Up on the Farm
At Terhune Orchards in Princeton, pick-your-own apples season extends into October with trees full of Golden Delicious, Stayman Winesap, Cameo, Granny Smith, Pink Lady, Fuji and Macoun varieties all ripe for the harvesting. Other can’t-miss activities include the orchard’s Fall Family Fun Weekends (September 14 through November 3, 2024) and year-round wine tastings.
Aww, shucks. Did you know that Howell Living History Farm in Hopewell carves out New Jersey’s longest-running corn maze, year-after-year? Not only do you get to navigate through acres of stalks, you can also play some interactive games along the way. (Be sure to check out our official guide to statewide corn mazes and pumpkin patches here for more a-maze-ing experiences.) Plus, every Saturday throughout the season, the farm’s calendar is filled with fun fall events and crafting classes.
Von Thun’s Country Farm Market in Monmouth Junction hosts their Fall Festival Weekends between September 14 and October 27, 2024. Dig into 20+ seasonal activities and attractions including a 6+ acre corn maze, pedal karts, pumpkin bowling, giant pumpkin tic-tac-toe, barnyard mini golf, unlimited hayrides and access to the farm’s apple orchard and pumpkin patch.
The lavender might not be in bloom this season, but, if you’re all-in on alpacas, Hidden Spring Lavender & Alpaca Farm in Skillman is still the place to be. September 28, 2024, marks the date (rain or shine) of this year’s National Alpaca Farm Day Festival, where you can learn all about these fluffy-faced cuties – get your advance tickets on the farm’s website. Can’t make it to the festival? You can still meet the alpacas and shop for gifts, personal care items, cozy clothing and more made with 100% pure lavender oil or alpaca fleece all season long.
Seasonal Sips
Put a decidedly crisp Central Jersey twist on raising a cold one at Ironbound Farm & Ciderhouse, a regenerative farm in Asbury (not Asbury Park!). Their hard ciders are made from 100% fresh-pressed local apples with no added sugar, preservatives or sulfites. Rounding out their expansive beverage portfolio is a collection of fortified ciders as well as specialty ciders made expressly with Harrison apples.
When it’s time for wine, Central Jersey invites you to swirl and savor varietals at your choice of local wineries including Alba Vineyard (Milford), Beneduce Vineyards (Pittstown), Hopewell Valley Vineyards (Pennington), Old York Cellars Winery (Ringoes), Unionville Vineyards (Ringoes), Mount Salem Vineyards (Pittstown) and Working Dog Winery (Hightstown). If your tastes run more toward pumpkin ales and Oktoberfest lagers this season, check out our guide to Fall Craft Beers.
Flower Power
If you only think of gardens as a spring thing, you’re missing out! As the one-and-only Garden State, New Jersey knows how to dazzle in every season. Central Jersey’s crown jewel is the more than 1,000-acre Duke Farms in Hillsborough, where must-sees include its stunning Orchid Range, Hay Barn and Great Falls.
Stroll through the Fragrance & Sensory Garden at Colonial Park Gardens in Somerset to enjoy the perfume of monkshood, windflower, climbing American bittersweet, lacecap hydrangea, and sedum – all in season through October. Love leaf peeping? Be sure to check out our best places to view fall foliage statewide.
Artsy-Smartsy
Open year-round, the outdoor art park of Grounds For Sculpture in Hamilton is especially splendorous in fall. You’ll spy almost 300 modern sculptures tucked into 42 lushly landscaped acres as well as six indoor galleries. Be sure to keep an eye out for the resident peacocks as well!
A true architectural and cultural marvel, BAPS Swaminarayan Akshardham in Robbinsville is a feast for the eyes and mind. It is the largest Hindu temple in the United States at 255 feet by 345 feet by 191 feet, featuring the biggest elliptical dome of traditional stone ever created and housing a staggering 10,000 statues and statuettes. As a place of worship, visitors are asked to kindly dress and behave properly within its grounds and buildings.
Once home to Richard Stockton, a signer of the Declaration of Independence – as well as five New Jersey governors – Morven Museum & Garden in Princeton is now open to the public to immerse themselves in history. Wow-worthy sights to see include the permanent exhibitions: The Struggle for Liberty (Gallery 2), Forming the New Nation (Gallery 3), The American Spirit of Enterprise (Gallery 4) and The Governors’ Era: New Jersey’s Home (Gallery 5). And on display exclusively through March 2, 2025, is Morven Revealed: Untold Stories from New Jersey’s Most Historic Home.
Festivals For All
Are you ready for things to get wild and wooly? Head to the 29th Annual Sheep & Fiber Festival in Ringoes on September 14 and 15, 2024. There, you’ll experience demonstrations of sheep shearing, spinning and weaving and herding dogs, a variety of sheep shows plus food vendors and a fleece barn sale.
Fall brings easy-breezy musical entertainment with the Middlesex County Jazz Festival (Various Locations, September 25 – 29, 2024), Hub City Jazz Festival (New Brunswick, October 3 – 6, 2024), Hamilton Irish Music Festival (Hamilton Township, October 5, 2024) and Grayrock N Roll Fall Festival (Clinton, October 26, 2024).
Feeling crafty? Make your way to the Somerville Street Fair & Craft Show (October 6, 2024) or the Fall Arts Fest (October 19, 2024) in Lawrenceville. Or tap into your roots at North Brunswick Heritage Day (October 5, 2024), Annual Corazon Latino Festival & Mercado Esperanza (October 13, 2024) in New Brunswick or Oktoberfest (October 20, 2024) in Hamilton Township.
There’s just so much to do right in the heart of New Jersey this fall, you may want to stay the night. No problem! You can find your accommodations right here. For even more trip inspiration, download our free travel guide and subscribe to our monthly e-newsletter. As always, please visit the official websites or social media pages of your destinations before you hit the road for the latest need-to-know details.
