The fall is a beautiful time to pause and appreciate everything the season offers. Coming off a warm, sunny summer, it’s finally time to take in the cooler weather, bountiful harvests, and everything else fall brings (yes, even football.) Furthermore, Charlottesville offers several wonderful opportunities to take advantage of the best parts of fall, including apples, pumpkins, sunflowers, and delicious treats. Here are some of my favorite Charlottesville fall activities to enjoy with friends, your partner, or the whole family!
3 Charlottesville Fall Activities to Soak Up the Cozy Autumnal Season
Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges
Graves Mountain Farm & Lodges is a huge mountain resort created to give people a place to enjoy everything the Virginia countryside has to offer. Visit any time of year to take advantage of their rustic lodging and activities like fly fishing, horseback riding, mountain biking, yoga, painting, and much more. But in the fall, their Apple Harvest Festival brings thousands of people together to celebrate the season!
You can visit the first three weekends in October for apple picking, hayrides, fresh apple cider, interacting with farm animals, and much more. Enjoy live bluegrass music, pony rides, horseback trail rides, and delicious festival foods like funnel cakes, kettle corn, barbecue, and other seasonal treats. Additionally, kids get in for free and adults for a small entrance fee, making it an excellent option for a family-friendly fall activity!
Carter Mountain Orchard
Carter Mountain Orchard is a wonderful tradition to incorporate into your family’s fall celebrations! When you visit, pick your own apples, indulge in some hot apple cider and apple cider donuts (or a cider slushie if you prefer something chilly!), and pick a pumpkin from the pumpkin display. They host several fall food trucks on certain days for a delicious culinary experience.
Their 11th Annual Fall into Fun Festival is held the weekend of September 16th and 17th. It features additional entertainment like apple butter making and canning, handmade pottery, kombucha tasting, and live music. You’ll need to reserve tickets for the weekend, but drop by during the week for a totally free experience!
Liberty Mills Farm
Apples aren’t the only thing worth celebrating in the fall! Liberty Mills Farm welcomes visitors of all ages to enjoy picking buckets of flowers and sunflowers, wandering their Corn Maze (the largest in the country!!), and exploring their 12 miles of beautiful country trails. In the fall, you can also wander the pumpkin patch and pick out the perfect pumpkin for carving into a jack-o-lantern or using it as seasonal décor.
Bring a picnic lunch, or support one of their local food vendors by purchasing a delicious snack. When you visit, stop by their beautiful Farm Market to pick up treats like homemade jams, local honey, sauces, syrups, fudge, and plenty of Liberty Mills Farm gear! Moreover, a day on the Farm is leisurely, cozy, and full of all the things that make autumn worth celebrating, including great company.
Charlottesville Fall Activities
Throw on your sweater, pack up your picnic basket, and head out to take advantage of one of these wonderful Charlottesville fall activities.
They’re also great spots for darling seasonal photos of the whole family, perfect for holiday cards and photo albums. In need of some updated pictures? Then, I’d love to help you capture this beautiful time in your family’s life.
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