A huge thank you to TriStar Martial Arts of Westminster for their sponsorship of this guide! As the winner of Carroll's Best for over 2 decades, Tristar has become the go-to activity for hundreds of families in Carroll County this fall. Tristar Martial Arts offers classes for all ages - even adults! Ready to give it a try? Learn more about Tristar Martial Arts by clicking here.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
Check the Macaroni Kid Calendar for free and low-cost things to do in our area. Not a subscriber? Sign up and you’ll get the goods each week directly in your email in-box. It’s free. No sales. No gimmicks. Just plain fun.
Pumpkin Patches, Farms and Orchards
👩🏼🌾 Local Homestead Products, LLC
🍂 Bupperts-Doran’s Chance Farm
Special Dates to Remember
👻 September 2nd-October 31st is the Fall Fun Fest at Gaver Farm!
🌾 September 10th join for the opening of Cornfusion’s famous corn maze and fall activities. This year’s maze theme is Sherlock Holmes!
🍎 September 17th-18th enjoy everything apples at the Apple Harvest Festival at Gaver Farm.
👻 September 17th-31st, head to the Fall Festival at Adventure Park!
🍂 September 22nd brings back Westminster’s FallFest!
👻 September 24th, grab your friends and head to the Maryland Microbrewery Festival.
🍂 September 24th-October 31st heralds the opening of the pumpkin patch at Local Homestead!
🌾 On September 24th, check out the Taneytown Harvest Festival: pony rides, petting zoo, games, bounce houses, hayrides, and more!
👻 On October weekends, check out the Fall Harvest, Hay Rides, and Pick-Your-Own Pumpkins at Baugher’s Orchard.
🌾 Weekends in October, head to Buppert’s-Doran’s Chance Farm for pick-you-own pumpkins and a corn maze!
🍂 Oktoberfest of Carroll County will be held at the AG Center on October 1st.
👻 The Downtown Westminster Oyster Stroll will be held on October 8th!
🍎 The Fall Harvest Festival at the Carroll County Farm Museum will be held on October 15th!
👻 On October 22nd, head to Adventure Park USA for a fun Halloween party!
🌾 October 22nd also brings back the Spooky Saturday in downtown Westminster with a Halloween parade and trick-or-treating!
🍎 Don’t wait for Christmas for cookies. Decorate some Halloween-themed cookies at Adventure Park USA on October 27th!
🌾October 29th brings back the 4th annual MacKid’s Spooktacular Trick or Treat!
Westminster Favorites
👻 Get thrilled at one of Hackney Haunt’s haunts!
🚜 Check out a self guided tour at the Carroll County Farm Museum
🍦 Visit Hoffman's Ice Cream for all your sweet tooth needs
☕️ Latte for the parents and hot chocolate for the kids at Furnace Hills Coffee
🧁 Have a cupcake decorating contest with an at home decorating kit from Starry Night Bakery
🦐 Dine or order from the take & bake menu at Rock Salt Grille grab a take
🍅 Pick up fresh produce from Knill's Farm Market
🍎Pick your own apples at Baugher's Orchard
📚 Pick out some of your favorite fall themed library books and schedule a curbside pickup with Carroll County Public Library
🎨 🖌 To-Go kits or studio hours, Firehouse Pottery has it all for your creative needs!
🧁 Treat yourself to cupcakes from Molli's Cafe
🛹Learn how to do a kick flip at the Parks & Recreation
🏞 Visit all the Westminster-Carroll Area Parks and Playgrounds
🐢🦅Take some time to learn about the wildlife at Hashawha Environmental Center & Bear Branch Nature Center
⛳️Learn how to play disc at Leister Park
🛶 Rent a boat at Piney Run
🌾Travel the Carroll County Barn Quilt Trail
🧸 Start your Christmas list early with a visit to All Time Toys
📚Pick up a new book from A Likely Story Bookstore or Rudolph Girls Books
💃🏽Learn dance from the comfort of your own home with Online Dance Instruction from Taneytown Dance Center
Zipline courses at TreeTrekkers
🖼 Art exhibits and events held with Carroll Arts Center
⛳️⚾️ Mini golf, driving range or batting cages can be found at Island Green Family Fun Center
📜 Every 3rd Saturday of each month, learn what life was like in Carroll County in the 1800's Past Times for Children
✈️Watch airplanes take off at the Carroll County Regional Airport
🎳 Bowling, arcade, virtual reality at Stratosphere
👀Visit the birth place of Francis Scott Key
Rent a moonbounce from Backyard Inflatables
🍔 Food Truck Fridays at Old Westminster Winery
🐖 🐄Everyday activities and special fall events at Green Meadows
🎣 Grab the fishing poles and hit up one of these spots, Freshwater Fishing Hotspots
Take a Hike
🦌Morgan Run Natural Environment Area
🦌Charlotte’s Quest Nature Center
🌳Trails Carroll County, Maryland
Stay at home activities
🌷 Plant spring bulbs
🍂🍁 Rake leaves together. Jump in the pile, then rake them up again!
🏃🏾♀️ Register for an upcoming race, run, or ride. Many of these types of events are very family-friendly with shorter routes as an option, discounted (or free) registration for children, and fun after-parties. As a bonus, some of these types of events are fundraisers as well.
🎶 🕺🏻 Make a playlist of Halloween-themed songs and have a dance party in your living room. Some of our favorites:
- "This is Halloween" by Danny Elfman from The Nightmare Before Christmas soundtrack
- "Monster Mash" by Bobby Pickett
- "Thriller" by Michael Jackson
- "Some Kind of Monster" by Neon Trees
- "Season of the Witch" by Donovan
- "Bark at the Moon" by Ozzy Osbourne
- "My Beloved Monster" by Eels from the Shrek soundtrack
- "The Time Warp" from the Rocky Horror Picture Show soundtrack
- "The Monster" by Eminem (feat. Rihanna)
- "Somebody's Watching Me" by Rockwell
- "The Devil's Chasing Me" by Reverend Horton Heat
🏋🏻♀️Try a 30-day fitness challenge. Check out the monthly "More More" column in Macaroni Kid Family Fitness and Wellness for the "Our Family Moves" challenge for the month.
🚶🏽♂️🚶🏼♀️Take a family walk around the neighborhood before or after dinner. It's a great way to connect while enjoying the changing scenery.
👻 Read ghost stories by the fire.
🔥 Get creative with you s’more and try some of these S'mores Alternatives.
🍏 🍎 Check out these 40 Apple Activities for Kids.
🛠 Tackle a DIY project idea from Home Depot.
🚒 Reach out to your first responders and find what they need. Take up a neighborhood collection.
