Fall Activities to Do Around North Atlanta & North Georgia

Cooler mornings, football weekends, apple season and pumpkin patches — fall is hard to beat in North Georgia. Whether you're looking for an easy afternoon close to home or want to head north for a full day in the mountains, here are a few of our favorite ways to make the most of the season.

1. Suwanee Fest — Suwanee | September 19–20
Kick off fall with one of Suwanee's biggest community events of the year. Suwanee Fest takes over Town Center Park for two days with more than 100 vendors and exhibitors, live entertainment, festival food, a family fun zone, rides and the annual parade. It's an easy fall outing for the whole family and a great excuse to spend the day exploring Suwanee.

2. Go Apple Picking at B.J. Reece Orchards — Ellijay | September & October
It's hard to talk about fall in North Georgia without mentioning Ellijay. B.J. Reece Orchards offers U-pick apples seven days a week throughout September and October, along with plenty of farm activities and fall treats. Apple varieties change throughout the season, so check the picking calendar before making the drive.

3. Burt's Pumpkin Farm — Dawsonville | Through November 10
Burt's is one of those classic North Georgia fall traditions. Spend the day picking out pumpkins, exploring the farm and taking a hayride through the property. New this year, the hayride includes Autumn & Gordy's Harvest House, billed as the world's largest drive-through pumpkin. Admission and parking for the pumpkin patch are free, with hayrides available daily during the heart of the fall season.

4. Crabapple Fest — Milton | October 3
One of our favorite Milton traditions, Crabapple Fest takes over historic Crabapple with more than 100 art, antique and craft vendors, food, live entertainment and activities for the whole family. It's a great excuse to spend a fall Saturday right here in Milton.

5. Georgia Apple Festival — Ellijay | October 10–11 & 17–18
If you're going to make one big fall trip to Ellijay, this is a good weekend to do it. Celebrating its 55th year, the Georgia Apple Festival brings hundreds of vendors to the Ellijay Lions Club Fairgrounds for handmade arts and crafts, demonstrations, live music and plenty of festival food. Pair it with a stop at one of the area's orchards and you've got a full fall day in the mountains.

6. Fall Festival on Ponce — Atlanta | October 10–11
If you want to head into the city, Fall Festival on Ponce brings artists, makers, food and live entertainment to historic Olmsted Linear Park for the weekend. It's a great way to spend a few hours outside once the fall weather finally starts cooperating.

7. OktoberFEAST — Sandy Springs | October 17–18
OktoberFEAST returns to City Springs for a weekend of Bavarian-inspired food, live music and family-friendly fun. The Swinging Bavarians bring traditional German music and plenty of polka to City Green, while seasonal food and drinks round out the celebration. Admission is free, making this an easy fall outing closer to home.

8. Uncle Shuck's Corn Maze & Pumpkin Patch — Dawsonville | Fall Season
If your ideal fall outing includes getting lost in a corn maze, Uncle Shuck's is worth the trip. The Dawsonville farm combines a large corn maze with a pumpkin patch and plenty of outdoor activities for kids. For those looking for something a little more Halloween-focused, the farm also offers a nighttime haunted trail on select dates.

9. Spend a Fall Day at Hillcrest Orchards — Ellijay | Through November 1
Hillcrest Orchards is another great option if you're heading to apple country with the kids. Its Apple Pickin' Jubilee weekends combine U-pick apples with wagon rides, a petting farm, pig races, an apple tree maze, live entertainment and plenty of other farm activities. And no fall trip to Ellijay is complete without stopping for cider doughnuts, apple fritters or something from the farm bakery.

Whether you're staying close to home for Crabapple Fest, taking the kids to a pumpkin patch in Woodstock or heading north for apples and a hayride, there's plenty to do between now and the end of October. It's one of my favorite times of year in North Georgia, so get outside and enjoy it while it lasts.