50 Things to do this Fall in Central Mass with Kids! Worcester is the second largest city in New England, making Central Mass a gold mine for kid-friendly things to do in the fall. For more fall family fun, check our regular calendar of events. Check back often, we will be updating our list as new events are announced!
50 Things to do this Fall in Central MA
- Visit the EcoTarium. Ride the train and visit the animals. The EcoTarium is back to their regular schedule! And you can now visit the newly reopened Planetarium! Closed on Mondays.
- Visit Purgatory Chasm for a family fall hike!
- Spend the day at Old Sturbridge Village and travel back in time. Interact with costumed historians and learn about life in the 19th century. Phantoms of Firelight dates are through 10/31! Get your tickets in advance.
- See what is happening at Discovery Museum in Acton. Fall is a great time to burn some energy in their Treehouse and Adventure Hill. The first Friday night of each month (4:30-7:30) are free admission nights. And to celebrate their 40th anniversary, admission is rolled back to just $2.50 for the entire month of October!
- Find a new playground to explore!
Castle in the Trees
- Get tickets to a special event at Southwick’s Zoo! Festival of Illumination is through the fall!
- Book a fall guided trail ride in Princeton at Cornerstone Ranch!
- Go Apple Picking! Find an apple orchard near you with our Apple Orchard Guide.
- Get lost in one of the Central MA Mazes!
- Visit the Davis Farmland through October! Rates are lower than summertime and they have special fall events!
- Davis Megamaze BBQ & Brews is open through 10/30 on Saturdays and Sundays (Columbus Day too). 3 miles of mind-boggling puzzle networks carved into a classic “Game of Life” maze. Fun for the whole family!
- Don’t miss the New England Botanic Garden at Tower Hill Enchanted Forest! The Ramble will magically transformed into a whimsical fairy land. September 10-October 30. Special events are planned as well.
- Go to the fair! There are fairs & festivals in Central MA every single weekend through October. See our Guide to Central MA Fairs and Festivals.
- Hike with Goats! With Central MA Goat Rentals in Lunenburg. Hikes are roughly 1 hour. Wear your hiking gear. All ages.
- See our guide to Central MA Halloween Light Displays and check some out!
- Spend the day at West End Creamery. They have their Fall Festivals each Friday night as well as Saturdays and Sundays through October. Corn maze and lots of family activities!
- The 2nd Annual Overlook Farm Fest – Date: October 22. 12pm-3pm
- West Boylston Fall Festival is October 22 on the town common. Lots of family fun!
- The Annual Fall Community Day at WAM is November 6! Celebrate Diwali: The Festival of Lights with a day of music, art, cuisine, dance, fashion and more. Admission and activities are free!
- Check out American Heritage Museum World War II Reenactment Weekend October 8-9.
- RWP Halloween Jack-O-Lantern Spectacular! Begins on 9/29. WCKC went last year. It was amazing!
- Head to Salem for a Slightly Spooky Kids Tour! (Slightly out of Central MA)
- Fall is a great time to experience Boundless Adventures Aerial Park in Berlin! Open through November 30.
- Rent Kayaks and Canoes at Nashoba Paddler Rentals through October 23.
- Hike the Mass Audubon trails at Broad Meadow Brook in Worcester or Wachusett Meadow in Princeton.
- Explore Shrewbury’s Secret Garden
Shrewsbury’s Secret Garden
- Listen to live music at Stone Cow Brewery. Get yummy ice cream and maybe a brew. Kids will love the farm animals and playground.
- Trunk or Treat in Sturbridge. October 15th. Admission is a bag of candy.
- Visit the barnyard friends at Greenhill Park!
- Don’t miss Hillando’s Haunted Halloween Maze! It’s free but donations appreciated for Shrewsbury Youth and Family Services. Opens 10/7 and runs Fridays-Sundays.
- Check out Moore State Park in Paxton.
- Rock House Reservation – One of our favorite hikes!
- The Holidays are coming. (Anybody else getting a jump start?) Find and support a local book or toy store.
- See a Railers Game at the DCU Center! Opening weekend is 10/22! And they have special Railers Opening Weekend Events planned. Including a Block Party and Kids Takeover!
- The Stowe Farm in Millbury has fall festivals every weekend for the season!
- Visit the Santos Family Lights (Formerly Worcester Holiday Display) for a Halloween light show. Begins 9/24 and runs nightly at dusk.
- Get tickets to Witch’s Woods Haunted Hayride. If you dare. Starts 9/30.
- Looking for stroller or bike friendly hikes this fall? See our list here and try somewhere new!
- Haven’t dined at Davis BBQ yet? It’s a great place for a yummy family meal and a chance to see a small collection of the Davis Farmland animals in the attached animal barn. Tableside Magic on Wednesday evenings too!
- We love Honey Pot Orchards located in Stowe. With lots of family friendly things to do including 3 mazes, we feel it’s worth the trip. Just outside Central MA.
- Head to the orchards for PYO Pumpkins! Here is where you can go locally.
- Get your tickets for the annual OSV Phantoms & Firelight beginning 10/7!
- The Forest of Fear Haunted Hayride in Grafton is back. October 21 & 22!
- Chestnut Hill Farm has some neat fall events like a harvest moon hike, preschool farmer explorer days, and more.
- Halloween Hike & Hayride. Sign up for this annual event at Wachusett Meadow! Oct 29!
- Already missing summer vacations? Get a day pass to Great Wolf Lodge for some water fun and pretend like it is summer all over again.
- Take a stroll through Boo Meadow Brook. October 22; 6pm-8pm. Get your tickets in advance!
- Sterling Gym’s Halloween Spooktacular! A free community event on 10/29!
- Annual Country Roads Christmas Tour begins November11 ! This suggestion is actually for the moms!
What did we miss? Tell us about it in comments!
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