Looking for fun and different activities for fall besides the usual bonfire or movie night? Here are just a few of the diverse options for fall-related fun.
To experience old-fashioned life on the farm, visit Buckley Homestead in Lowell, IN. The former residence of Dennis and Catherine Buckley has been turned into a museum of living history. Visitors may enjoy a tour of the family farm, hayrides, and hiking trails. They may also enjoy homemade apple cider and hot cocoa. Open from 7 a.m. until sunset on weekdays, and 12 p.m. until 5 p.m on weekends.
Another popular option is the County Line Orchard located in Hobart, IN. Visitors may enjoy a variety of activities, including pumpkin picking, apple picking, hayrides, a corn maze, and a petting zoo. This year’s corn maze is designed after the Chicago Blackhawks in celebration of their recent Stanley Cup win. Be sure to pick up a famous pumpkin or apple spice donut from the gift shop barn on the way out! Open daily from now through Oct. 31.
For a unique pumpkin patch experience, visit the Odyssey Fun Farm in Tinley Park, IL. It includes the typical highlights of a fall farmland, such as pumpkin picking, a corn maze, petting zoo, and hay rides. However, there are many different spooky twists on the attractions, including a nighttime trek through the corn maze with just a flashlight to guide the way. Another popular event is the nighttime Zombie Safari Hay Ride, complete with paintball guns to fend off the “zombies.” For more family-friendly events, look for the pig races and a bouncy-house spin-off with the “pillow jumpy.” Open daily from now through Oct. 27.
Interested in more of a laid-back yet fun experience? Check out one of the many listings of the cult-classic Rocky Horror Picture Show. Performances tend to include live reenactments while the movie plays on screen. The “Help Me Mommy” production company at The Art Theatre in Hobart, IN performs the show each Saturday at midnight. Or, for a more city feel, head down to the Music Box Theatre in Chicago, IL. Its monthly showing is slated for midnight on Oct. 25. Prepare to interact with the lively casts.
Looking for a more authentic, frightening experience? Weird Chicago has tours of real haunted attractions throughout the Chicagoland area. See the summer reading in a new light by going on the Devil and the White City tour, which visits sites of Holmes’ horror and the World’s Fair’s old stomping grounds. The Weird and Haunted Tour will lead its participants through haunted attractions, sites related to infamous Chicago gangsters, and much more. Available on Fridays and Saturdays.