Fall in Los Angeles: 10 Essential LA Bucket List Ideas
Looking for fun and unique fall things to do in Los Angeles? In this post, you’ll discover ten essential fall activities you must do at least once in LA. From spine-tingling ghost tours to cozy seasonal festivals, this list has something for everyone. So let’s get into it!
Best Fall Activities in Los Angeles
1. Find the fall foliage in (and around) LA
Although LA isn’t known for its changing leaves in the fall, there are some hidden gem places to find fall foliage in Los Angeles. Here’s a list of a few places to visit where you can see the fall color change in LA:ย
2. Celebrate Halloween at Disneyland
Not a fan of getting spooked? Visit Disneyland during Halloween time, where you’ll experience Halloween-themed ride overlays, food, decorations, and more.
You’ll even see your favorite characters dressed up in special seasonal attire for a limited time!
โก๏ธ Purchase your Disneyland tickets here.
3. Get spooked at Universal Studios Halloween Horror Nights
Let’s just say there are definite benefits to celebrating fall in the world’s entertainment capital! If you enjoy getting spooked, you must add going to Universal Studios Hollywood’s Halloween Horror Nights to your “LA Fall Bucket List.”
Not only are some parts of the experience located on actual Hollywood studio back lots, but the monsters and scary “things” have their makeup done by some of the best makeup artists in the business!
โก๏ธ Book your Halloween Horror Nights tickets here.
Bundle your favorite LA attractions into one pass and save big. Pick 2โ5 spots for one price with the Klook Pass Los Angeles.
4. Visit a Pumpkin Patch
What’s more fall than picking your own pumpkin from a pumpkin patch? Around the end of September, you’ll start to see places to buy pumpkins all around the city. However, there’s nothing like visiting a pumpkin patch that also offers food stalls, games, entertainment, and more to help you jump into the autumn spirit.
Here are a few patches I recommend checking out:
Watch this vlog to see what it’s like to visit Underwood Family Farms.
5. Pick apples at Oak Glen
The fall season is an important time for the Oak Glen community, which is an area in San Bernadino County that is known for its apple orchards. You’ll need to drive a bit to get to the farms, but they make it worth it with lots of fall farm activities on display.
You’ll be able to pick your own apples and pumpkins, see the fall foliage, pet farm animals, drink fresh apple cider, and eat apple cider donuts. There are also special fall harvest activities at specific farms.
6. Watch a fall movie at an impressive outdoor LA location
Whether it’s seeing a movie at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery, on a rooftop in LA, or on a boat, LA offers many options for outdoor fall movie screenings. Here’s a curated list from TimeOut ofย all the LA outdoor screenings this year.ย
7. Stroll through immersive carved pumpkin experiences
Two notable events happen in Los Angeles during the fall season, where you can see the most over-the-top pumpkin carvings and structures! I attended these events with friends, and we had such a great time strolling through all the pumpkin installations.
At the events, we cozied up with seasonal drinks and snacks before fully immersing ourselves in the autumn / Halloween season (something that’s sometimes difficult to do when you live in LA).
Carved
- Located in Descanso Gardens, La Caรฑada.ย
- Professionally carved pumpkins all around an area of the botanical gardens.
- Paid admission tickets are required to enter; discounts available for members.
- Parking is free at the Descanso Garden lots and is on a first come first serve basis. Or, you can purchase valet parking tickets in advance on their website.
- 20-minute drive from downtown Los Angeles
- Carved Website
โก๏ธ Purchase your Descanso Garden Carved tickets here.
Night of the Jack
- Located in the Santa Monica Hills at King Gillette Ranch, Calabasas
- Spooky, not scary, pumpkin carvings of favorite characters, LA food trucks, and drinks from the spookeasy. There’s also a nightly pumpkin carver. Walk a lighted trail of pumpkins.
- Parking must be purchased in advance online.
- Ticket prices vary depending on the day you choose. Timed reservations are required.
- Night of the Jack Website
โก๏ธ Purchase your Nights of the Jack tickets here.
8. Tour haunted places in Los Angelesย
Looking to get a little spooked this Halloween season? Los Angeles may be known for its glitz and glamour, but once the dazzling lights fade away, Hollywood is also known for some pretty unnerving reports of unexplained events. Taking a ghost tour will allow you to visit some of these iconic haunted sites while also hearing the spine-tingling backstories of why these places remain so haunted.
โก๏ธ Book a Haunted Hollywood Ghost Tour here.
9. Celebrate Oktoberfest at the Fairplex
Oktoberfest, held at the Fairplex in Pomona, is typically a three-weekend event in October, for adults 21 and over only. There are games, prizes, souvenirs, entertainment, and so much more.
โก๏ธ Find more information about Oktoberfest and purchase your tickets here.
10. Haunted Hayride at Griffith Park
The Haunted Hayride is the perfect night out with friends, family, or a fun fall date idea. It’s one of the most popular things to do in Los Angeles in the fall.ย
FYI: They warn that it may be too intense for kids ages 12 and under.
โก๏ธ Grab your Haunted Hayride tickets here.
