Fall Activities for Kids in Atlanta: 2026 Guide

Pumpkin patches, corn mazes, apple picking and gentle Halloween fun around metro Atlanta, with 2026 dates, costs and tips for the grown-up doing the driving.

The best fall activities for kids around Atlanta in 2026 include pumpkin patches and corn mazes in Dawsonville and Holly Springs, apple picking in Blue Ridge, Scarecrows in the Garden in Midtown, and not-too-scary Halloween events at Zoo Atlanta, the Center for Puppetry Arts and the Chattahoochee Nature Center. Most run from late September through early November.

Whether you are a nanny planning weekday outings from Buckhead or Johns Creek, or a parent in Marietta or Decatur planning a weekend, we checked every date, hour and price below on the venue’s own website in late September 2026. Where a venue has not posted a detail, we say so. Schedules can change, so check the site before you go.

Which Atlanta fall activities fit your kids?

Activity	Area	Best ages	Cost	2026 dates
Burt’s Pumpkin Farm	Dawsonville	Toddler–school-age	Free entry; hayride $10 + tax	Sept 1–Nov 10
Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze	Dawsonville	Preschool–school-age	$18 maze; 4 & under free	Sept 19–Nov 8
Cagle’s Family Farm	Holly Springs (Cherokee)	Toddler–school-age	$15 (age 3+)	Sept 25–Nov 1
Mercier Orchards apple U-pick	Blue Ridge	Preschool–school-age	Check site	Daily, while apples last
Georgia Apple Festival	Ellijay	All ages	Check site	Oct 10–11 & 17–18
Scarecrows in the Garden	Midtown	All ages	Dated tickets; check site	Oct 1–Nov 1
Stone Mountain Pumpkin Festival	Stone Mountain	Preschool–school-age	$36.99 child / $39.99 adult + parking	Fri–Sun, Sept 19–Nov 1
Boo at the Zoo	Grant Park	Toddler–school-age	Free with zoo admission	Oct 17, 18, 24, 25, 31
Spookhouse Annie & Monster Mash	Midtown	Ages 4+ (show)	Show from $20	Oct 14–Nov 1; Mash Oct 17 & 24
Children’s Museum Trick-or-Treat	Downtown	Toddler–early school-age	$25 non-members	Oct 24
Halloween Hikes	Roswell	Preschool–school-age	$25 advance, $30 day-of	Oct 23–25
Spooky Mill	Johns Creek	All ages	Check site	Oct 10
Kennesaw Mountain & Island Ford leaf walks	Marietta / Sandy Springs	All ages	$5 per vehicle	Year-round

Where are the best pumpkin patches and corn mazes near Atlanta?

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm (Dawsonville)

Kids do: Pick pumpkins and take a hayride. New for 2026, the ride goes through Autumn & Gordy’s Harvest House, which the farm calls the world’s largest drive-through pumpkin.
Best ages: Toddler to school-age
Cost: Free admission and parking; hayride $10 per person plus tax, under 2 free
2026 dates/hours: Sept 1–Nov 10. Open daily 9 a.m.–6 p.m. through October, 9 a.m.–5 p.m. in November. Hayrides run daily from mid-September.

Nanny tip: Burt’s is open daily, so go on a weekday morning. Leave after breakfast so the drive home lines up with nap time.

Uncle Shuck’s Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch (Dawsonville)

Kids do: A 15-acre maze, a kiddie maze, wagon rides, a jumping pad, corn cannons and animals
Best ages: Preschool to school-age
Cost: $18 (includes tax), 4 and under free, plus a 3.5% card fee. You can visit the pumpkin patch without a ticket.
2026 dates/hours: Sept 19–Nov 8. October hours are Sun–Thu 10 a.m.–6 p.m. and Fri–Sat 10 a.m.–10 p.m. Skip the Friday and Saturday night haunted trail with little ones.

Nanny tip: Because it is open daily in October, it makes an easy weekday outing. Outside food is not allowed, so have a snack in the car first.

Cagle’s Family Farm (Holly Springs, Cherokee County)

Kids do: A big corn maze, a mini maze, pig races, sheepdog demonstrations and an animal barn
Best ages: Toddler to school-age
Cost: $15 for ages 3 and up. A tractor ride to the lake bonfire with marshmallows is $5 more. Pumpkins are extra.
2026 dates/hours: Sept 25–Nov 1. Fridays 5–10 p.m., Saturdays 10 a.m.–10 p.m., Sundays 10 a.m.–6 p.m.

Nanny tip: Cagle’s is open only on Friday evenings and weekends, so it is best for weekend nannies and family outings, especially for Canton and Cherokee families. Children 14 and under must be with an adult.

Where can kids go apple picking near Atlanta?

Mercier Orchards (Blue Ridge)

Kids do: Ride a tractor into the orchard and pick apples (Cameo and Ambrosia as of late September)
Best ages: Preschool to school-age
Cost: U-pick pricing is not posted on the site; check before you go
2026 hours: U-pick runs Mon–Thu 10 a.m.–4 p.m. and Fri–Sun 9 a.m.–5 p.m., depending on the weather and how many apples are left. The orchard says apple season usually falls between August and October.

Nanny tip: Blue Ridge is a full-day trip, so plan it with the parents first. Check the site that morning, since U-pick start times sometimes shift for school tours.

Georgia Apple Festival (Ellijay)

Kids do: Craft vendors, demonstrations, live music and fair food at the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds
Best ages: All ages
Cost and hours: Check the site for 2026 admission and hours. Tickets are always available at the gate.
2026 dates: Oct 10–11 and Oct 17–18

Nanny tip: Pets are not allowed. A carrier is often easier than a stroller in festival crowds.

What fall festivals and seasonal exhibits are in Atlanta?

Scarecrows in the Garden, Atlanta Botanical Garden (Midtown)

Kids do: Hunt for community-made and supersized scarecrows, then vote for a favorite
Best ages: All ages
Cost: Tickets are sold for a specific date. Check the site for pricing, and note the $5 online processing fee.
2026 dates/hours: Oct 1–Nov 1. The Garden is open Tue–Sun 9 a.m.–7 p.m., closed Mondays except Oct 12. Those hours are posted through Oct 31, so check the site for Nov 1.

Nanny tip: Outside food and drinks are not allowed, and the Garden is card-only, so bring a card for snacks. The Lou Glenn Children’s Garden is a good place to let toddlers move.

Pumpkin Festival at Stone Mountain Park (Stone Mountain)

Kids do: Storybook characters, a hay maze, glowing dinosaurs and a drone and light show after dark
Best ages: Preschool to school-age
Cost: $36.99 per child and $39.99 per adult online, plus parking; children under 2 free
2026 dates/hours: Fridays through Sundays, Sept 19–Nov 1. The festival and its attractions open at 2 p.m.; the Summit Skyride opens at 10 a.m.

Nanny tip: It is a natural pick for Decatur-area families. With toddlers, arrive at 2 p.m. and leave before the evening crowds, even if you miss the drone show.

Which Halloween events in Atlanta are good for toddlers and preschoolers?

Boo at the Zoo, Zoo Atlanta (Grant Park)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat at about eight stations, play carnival games and meet costumed characters
Best ages: Toddler to school-age
Cost: Free with general admission, which varies by date. Members and children under 3 free.
2026 dates/hours: Oct 17, 18, 24, 25 and 31, 9 a.m.–4 p.m.

Nanny tip: The zoo describes the décor as “mostly friendly spooks” and asks guests to be merry, not scary. Costumed characters stroll from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., so a morning visit before nap works well.

Spookhouse Annie and Monster Mash, Center for Puppetry Arts (Midtown)

Kids do: A goofy, not-scary Halloween puppet show. At Monster Mash, kids dance, trick-or-treat and make masks.
Best ages: The show is recommended for ages 4 and up; Monster Mash is for all ages
Cost: Show tickets start at $20 for non-members and $16 for members, and museum admission is included. Children 2 and under are free. Check the site for Monster Mash pricing.
2026 dates: Spookhouse Annie runs Oct 14–Nov 1, with shows Wednesday through Sunday at 10 and 11:30 a.m. Monster Mash is Saturday, Oct 17 and 24, 10 a.m.–3 p.m.

Nanny tip: The weekday 10 a.m. show is perfect for nannies, and the same times run through the weekend if a parent wants to come along. Strollers and infant carriers are not allowed in the theaters, but staff will store them for you.

Trick-or-Treat at the Children’s Museum of Atlanta (Downtown)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat through the exhibits, play carnival games and watch a 6:30 p.m. circus show
Best ages: Toddler to early school-age
Cost: $25 for non-members and $10 for members. Prices rise the week of the event.
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 24, 5:30–7:30 p.m.

Nanny tip: For a daytime visit, the museum is open Mon, Tue, Thu and Fri 10 a.m.–3:30 p.m. (closed Wednesdays). It is fully stroller-accessible, and food is allowed only in the Snack Stop.

Halloween Hikes, Chattahoochee Nature Center (Roswell)

Kids do: Trick-or-treat along a half-mile trail of woodland-character houses, plus games and crafts. The Haunted Quest, a mile-and-a-half loop, is recommended for ages 12 and up.
Best ages: Preschool to school-age
Cost: $25 in advance and $30 on the day. Public ticket sales open Oct 8; members can buy from Oct 1 at $20.
2026 dates/hours: Oct 23–24, 6–10 p.m., and Oct 25, 5–9 p.m.

Nanny tip: Strollers are allowed on both trails. Arrive 30 minutes before your ticket time, because parking is limited.

Spooky Mill, Autrey Mill Nature Preserve (Johns Creek)

Kids do: Carnival games, crafts and spooky stories, with a haunted hike after dark
Best ages: From 2 to 5 p.m. it is aimed at young children; from 5 to 9 p.m. it is for all ages
Cost: Unlimited wristbands or $1 tickets. Check the site for wristband pricing.
2026 date/hours: Saturday, Oct 10, 2–9 p.m.

Nanny tip: Go during the 2–5 p.m. family window and head home before the haunted hike begins.

Where can kids see fall leaves near Atlanta?

Kennesaw Mountain (Marietta) and Island Ford (Sandy Springs)

Kids do: Walk wooded trails and watch the leaves change. At Kennesaw Mountain, a free shuttle runs to the top seven days a week.
Best ages: All ages
Cost: $5 per vehicle per day at both parks, card only
Hours: Kennesaw Mountain’s visitor center is open 9 a.m.–5 p.m. daily. Island Ford, in the Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area, is home to the park’s Hewlett Lodge Visitor Center.

Nanny tip: Bring a paper bag for collecting leaves, then use them for the crafts below.

What free fall activities can nannies do at home?

Fall fun does not need a ticket. These simple activities build real skills:

Leaf rubbings and collages: Peeling crayons, placing leaves and gluing build fine motor control for writing later.
Nature scavenger hunt: A list of words like crunchy, red and smooth builds language as kids describe what they find. Use pictures for toddlers.
Baking together: Measuring and pouring practice early math and following directions. Try our easy pumpkin muffins for kids.
Pumpkin exploration: Scooping, counting and sorting seeds is a great sensory and counting activity. More ideas are in our fall crafts for nannies.

Atlanta Fall Activities — Frequently Asked Questions

Most farms near Atlanta open in September and close in early November. Burt’s runs Sept 1–Nov 10, Uncle Shuck’s Sept 19–Nov 8, and Cagle’s Sept 25–Nov 1.

Burt’s Pumpkin Farm, Mercier Orchards and (in October) Uncle Shuck’s are open daily. The Atlanta Botanical Garden is open Tuesday through Sunday, and Spookhouse Annie at the Center for Puppetry Arts has 10 and 11:30 a.m. shows Wednesday through Sunday.

Yes. Admission and parking at Burt’s Pumpkin Farm are free, and only the hayride costs extra. Uncle Shuck’s pumpkin patch needs no ticket, and at-home leaf crafts cost nothing.

Try Boo at the Zoo, the Children’s Museum of Atlanta’s Trick-or-Treat (Oct 24), Spooky Mill’s 2–5 p.m. family window (Oct 10) and the Chattahoochee Nature Center’s Halloween Hikes.

Mercier Orchards in Blue Ridge offers daily apple U-pick while apples last. The Georgia Apple Festival in Ellijay runs Oct 10–11 and 17–18, 2026.

Layers, closed-toe shoes, wipes, water, a change of clothes, a card for card-only venues, and a carrier where strollers are awkward. Some farms ban outside food, so snack before you go in.

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