Sacramento Fall Bucket List: Fun Things to Do with Kids

Fall in Sacramento means it’s time for family trips to Apple Hill, leaf peeping in parks, tons of scary good Halloween events for kids, and the best pumpkin patches in the Sacramento Area. 

The temperatures might still be high when autumn officially arrives, but that won’t stop families in Sacramento from doing must-do fall activities during the spooky season. 

Keep reading for the ultimate list of fall things to do in Sacramento with kids. 

Festive Fall Activities in the Sacramento Area 

1. Apple Hill

It’s not fall in Sacramento without a day trip to Apple Hill. So many families, including ours, make this a yearly fall tradition. From apple picking at Apple Ridge Farms to seasonal coffee flights at Grandpa’s Cellar and homemade apple cider donuts at Rainbow Orchards, Apple Hill makes it feel more like fall when it’s still 80 degrees outside. 

2. Sacramento Pumpkin Patches

A city like Sacramento, known for agriculture, will most definitely have many pumpkin patches. From Elk Grove to West Sacramento, get those fall photo ops, go on a hay ride, and have fun with the kids at the best pumpkin patches in the Sacramento Area. One of my favorite farms is Fog Willow Farms, which I think is underrated. It’s a beautiful farm with tons of animals and activities for kids. 

3. Fall Festivals in Sacramento

Throughout October, from Roseville to Carmichael, a bounty of family-friendly fall festivals will take place.  

4. Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm — Wheatland

While there are a plethora of pumpkin patches near Sacramento, Bishop’s Pumpkin Farm in Wheatland is in a league of its own. It’s probably the top pumpkin patch in the greater Sacramento Area for its wide range of attractions and massive-sized farm. I like to call it the Disneyland of pumpkin patches. It could easily be an all-day outing as there is that much to do. 

5. Cool Patch Pumpkins Corn Maze — Dixon

Take a day trip to Yolo County to test yourself in one of the world’s largest corn mazes at Cool Patch Pumpkins. I’d wait to take young kids to this one, as there’s a good chance you’ll be wandering around in their corn maze for a while. 

6. Halloween Town — Old Sacramento

Each October, Old Sacramento comes alive with festive Halloween fun. Take an urban hayride and watch Halloween-themed movies at the popular Movies Under the Stars. 

7. Midtown Halloween Parade

Dogs dressed up in Halloween costumes are the main event at the annual Midtown Halloween Parade. That said, there are many family-friendly activities for kids to enjoy during the Halloween fun. 

8. Floating Pumpkin Patches

Floating pumpkin patches are a thing in California, especially in Sacramento, when the weather is still warm in the fall. Kids jump into a pool full of pumpkins and pluck their gourds from the pool. Several floating pumpkin patches pop up in the Sacramento area, including ones in Antelope, Elk Grove, and a free Halloween-themed Swim with the Pumpkins in Folsom.

Top Spots to See Fall Foliage near Sacramento 

One of the many reasons I love living in Sacramento (or Northern California in general) is that we get seasons and fall foliage. As an original northeasterner, I’m picky about fall foliage. I was happily surprised to see that Sacramento actually gets pretty decent fall foliage. Early to mid-November is the prime time to see fall foliage in Sacramento.  

9. Camden Park — Elk Grove

Let me tell you a little secret: Camden Park in Elk Grove is probably one of the best places to see fall foliage near Sacramento. Fall leaves and vibrant colors blanket the park in November. There are also two playgrounds near Camden Park. For more autumn activities in Elk Grove, check out the best fall activities in Elk Grove for families.

10. Sacramento State

One of the best spots for fall foliage in Sacramento is Sacramento State. Specifically, the west side of campus. Here’s a tip a fellow mom once told me: Bring a rake that’s easy to assemble and disassemble (like this one on Amazon) with you to a spot with fall leaves, rake a pile of leaves, and let the kids jump for joy into the leaf pile, ten times over. 

11. Cosumnes River Preserve — Galt

Yellow and brown leaves scatter the grounds of the Cosumnes River Preserve in the fall. These trails are easy and family-friendly. Little legs can enjoy some fall scenery while getting some fresh air and exercise. 

12. Rail Bikes on the River — West Sacramento

One of the most unique ways to admire fall foliage in Sacramento is from the seat of a rail bike along the Sacramento River. With a 10-mile round-trip route, it’s a fun way to get outdoors while soaking in fall colors. The rail bikes experience is available all year, but in November, when the leaves turn to vibrant hues, it is an ideal time to embark on this rail adventure.

Must-Do Fall Things in Sacramento 

Don’t miss out on these seasonal Fall happenings in Sacramento. Kids of all ages will love the variety of fall things to do. 

13. Elk Grove Giant Pumpkin Festival

There are so many things to do in Elk Grove with kids, and tons of seasonal events for the community. The Elk Grove Pumpkin Festival is a beloved annual two-day event that always takes place the first weekend in October (which unfortunately means it’s also typically pretty warm for this event). 

Want another free fall event in Elk Grove for kids? Hallo-Palooza & Trunk or Treat is an annual free event for kids in Elk Grove. They can trunk-or-treat from vehicles associated with the Elk Grove Police Department and participate in carnival games.

Both of these events are must-do fall activities in Elk Grove for families.

14. Sacramento Kings & Fan Fest 

Fall might mean Apple Hill and pumpkin patches, but it also means it’s time for a new Sacramento Kings basketball season. We all look forward to donning our purple and black, and chanting, “Light the beam!” 

Sacramento Kings basketball games can be expensive for families, so an alternative, free way to get in on the action is to attend the free Sacramento Kings Fan Fest. During this free event at Golden 1 Center, fans will get to see the Sacramento Kings practice while enjoying family-friendly activities. While the event is free, tickets are required (and they go fast, so get them now!). 

15. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert

Muggles will get the chance to see Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban™ in Concert in Sacramento this fall. Enter the world of Harry Potter at the Safe Credit Union Performing Arts Center in Sacramento as the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera play the live movie score during the film screenings in mid-October. 

16. Mandarin Picking

There’s a reason why Sacramento is deemed the “farm-to-fork” capital. The area teems with farms. In the fall, there are u-pick apples, u-pick pumpkins, and u-pick mandarins. Mandarin season typically begins in mid-to-late November. Different varieties continue to be available throughout the winter. In fact, there’s an annual Mountain Mandarin Festival near Sacramento. 

U-pick mandarin farms near Sacramento are in Placer County (Penryn and Newcastle). As it gets closer to mandarin season, I’ll compile a list of u-pick mandarin farms near Sacramento for kids. Not all citrus orchards in the Sacramento Area offer u-pick, but Sunset Ridge Fine Fruits does (with a reservation).  

17. Nimbus Fish Hatchery

The Nimbus Fish Hatchery has seasonal operating hours, and while it opens on Labor Day, fall is the time to visit. This is because fall is when the salmon run takes place from early November to mid-December. From free fish feeding, to a playground, interactive activities, and a nature trail, this free activity is a must-do for kids. 

Top Halloween Events for Kids in Sacramento

There is no shortage of ways for kids to wear costumes and celebrate Halloween in Sacramento. There are a plethora of trunk-or-treat events, toddler-friendly Halloween events, and unique ways for kids to enjoy spooky season.  Plus, I’ve got a whole list of free Halloween events in Sacramento for kids.

18. Wild Howl-O-Ween at Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary

Wild Howl-O-Ween is one of the best Halloween events for kids in Sacramento. While the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary is on the smaller side, they do a fantastic job of having many treat stations along the way. In addition to candy, there are also interactive activities and games. 

Tip: A free annual Trunk-or-Treat with Folsom Police and Fire takes place on the same day as Wild Howl-O-Ween. The Folsom Police event is in the morning, which is nice when you have young kids. Both events are right next to each other! Last year, our family did both events on the same day. On the walk from one event to the other, you’ll also pass by the Folsom Valley Railway train, which you could also include. 

Learn more about visiting the Folsom City Zoo Sanctuary in Folsom with kids. 

19. Trick or Treat at Sacramento Children’s Museum

If you want to attend a Halloween event on Halloween, look no further than Trick or Treat at the Sacramento Children’s Museum. This event is free with the donation of a gently used or new book. It’s a favorite event for our family! They have many treat stations and interactive activities for the kiddos. It’s the perfect event to kick off Halloween day with kids in Sacramento. Registration is required and does fill up in advance. 

20. Halloween at Jellystone Park™ Tower Park — Lodi

There are many fun things to do in Lodi with kids. One of those things is Yogi Bear’s Jellystone Park™ Camp-Resort. While it may seem like the resort is more of a summer destination, there will be four Halloween weekends from October 10 to November 2, 2025. Activities include trick-or-treating, Halloween-related arts and crafts, and a haunted pavilion for those who dare. 

21. Trunk-or-Treat at California Automobile Museum

If ever there was a place to go trunk-or-treating, it seems like the trunks of classic cars might be the spot. The California Automobile Museum will have a trunk-or-treat event inside the museum in 2025. Children 5 and under are free to the event. There will be a haunted house for older kids.

Check out what to expect when visiting the California Automobile Museum in Sacramento with kids. 

22. Safe & Super Halloween at Fairytale Town

Safe & Super Halloween at Fairytale Town is an annual event geared toward younger children. In 2025, the theme is Auradon and the Isle of the Lost. There will be trick-or-treat stations and other (non-scary) Halloween surprises for kids. 

Spooky Things To Do in Sacramento 

Older kids may want more thrilling or creepy Halloween experiences that bring the scares. There are also some local and unique Halloween events for all ages that don’t involve trick-or-treating to add to your Fall bucket list. 

23. Sacramento History Museum Ghost Tours — Old Sacramento

For a uniquely Sacramento experience, the Sacramento History Museum hosts Ghost Tours every October. It’s a guided walking tour that lasts about an hour, where storytellers emerge from the grave to reveal what really happened in Sacramento’s past. These are very popular events and recommended for children eight years old and older. 

24. The Haunted Corn Maze at Dave’s Pumpkin Patch — West Sacramento

For one weekend in October and Halloween night, the corn maze at Dave’s Pumpkin Patch gets a scary makeover. The Haunted Corn Maze is a frightening spin on the usual family-friendly corn maze at this pumpkin patch in Sacramento. 

25. Spooktacular Mini Golf — Roseville

Golfland Sunsplash has one of the best mini-golf courses in the Sacramento area. Each October, their mini golf course undergoes a spooky overhaul. It’s a family-friendly Halloween experience as the course will have festive Halloween decor. 

If older kids are looking to up the Halloween ante, Roseville Golfland Sunsplash has The Gauntlet. It’s an intense haunted experience. Kids under 13 years old are not recommended, so teens, this one is for you.  

26. Leland Stanford Mansion Halloween Tour

A favorite Halloween activity in Sacramento is touring the Leland Stanford Mansion. This tour is better suited for older kids as it’s more historical and educational. Each October, the Leland Stanford Mansion hosts limited free Halloween tours that take you from room to room, each of which is decorated and has historic tales to tell. When free tickets become available, they go quickly. 

27. East Village Bookshop Halloween Scavenger Hunt

Beginning in mid-October each year, the East Village Bookshop has a free, family-friendly Halloween scavenger hunt. Grab a scavenger hunt sheet in the bookstore, then search for the locations around East Sacramento (Hint: all of them are near the bookstore). After you complete the scavenger hunt, return it to the bookstore, where kids can redeem it for a free popsicle and a Halloween sticker. 

28. Sacramento Scream Park

If horror and haunted houses are things your teens can’t get enough of, then the Sacramento Scream Park should be at the top of their Fall bucket list. This experience is not for the faint of heart. One ticket gets you four different haunted experiences. Sacramento Scream Park is Northern California’s largest haunted house experience. 

29. Sacramento Spooky River Cruise — Old Sacramento

The usual Sacramento City Cruises that depart from the Old Sacramento Waterfront offer a Spooky River Cruise starting in mid-October. This is a family-friendly experience. The boat is adorned with Halloween decor. The spooky cruise lasts one hour. 

30. Elk Grove Laguna Kiwanis Club

The Elk Grove Kiwanis Club does some neat seasonal events. During the Halloween season, they do an annual Halloween Home Town Fundraiser. You purchase a digital map for $10 that leads you to elaborately decorated Halloween houses in Elk Grove. Then, you vote on your favorite home. 

31. Haunted Hop Field at Dueling Dogs Brewery — Lincoln

Dueling Dogs Brewery in Lincoln gets into the Halloween spirit with a Haunted Hop Field. It’s a trail lined with Halloween animatronics from skeletons to witches and werewolves. It’s kid-friendly in the daytime, then gets spookier in the evening. The brewery also has an on-site pumpkin patch, making this a fun and unique fall family outing.

32. Haunted History — Folsom

Teens who want to turn up the scare volume can enter Haunted History if they dare. This is an outdoor haunted house in Folsom located at The Square on select nights in October.

Sacramento Area Family-Friendly Oktoberfests 

While images of steins filled with beer may come to mind when it comes to Oktoberfest, there are several family-friendly Oktoberfest celebrations in the Sacramento Area. 

33. Sacramento Turn Verein

The OG of Oktoberfests in Sacramento is Turn Verein. The two-day festival is the oldest running Oktoberfest in Sacramento, and children may attend. There will be authentic German food and fun for all ages. 

34. Oktoberfest at Touchstone Brewing Company

Oktoberfest at Touchstone Brewing Company is not only family-friendly, but it will also have hayrides. Many Oktoberfest celebrations take place in mid-September, but this one is in October. 

35. Oktoberfest at Jackrabbit Brewery

Oktoberfest at Jackrabbit Brewery will also take place in October at this family-friendly brewery in West Sacramento. Kids can enjoy face painting, a chalk station, cornhole, and pretzel necklace making. 

36. Urban Roots Brewing Oktoberfest

If you want to celebrate Oktoberfest in a family-friendly atmosphere, there’s always Urban Roots Brewing. It’s already one of the best kid-friendly restaurants in Sacramento, and their Oktoberfest doesn’t differ from welcoming kids. 

Best Ways to Celebrate Día de los Muertos 

Sacramento is one of the most diverse cities in the country. Various cultures can be celebrated at diverse community events. Honor family and friends at Día de los Muertos (day of the Dead) events. There are many family-friendly Día de los Muertos events in Sacramento. 

37. California Museum Día de los Muertos Fiesta

The California Museum will celebrate the opening of its newest exhibit, Recuerdos Ilustrados: Día de los Muertos 2025, with a family-friendly fiesta. Expect Aztec dancers, sugar skull workshops, face painting, and interactive activities.

Want more Día de los Muertos activities for kids? The California Museum will also have an I Love Sugar Skulls Workshop the day after the fiesta. 

38. Día de los Muertos Community Night at Sacramento Children’s Museum

Younger kids can celebrate Día de los Muertos at the Sacramento Children’s Museum with hands-on activities and live music. They can also add a note or photo to the museum’s ofrenda.

39. ARTgrove Día de los Muertos in Elk Grove

There will be a free Día de Los Muertos celebration for the community in Elk Grove. ARTgrove’s Día de los Muertos will have Azteca dancers, family-friendly activities, and an altar where attendees can contribute photos and notes. 

Sacramento Area Fall Train Rides 

You might think of the holidays as a popular time to take train rides in Sacramento with kids, and you’d be right. However, there are a few fall train rides in the Sacramento Area that kids will enjoy. 

40. Pumpkin Patch Express

The Sacramento Valley Live Steamers Railroad Museum is a little-known train that chugs along tracks in Hagan Community Park every first weekend of the month. In the fall, they have a special Pumpkin Patch Express train during the first weekend of October. It not only includes unlimited train rides (which is one of those sit-on trains), but also includes bounce houses and photo ops. 

I was impressed by this train ride in Rancho Cordova. It’s longer than you might think, at 15 minutes, past small waterfalls and through bridges. While in Hagan Community Park on a Saturday, you could also include a visit to the Hagan Community Barn, or a pit stop at Soil Born Farms (the entrance is next to the entrance of Hagan Community Park). All of these wonderful activities are some of the best things to do in Rancho Cordova with kids. 

41. Pumpkin Patch Flyer

Another lesser-known train ride for families in the Sacramento Area is the Placerville & Sacramento Valley Railroad. This train ride is in Folsom. It has special rides at certain times of the year, including in the fall for the Pumpkin Patch Flyer. Each train ticket includes one pumpkin to pick, and there will be interactive activities. 

42. Yolo Explorer Pumpkin Train

The Sacramento River Fox Train will have a family-friendly pumpkin train going through Yolo County. There will be an on-board pumpkin patch, as well as on-board family-friendly activities. 

Best Fall Day Trips from Sacramento 

43. Lake Tahoe

Fall is the ideal time to visit Lake Tahoe. Why? Summer crowds are gone, and there are no snowstorms to deal with. The weather is perfect, and parking isn’t an issue. Time your visit just right, and you can admire stunning fall foliage in Lake Tahoe in early to mid-October. One of the best spots is near Spooner Lake. 

It’s also the perfect time to visit the family-friendly Taylor Creek Visitor Center when Lake Tahoe’s Kokanee salmon return to spawn. Just watch out for bears, they are very active on the trail this time of year! 

44. Filoli Trolls

The Filoli trolls are a sight to see and are especially kid-friendly. Search for six massive Thomas Dambo trolls in the redwood forest. Not only do trolls go hand-in-hand with Halloween, but the trolls are only in the Bay Area temporarily. Take a fall day trip from Sacramento to check out the trolls while you can. The exhibit ends November 10, 2025. 

45. Nevada City

Nevada City makes an easy fall day trip from Sacramento, at a little over an hour’s drive. Nevada City pops with fall colors and has many family-friendly activities. Hiking the Deer Creek Tribute Trail is a popular fall activity in Nevada City. However, I would not recommend it for younger kids as there are steep parts.