- Camp. Fall is the ideal time of year for camping in Georgia. Build a fire, watch the stars, collect colorful leaves, and spend time together as a family. There’s also GREAT camping at Georgia State Parks!
- Geocaching. Fall offers the best hiking weather in the Southeast. We love geocaching as a means of finding new and unique hiking locations.
- Georgia State Park Fall Events. There are full moon hikes, haunted tours, leaf identification hikes, astronomy paddles, fall craft festivals, wagon rides, candlelight tours, hoedowns, and more happening at your closest Georgia State Park.
- Historic Banning Mills is a great place to see the colors change! Take on the world’s largest zip line, go horseback riding, stay at the lodge, try kayaking, and much more!
- Horseback Riding. In Georgia, there are stables that offer guided trail riding, as well as horseback riding trails where you bring your own horse. It’s the perfect way to enjoy the cooler temps.
- Plant Bulbs. Begonia, crocus, dahlia, iris, daffodil, and tulips are just a sampling of the bulbs to be planted this fall.
- SAM Shortline. Take a ride on the SAM Shortline Train in an open-air car and make it a weekend at Lake Blackshear!
- Sunflowers. One of our favorite things to do is head to Dawsonville for pictures in the sunflower field.
- Treetop Quest Dunwoody. Soar through the trees on a zipline while the leaves are putting on a show!
BEST FALL HIKES IN GEORGIA
- Blood Mountain. The Blood Mountain hike is one of my favorite hikes in Georgia, and the best view of fall color in the mountains.
- Brasstown Bald. Looking for an easy hike to gorgeous summit views displaying breathtaking fall color? Then put on your hiking boots and go NOW to Brasstown Bald in beautiful Blairsville.
- Cloudland Canyon. Hike the rim trails at Cloudland Canyon State Park and enjoy the beautiful fall color from above. Then, hike the Waterfall Trail to see two amazing waterfalls surrounded by fall color.
- Doll’s Head Trail. The glassy eyes seem to follow you as you trek Doll’s Head Trail, a spooky path that derives its name from the toys found along its edges. Visitors are encouraged to craft their own tableaux from the accumulated detritus, and the projects have grown steadily from there. It’s quirky and unique and the perfect fall activity.
- Hike at Dunwoody Nature Center. The DNC is a great (free!) nature center with fun hikes through the woods that you and your little ones will love.
- Georgia Hiking. If you’re new to hiking, have little ones, or are just looking for something simple, we’ve got 125+ of the Best Places for Hiking in Georgia, and they’re all under 2 miles!
- Len Foote Hike Inn. There is no better way to celebrate fall than to hike to the Len Foote Hike Inn. This lodge is only accessible by hiking the 5 miles from Amicalola State Park — and it’s amazing! Hurry fast – bunks go early for the best leaf peep dates.
- Springer Mountain. Hike to the southernmost end of the Appalachian Trail at Springer Mountain and enjoy the fall color from the mountain’s summit. This is an especially great day hike to do if you’re staying at the Hike Inn (above).
- Tallulah Gorge. Hike along the rim to several overlooks with waterfall views, or get a permit from the park office to trek all the way to the bottom (they’re free). And definitely take in the most beautiful views from the suspension bridge!
SPECIAL FALL EVENTS
- Atlanta History Center. The AHC is a fun (and educational) space to hike and explore this fall. You’ll also find fall-themed Toddler Storytimes, Fall Talks, and more.
- Ghost Hunting in Savannah – The ghosts of Savannah don’t take a break any time of the year, but during Halloween they tend to kick it up a notch. Head to the coast for some delightful seafood, a bit of history, and seriously spooky ghost tours.
- Halloween Events. Atlanta has everything from special Halloween events for kids, to Halloween events for adults, and everything in between!
- Oktoberfest in Helen. Helen’s biggest celebration and the longest-running Oktoberfest in the United States is back for its 53rd year! Enjoy live music, beer, brats, dancing, a parade, authentic German food and more. This Bavarian village goes all out!
- Pine Mountain Gold Museum. Ride the Gold Mine Ghost Train in Villa Rica. There are two options: The first option is Family Time, and the second option is Scare Time. Family Time is designed with the younger guests in mind and is meant to be non-threatening and fun. Scare Time begins at sunset when the ghosts and ghouls of Pine Mountain are set loose to haunt.
- Wings Over North Georgia Air Show. See the Thunderbirds, watch live music and fireworks, night-flying shows, a kid zone, and more. There are even vintage aircraft rides available!
MORE FALL FUN IN ATLANTA
- Cozy Up At A Bookstore. When the weather outside is frightful, heading indoors with a good book is how this family celebrates the season. We love hanging out at book stores, exploring new titles and games, and people watching.
- Labyrinth of Rome. The Labyrinth of Rome contains 5,490 bricks (laid end-to-end, over a kilometer) weighing a total of 24,705 pounds. Walk the path and enjoy the beautiful fall weather.
- Make Your Halloween Costume. Building and creating our kid’s Halloween costumes together as a family has been an annual tradition. We’ve used cardboard, aluminum foil, chicken wire, paper mache, and much more.
- Start a Nature Journal. Fall is a great time to begin nature journaling together as a family. Write about what you see, smell, hear, and feel on the trails. Draw pictures, collect leaves and moss…whatever makes you happy. We use the Outdoor Hour Challenge each week, but even something simple can be fun.
- Stay in a Treehouse. Visiting the mountains, roasting s’mores, hiking…does it get any better? Sure, you could pull out the tent (see above), but why not up the ante and stay in a treehouse?
- Visit a Birdfeed Store. Don’t forget to stock up for your feathery friends this winter. We use fall to assess the current state of our feeders, clean them, and stock up on food for winter. The boys always love a field trip to the bird-feed store, with pretty cages, windchimes, bird-watching accessories, and such.
MORE INFORMATION FOR YOUR AQUARIUM VISIT
- YOUR GEORGIA VACATION
- FALL COLORS: Fall Colors in Georgia 2024: When and Where To Get the Best Views
- FALL FESTIVALS: The 50+ Best Fall Festivals in Georgia That You’ll Love
- BLUE RIDGE: 50+ Top Things To Do in Blue Ridge Ga in 2024
- ELLIJAY: 31 Sensational Things To Do in Ellijay GA
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Lesli Peterson, the driving force behind 365 Atlanta Traveler, is THE authority on the best things to do in Atlanta. She's been the Family Travel Ambassador for the Georgia Tourism Department, a regular travel expert on Fox 5 Atlanta, 11 Alive Atlanta, and The Weather Channel, and authored countless digital and print articles about her travel from and in Atlanta.
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