The leaves may be changing color because of the heat and not the seasons, BUT, it’s time to grab an ICED PSL and dive into all things Autumn. Here are 17 can’t-miss family activities to do in Austin this Fall.

Field of Light at  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center- Opening September 9- Tickets required. Illuminating 16 acres in the Arboretum at the Wildflower Center, Field of Light is a stunning display of 28,000 stemmed spheres that are subtly lit by solar powered fiber-optics. The exhibition beautifully showcases the intersection of art, technology and nature. The installation unites with the outdoors, celebrating the natural topography of the landscape and creating an immersive and emotional experience for guests.

Georgetown Fall Festival– Sweet Eats Fruit Farm- Begins September 10- Tickets Required. 4.5 Acres of safari themed corn maze paired with our GIANT 2 acre Texas sized pumpkin patch filled with over 40 different varieties of pumpkins, fireworks (Fri & Sat nights in Oct.), pig races, petting zoo, pony rides, wagon rides, apple cannons, food trucks, live music and over 30 different activities that are included with your general admission ticket.

Family Campout at Old Settlers Park in Round Rock- September 16-Registration required. Come spend the night in Old Settlers Park!  You’ll pop your tent around the Lakeview Pavilion, eat dinner, have fun, play games, sit around the campfire eating s’mores, watch a movie in the park and then off to sleep under the stars. Wake up with the sunrise and enjoy breakfast. Registration for the campout is required. Registration fee will increase to $15 on September 1. Each registered participant will receive two meals (dinner on Friday evening and pancake and sausage breakfast on Saturday morning, vegetarian option available upon early request, s’mores and a t-shirt.

Touch-A-Truck at Camp Mabry- September 17-Tickets Required. Touch-A-Truck is a fun-filled event for families to bond as their children explore the vehicles they’ve seen in movies, books, and just driving around town. From fire trucks and ambulances to backhoes and bulldozers, Touch-A-Truck has them all! 

Harvest of Fall Fun– Sweet Berry Farm- Opens September 17-Tickets Required- Our annual ‘Harvest of Fall Fun’! The Harvest of Fall Fun will last until the first weekend of November. Join us for Hayrides, Pumpkins, Mazes, Scarecrow Stuffing, and much more!

Pecan Street Festival Downtown- September 17 & 18- FREE. One of the largest, and longest-running, arts, crafts and music festivals in the nation. Tons of vendors and live music all weekend long!  

Austin Museum Day- Various Museums- September 18- FREE. Enjoy dozens of Austin Area Museums for free in a celebration of art, culture, history, music, nature, science, and play! Check participating museums HERE.

Pumpkin Nights– Pioneer Farms- Opens Sept 22- Tickets Required. Set out on a Halloween walking path unlike anything you have ever experienced. You will discover 10-foot tall Jack-o-Lanterns, the world’s largest pumpkin guitar, a flying 40-foot handmade dragon, a life-size pumpkin pirate ship, and more fantastic surprises built by our artists using over 5,000 hand-carved real and synthetic pumpkins.

Dripping Springs Pumpkin Festival-Dr. Pound Historical Farmstead- Opens Sept 24- Tickets Required. Bring out the family and experience a full day of unlimited fun with over 50 fall-inspired games, activities, and attractions. Enjoy live music presented by 100.1 Sun Radio, a courtyard marketplace featuring family-friendly products, and an incredible selection of seasonal foods and beverages for both children and adults. You’ll also find an abundance of photo opportunities, so don’t forget your cameras.

The Chalk Walk in Round Rock-Dell Diamond-Oct 7-8-FREE. Round Rock area’s largest and most prestigious festival. Drawing over 60,000 people annually during the first weekend in October, this free event features hundreds of artists, vendors, sponsors, local and regional musicians, theatrical performances, foods and drinks and a children’s area with performances.

Fortlandia at  Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center- Returns on Oct 8. Reserve tickets in advance. An annual exhibition of secret hideouts, kicks off this fall in a new location — the Luci and Ian Family Garden. This year’s lineup of custom forts will transport you to imaginary worlds and spark an appreciation for art and nature. There will also be a bonus installation along the Ann and Roy Butler Hike-and-Bike Trail at Lady Bird Lake.

Texas Pumpkinfest– Leander- Returns on Oct 8- FREE Admission on TUESDAYS. A Much Larger Venue With More Parking, More Room For The Pumpkin Patch, and Extra Space To Let The Kids Run Wild! Serving The Greater Austin Area With The Most Family-Fun Fall & Halloween Experience In Texas!

Fall Festival & Pumpkin Patch– Barton Hill Farms- Opens September 23-Tickets required. This picturesque family-owned farmjust outside of Austin lets you experience life on the farm — even if it’s just for the day. Join us this year as we celebrate 11 years of the Fall Festival, Pumpkin Patch and Corn Maze and learn why we’ve been named the best pumpkin patch in Central Texas! Take fall photos with the family under the cottonwood trees. Pick your very own pumpkins from our beautiful pumpkin patch. Explore our 30+ activities including our fall corn maze. Then take a break, relax on a swing beneath a shady tree, and let the Colorado River wash your cares away.

Indian Springs Ranch Pumpkin Patch- Opens Sept 20-Tickets Required. Unique fall-themed photo-ops, exotic animals, face painting, jumping pillow, kids swings and playground, food & craft vendors. 

Austin Symphony’s Halloween Children’s Concert at The Long Center- is October 23 at 3pm-Tickets Required. It’s creepy, crawly and so much fun it’s spooky! Your little ghost or goblin will help haunt Long Center’s Dell Hall for Austin Symphony Orchestra’s annual Halloween Children’s Concert.  This exciting concert features frightfully fun symphonic music that is stimulating for young eyes and ears (ages 2-10). The entire family is invited to dress up in their favorite costume and enjoy “boo-tiful” music with their Austin Symphony Orchestra!

Texas Bookfest- Downtown-November 5-6-Free. The 2022 Festival Weekend will take place at the State Capitol and surrounding streets. The Festival Weekend is free and open to the public, with 250+ authors of the year’s best books. The full author lineup will be announced in September, and the schedule will be released in October.

Waterloo Greenway Creek Show-Beginning at 9th Street- November 11-20. Reserve free tickets in advance. Each year, Creek Show commissions site-specific work by Austin-based architects, landscape architects, artists, and designers, chosen through a public Call for Ideas hosted in collaboration with AIA Austin. Artists explore different themes related to Waterloo Greenway that range from history to hydrology and beyond.

Photo Credit :: Noelle Westcott Photography

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