There’s a slight chill in the air, there are sweaters for sale, and there are pumpkin spice drinks on the coffee shop menus. Fall has arrived in Dallas!
I love the changes in nature, the warm and welcoming colors, and the delicious foods that come along with this season. So I’m always looking for opportunities to celebrate!
Here are my favorite things to do in Dallas in the fall. Things look a little bit different this year as we all social distance and wear masks, but every item on the list can be enjoyed safely. Add them to your own Dallas fall bucket list this year!
Dallas Farmers Market
The Dallas Farmers Market hosts piles of pumpkins under their outdoor shed every autumn, supplying Dallasites with a wide variety of pumpkin colors and shapes fresh from the farm delivered right here in our own backyard. This year the 25 different pumpkin types come from Floydada, in West Texas.
The Dallas Farmers Market will offer pumpkins through October 31. Their hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m on Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Friday through Sunday. For even more fall floral fun, check out local plant shop Ruibal’s nextdoor to the market.
Autumn at the Arboretum
One of the most beloved fall traditions in Dallas is Autumn at the Arboretum! Over 90,000 pumpkins are arranged into a beautiful fall village where guests can wander and snap pictures. There’s a patch where guests can pick out their own pumpkins, 150,000 fall flowers, and special events with food for sale throughout the season.
This year Autumn at the Arboretum is celebrating its 15th anniversary with the theme The Art of the Pumpkin. The exhibit features a Cinderella carriage with corn husk horses, pumpkin house structures, and a pumpkin river. The Art of the Pumpkin will run through November 1. For more information about visiting Autumn at the Arboretum in 2020, check out this post.
Blase Family Farm
Just outside Dallas in my hometown of Rockwall, the Blase family welcomes guests to their pumpkin patch. Kids and adults alike can enjoy a hay maze, a petting zoo, and cute painted signs for family pictures at Blase Family Farm. The Blases sell homemade pumpkin fudge and pumpkin popsicles and offer hayrides from their tractor.
The Blase Family Farm will be open through November 1 this year, and is available by appointment only. Sign up for a time slot on their website so you can safely social distance while you frolick through the patch.
Pitchfork Pumpkin Patch
This brand new pumpkin extravaganza opened in Royse City for the 2020 fall season, and it is quickly becoming a big hit in the DFW community. Pitchfork Pumpkin Patch offers pumpkin smashing, pumpkin painting, spooky movie nights, and murder mystery parties!
Pitchfork Pumpkin Patch is open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday, noon to 6 p.m. on Sunday. Family outdoor movies are every Friday night in October and adult Murder Mystery dinner parties are every Saturday night in October. The final event of the season will be a Trunk-or-Treat on Halloween night.
Hall’s Pumpkin Farm
Travel out past DFW Airport in Grapevine to Hall’s Pumpkin Farm if you’re up to a challenging corn maze. The maze pathway changes each year and is difficult enough to stump both kids and adults. There are also pumpkins for sale, cute farm animals, hay rides, and snacks. Pay with cash only for each feature on the farm.
Hall’s Pumpkin Farm is closed on Mondays and will run October 2 – 31. The hours will be 3 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Tuesday through Thursday, 3 p.m. – 9 p.m. on Friday, 10 a.m. – 9 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 p.m. – 8 p.m. on Sunday.
Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru
Normally my Dallas fall bucket list would have to include a trip to the State Fair of Texas. But since Covid canceled the 2020 state fair, the Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru will have to do instead!
Every weekend from September 25 through October 17 fairgoers can purchase tickets to drive around fair park collecting fried food favorites. Each ticket includes admission for one vehicle, soft drinks or bottled waters, Fletcher’s Corny Dogs, Jack’s French Fries, Stiffler’s Fried Oreos, cotton candy, kettle corn, and a midway prize. You can also pose for a photo with Big Tex taken by a professional photographer.
Since the State Fair normally provides scholarships to Dallas-area kids and jobs to low income communities, this is a great way to support their organization until the fair’s return in 2021.
Oak Point Nature Preserve
If you’re looking for the perfect place to stroll through beautiful fall leaves, check out Oak Point Nature Preserve in Plano during October!
The 800-acre park has 8 miles of concrete paths where visitors can walk or bike, plus 5 miles of soft surface nature trails for hiking. It’s completely free to visit, and it’s easy to social distance in such a huge expanse of space. Take some fall leaf photos and enjoy the fresh air.
Creating Your Dallas Fall Bucket List
After a rough year, we all need a little bit of fall celebration in our lives. Enjoy adding any of these spots to your Dallas fall bucket list and 2020 will instantly seem a little bit brighter. All you need to add is a pumpkin spice latte and a scarf.
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